Not only is this one of the most vibrant trade shows, full of product announcements and innovations, as it is a key opportunity for brands to build their image and reach the most important music products buyers and decision makers in the world. The show continues to evolve very favorably in the last editions with great outdoor events and new educational sessions, while the NAMM TEC Awards have become a key moment for the industry to recognizing creative and technical achievements of audio professionals.
The Anaheim, CA, Winter NAMM Show is the annual global family reunion of music products, pro audio, live sound, lighting and entertainment technology communities. This must-attend event of the year is a unique opportunity to connect with every other music and sound segment in the industry. Last year, a record 101,726 attendees explored products from more than 1,700 exhibitors showcasing over 6,000 brands. Plus, attendees were able to choose from 120+ educational sessions and more than 150 networking events.
No other trade show has been more influential in introducing musical trends, unveiling new, cutting-edge technologies, creating product legends and gathering the world’s many music and sound communities than The NAMM Show. For visitors and manufacturers this is a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with musicians and celebrities and to build brands, develop marketing messages and drive sales. Exhibitors benefit from exposure to a diverse base of businesses that buy products, including retail stores and distributors. NAMM exhibitors benefitted from a double-digit increase in the number of buying businesses in 2016.
Not to be missed, the 32nd Annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards (NAMM TEC Awards) 2017. For this year’s edition, the NAMM Foundation has announced that rocker Joe Perry will receive the prestigious Les Paul Award. The annual award is given on behalf of the Les Paul Foundation and honors individuals that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of recording technology in the spirit of the famed audio pioneer, inventor and musician, Les Paul.
The award will be presented at a January 21st ceremony being held in Anaheim, CA as part of The 2017 NAMM Show. Perry, who was included in Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” is also scheduled to perform live before an audience of pro audio and sound production inventors, musicians and industry friends.
Along with Perry, famed Aerosmith engineer and producer Jack Douglas, will be inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame, which was created nearly thirty years ago to honor pioneers of audio technology, as well as the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians. Douglas is associated with many of the band’s most iconic releases and affectionately dubbed “the sixth member” of Aerosmith for having contributed lyrics to several tracks released from the band. He also engineered and produced many multi-platinum Aerosmith albums including Toys in the Attic and Rocks, both of which ranked among Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Douglas rose to prominence when the Record Plant Studio opened its doors and eventually engineered John Lennon’s Imagine and the Who’s Who’s Next EP.
The NAMM TEC Awards celebrate the pro audio community by recognizing the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind today’s sound recordings, live sound, films, television, and video games. Outstanding Technical Achievement and Outstanding Creative Achievement nominees were announced earlier for the Saturday, January 21 event. Tickets can be purchased on site or in advance here for $50 (General Admission) or $175 (VIP). The show will be hosted by comedian Sinbad and will be available via a live event web stream during The NAMM Show.
More Professional Audio
This will be the last edition of the Winter NAMM before the scheduled expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center in 2018, which will enable the show to finally get a new layout and, hopefully, a better division between the MI and pro audio areas. The NAMM association is also hoping to expand the show significantly in the professional audio segment.
Professional live sound will be in the spotlight at the 2017 NAMM Show with a dedicated track of seminars, panels and education that will focus on the world of touring audio. As part of the show’s TEC Tracks programming, Live Sound Day (Thursday, January 19) will bring together the industry’s top engineers, thought-leaders and brands in sound reinforcement to discuss key industry topics, offer advice and deliver training in a series of educational sessions.
TEC Award-winning front-of-house engineers will share their experiences and advice, with a robust line-up of sessions for the live sound professional including audio-over-IP; future-proofing wireless microphone inventory; best use of DSP in amplification; tips for easy live recording; virtual soundcheck; and how to prepare for multi-act festivals. As part of the programming, training will be offered on Rational Acoustics’ SMAART DI software with a look at two-channel interfaces. These topics, along with a variety of sessions in recording and lighting will be offered throughout the day which will conclude with a special networking event for all attendees.
TEC Tracks takes place annually as part of The NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center, to be held January 19-22, 2017. Notable participants include Meyer Sound, Midas, Yamaha Pro Audio Products, including Steinberg Recording Software, Renkus Heinz, JBL, Soundcraft, DiGiCo, and Electro-Voice, among many others.
And precisely because pro audio is increasingly important for the NAMM Show, the association announced it will feature Dante audio networking training and certification sessions, January 20-21. The sessions will be presented at the show by Audinate, and will offer attendees the opportunity to experience an intensive two-days of hands-on training as part of the company’s Dante Certification Program. As an added programming bonus, TEC Tracks at The NAMM Show will host a special “Introduction to Dante” session during its newly-announced Live Sound Day, Thursday, January 19. On that day, participants can learn more about the multi-channel, digital media networking protocol.
Dante Training and Certification will take place on Friday, January 20 and Saturday, January 21 in the Laguna Meeting Room, located on the fourth floor of the Hilton Anaheim. Interested participants should plan to register early, as seating is limited. Register here.
19–22
The NAMM Show
Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California
www.namm.org/thenammshow/2017
