Roland Corporation celebrates 909 Day, the annual moment when producers, DJs, and dance music communities worldwide salute the TR-909 Rhythm Composer. Since its introduction in 1983, the TR-909 has supplied the pulse of house, techno, and club music genres.
For 909 Day 2026, Roland is going back to where that story started. The celebration centers on a live workshop in Detroit with techno originator Kevin Saunderson and the premiere of a new animated film, pairing hands-on music-making with a look at the people and culture behind the TR-909.
909 Day in Detroit — TR-909 TO 1000 Workshop ft. KEVIN SAUNDERSON
Roland brings 909 Day to the Underground Music Academy in Detroit on Saturday, September 12 from 3-6pm EDT, for a hands-on session with Kevin Saunderson and Roland’s Dustin Good. As one third of the Belleville Three, Saunderson helped pioneer Detroit techno and was an early champion of the TR-909, using the machine as part of the sound that would carry the genre around the world. The workshop brings that history into the present, putting Saunderson behind the machine in the city where techno took shape.
The free session pairs the original TR-909 with the TR-1000, focusing on the 1000’s next-generation 9X engines, and walks attendees through sequencing, sound shaping, and performance technique. Creators can join the Roland Cloud Academy livestream for an interactive session or check in anytime on the YouTube stream.
RSVP for Roland Cloud Academy Interactive Session:
https://www.submix.io/roland/tr-workshop-909-to-1000-with-kevin-saunderson
Join the YouTube Premiere and set an alert here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/NaI0fQIJ8_4
