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...In the world of pro audio it takes time to get a level of acceptance and I feel proud that not only have we achieved that, but we are now taking market share from some of the ‘big boys’!
PETER HEATH ROLAND SYSTEMS GROUP, SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR You’ve been with Roland Systems Group (RSG) a significant amount of time haven’t you? Almost 18 years now - the first 12 years I spent in the music division before being asked to set up the pro audio sector in 2007. Why do I stay? I think it’s largely due to the fact that I love the business - I’m a musician and have a passion for audio. As a teenager I worked in rehearsal facilities, ran around doing small PA hire and worked as a tape operator in a studio. With Roland being such a multi-faceted business there has never been a dull moment! There is also a certain amount of pride in working for a company with such a heritage and that is respected for its innovation and ‘world firsts’. Building up RSG to what it is today has been challenging but rewarding and I’ve invested a lot of ‘me’ in it so I see it as a longterm commitment to keep building it. RSG has a long history, what has been your proudest moment? I think it is the history itself that makes me proud. It’s not one event or one product, it’s the blood, sweat and tears that we put in to keep going forward. In the world of pro audio it takes some time to get a level of acceptance and I feel proud that not only have we achieved that, but we are now taking market share from some of the ‘big boys’!
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RSG is naturally associated with MI, but it is also heavily involved in install isn’t it? Yes, that’s right, we do a lot of business in the install sector and a great deal of our product range is well suited to it in terms of design of the hardware and software. The fact that we can supply total solutions to the installers is our core strength. We pride ourselves on the high quality, reliability and longevity of our products and the feedback we get from existing customers has been extremely positive. Our challenge is introducing the brand and products to installers who are not aware of what we can offer them. It’s getting the products in front of them and showing them the features of the M-480 digital console and the benefits of using our Digital Snake systems, the ease of Cat5e connectivity. How does the install market differ in terms of demands? Markets have evolved over the last couple of years but the most common demands will always be small footprint, feature rich, innovative and reliable products at the right price. There is also a demand for products to multi-task and this is where we can really add value to the installation. With products such as the VR-50HD, one small box can combine audio, video, live streaming and recording and is practically
‘plug and play’. These kind of products, though not traditionally ‘install’ products, are becoming popular because there is no need for the installer to make it more complicated. Innovative products that make the process easier such as the M-200i iPad controllable digital console are popular because the mix can be adjusted from any point in the venue. Who in the industry inspires you? People who are prepared to take a risk against all odds and make it work. If you could learn to play a musical instrument in a day, what would it be? I already play guitar and keys but I would love to have a great voice, so if someone could train me in a day to sound like my heroes then that would be it. What’s your guilty pleasure? Sweet and sour! Anything sweet combined with something sour… Lovely! And finally, vinyl, CD or download? Definitely vinyl!