The NAMM Winter Show, which annually gathers over 100,000 attendees from 139 countries and regions, will take on a new look in the form of communities across the show floor, including expanded event technology and pro audio areas; the addition of a new building, Anaheim Convention Center North (ACC North); as well as a new education and professional development campus, curated by a variety of industry leading experts in their respective fields.
Just released, the 2018 NAMM Show map represents the diverse crossroads of industry in both buildings of the convention center, and offers a platform for the product communities of stringed instruments, school band and orchestra, fretted instruments (acoustic and electric), percussion, keys (pianos, keyboards and synthesizers), pro audio and sound, stage and lighting, as well as distributors, publishers, retail services and more.
Access the map here: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2018/map
Highlights of The 2018 NAMM Show communities include:
Event Technology: A new area of the show will be transformed into an environment ideal for showcasing lighting, rigging, DJ, sound, special effects and staging products and services in a completely controlled atmosphere. Professionals in this space will be able to test-drive new products on the spot and engage in one-on-one conversations with leading experts and buyers.
Pro Audio and Sound: Visitors across the show floor will find products in both pro audio and live sound format. Innovations and new product launches in recording, live sound, installation, A/V, broadcast, and post-production, along with consumer electronics, software, DJ, and technology will round out the experience, all set in a business-focused environment.
Fretted Instruments: Fretted instruments, from ukuleles, mandolins to handcrafted boutique guitars and electric guitars, basses, and more, will be found on all levels of the convention center. Attendees and buyers alike will have the opportunity to directly connect with exhibitors throughout these dedicated communities.
Percussion: Cymbals, kits and all kinds of percussion accessories will be located and placed near demo areas so attendees can experience the true sound of the instruments in a quieter area away from the show floor.
Pianos: Piano brands from around-the-world will have their own dedicated showcase – a gallery conducive to playing and delving into the artistry and nuances of each instrument.
School Band and Orchestra/Stringed Instruments: Horns, brass, woodwinds as well as stringed instruments and bow exhibitors will appreciate the spacious area that houses SBO, as well as its proximity to all areas in the convention center.
MI/Pro Audio Distributors & Publishers: An intersection of MI and pro audio distributors, brands, and publishers servicing multiple product types across retail and professional channels will create a hub of activity for those seeking their services.
The growth of the official NAMM campus includes an expansion of NAMM’s education programs, which will be relocated to the Hilton Anaheim. Covering four floors, the new Hilton Anaheim education campus will offer attendees the chance to mix and mingle between professional development disciplines and opportunities to enhance careers and grow their businesses and knowledge.
Announced earlier this year, pro audio and sound professionals can take advantage of education from the Audio Engineering Society’s new format: AES@NAMM Prosound Symposium: Live and Studio. The AES@NAMM is being launched coincident with the expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center, with the new ACC-North Hall hosting a growing list of professional audio and related exhibitors. The ACC-North Hall is connected by sky bridge to the rest of the ACC, and it sits adjacent to the Anaheim Hilton Hotel.The four-day symposium comprises a unique, high-end education and training program targeted at professionals working in live sound, recording and audio for the performing arts. AES@NAMM will be held in the NAMM Education Campus located inside the Anaheim Hilton Hotel, and adjacent to a brand-new exhibit space showcasing pro audio’s leading brands.
“AES@NAMM is an international attraction for those involved in the fields of live sound, recording technologies and the application of pro audio in support of performing arts,” states AES President Alex Case. “Registration opens next month for our wide range of education sessions and academy trainings targeted at audio engineers, sound reinforcement technicians, system operators, recording professionals, audio equipment specialists and other associated practitioners. We have organized a rich and varied program that will match the informational needs of a broad cross section of active professionals.”
As with all Technical Sessions at AES Conferences and Conventions, AES@NAMM is fee-based, with limited seating secured through advance registration. Attendees can purchase single-session tickets, or half-day or whole-day badges. Academy trainees will receive a Certificate of Attendance to confirm their participation in training and educational sessions. Each AES@NAMM registrant also will receive a NAMM Show badge with full access to all exhibits and other activities.
The innovative AES@NAMM program will feature day-long training conducted by manufacturers of contemporary live sound consoles and studio digital audio workstations, in addition to half-day line array loudspeaker system training. “There will also be entertainment wireless and system optimization educational themes,” explains Mark Frink, Director, Programming & Content, “including classroom training of hardware- and software-based products from these fields. Renowned author and engineer Bobby Owsinski will host a special Studio & Recording Technology Session Series, while John Murray will oversee Science & Technology Sessions, including Measurement And System Optimization.”
AES@NAMM’s Education Campus comprises 20 rooms on the fourth floor of the Hilton facing the Grand Plaza. Symposium sessions will run 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from Thursday, January 25, through Sunday, January 28, with the last day ending at 4:00 pm. Day-long DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) Academy and Live Sound Console Academy courses of manufacturer-based training take place in eight rooms. Half-day morning and afternoon Line Array Loudspeaker System Academy themes will be held in a bank of six classrooms and a spacious system setup area.
The special Studio Session Series targeted at the studio and post-production communities includes Mastering for The Streaming Age, which will discuss multiple masters, dynamic range and hot levels; The State Of The Art of Do-It-Yourself, which will provide an overview of today’s DIY marketplace; and Sound Design for Tentpole Films, which will focus on techniques used in blockbuster motion pictures.
“The Live Sound Console Academy comprises day-long sessions for 24 students with instruction on control-surface orientation,” Frink continues, “followed by an exploration of each console’s features and use. It concludes with a sound check of a live band, and culminates in the mixing of several songs.” AES Papers and Workshops, as well as special Spanish and Mandarin daily sessions, will be accommodated in a separate room. The program also includes classrooms for professional audio software and hardware manufacturers’' training.
Of special interest to audioXpress and Voice Coil readers, are the "Sound System Measurement & Optimization" sessions. Hosted by John Murray of Optimum Systems, these sessions will include breakout classrooms on AFMG’s SysTune, Rational Acoustics’ Smaart DI and Studio Six Digital’s Audio Tools, while generic workshop sessions will include Charlie Hughes’ famous Subwoofer Series, Jamie Anderson on Multi-Mic Measurement, Chris Tsanjouries on Crossing the Art/Science Line and Andrew Smith on Choosing the Right Frequency Analyzer.
Live Event Technology
The 2018 expansion of The NAMM Show will feature a dedicated event technology exhibit hall and offer a series of FREE, industry-curated educational sessions in partnership with ESTA, Front of House, Projection, Lights, and Staging News, Stage Directions and Lighting&Sound America.
Attendees will have a unique opportunity to identify new products and solutions in a trade show environment that recognizes the value of collaboration between the production and performance fields, participate in community events like the Parnelli Awards, and experience a diverse lineup of live music performance that are a hallmark of The NAMM Show.
ETCP credit are available—FREE—via the education tracks curated by ESTA that focus on safety, lighting, lighting Networking and rigging, as well as the USITT Electrical Workshop. In total, The NAMM Show the ideal platform for event technology professionals to expand their knowledge, skills and network. www.namm.org/live
TEC Tracks, which offers free education for emerging pro audio professionals, will also be found in the Hilton. The NAMM Idea Center will remain in the lobby of the Anaheim Convention Center. Badge registration for non-NAMM members will open on August 30. Schedules for all educational sessions will be announced in the coming months.In the evening, The NAMM Show will offer plenty of networking opportunities, including the new-to-NAMM Parnelli Awards (Friday, January 26), honoring pioneering, influential professionals and companies and their contributions to the live production industry. This year’s event will recognize Billy Joel’s long-time Production Manager, Bobby “Boomer” Thrasher, as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Lighting designer and innovator, Jonathan Smeeton (The Rolling Stones, Marilyn Manson, Jane’s Addiction, Taylor Swift), will receive the Parnelli Visionary Award; and DiGiCo technical director John Stadius will be honored with the Audio Innovator Award.
Other events to be held over the course of the show include the pro audio and sound recording favorite NAMM TEC Awards (Saturday, January 27), concerts on The Grand Plaza Stage, and a myriad of other interactive events and opportunities.25 - 28 January
The NAMM Show
Anaheim Convention Center
Anaheim, California
www.namm.org
