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Saxquest: Passionate Pursuit of the Horn Show Report: Music China 2011 Rhythm Nation: Drums & Percussion Market Survey
NEW, MMR iPad APP NOW AVAILABLE
November 2011
Contents NOVEMBER 2011 VOL.170 NO. 11
30 Spotlight:
Saxquest: Passionate Pursuit of the Horn Mark and Elke Overton have grown what was once a home-based hobby into a lucrative Internet operation and a true destination for saxophone players and enthusiasts from around the country. MMR speaks with Mark about his St. Louis retail business and his “maniacal” pursuit of all things sax.
Cover photo by: Sarah Carmody, S. Carmody Photography, St. Louis, Mo.
22 Upfront Q&A: Elliott Rubinson
We sit down with the owner and president of Armadillo Enterprises – the group behind Dean Guitars – to discuss the brand’s iconic heavy metal legacy, as well as its successful present-day forays beyond the realm of ‘pointy guitars.’
26 Show Report: Music China 2011
The Chinese MI industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds, as evidenced by the record number of exhibitors and attendees at the recent Music China and Prolight & Sound Expo held in Shanghai.
38 Taking the Leap with Légère
The past few years has seen Légère Reeds grow their product offerings, expand distribution, and triple sales. We spoke with Tim Elvy, the primary architect behind this trend, on how Légère is staying one step ahead of the competition.
42 Survey: Rhyhm Nation
MMR recently polled over 200 drums and percussion retailers to get their feedback on the current state of the market.
46 Keeping Time – New and Notable Drums and Percussion Products
50 Going Green: Twin Town Guitars
When Andrew Bell, owner of Minneapolis’ Twin Town Guitars, decided to fix his store’s roof two years ago, he didn’t realize he’d also be taking the plunge into next-generation, environmentally friendly energy efficiency…
In every issue: 4 6 16 18 62 74 82 88
Editorial Upfront People Letters New Products Supplier Scene Classifieds Advertisers’ Index
52 Keys to the City – Steinway Society Expands Education Throughout Central Florida
54 Fresh Faces: Siouxland Music Supply
Just about a year ago, Jerritt Munch and Kay Derby opened Siouxland Music Supply. We check in to learn about the genesis of the business and to see how things have progressed in the first 12 months.
58 Retail: Larry’s Music
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MMR Musical Merchandise Review® (ISSN 0027-4615) founded in 1879, is published monthly by Symphony Publishing, LLC, 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781)453-9310, publisher of School Band and Orchestra, Choral Director, Music Parents America and JazzEd. All titles are federally registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Symphony Publishing, LLC. Subscription Rates: U.S.A., US possessions, one year $32; two years $40. Canada one year $80; all other countries one year $159. Single issues $5 each. May Supplier Directory $35. Periodical-Rate Postage Paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER/SUBSCRIBERS: Send address change to Musical Merchandise Review, P.O. Box 8548, Lowell, MA 01853. Periodicals circulation is directed to music dealers and retailers, wholesalers and distributors, importers and exporters and manufacturers of all types of musical instruments and their accessories, related electronic sound equipment, general musical accessories, musical publications and teaching aides. The publishers of this magazine do not accept responsibility for statements made by their advertisers in business competion. No portion of this issue may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright ©2011 by Symphony Publishing, LLC, all rights reserved. Printed in USA.
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Editorial Sidney Davis
Volume 170 Number 11 November 2011
North Dakota’s Music Man
PUBLISHER Sidney L. Davis sdavis@symphonypublishing.com
While Bismarck’s Band Night does not feature the 76 trombones that led professor Harold Hill’s big parade (with a hundred and ten cornets close at hand), it does have 50 flutes marching in unison with a ten-school consortium under the Southwest Marching Band banner. Band Night, a project developed and supported by Eckroth Music founder Bill Eckroth and carried forward by son Jeff, will mark its 42nd year next May. As Jeff explains, “It’s been going on since 1970. I marched in it when I was a kid, and it’s a very vital part of whatever limited marching experience our bands can have in this region of North Dakota.” To place the event in perspective, the entire state of North Dakota has a population less than that of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Southwest Marching Band, a grouping of ten sparsely populated school districts, collectively mustered 340 students to represent the area in Band Night. Conversely the Allen, Texas marching band has over 600 members! According to Jeff Eckroth, Band Night has grown to include 30 bands from the Dakota’s, Minnesota, Montana, and Canada. The Southwest Marching Band, which has become an integral part of Band Night, was launched in 2005 when two small schools – Belfield (124 students in grades 7 to 12) and South Heart (200 students in grades K to 12) – joined forces, so there would be a sufficient number from the combined schools to march in the May parade. As Catie Hoselton, band director at Belfield High School and a founder of the group, explains, “We were thinking how great it would be to go to the Bismarck parade, but we only had 20 kids in our program. So we thought, ‘What if we put two bands together and march them down the street?’” In 2006 Bowman joined, followed by Dickinson and Richardson-Taylor. By then the band was approaching 140 members and attracting some attention, according to Scranton band director Mark Perkins. Scranton, Hettinger, and New England were added and most recently the districts of Killdeer and Halliday, bringing the total number of band members to 340. The participating schools do their own rehearsing and, on the day of the parade, meet for a full band practice. With its 340 members, the band has evolved into the largest group along the parade route. Perkins relates that, “We are not the most polished of marching bands, but that does not diminish the importance of the project. We are ten bands marching as one. Each school has its own banner and our uniform of khaki pants and brown t-shirt was selected because none of the schools use brown as their school color.” Next phase for the group is the formation of a concert band with a planned performance on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. As for Jeff Eckroth’s take on the burgeoning event: “It’s the culmination of the year for many music programs across the state and it draws the community into the value of music education.” And on a final note for the curious among us, all the musical instruments in the “Music Man” production were made by the Olds Instrument Company and, upon the completion of the film, were refurbished and sold with no indication they were used in the film.
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Rick Kessel rkessel@symphonypublishing.com EDITOR Christian Wissmuller cwissmuller@symphonypublishing.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS Eliahu Sussman esussman@symphonypublishing.com Matt Parish mparish@symphonypublishing.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chaim Burstein, Dennis Carver, Kevin Mitchell, Dick Weissman ADVERTISING MANAGER Iris Fox ifox@symphonypublishing.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Jason LaChapelle jlachapelle@symphonypublishing.com CLASSIFIED & DISPLAY AD SALES Maureen Johan mjohan@symphonypublishing.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Laurie Guptill lguptill@symphonypublishing.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laurie Chesna lchesna@symphonypublishing.com Andrew P. Ross aross@symphonypublishing.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Melanie A. Prescott mprescott@symphonypublishing.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Popi Galileos pgalileos@symphonypublishing.com SYMPHONY PUBLISHING, LLC Chairman Xen Zapis President Lee Zapis lzapis@symphonypublishing.com Chief Financial Officer Rich Bongorno rbongorno@symphonypublishing.com Corporate Headquarters 26202 Detroit Road, Suite 300, Westlake, Ohio 44145 440-871-1300 www.symphonypublishing.com PUBLISHING, SALES & EDITORIAL OFFICE: 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 (781) 453-9310 Fax: (781) 453-9389 www.mmrmagazine.com
sdavis@ symphonypublishing.com
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Upfront Tea Partiers Rally for Gibson On October 8, a coalition of Tea Party groups and other organizations held a Tennessee rally for Gibson Guitar, an organization which has become an unlikely participant in present-day political debate, ever since federal authorities raided Gibson’s factories as part of an investigation into whether the guitar company imported illegal wood. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson’s chief execu-
tive, and Amy Kremer of the Tea Party Express were among those at the rally, which attracted roughly 500 according to local media estimates. Since the most recent raid, Juszkiewicz and Gibson have been advocating making changes to the Lacey Act, which Juszkiewicz says is ambiguous and needs to be changed. “We will fight, and we will make sure other companies do not face bullies with guns,”
New Venue for MIAC 2012 The 41st Annual MIAC Show will be held May 13-14, 2012 at the International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga, Ontario. The Show will be located in the newly renovated Halls 1, 2 and 3, a unified space unlike the past. Positioned on the airport strip, the International Centre is described by MIAC as, “convenient for travel and offers free parking, competitive pricing on ameni-
ties, and affordable entertainment, restaurants and hotels within a few minute’s driving distance.” Scheduling conflicts relating to the site of last year’s venue, the Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place in Toronto, is being cited as a factor in the change. For more information about MIAC, go to www.miac.net or call (877)-4906422.
Juszkiewicz said at the Saturday rally, reported the Nashville Tennessean. “With your help, we will make permanent changes.” Gibson’s cause has become a cause célèbre, especially amongst Tea Party supporters and Republicans who view the August U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service raid on Gibson’s facilities to be a prime example of what they perceive to be the Democrats’ regulatory overreach.
Inc. Magazine Profiles Peavey
Inc. magazine profiles Hartley Peavey in its latest installment of “How I Did It,” a feature series told by the people who live the real stories of America’s biggest successes.
NAMM Foundation Welcomes Educators to Anaheim The NAMM Foundation has once again invited music educators and school administrators from across the United States to come to Anaheim, Calif. to experience NAMM’s fifth annual “Music Education Days,” being held on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21 through Jan. 22 at the 2012 NAMM Show. Hosted by the NAMM Foundation, music educators and school administrators will have access to NAMM’s tradeonly music products trade show, where they will be encouraged to see and try the many instruments and products relevant and useful to today’s music classrooms. Highlights of “Music Education Days” include: Welcome breakfast reception Saturday morning featuring a performance by National Show Choir Champions: Brea Olinda High School “Masquerade” Welcome breakfast reception Sunday morning, featuring a performance by the world-famous Canadian Brass “Quintet” 6 MMR
Choir clinic featuring composer, music educator and choreographer John Jacobson, also known as “Mr. Double Dream Hands” from YouTube fame Brass Ensemble clinic featuring the Canadian Brass “Quintet” and a local student ensemble Live interview with composer Sammy Nestico hosted by the NAMM Oral History program “Best Practices for Student Recruitment and Retention” session by music education consultant Marcia Neel “Must Have Music Apps for Music Educators” music tech session by managing director of SoundTree and TI:ME Vice President Dr. Jim Frankel School Band & Orchestra’s 2012 “Best Tools for Schools” awards on Sunday afternoon, featuring the best products for teaching being displayed at this year’s NAMM Show Hands-on educator workshops, industry panel discussions and a pleth-
Hartley Peavey is the founder, CEO and sole owner of Peavey Electronics Corporation, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of musical and professional audio equipment. In this edition of “How I Did It,” Inc. details the organic success of the company Peavey built from the ground up into a technology leader that continues to drive the industry forward today.
ora of displays featuring the latest and greatest musical products from around the world. Registration for Music Education Days is $25 per person from Nov. 3 until Jan. 5, 2012, and $50 per person from Jan. 5, 2012 to Jan. 18, 2012. Music educators can apply to register online before Jan. 18, 2011, by visiting www.namm.org. NOVEMBER 2011
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G C I Te c h n o l o g i e s C o r p .
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Upfront Lacey Act: Controversial? To Say the Least; ‘Award-Winning’? Apparently… The Lacey Act has been all over the news lately – particularly in the MI world – and to say opinions are “mixed” on the policy would be a gross understatement. Now Lacey is again making waves, but this time it’s straight-up praise for the divisive legislation… It was recently reported that the U.S. law concerning the smuggling of illegally harvested wood has won silver in the 2011 Future Policy Awards as one of the world’s most inspiring and innovative forest policies. The three policies most effectively contributing to the conservation and sustainable development of forests for current and future generations were honored by the World Future Council at UN Headquarters in New York. Rwanda’s National Forest Policy claimed top hon-
TONIC’s 2nd Annual International Musical Instruments Seminar
The Tonal Innovation Center (TONIC) hosted their second annual International Musical Instruments Seminar from September 14 – 16 in Joensuu, Finland.
The seminar kicked off with a reception event that set the mood for an open forum for discussing how the TONIC project has progressed and what it plans to achieve in the near future, demonstrating how the participants to date have moved forward in commercializing the use of natural fiber composite materials and techniques. All the presentation materials and video highlights will be made available at www.tonal.fi
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ors, while the US Lacey Act with its 2008 amendment and The Gambia’s Community Forest Policy shared second place. The amended Lacey Act is recognized as the first law in the world to prohibit trade in wood products made from trees that were illegally harvested. The Lacey Act of 1900 focused on wildlife trade and has been a leading tool in efforts to control smuggling of products derived from endangered species. The 2008 amendment added plants to this law, which made it applicable to the one trillion dollar global wood products industry. The first enforcement action under the new law occurred in 2009, when a search warrant was executed on Gibson Guitars to investigate the import of ebony and rosewood from Madagascar.
Theodor Nagel Bankruptcy
On September 7, the County Court of Hamburg, Germany initiated bankruptcy proceedings over the assets of Theodor Nagel GmbH. Nagel’s timber trade is a rich tradition, dating back to 1837. Most recently, the emphasis was in the import and export of mostly decorative hardwoods. Theodor Nagel supplies precious woods to many national and international guitar and instrument makers for building their instruments, including Gibson Guitars, which (as reported extensively here and elsewhere) been involved in a conflict with the U.S. government regarding charges of illegally imported wood.
Steinway & Sons Honors Presented to Jacobs Music Co. Jacobs Music Company, the 111-year-old piano dealer headquartered in Center City Philadelphia with stores in Willow Grove and Whitehall, Pa., Cherry Hill and Lawrenceville, N.J. and Wilmington, Delaware, has earned the Steinway & Sons Partners in Performance Dealer of the Year Award for a second consecutive year.
Earning the award in the category of Major Metropolitan cities, they competed with such major cities as Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C. Jacobs’ President Chris Rinaldi said, “It’s a great honor to win this recognition even once, but, it’s more remarkable to win it two years in a row.”
Left to right: Mark Love, senior VP of development for Jacobs Music Company; Dana Messina, CEO Steinway & Sons; Thomas Kurrer, president Steinway & Sons; Chris Rinaldi, president & CFO, Jacobs Music Company; Bob Rinaldi, senior VP sales, merchandising and customer service for Jacobs Music Company; Al Rinaldi, chairman & CEO, Jacobs Music Company; Ron Losby, president, Steinway Americas; and Gabrielle Rinaldi, executive VP and director, concert & artist department at Jacobs Music Company. NOVEMBER 2011
Upfront National Association of Music Parents Parents nationwide who believe in music, together with the music products industry, have gained a new partner with the launch of The National Association of Music Parents (AMP). AMP will link music parents, along with music manufacturers and retailers, with an organization to promote musicmaking and arts education. Focusing first and foremost on music parents, AMP will work collaboratively with established music-making advocates such as NAMM, SupportMusic.com, and The National Association for Music Education. According to AMP founder/CEO Scott McCormick, AMP’s potential size and service-reach, as well as its extensive
resource library filled with compellingpositive advocacy information, will provide major support to the music industry and help them to connect with their customers and advance local advocacy for music education. AMP will hold its inaugural Music Parent Leadership Conference, January 20-22, 2012, in Anaheim, California, concurrent to Winter NAMM 2012. NAMM is collaborating with AMP and invites conference attendees to participate in Music Education Days at the NAMM Show. Learn more at www.AMParents.org. For partnership and subscription information, call (317) 968-9808 or e-mail info@AMParents.org.
Keith and Catherine Stein Donate $1 Million to Boise State Boise State University has become Idaho’s first All-Steinway School due to a donation from Boise benefactors Keith and Catherine Stein. The Department of Music will exclusively feature Steinway & Sons pianos for all teaching, rehearsals and performances. An unsolicited $1 million gift from the Steins provides 35 new pianos for the department and completes the All-Steinway School Initiative which was launched in April 2008. Overall Boise State will have added 43 new pianos to its existing inventory of eight Steinways. Additionally, the gift creates an endowed fund to support the ongoing care and upkeep of all the pianos. Boise State becomes one of about 135 all-Steinway colleges, universities and con-
servatories worldwide, joining the company of institutions such as Yale University, The Juilliard School, Carnegie-Mellon University, Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Oberlin College Conservatory. The Steins have a long relationship with Boise State’s music program. Their cornerstone scholarship donation to the Boise State University Foundation in 1986 helped re-establish a marching band at Boise State. The Keith Stein Blue Thunder Marching Band made its debut at Boise State’s first home football game on Sept. 5, 1987. The Steins also helped provide a new home for the band in 2006 — the Keith and Catherine Stein Band Hall in the Caven-Williams Sports Complex.
Fishman Launches Dealer Support Page Fishman Acoustic Amplification has launched a comprehensive Dealer Resources support page on its new website designed to provide its dealers with a variety of in-depth product and branding information, a video channel, photos, and other useful sales tools. Accessible via the Dealer Login section at the footer of the Fishman home 10 MMR
page, the password-protected page is comprised of five informative and easy to use sections. Additionally, users can toggle back and forth between the Dealer Resources page and the rest of the Fishman website for greater integration. The training section includes product modules in flash format with Fishman brand differentiation information, de-
Masteller Music to Close
After nearly 40 years, Battle Creek, Michigan’s Masteller Music, Inc. is calling it quits. “Oh, we had a good ride,” said Royden Swaffield, 70, president of Masteller Music, when we spoke to him on September 22. “We really liked our customers – the band directors. We had a lot of customers we did business with for at least 20 years. “They were all just nice guys and we did business on a handshake and just trusted one another. It was kind of a Mom and Pop type business and you don’t see those businesses much anymore. We did between 70-80 schools and a lot of them, we’ve had a long time.” As to the reasons behind the operation’s demise Swaffield said, “The schools weren’t buying much and now they’re not really buying anything – they don’t have any budgets. They don’t have much repair money or anything. The boosters fund just about everything. We bought the one partner out and he’s already playing golf. I’m just going to do some things that I haven’t had a chance to do for the past 50 years, because I was a band director before I came here and was really busy at that, too. So I have a lot of things to catch up on at home. I’m 70 and it’s time.” The store isn’t completely shut down yet, but the end is near: “We’re going to sell the building and we still have some rentals out that we’ll have to collect on, but we don’t have nearly the receivables that we did once. They’re trimming down. But it will eventually get to the point where we’ll be chasing just a few. We’ll probably work half-time for awhile. We’re already trying to figure out that one out.”
NOVEMBER 2011
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Upfront mographic specifics for target customers, key features and benefits for each product, technical specifications and followup quizzes to assist in learning. A more detailed Training Guide for all Fishman products in PDF format is also provided as a backup for the modules. In support, a link to Fishman’s FTP site provides high-resolution photos, artwork and advertising components. Product documentation such as installation guides, cutout templates, wiring guides, and software downloads are also provided along with an additional Service & Support resource that organizes available sales tools.
Logos & Branding includes high-resolution Fishman brand and product logos in different formats for dealers to use in their print and online promotion. Video is comprised of two sections. One contains a link to Fishman’s YouTube page with long-format detailed product overviews and demos, as well as videos of artist performances, user demos, industry media coverage, and product reviews. The Fishman Video Network section focuses on new product videos in a more
concise and creative way with particular emphasis on keeping viewers actively engaged in the messaging. Especially useful is the fact that dealers can copy the embed code for these videos and easily add them to any location they choose on their own websites. New Product Sneak Peek allows dealers to learn about a new product several months before its release with a detailed description, key features and benefits, specifications, photos and which artists are using it.
Gibson Announces Agreement with Fiji In late September, the Prime Minister of Fiji, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, and Gibson CEO & chairman Henry Juskiewicz held a joint press conference to announce Gibson’s new agreement
with Fiji to be the exclusive buyer of Fiji Pure Mahogany (FPM). In the Mahogany Development Decree of 2010 Fiji acknowledged the need for the mahogany industry to be operated on a basis that is sustainable and long term. To serve this purpose, Fiji’s government established the certified mark, FPM, to certify plantation-grown
DRUM! Magazine Founders Launch the Enter Music Network Phil Hood and Andy Doerschuk, the founders of Enter Music Publishing (publishers of DRUM! Magazine) recently launched The Enter Music Network (EMN) www. entermusicnetwork.com, an industry specific ad network comprised of the top sites for drummers and percussionists. The EMN is a group of nine websites that together offer advertisers the ability to reach the widest market of musicians. It’s designed to be an ideal venue for advertising drum equipment, recording gear and other music products, as well as musician lifestyle products. The network allows advertisers to market to more than 100 countries across the world. Overall 12 MMR
the EMN reaches more than half a million drummers monthly. The key to The EMN is the group of percussive partner sites. The network includes the top drumming sites in the world, such as drumchannel, drummercafe, drummerconnection, onlinedrummer, musicplayers, sickdrummermagazine, drumlink, and of course drummagazine. In addition to web banner campaigns the Enter Music Network also offers email marketing opportunities and video ad insertion on some sites. Interested parties can call Phil Hood at (408) 971-9794 ext 203 or visit www.entermusicnetwork.com.
wood of Fiji origin that is legally grown, harvested, and produced. FPM controls the world’s largest mahogany plantation.
2012 ‘Baldwin Family Reunion’
In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of D. H. Baldwin founding the Baldwin Piano & Organ Company in 1862, a Baldwin Family Reunion will be held in Cincinnati, April 20 – 22, 2012, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blue Ash, Ohio. All former employees of Baldwin, from manufacturing, administration, finance, wholesale and retail sales, as well as the Baldwin dealer family and anyone who sold Baldwin products or had a business relationship with the company, are invited and encouraged to attend this event. George Benson has created a special website for the event: www.150baldwinfamilyreunion.com, which has a direct link for hotel reservations. There is also a Facebook group, Baldwin Grands, where organizers for the event will list all the details of the reunion weekend. Anyone who has any questions about the event is encouraged to email: 150baldwinfamilyreunion@ gmail.com.
NOVEMBER 2011
Introduce your customers to Légère reeds and you’ll be the one receiving thanks! We invite you to join the fastest growing premium woodwind reed company in the world. Call one of the listed distributors below or
+1 (705) 735-6395 Ask about our Légère school band program. www.legere.com
St. Louis Music 1-800-844-9653
Conn-Selmer Inc. 1-800-348-7426
Harris Teller Inc. 1-800-252-4004
American Way Marketing 1-800-331-0664
Upfront SLM Launches UnionStation Accessory Line St. Louis Music has launched UnionStation™, a house-designed line of accessories that includes straps, gig bags, and tuners. St. Louis’ Union Station, a national historic landmark that was once the world’s largest and busiest train station, inspired the name. UnionStation features straps starting at $3.99 list for the nylon series, and from $25.99 to $55.99 list for the leather series. There are three levels of gig bags: Standard ($24.99), Deluxe ($49.99), and Professional ($69.99). The professional series’ bags feature 25 mm duo-foam
construction, gusseted cordura exterior, premium full-length zipper, two carrying handles, four exterior compartments with zippers, interior accessory compartment with Velcro tie, pencil holders, and zippered mesh pouch, and deluxe padded backpack straps with lumbar support padding. All three levels are available in classical/folk, acoustic, electric, and bass guitar models. For more information on placing an order or becoming a UnionStation dealer, email info@usbandsupplies.com or call (800) 727-4512.
Richard Gere Guitar Auction Fetches Nearly $1 Million Amassed over 40 years, Richard Gere’s collection of classic guitars and amplifiers recently fetched $936,438 at a New York auction. Top lot at the Christie’s charity sale was a 1960 Gibson Les Paul which was bought by a private collector for $98,500, including commission. Other significant items included guitars once owned by
Peter Tosh and a 1958 Gibson Flying V, previously owned by Albert King. Additionally, a 1931 CF Martin that went for $62,500 was among three lots bought by the guitar manufacturer. Gere remarked that it was “painful” to let go of, “my true friends.” Only four of 106 instruments available for auction failed to sell.
Trade Regrets: On October 5, Steve Jobs passed away in Palo Alto, California after a long and public battle with pancreatic cancer. An iconic figure who helped pioneer the personal computer
and re-define the cellular phone, Jobs was also the driving force behind changes that shaped how people create, listen to, and share music in the modern age. “The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come,” remarked longtime rival, occasional business-partner, and Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates. Renowned American violin luthier, Lothar Meisel, passed away on September 22 at the age of 82.
Heil Sponsored ‘Night of Sweet Relief’ Heil Sound signed on as a sponsor of the October 15th “Night of Sweet Relief,” a national, multi-venue celebration of live music benefiting the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a nonprofit organization devoted to securing health care for uninsured musicians. The event involved hundreds of live sound venues—arenas, theaters, clubs, and bars—who will donate $1.00
from the ticket sale or cover charge for that evening. House of Blues, Knitting Factory, Tipitinas, and The Roxy, to name just a few, were participating venues. As part of Heil Sound’s involvement, a microphone package valued at $2,500 was provided for a drawing. For more information, visit www.sweetrelief.org/event/night-ofsweet-relief
Breaking News! Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com 14 MMR
Meisel was the ninth generation of violinmakers in his family, going back to 1660 in Klingenthal, Germany. His grandfather was the designer of the Meisel violin, a model Lothar proudly made throughout his long career as a craftsman. In 1957, Lothar and his father started a business in America (Owatonna, Minn.) where they worked side by side until his father’s passing in 1995. Lothar wrote a book about his family’s history, which was published in 2008.
NOVEMBER 2011
A Sure Cure for Island Fever
Nicole Fox Miss Hawaii 2008
When you’ve been in the Islands too long, a Mahalo Ukulele is just the thing to snap you out of the doldrums. Fifteen models and a full palette of color choices will suit your every mood. It is so easy to get started and Mahalo Ukes won’t pile your budget onto a reef either. Just follow Miss Hawaii into your local music store …surf’s up!
Mahalo Ukuleles Priced from $29.95 Retail Saga Musical Instruments • P.O. Box 2841 • South San Francisco, CA 94080 • [800] BUY-SAGA sales@sagamusic.com • www.sagamusic.com • DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED!
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People Universal Audio has announced the addition of Rob Currie to the company, as chief technology officer and vice president of Engineering. In his new role, Currie will oversee the Currie day-to-day operations of the engineering department, as well as form the longterm technical vision and roadmap. Currie comes to Universal Audio with a broad range of leadership experience in the software, consumer electronics, and audio industries. At Digidesign, Currie served as VP of software engineering where he was a member of the team that created Pro Tools. Since then, he has held senior executive positions at a range of tech companies including Research In Motion, Dash Navigation, Strangeberry/Tivo, and Marimba. Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. has expanded its Board of Directors and appointed Greg Wood to fill this newly created directorship position. Wood will serve on the Company’s Audit Committee. Wood is executive vice president & CFO of Actian Corporation, a provider of software that enables organizations to take rapid action on large data sets. A finance and operations executive, he has a broad background with various companies and extensive experience in the increasingly complex financial regulation of public companies. “With his extensive operational background and international experience, Greg will bring a wealth of knowledge to Steinway,” said Michael Sweeney, Chairman of the Board of Steinway Musical Instruments. “We are extremely pleased to have him on the board.” Full Compass has promoted Al Breunig to the position of sales manager. Breunig previously held the title of assistant sales manager, a role where he provided support and guid- Breunig ance to the National Sales and CompassXpress teams, as well as management of Full Compass’ retail operations. In his new position, Breunig will continue to manage these groups and also contribute to the development and implementation of Full Compass’ overall Sales strategy.
Korg USA has hired Doug Reynolds as the new district sales manager (DSM) for the Midwest Region. Prior to joining the Korg USA team, Reynolds was VP of sales and marketing at Ashdown Engineering and before that, director of sales at Egnater Amplification. Matt Phillips has been promoted to DSM for the Mountain States. Phillips started with Korg USA as an inside sales representative (ISR). Phillips came to Korg USA with four years Phillips of experience as a regional account executive for HSBC North America in the New York Metro Area. Also joining Korg USA is John Pasarelli as an ISR. He will be responsible for maintaining and building relationships with dealers, while working closely with Korg USA’s DSMs Pasarelli and customer service department to ensure maximum sales support for retail partners across his territories. MI industry veteran Jeff Moore has joined ESP Guitars as their vice president of sales. In his new role at ESP, Moore will oversee sales for the ESP and LTD brands. Moore Moore comes to ESP with over 20 years of experience serving the MI market. After holding sales and management positions in both manufacturing and retail, Moore spent nine years at Fender Musical Instrument Corporation, the last five as their VP of national sales. Most recently, Moore was VP of sales and marketing for Breedlove and Bedell Guitars. American Music & Sound has appointed Dave Hetrick to the position of national sales manager for BeyerDynamic, Fostex, and Alpine in the United States. Hetrick is a singer/song- Breunig writer/musician with experience in the recording and engineering world and comes to AM&S as the previous director of worldwide sales for KRK/Cerwin Vega Group.
Enjoy the new standard.
THE H2n HANDY RECORDER. “Recording everything I play allows me to reflect on my music. And with the H2n, the sound is superb.”
RUSLAN SIROTA
Grammy ® Award winning pianist and composer.
Check out Ruslan Sirota’s new release, “Ruslan” available now.
Letters An Open Letter to the Guitar Industry My name is Larry Broido. I owe my life to guitars in many ways. Music has been my passion, livelihood, and great comfort for most of my life. I love guitars. I don’t love, however, what I’m seeing from the guitar industry. My resume as a musician, retailer, and guitar repairperson speaks for itself. I’ve been involved with guitars since 1964 and had my first retail job in 1969. In short, I know what I’m talking about. Although mostly retired, I occasionally work one day a week at a guitar store in the Philadelphia area. I do this because I enjoy it very much. I particularly enjoy the kids, whether they are just starting or whether they are somewhat experienced. I’ve been fortunate to have witnessed some remarkable young talent and nothing gives me more pleasure. This is why I’m particularly upset at what I see many of you are sending retailers to sell. Unfortunately there are many stores who don’t know what they are looking at when they look at a guitar and many have no idea how to properly set up an instrument. Even if they did, much of what I see would require repair work ten times the value of the instrument in question. I’m not referring to the American high-end, small-shop manufacturers who continue to astound me with their artistry, but more to the large companies who are importing guitars from mostly Asia and who are sending those instruments to retailers without looking at them to see what they are selling. If they were to tell me that they do inspect these instruments, I would tell them that they are incompetent. I can only speak for my experience. I’m seeing guitars with actions at 4 to 5 32s of an inch at the twelfth fret. I’ve been a musician for nearly fifty years and I find these instruments unplayable. I see many with pronounced humps at the fingerboard extension and neck angles that are all over the place and often bizarre. I see saddles so low that there is no string break, or so high that the tension on the top will lead to costly repairs. You are not selling a commodity. You are selling music. Much of what you are selling in this lower price-range is for kids. Well-meaning, but of course unknowledgeable, moms and dads who want to do something nice for their children purchase these instruments. This is why I am so angry. How many great potential talents are giving up because it hurts to play their guitar? Not every child is fortunate enough to have a caring teacher who can point out these problems. I learned from a book as a young teenager. I was fortunate enough to have a father in the publishing business and my first guitar was a gift from Veda Olcott Bickford. She was importing guitars from Czechoslovakia and personally inspecting and adjusting each instrument. This is what you should be doing, but obviously are skipping this step in the interest of your bottom line. Well . . . Shame on you. I’ll repeat: Shame on you. Larry Broido MI Salesperson, guitarist, and guitar repair technician since 1969
“ I’ve been a musician for nearly fifty years and I find these instruments unplayable.”
Breaking News! Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com 18 MMR
NOVEMBER 2011
Factory Video Tours
Watch exclusive video from the Yamaha Percussion Factory
featuring Yamaha Artist Bret Kuhn In this exclusive video, Yamaha Artist and DCI Legend Bret Kuhn, along with Yamaha Product Manager, Joel Tetzlaff, tour the production facilities where Yamaha Percussion instruments are born: the factory. Hear from Joel as he takes Bret on a tour of the marching and concert drum factory, the mallet percussion factory and the timpani factory. These videos will show you where it all begins and how it ends up in your band room, rehearsal field and concert hall. Learn and see how Yamaha drum shells are made and painted; how mallet instruments are tuned and constructed; and how timpani bowls are formed and put together.
Video 3:Yamaha Keyboard Frames
Watch online :
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Video 4:Yamaha Timpani
Watch online :
www.4wrd.it/perctour10
Video 3:Yamaha Vibe Bars
Watch online :
www.4wrd.it/perctour9
News Note from Joe 4HE #HAOTIC 7ORLD AND 7HY )T 7ILL "E 3O 'OOD TO 3EE %VERYONE IN *ANUARY Like many of you, I’m a junkie for the news. First, I start with the usual websites: CNN, Fox and USA Today. Then I read our local business journal, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal—and for a more global perspective, the London Economist. I read every industry trade magazine cover-to-cover, and there are also several industry newsletters, blogs, NAMM’s Daily News brief (let us know if you’d like to be on the list), as well as an endless stream of Member e-mails on the latest news of the day (thanks, George!). And, in the past two months (I’m writing this on September 30), I’ve been to Beacock’s Music in Washington for a memorial service to honor founder Dale Beacock, to Skip’s Music in Sacramento for his Stairway to Stardom concert, to Canada for NAMM’s Executive Committee meeting (thanks Kevin, Larry, Mark and welcome Robin!), ďŹ shing in Montana with 28 of the industry’s brightest luminaries (thanks again for
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visit us online at www.namm.org the invite, Hyman), to Estonia this week speaking with music and arts education policy leaders from 64 countries, and today in Moscow to meet with Members and hold a press conference to launch NAMM Musikmesse Russia. I guess my point is (you were wondering if I had one!) that even after all of this information overload and communication with hundreds of NAMM Members, there is still no clear consensus as to where the economy or our industry is headed! In my opinion, there’s only one place where you can really get a sense of the future and that is at the NAMM Show. I believe our industry as a whole is much smarter than any one industry sector, company or individual. The opportunity to come together in Anaheim and see new product trends, hear the topics being focused on at NAMM U and compare notes with our friends and peers is priceless. The future of your business and our industry is based on making good decisions. None of us can change the primary trend of the stock market, get Congress to work more efďŹ ciently or ďŹ gure out what to do about Greece or the Euro Zone, but we can decide how we will steer our companies through the chaos. I’ve said it many times: Going to the NAMM Show is likely to be the best investment you’ll make all year. On behalf of the NAMM Board and staff, we wish you the best for the holiday selling season and cannot wait to see you all in January!
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-AKE )T #OUNT AT THE .!-- 3HOW With so much to do and see, it’s important to make every moment count––whether it’s walking the oors to see all the newest products, catching a NAMM U session or networking with your peers. Get ready to “gear upâ€? for the year ahead at the NAMM Show, January 19-22. (ERE S WHAT -EMBERS HAD TO SAY ABOUT PREVIOUS SHOWS
%8()")4/23 “Our booth was packed from day one, and our dealers had a level of energy and enthusiasm I found very exciting.� 2)#+ 9/5.' s 9!-!(! #/20/2!4)/. “The show has been great. We have been packed like crazy since the show opened or even actually a little beforehand.� +2)34).! (/$'3/. s 3(52% ).# “I’m sensing a lot of optimism in the market. We’ve been very crowded and done very, very well. I really see a shift coming.� ,!229 52)% s 023 '5)4!23
2%4!),%23 “The NAMM Show is our industry’s family reunion! It’s our chance to catch up on what’s been going on.� 0%4% '!-"%2 s !,4! ,/-! -53)# “I actually just scoured the show, front to back and Hall E as well and found a lot of new products!� '!9,% "%!#/#+ s "%!#/#+ -53)# “I think the show helps every size of retailer. Being face-toface with your vendors is so important to show you’re serious.� 2)#( 0)2%3 s (%22%)$ -53)#
NAMM News
November 2011
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Upfront
Q&A
Elliott Rubinson
Dean Guitars: More Than Just Metal Dean Guitars has come along way since the late ‘70s. Throughout the course of developing of some of the most iconic guitars of the classic heavy metal era – including the Z, V, Cadillac, and ML – the brand has changed hands a few times, with present-day owner Armadillo Enterprises purchasing the Dean name in 1997.
“There’s so much more to Dean than just metal.”
We recently sat down with Armadillo owner and president, Elliott Rubinson, for a brief chat about the current state of Dean. Rubinson, who in addition to his corporate duties is an accomplished musician (currently playing bass with the Michael Shenker Group), shared his take on: heavy metal musicians and fans; the enduring appeal of Dean’s classic instruments, as well as its newer product innovations; and how he’s striving to help make players and dealers realize that there’s more to the Dean brand than “pointy guitars.”
MMR: Thanks for taking the time to chat, Elliott. Elliott Rubinson: My pleasure! MMR: I’m going to start off with the obvious topic, pertaining to Dean: metal. What’s your take on the enduring 22 MMR
popularity of heavy metal? Fads and “hip genres” come and go, but metal’s kind of… always there. ER: You couldn’t be more right. Go to any metal concert and the level of energy and dedication and excitement… how many genres of music consistently bring out that many people, that much enthusiasm? These people love metal and, for them, it’s a way of life and it’s not going away – and a lot of them play music! If you don’t have a dedicated [heavy metal] sales guy in your store, if you don’t have a dedicated display, then you’re not servicing those customers. And you could lose them.
MMR: Dean is a premier metal guitar brand, with some legendary shapes and features. One other factor which helped break Dean Guitars in the first place, NOVEMBER 2011
and which continues to build the brand’s high profile, is the association with some key players. ER: Oh, we have a lot of great metal guys [as endorsed artists]. There’s Dimebag [Darrell], of course. His legend, his dream, lives on with us. He signed with us six weeks before he was shot [Dimebag– Darrell Lance Abbott – was shot and killed onstage on December 8, 2004 –Ed.]. We had five weeks to put together the Dimebag line and it’s become a tribute. He’s probably the biggest artist of ours, still.
MMR: Well, when it comes to the guitar heroes – especially in metal – in the post-Eddie Van Halen world, it’s pretty much Dimebag and Zakk. ER: No question. And [Dimebag Darrell] was such a personality, he’s so well remembered, so many people have happy memories of him. The metal community is such great people – A very caring group, they stick together. If people understood the metal community better…
ER: There are only a few brands that really appeal to them. In the metal side of things, it’s very artist driven. People ask us why we do so many artist models – well, that’s why. I would say metal fans very loyal, very observant of what their favorite bands are playing. These players are very knowledgeable about the instruments and very tuned into the sound – more so than they get credit for.
MMR: But Dean isn’t just about metal. Do you find it difficult to get people to realize that? ER: When I talk to people outside the industry, the first thing they think of regarding Dean Guitars is “metal” and we’re not entirely happy with that, because we do so much more… It’s true that, for many – if not most – when you say, “Dean guitars,” the first thing you think of is the V headstock. That’s been our branding, but
“ When someone gets a Dean USA Guitar they’re getting something very special. It’s a Ferrari.”
MMR: There are a lot of other big-name artists associated with Dean Guitars, though. ER: After Dimebag, there’s Dave Mustaine. Megadeth is as hot as they’ve ever been, especially with the recent ‘Big 4 Tour’ [Anthrax, Megadeth, Slayer, Metallica]. Aside from that, there are a whole slew of people: Eric Peterson of Testament, Michael Amott of Arch Enemy… David Vincent of Morbid Angel is huge – and also a good friend. And you see these guys up on stage or in videos playing these distinctively shaped guitars and it looks like a Dean commercial. MMR: It really seems like heavy metal fans and musicians are way more attuned to artist-brand connections. Any thoughts on why that might be? NOVEMBER 2011
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Upfront Q&A truth be told a big part of our business is acoustic guitars, bluegrass, basses, DMT pickups, amplifiers. Obviously metal is great and all, but we don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves. There’s so much more to Dean than just metal. We want to be a lot of things to a lot of people.
MMR: Talk a little bit about getting into the acoustic market? ER: We looked at the market and asked, “What can we do that would be different?” We’re not trying to compete with Martin or Taylor – they own [their part of ] the market and they do a great job at it, but a lot of guitars are sold at our lower price point, too. People buy with their eyes a lot and our guitars jump out. We do a lot of reds, blues, tobacco sunbursts, and so on. We were amongst the first to of to offer high quality acoustics with quilt ash tops and flame maple tops at these price points. It’s pretty tough for a dealer to argue with a guitar of that quality. MMR: What trends have you been noticing in the guitar market, overall? ER: Recently, what dealers are reporting to me is that the really lower-priced guitars are selling a little weak, but $499 and up are enjoying resurgence. So, for whatever reasons, we find that people are seeking out better instruments. We’re seeing resurgence in $1,000 guitars, U.S.A.-built guitars.
MMR: Can you talk about that – how much of Dean’s output is American built, or set up? ER: About five percent are entirely made in the U.S.A. guitars, which are built in my high-end facility down here in Florida. We have a handful of extremely talented guys building maybe 40 guitars a month. When someone gets a Dean USA Guitar they’re getting something very special. It’s a Ferrari. MMR: And what about the noncustom shop, USA Guitars? ER: Most are built in China, Korea, and Indonesia. Nothing just “comes in and goes out the door,” though. Everything goes through a ten-point check that gets more and more detailed all the time. MMR: Any exciting developments on the horizon you can share with us? ER: Well, we’ll be having the Thoroughbred coming out at NAMM. It’s a single-cut electric that might connect more with traditional players, non-metal guys. But it’s definitely sexier than other single-cuts on the market. MMR: Final thoughts? ER: I honestly think that I can’t think of a line that has more versatility, more price points, more features, more lineup of artists than what we offer. Dean’s arguably the most complete guitar line in the music industry. Nobody else has the diversity of electric, acoustic, basses – nobody. No hard feelings, but… I just don’t think there is!
Breaking News! Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com 24 MMR
NOVEMBER 2011
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Show Report
Music China 2011 This year’s Music China and Prolight & Sound Expo, held in Shanghai from October 11-14, marked its 10th anniversary of serving the worldwide market.
According to the October 11 edition of Shanghai Daily
newspaper, the Chinese government estimated that the GDP growth was reduced to 9.4 percent from 9.6 percent, due to “the economic restructuring that allowed the economy to depend less on government stimulus.”
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However, this overall economic growth in China pales in comparison to the increase in output of the Chinese musical instrument industry, which clocked in at an astronomical increase of nearly 23 percent in 2010 vs. 2009 (according to the China Musical Instrument Association) to nearly $3.6 billion in sales. Continued Expansion This stellar growth was clearly evident in this year’s gathering, which featured record-breaking levels of exhibitors and exhibit space with over 1,400 companies representing over 29 countries at the Music China show, and 400 at the Prolight & Sound show. Strong traffic from around the world was seen at the exhibition, which included both businesspeople as well as consumer attendees. To accommodate the increases in exhibitor booth space for both the Music China and ProLight & Sound events, which now take up over 1 million square feet in
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1. Burkhard Stein of Grotrian Piano Co. 2. Iain Willson of IBC Trading and G7th Capos. 3. American Drums’ George Jacob. 4. Hunter Musical’s Paul Chu. 5. B-Bands’ Pekka Rintala. 6. Ed Miller of KMC meets with Mike Sailes of Antigua Winds.
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6 NOVEMBER 2011
An eye-catching blue piano at the Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Co. display.
space, the show added additional halls, as well as tents on the fair grounds. New halls are being completed which will allow for even more space in future years. According to Iain Willson of IBC Trading and G7th Capos, higher end models are moving well in China, whereas the entry-level products present more challenges. Additionally, he mentioned that distributors from throughout the Asian rim were prevalent at the show; whereas his perception of EU attendance is that it was down, most likely due to the continued economic challenges throughout the region. Pekka Rintala of B-Band Inc, reflected similar sentiments, but added that interest from distributors and manufacturers in India and Dubai present new areas for potential growth in the worldwide market. The number of international pavilions present at the show also set new
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expanding right now is in China: “Cars are the first luxury item that is purchased by the increasingly wealthy citizens, and pianos are one of the items that come soon after…” China now accounts for nearly 20 percent of Grotrian’s sales of grand pianos. In a similar vein, high-end guitar manufacturer, Guitarras Manuel Rodriguez & Sons, sells 30 percent of its guitars into the Chinese market, with other areas of the Pacific Rim growing quickly as well.
records, which included Belgium, The Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Scandinavia, Spain, Taiwan, and the UK. French accessory manufacturer, Franck Bichon said, “There is a positive change of wanting better quality products in China and this is reflected by Chinese dealers caring more about product quality and sound.” Burkhard Stein of German piano manufacturer, Grotrian, suggested that the only piano market in the world that is
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9 7. Anthem Musical Instruments: David Kilkenney and Brent Beech. 8. Lars Heuseler of Forestone Reeds with Masahiko Goto of Gottsu Co. 9. Randall Willsiams and Nick Palmer of Kyser Capos, with Shotaro Kido of Rokkoman, Tokyo. 10. Mike Wong of Kingstar. 11. Judy Chang and Bing Tien of Aidis, Pete LaPlacca of PJLA Music, and “Vincent” of Aidis.
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Music China 2011
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1. Scott Davies of American DJ. 2. Jeff Smith of J.L. Smith Co. 3. Jody Espina of Jody Jazz. 4. David Kaye of Taylor Guitars with Harvey Levy of Levy’s Leathers. 5. Alex Hsieh of P. Mauriat/Albest Musical Instruments with Myung Kim of Chungang Musical Instruments, Korea. 7. Tom Wanne of Theo Wanne Inc. with Rick Kessel of MMR. 8. BG’s Bruno Lee and Franck Bichon. 9. Pianodisc’s Tom Lagomarsino and Kirk Burgett. 10. John Strand of Cherub Technologies is flanked by Sunny and Sherry. 11. Stephen Sheppard and Adan Rodrigo of Southwest Strings with Ellen, John & Jim Cavanaugh.
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Spotlight
Saxquest: Passionate Pursuit of the Horn
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NOVEMBER 2011
A one-time hobby blossoms into a growing MI store built on a reputation for a “maniacal” pursuit of all things saxophone “Sax players are a finicky bunch,” Mark Overton says, shaking his head. “We can play head games with ourselves because so much of what we do is mental. Sometimes we hear and feel things that aren’t there.” Overton, who with his wife, Elke, owns a growing saxophone (and now clarinet) specialty shop, knows what he’s talking about. He’s relentlessly pursued his zeal for the instrument one Adolph Sax created, making a hobby of buying and selling used saxophones into what is, today, a worldwide Internet operation, as well as a cool storefront employing nine. Saxquest serves the St. Louis region and beyond and, while the base of his business is reconditioned used horns, Overton is increasingly getting into new products, as well: He’s the number one P. Mauriat dealer, and he’s most recently taken on Buffet Crampon products. Mark grew up in Ankeny, Iowa, where he sat next to girl named Elke in fifth grade Band who would eventually become his partner, both in life and in business. When they went to college, the initial intention was to both study music. “But that didn’t make sense, so I changed my major to biology and chemistry with a minor in jazz studies,” Overton says. After graduation, they moved to St. Louis where Mark would complete his Ph.D in molecular genetics (yes that’s right, it’s Dr. Overton to you). Amazingly, he still had time to pursue his passion of saxophones. “I’d find a Mark 6 in a pawn shop for $1,200 and later sell it for $2,000. It became an obsession.” That was all harmless fun until he put up the Saxquest website in 1999. Overton hooked up with
NOVEMBER 2011
collectors from all over the country and around the world, and the customers pursuing those instruments followed. “It just suddenly became a big deal. Instead of selling one horn a week, I was selling 10 or 15.” He’s asked something along the lines of, “What the hell were you thinking?” when he stood at the crossroad of either a career as a scientist or one as a guy who sells horns. “It was never about the money,” he laughs. Sure, he had several tempting offers in hand, but Overton seems to not have hesitated to turn his back on all of that to set up a shop of sorts in the couple’s older St. Louis home (the kitchen was converted into a repair shop). But by 2007, they were “busting at the seams,” and moved into a charming old building in the increasingly hipster Cherokee-Lemp area of St. Louis, a neighborhood on the way back to its glory days of the 1930s and 1940s and filled with antique shops, great dive-y ethnic restaurants, and a brewpub. A big appeal was an upstairs area where Mark could have his saxophone museum [see sidebar], which he credits as key to educating his staff. “I want every one of our customers to come away thinking, ‘Man, they really know what they are talking about.’ I want people to trust us. And they do because we’re all players, and when we get something new in, I tell the staff to take it out on a gig and see how it responds.”
George Bunk sitting with sax repair.
“ That $1,200 mouthpiece could bring you $2,000 in five or ten years.”
MMR 31
Museum a Treasure Trove for Sax Maniacs “It’s all an accident, a collection gone haywire,” sighs Saxquest owner Mark Overton. As he worked on his post doctorate at nearby Washington University, he satisfied both his love of the instrument and a college student’s need for extra cash by buying and selling instruments. In 1999 Overton put up a website whose title would become his future storefront’s moniker, and “by 2000 it really took off and was pretty much a full time job.” As he moved into retail, he would keep the especially rare, cool, beguiling horns for himself. When Overton moved into his current location in 2007, he started to display these instruments. One of the highlights is an old 19th century saloon pool cue case that displays nine instruments made by Adolphe Sax himself, the oldest dating to 1855. Mark ran across his first one online from a dealer in Paris in 1999, and taking a leap of faith, wired him $3,000. That is just one relationship among many dealers and saxophone purveyors worldwide he maintains today. As for those and many other ancient instruments, 60 to 100 hours of restoration work is required of his expert team. “After 150 years, work is needed on all the keys, pads, the tone holes have to be re-soldered, all the dings and twists taken out. Sometimes it’s basically recreating the in-
32 MMR
strument from scratch.” There’s many gems, including some unusual things like Conn-O-Sax, an instrument Conn introduced in 1928 as an alternative to the English horn. There’s the very rare Triebert Tenor sarrusophone. A 1920s King Baritone saxophone elaborately engraved with no less than seven ladies in various stages of undress is also there to be gawked at. Old ads adorn the walls, and there are instrument catalogs going back to the 1890s. Running continuously in one of the rooms is a film that came dangerously close to being lost to history. The story goes like this: When the old Buescher Band Company building in Elkhart was up for sale in the 1970s, a man from Detroit drove down to buy it. Once there, he was disappointed to learn it had already been sold, but was granted a look inside. He discovered a hidden room that was boarded up. In it was hundreds of old saxophone parts and a lead film canister. He negotiated with the new owners to take it all. Fast-forward a few decades and this person tells his tale to an interested Overton. “The film was never developed, because it’s nitrate and
extremely flammable.” It took Overton a while, but he found someone to develop it, and the 1924 film shows how the instruments were made in that era. “These types of short films were made all the time, and shown at local movie theaters,” he says. The short film is as fascinating as it is funny: it includes a ham-handed melodramatic “recreation” of the moment Sax created his first instrument, plus on display are all the social trappings of the day: Men beating out the instruments in the shop in decisively non-OSHA standards; rows of women sitting at tables doing the padding. “It’s a labor of love,” he says. “Most of the time people who wander up here are like, ‘Wow! I had no idea this was all here!’ and leave with a favorable impression of the entire operation.”
NOVEMBER 2011
The Heart of the Business MMR: There are many good horn shops in town with long histories – what made you think you could be successful? Mark Overton: We’re primarily known for our repair shop, especially our ability to restore vintage instruments. It’s the heart of what we do. Players even bring us their brand new instruments for us to set up. I’ve put a lot of energy into making sure our repair work is top notch. Even our part time guys are maniacal about their work. We just brought in Audrey [Deny], a fantastic clarinetist who is used by the principle clarinetist of the St. Louis Symphony. We’re really getting more into clarinets since we are a Buffet dealer now.
MMR: What makes the repair shop so good? MO: I was very lucky to get George Bunk. He was formerly with McMurray Music. [McMurray Music was sold to Brook Mays, which went bankrupt in 2006 – Ed.]. I was going to him with vintage instruments while he was still there, and he’s just an incredible technician. So he came on full time with me in 2007.
NOVEMBER 2011
Chris Funck is another former McMurray guy. He’s another master craftsman. Both work on saxophones and clarinets, and both gig professionally. Actually, every single person here still plays out.
MMR: How many folks do you have working with you, total? MO: Five full-time and four part-time. MMR: What new lines are you carrying? MO: A lot of P. Mauriat. It’s interesting being a vintage horn guy, yet being really impressed with these instruments. These are high-end professional instruments,
hearing. I’m as proud to have one of their horns, as I am a vintage Selmer.
MMR: What other new horns do you carry? MO: We’re a Buffet Crampon dealer, and also Keilworth. We do well with both. There are other lines that we’d be interested in, but some already have dealers in town and want to be loyal to them, and I completely respect that. Really the next two big ones we’d like to have are the Selmer and Yamaha lines. But getting new lines hasn’t been a big priority because we haven’t needed to expand in that way.
“ We’re always searching for what is new and really great.” made in Taiwan. Taiwan today is the Elkhart, Indiana of the 1920s, except better because of their research department. They take a very scientific approach. It’s more analytical and the P. Mauriat guys are taking advantage of modern technology, and I’m blown away by what I’m
MMR: Who are your customers – is it all high-end players? MO: We don’t do rentals. We do have a few student models. Sometimes a person comes in and wants that $500 sax, and we have used Bundys and Kings
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laying around for them. But our average customer who walks in the door is that advanced high school player or college player looking to step up.
MMR: How do people hear about you? MO: We advertise in JAZZed and Jazz Times [magazines]. We do the shows: JEN, the Midwest Clinic. I’ll set up the booth and bring 30 to 50 saxes and usually players flock to it. Though the crazy thing is I usually leave with more horns than I go with! Otherwise it’s mostly word of mouth and the website. MMR: You have two beautiful old cases of accessories in the store – how do you do with them? MO: We do tons of accessories. And we carry everything. We stock all the reeds: Vandoren, Ricos, Zonda, Superial. We do a big online business in accessories because we keep a lot in stock. We get five to 15 orders a day shipping out. It’s actually a little weird, as we ship all over the world. I’m shipping Vandorens to Japan, Germany, Austria, Russia [et cetera] all the time. I don’t know why!
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Chris Funck takes the dents out of a 1926 vintage Conn New Wonder Bass Saxophone.
Maybe our prices are much better or they like buying from us.
new one is Randy Jones Tenor Madness TM Custom Mouthpieces.
MMR: How about mouthpieces? MO: A little of everything there. We’re always searching for what is new and really great. We do well with Warburton. They are freakishly good. Ted Klum is another one that is good. A real
MMR: Saxophonists tend to be traditionalist – it’s interesting you’re talking new boutique mouthpieces. MO: There are prejudices in favor of the old stuff, but we like to find super
NOVEMBER 2011
great new products. Yes, you can get that old Otto Link mouthpiece for $1,200, or you can get a TM Custom that’s just about everything the old Otto Link is, but sells for $275.
Then again, with buying anything vintage, you’re buying into the name and legacy, but you’re making an investment, too. That $1,200 mouthpiece could bring you $2,000 in five or ten years.
Talking the Talk MMR: By and large, your sales are online? MO: Yes, but most of the players who buy online call and talk to us first. So we’re always on the phone. Any one of the people working here can talk sax until he or she is blue in the face. There’s where the museum plays a part of our success. It rubs off on the staff. Vintage guys always call and talk to another player here, and they get specific. It’s not just about this mouthpiece being “better” than that one. They are both great, but how are they great? What are the sound characteristics? Is it bright, is it dark? What kind overtones does it create? There’s just a multitude of questions, and they know when they call here they will talk to someone intelligent. Other things: Like every mouthpiece we get in, we take it out of the box and measure it. If it’s not right, we send it back.
MMR: What’s your take on reeds – are synthetic taking hold yet? MO: What people need to understand is traditional reeds come from a big ol’ piece of bamboo, and it’s all about how that tree grew up. Any company, no matter how good, will go through periods of getting a bad lot. That’s why we have such a huge reed stock. One brand is the greatest ever until a player gets some from a bad lot and then it’s, “What the hell?” and try something new. That’s not a knock on any brand. So there’s a push from manufacturers for synthetic reeds. While 95 percent of players still want a really good cane reed, increasingly players are willing to give synthetic reeds a shot. MMR: Do you stage clinics and workshops? MO: About once a month we hold a clinic or a master class. We’ve had Dick Oatts, James Carter, Jeff Coffin who plays with Dave Mathews… We’ve had Buffet artist Eric Mandat… We send out an e-mail blast to anybody on our mailing list, and it’s a big deal. I think it costs me more than what I get out of it, but you just do it. It’s a way to give back to the community, and I do love getting great artists in here.
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NOVEMBER 2011
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Band & Orchestra
Taking the Leap with Légère As a Synthetic Reeds Catch On, a Veteran Manufacturer Primes for Growth Sometimes it just takes some new blood to get things moving in the right direction. Légère Reeds, a synthetic reed manufacturer based in Barrie, Canada, had made a good run of things with uniquely responsive lines of synthetic reeds. By the end of the last decade, though, things had begun to plateau for the small company. Its products were great, but the small staff was having a tough time keeping up with things as they were, much less developing new directions. Company founders and inventers Guy Légère and Mark Kortschot were finding themselves bogged down by administrative work.
“These reeds are changing the way people play music.”
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In 2009, they made the leap to hire Tim Elvy, an 18-year business veteran who was more than eager to help push Légère into a whole new class of worldwide renown, international distribution, and prized one-on-one relationships with customers of all stripes. “Lucky me!” said Elvy when he spoke to MMR recently over the phone. “They found someone they could put their trust into and it’s been fantastic.” Since 2009, the company has opened up a large roster of endorsing artists, locked into efficient distribution deals, and established relationships with several schools. And they’ve tripled their sales. Légère began with Guy Légère in 1989, who had just earned a chemistry Ph.D. and began looking into reed alternatives for his new saxophone hobby.
Teaming with Kortschot, they got the company off the ground with a few quality reeds and they’ve grown the catalog ever since. Today, Légère offers reeds for several different types of saxophones and clarinets, available in a standard “Classic” line and a more advanced “Signature” line. The reeds, constructed from a type of food-grade polypropylene and built to work well in both classical and jazz environments, behave extremely similarly to cane reeds – they weigh the same, they float, and they’ve been engineered to respond to attacks in precisely the same way. This product, though, is designed for consistency and durability in every reed. Elvy, who is vice president of sales worldwide for the company, says a typical Légère reed will last ten times as long as a cane reed. It’s this craftsmannoveMbeR 2011
ship and ingenuity that Elvy sees as the centerpiece of the company today. “These reeds are changing the way people play music,” he says. “There are people who have tried synthetics before (and still people who are making synthetics other than ours), but there’s never been a really good synthetic until now – one that actually responds.” He points to the ages-old challenge of dealing with cane reeds’ instability as a hassle that Légère is ready to help musicians overcome for good. “In the old days, you had to take the reed out and you had to wet it and then you had to hope to Hell it worked! Now an artist simply takes our reed out of our package, puts the Légère reed on their instrument and plays.” With that quality in mind, Elvy has instituted a number of changes at the company that have pointed business toward a steadily uphill trajectory. He’s stopped taking direct purchase orders and handles everything through a network of distributors. He works closely with them to maintain constant communication and supply with brick-and-mortar stores far and wide, as well as junior high and high schools he’s enrolled in the new Band Discount program. Even the company’s brand new online store funnels orders down to retailers local to the buyer’s location. He’s grown and nourished a network of endorsing artists through constant conversation and attention, including a hometown Canadian BBQ and improve concert in his back yard that drew musicians from as far away as Virginia and North Carolina. At last year’s winter NAMM show, he threw a freewheeling jazz jam open to any musicians around,
regardless of what reed they were playing, that was so successful he plans on having another this year. “It’s really an exciting time for the company!” he says. It’s gone from less than eight employees to the current 18, including customer service, support staff, and manufacturing. “Sales were at a plateau,” he says. “The guys were trying to react and help customers, trying to do the research, and trying to develop new products at night. They were doing all the work of all of us.” Mr. Légère himself has happily
stepped back into a purely research and development role. “He’s a scientist, and what he’s developing is nothing short of amazing,” says Elvy, adding that testing for new products is well underway. In the music world, Elvy says he’s been receiving a lot of great feedback. High profile musicians in the Berlin Philharmonic, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Phoenix Symphony, among many others, all play Légère reeds, and regularly report back to Elvy with thank-you messages like, “You saved our life.” “John Moses is one of our endorsing
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An Indiana participant in Légère’s Sound Results program.
SUPERNATURALCYMBALS.COM MMR 39
NOVEMBER 2011 Supernatural MMR October.indd 1
9/27/11 1:07 PM
The Légère team, L-R: (back row) Guy Légère, Hélène Paradis, Amanda Hughes, Hannah Woodhouse, Marlise Benton, Ashley Luedee, Nancy Vlaming (front row) Wade De Varenne, Joanne O’Donnell, David Chotenovsky, Jennifer Wright, Tim Elvy
artists and is a doubler in the Broadway show ‘Wicked’ in New York,” Elvy explains. “Here is someone who has to play the clarinet for three quarters of the score and then all of a sudden has to pick up a saxophone and play 16 bars because that’s the way the score is written. You’re hoping your reed works because, if it doesn’t, you’re screwed and you’re in a live performance. So now we’ve actually
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taken that out of the equation.” On the other end of the musical lifespan are a group of people just important, if not more, to Elvy’s mission: students. Not only does he personally oversee orders for schools enrolled in his Band Discount program, he’s also instituted a new program called “Sound Results,” which provides a select few schools in need with reeds for their students in re-
turn for simple feedback on the product – how does the reed sound, how do the students respond to it, and how it compares to their cane reeds. [Teachers have been on the ball so far, noting that the less time students have to spend getting cane reeds adjusted and moistened and attached properly, the more time they have to learn how to play.] “One school we helped in Indiana was extremely hard hit by unemployment,” he says. “I provided 80 reeds – well over $1,000 worth of reeds – to this school. One of the 12-year-old children in this school did not send me a feedback sheet, but rather sent me something far better. She sent me back a picture of herself holding her clarinet with our reed on it facing us, and in her left hand, she had a sign that she hand wrote that said one word, ‘Thanks.’” “People like her are the reason we do what we do,” he says. “We truly are changing the face of music and the way artists young and old are playing it. Quite a change from the old way and artists all over the world are embracing that change. “For us one word really does say it all.”
NOVEMBER 2011
Survey: Drums & Percussion
Rhythm Nation
Dealers Work Double-Time to Keep the Beat Amidst Economic Turmoil
“The economy is still terrible, but sales seem to be improving during our last quarter. Hope to see this trend continue!” - Terry Lewis, Firehouse Guitars
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Hokey, NY Post-style subhead (above) not withstanding, the results from our recent survey of drum and percussion dealers truly was more suggestive of the need to keep fighting for sales in a tough economy than any MMR retailer poll of late. With the bulk of folks reporting sales down or flat in 2011 compared in ’10, it was obvious from the start that this survey – sent to over 200 MI dealers – wasn’t going to make for the most uplifting of reports. High points? Accessories, hand percussion, and smaller, all-inclusive kits seem to be going strong. Confusing points? More people seem to be stocking electronic drums than when we ran a cover feature on those products two years ago, but… those who carry electronic drums say sales are down compared to 2010, but… some of those very same dealers noted that those instruments were among the bright spots in their overall drum & percussion picture. All right, then... Low points? Essentially without exception, “the economy” continues to be the most oft-heard area of concern. Many retailers, however, pointed to signs that the upcoming holiday season could be strong. Scott Apted of Gear Music in Oakville, Ontario (in Canada, eh?), said, “I hope sales in drums increase. Christmas is coming, so we will probably do well with entry-level kits.” He further theorized: “I think drum sells are an ebb and flow: they seem to really dip for a while and all the advanced drummers use their drums, then they feel the need to buy new, better drums and sales go up. It has been a long drought this time, though!” Drums & percussion are currently a tumultuous and hard to read piece of the MI pie, seemingly. Perhaps Jeffrey Van Gorder of Imagineering Drum & Guitar Shop in Little Falls, N.Y. has landed upon a philosophy most appropriate to the present-day climate. In response to the survey question, “Expectations for the coming months?” Van Gorder replied, “None. If you have no expectations you won’t have any disappointments.” NOVEMBER 2011
How are drums & percussion sales compared to this same time, last year?
Up: 25% Down: 40% Level: 35%
What price-points are selling best:
Entry-level: 63% Intermediate: 28% High-end: 9%
Do you sell v-drums/electronic drum kits:
Yes: 68% No: 32%
“ It is going to be a great holiday season due to renewed interest in both acoustic and electronic drums and percussion.” - Glenn Noyes, Guitar Center
If “yes,” are those products accounting for more or less of your overall sales than this time, last year?
Less: 76% More: 24%
What trends have you been noticing in drums and percussion? “Used and consignment [gear] is becoming a bigger part of overall sales.” Phil Sollar Drum World San Mateo, Calif. “There is a buzz lately about electronic drums – unusually more than in previous years – but the trend in my opinion is for hip sizes and colors, and usually an all inclusive package, meaning a kit with cymbals and hardware. And definitely acoustic [sales] account for more than electronic.” Greg Allen Long Island Drum Center of Nyack Nyack, N.Y. “Drum sales have been very quiet for a few years now. They did come up slightly in January, but then dipped again. We have been selling more entry-level electronic kits lately.” Scott Apted Gear Music Oakville, Ontario, CANADA NOVEMBER 2011
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“[Potential customers] can buy anything cheaper on the Internet than we seem able to buy from the manufacturers.” Mitchel Banks Don Banks Music Tampa, Fla. “Classic Wood grains are back in demand, less sparkle finishes. Exotic percussion (djembes, cajons, et cetera) are on fire. Price points are moving up in all categories” Glenn Noyes Guitar Center Westlake Village, Calif. “Smaller kits are getting more popular. Yamaha and Tama now have a decent Bop birch kit… affordable and good quality.” Michael Tocker Daddy’s Junky Music Boston, Mass.
What’s your store’s current “hot product” in the category? Accessories (including heads, sticks, et cetera): 68%
Hand Percussion: 18% Electronic kits: 4% Smaller/all-inclusive drum kits: 10%
Expectations for the coming months? “It was a slow September – worse than August. But this year is up over the previous for the third or fourth year in a row!” James Moore Henderson’s Traverse City, Mich. “I plan on going heavier on electronic drums and percussion then in past years.” Eric Murphy Firehouse Music of Georgia Conyers, Ga. “I expect to be selling more entry-level kits for middle school age kids”
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Avi Rostov Click Music Oak Harbor, Wash. “It is going to be a great holiday season due to renewed interest in both acoustic and electronic drums and percussion.” Glenn Noyes Guitar Center Westlake Village, Calif. “We’re looking for business to pick up for the holidays” Dan Patterson Roger’s Pawn & Music Fort Payne, Ala.
“The economy is still terrible, but sales seem to be improving during our last quarter. Hope to see this trend continue!” Terry Lewis Firehouse Guitars Grandville, Mich. “It’s hard to say with the economy the way it is. Hopefully things will get better.” Rene Audette Billy Blast Drums Orange, Calif. “Hopefully holiday sales will increase…” Glen Weber Glen Weber Drum Shop West Orange, N.J. NOVEMBER 2011
KEEPING TIME New and Notable Drums and Percussion Products
Pearl BPS1465S Special Edition Snare Drum The BPS1465S/C490 14” x 6.5” Special Edition 6-ply snare drum features 4 plies of Poplar for a bright timbre and 2 plies of Birch for a naturally EQ’d tone and resonance. Each snare is finished in Pearl’s new Artisan II Autumn Fire Covering and features 1.6mm steel hoops and SR-017 snare strainer. Eight CL-65 lugs ensure effortless tuning and even head tension allowing this snare to speak beautifully. Complete with ProTone coated heads and S-022 snares, this Special Edition snare drum sounds as explosive as it looks. Retail price: $332. www.pearldrums.com
The Z-Stik The Z-Stik percussion instrument combines the most intriguing elements of a rhythm stick, a shaker, a fingertip drum, and a rain stick. Handcrafted by Oregon artisan Greg Dahl with “the prettiest wood on the planet,” the ZSTIK doubles as a work of art in any living room or office. The Electric Z-Stik has five major components, including Duel Chambers - a sand chamber and a resonation chamber. A soundboard is fitted with a piezo transducer for tapping rhythms. A Pressure Fitted Cap allows for sand changes from “fine” to “course” to create different sonic textures, while a sound hole that the percussionist can speak or whistle into to produce special effects. The piezo-equipped soundboard can serve as a
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Rocket Shells ngage Throwoff The ngage is a premium snare throwoff which takes advantage of the latest CAD/CAM technologies. It is CNC machined from aircraft aluminum, making for an extremely lightweight, strong, and smooth throwoff. The design utilizes a cam and sealed ball bearing combination, allowing nearly frictionless tensioning of the snare wires. The fine adjustment knob features a ball bearing and spring assembly, giving the player “feedback” every ¼ turn as well as preventing accidental detensioning of the snare wires. A Butt Plate is included, and models are available in black, silver, and black/silver. A lifter kit is available for drums less than 4.5” in depth. www.rocketshells.com
versatile resonator/pickup not only for the Z-Stik’s own sounds, but also for any other percussion instrument—for example, a cajon or tambourine—and the composite sound can be routed through effects, a loop station, an amplifier, or p.a. system. The Z-Stik electric model is fitted with a standard 1/4” output. A Single-Chamber acoustic version of the Z-Stik is completely enclosed and can be custom-made to order with choices of wood and sand. The Z-Stik will be available in: Cabo Rain (Sand from Cabo San Lucas), California Rain (California Sand), Montana Rain (Montana River Bed Sand), Oregon Rain (Oregon Beach Sand), Fire Rain (Glass beads). The Z-Stik will debut at the January 2012 NAMM Show. www.Z-Stik.com
NOVEMBER 2011
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Korg Mini The Wavedrum Mini offers 100 professionally programmed and ready-to-play sounds, from acoustic-emulating drum and percussion to cutting-edge sounds possible only on a synthesizer. Bass, tuned percussion and stringed instruments are also included, allowing both rhythmic and melodic performances. Sounds can expressively triggered from Wavedrum Mini’s pad. Additional sounds can be accessed at the same time by attaching the Sensor Clip to a table top, cup, a user’s foot or any object, transforming the object into a percussion instrument. In addition, 10 high-quality multi-effects are available, from spatial-type effects (delay, chorus, and reverb), modern effects including filters and pitch-shifters that radically transform the sound, and distortion-type effects that deliver analog-style warmth. Any effect can be quickly applied to either sound. The Wavedrum Mini contains 100 rhythm patterns covering a range of styles. These patterns can be used as a beginner’s guide to help keep a steady rhythm, or to keep the groove going while performing or jamming. In addition to the preset patterns, the Looper function will record and play back any Wavedrum Mini performance. An unlimited number of overdubs can be added, creating complex, multi-sound patterns (total record length is 25 seconds). Retail price: $430.00. www.korg.com
AHEAD Armor Drum Mat Secures And Protects. The all-new AHEAD Armor Drum Mat features a durable, high-quality carpet with a unique, non-skid gel backing to streamline set-up, keep drums in place and protect floors in any playing situation. In addition, the Drum Mat incorporates a tough yet plush nylon carpet with reinforced edges and an exclusive, fabric-hinged center that allows the carpet to fold and roll into a compact 32?x8?x8? bundle; making set-up, pack-up and transport a snap. The AHEAD Armor Drum Mat is offered in two models, 78?x62? ($141.50 MSRP) for standard drumkits and 107?x62? ($188.50 MSRP) for large/double-bass sets, and available at drumshops everywhere. www.bigbangdist.com 48 MMR
Yamaha 900 Grand Series Concert Toms The 900 Grand Series Concert Toms are ideal for any solo or ensemble performance, constructed with the exclusive AirSeal System process and feature the YESS II mount, which allows increased sustain and tone without sacrificing stability. Available in 6”, 8”, 10”, 12”, 13”, 14”, 15”, and 16” sizes, the toms come with the WS-860A Tom Stands and feature a ball and socket design for complete adjustment and stability. The stand offers a lean, double-braced leg design that gives the performer ultimate stability. www.yamaha.com/band.
Vic Firth American Classics in Black, White and Pink Vic Firth American Classic® 5A and 5B are sporting a new look, now available in black, white, and pink (5A only). These new classics feature a specially formulated finish, which is both comfortable to grip and visually distinctive. Like all painted Vic Firth models, the tips have a clear finish to keep heads and cymbals clean. Crafted from select hickory for a pronounced sound and long lasting durability, they are guaranteed straight, weight matched and pitch paired. www.vicfirth.com
Supernatural Cymbals Impact Series Supernatural Cymbals Impact series have a brilliant polished bell and bow with unpolished lathing around the edges. Impact crashes are bright and shimmery with a fast decay and punchy attack, which makes them a solid choice for all genres of music. They provide a medium thin, bright attack and a shimmering warm dark wash. All Supernatural Cymbals are hand hammered, Turkish made, and come with a one year replacement warranty. www.supernaturalcymbals.com
NOVEMBER 2011
sell drum stuff? Then get ready for a lot of new customers! The Percussion Marketing Council is creating new drummers. And, this holiday season, we’re giving them an extra incentive to visit your store by offering them a FREE Beginner’s Pack containing a pair of drumsticks and bonus book or DVD.
PMC members are your partners in growing your percussion business and have created a number of programs to help you do it. How about five International Drum Month retail idea tips that will set you apart from the competition?
Get with the Program! Coupons for the free Beginner’s Pack will appear in various publications or may be downloaded from PlayDrums.com and redeemed directly through the PMC.
ir of contains one pa Beginner’s Pack oks one of three bo d an ks tic ms dru Music esy of Alfred urt co D DV a or ration, Leonard Corpo Publishing, Hal vided pro s ck Sti usic. and Hudson M . ter, and Zildjian Va rk, ma Pro by
There’s one small catch. free drum gift? Your store must validate Ready for your the PMC coupon. When d have al music store an Just visit your loc e sign this form. Then ye plo em e re fre you do, that’s your ur a sto dress below. Yo mail it to the adwill arrive in 6-8 weeks. opportunity to meet Beginner’s Pack and create a brand new customer, courtesy of the ______ Name: ______
____________
____________
_________ ____________
Visit PlayDrums.com/idm to learn about these and other programs designed to bring new customers into your store.
_____
________
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Address: ______
______
_______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ____________ _________ _____________ ___ ___ ___ ______ Phone: ______ __ ____________ ____________ ____________ Email: ______ _____ ____________ ____________ ___ e atur Sign Employee
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City/ST/Zip: ___
for the this ad and ask Show the retailer d. Store business card car ess sin bu n. re’s po sto this completed cou must accompany Mail this form to: keting Council Percussion Mar P.O. Box 33252 44133 Cleveland, OH
Percussion Marketing Council.
. 31, 2011. . Deadline Dec s.com tinental US only Offer valid in Con can be downloaded at Playdrum last. Form While supplies
2011 NAMM Foundation Grant Recipient.
Copyright 2011 Percussion Marketing Council; P.O. Box 33252; Cleveland, OH 44133
We’re Building Your Market, But You Need To Get Involved. Visit www.playdrums.com for complete program information on: ROOTS OF RHYTHM An in-school teacher’s curriculum for students that connects drums and drumming with academic subjects like math, science, geography, and world cultures.
www.rootsofrhythm.net
PERCUSSION IN THE SCHOOLS Red Hot Chili Pepper’s drummer, Chad Smith, performed for over 1500 students at PMC’s 2010 PITS assembly at Peters Township High School in McMurray, PA.
Learn how these programs benefit you or how to get involved at www.playdrums.com or email kbdustman@aol.com
Going Green
Flipping the Switch Twin Town Guitars Goes All-In with Solar Energy Harvested On Its Own Roof When Twin Town Guitars owner Andrew Bell first decided to fix the roof three years ago, he had no idea what he was getting into. The industrious shopkeep, who’d maintained the Minneapolis business since 1997, watched as a simple maintenance project became a leap into the next generation of energy efficiency – solar panel installation. The move has turned a lot of heads in the neighborhood, and more than a few of the locals are helping out.
Andrew Bell
“The secret that is important to any brick and mortar store is that everything you do runs on electricity . . . If I can find any way to not pay the electric company for that, I’m sold.” 50 MMR
“It’s all about choices about our money,” said Bell over the phone from Minneapolis. “We’re choosing to put ours where it’ll pay for itself.” Bell, a Minneapolis music scene veteran who runs the store with his wife, Carrie, put himself through a gauntlet of financing issues in order to get the new solar panels up, but things appear headed in the right direction, with a target date of late December to get the system fully up and running. Originally faced with a simple ceiling leak repair, Bell’s project quickly snowballed from repairing rubber sheeting, to installing foam sealant, to finally constructing a full solar power system. Though Bell was initially turned off the simple rubber repair for environmental reasons (“They have no way of safely disposing of the stuff, which is basically toxic,” he says), he notes that the move makes sense on a number of levels. “This kind of thing is going to fit your niche whether you think you’re looking out for the future of the planet or if you’re just a greedy capitalist trying to hoard some dollars,” he says, laughing. At first faced with an estimate nearing $250,000, Bell quickly found that there
were a number of grants and public funds available to businesses that were looking to do this type of project, especially since the solar panels he had his eye on were built right there in Minnesota. He ended up securing funds through local grants, state rewards program and federal incentives to pay for the majority of the
NOVEMBER 2011
project and recently found a good deal of help through a local group called Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KNA), which connected him with the neighborhood’s Solarize Kingfield program to help front capital that Bell’s bank had recently turned down. “It wasn’t looking good,” he says. “But 48 hours after we met the KNA walking back from our farmer’s mark with no plans, we’d suddenly gone to needing to flip the switch on December 15.” Meanwhile, what the solar panels mean for Twin Town is simple. “I’ve calculated that I spend between $400 and $500 a month, especially in the summer when the air conditioning is on. That will go away immediately,” he says. “That’s money I can use to pay off the installation of this and, in two years, that’s money that can go straight back to the store.” Furthermore, he’ll be mandated to sell any excess electricity he generates back to the local power grid, a task he’ll perform “cheerfully.” Bell says a new meter will be installed in the store and expects its higher visibility to encourage everyone in the store to take every chance to increase efficiency, the way hybrid car owners have been known to become obsessed with driving habits once they’re shown the effects in real time graphics. Regardless, the shop has already taken as many steps as possible to become completely energy efficient, including total weatherproofing, installing all compact fluorescent light bulbs, and SuperSavers on all the shop’s heating and cooling units. As part of the financing process, the store will face strict energy audits to ensure that the building is both well-kept and already pursuing stringent efficiency practices, a process Bell looks forward to and recommends. “The secret that is important to any brick and mortar store is that everything you do runs on electricity,” he says. “Your lights, your computers, your coffee maker, and even your heat and air no matter if it’s gas or oil – you’ve got to blow that air around somehow. If I can find any way to not pay the electric company for that, I’m sold. Make that disappear.” The sight of teams of analysts, engineers and energy auditors combing through the store has perked up interest in the neighborhood from long-time customers, neighbors, and other local businesses. NOVEMBER 2011
“Lots of folks are scared of this kind of change,” he says, but notes that a few nearby businesses have begun looking into the solar move for themselves. “Some people shake their heads and say it’s too much hassle, but it’s really not like there are guys from NASA who have to come install this for you. It’s simple. Just think of the calculator you use at the desk for trade-ins – that’s all solar powered!” Still, there’s one aspect of the process
that Bell is unsure of and anxious to test out when he gets a chance – how will his guitar sound on solar power? “If you’ve got your pedals plugged in,” he says, “you can always hear that little ticking sound of the power magnets spinning around somewhere. They say Angus Young refuses to use venues’ electricity because of that – his batteries sound better.” “I’m very interested to hear how the instruments sound with this…”
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Steinway Society board memebers with piano recipients at a fall gifting with Orlando Magic mascot Stuff.
Keys to the City
Steinway Society Expands Education Throughout Central Florida The Steinway Society of Central Florida, based in Orlando, celebrated the end of a particularly successful fundraising effort this fall, including high profile awards from the state, the NBA’s Orlando Magic (presented in front of thousands at a home game), and the town’s most famous cartoon rodent, Mickey Mouse. As the season wrapped up, the society took time to note that 2011was an exceptional year in a time where students and education programs needed more help than ever.
Gary Grimes and VP Walter Kovshik with the Walt Disney Helping Kids Shine Award
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Goals for the season were three-fold: to expand regional education programs for young students, to expand fundraising efforts toward lessons and keyboard purchases, and to expand the group’s own Board with additional supporters. By this fall, they’d met each goal. Funds raised this year, in efforts led by Board vice president Walter Kovshik, included $25,000 from the State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs (they were in the top five grant recipients in the en-
tire state), $10,000 from the Walt Disney “Helping Kids Shine” fund, $9,000 from the City of Orlando, $5,450 from United Arts of Central Florida, $3,000 from the Orlando Magic Youth Fund, $2,278 from the Central Florida Music Teachers Association, $1,000 from the Hard Rock Café pin program, $1,000 from the Seminole County Arts Council, and $1,000 from the Miller Charitable Foundation. “It’s just that the story of helping disadvantaged kids have music lessons and NOVEMBER 2011
provided pianos is a very, very strong thing,” said Society president Gary Grimes over the phone recently. “Everybody wants to give away pianos.” The Society also staged its first ever Bob Frier Keys for the Kids Bowl-a-Thon, which was led by FOX35 news anchor Bob Frier and took place in lanes donated by the World Bowling Center. Steinway Society founders Gary and Kathy Grimes, Board member Carol Stein, and the Seminole Cultural Arts Council all co-hosted the event. Bowlers were joined by local media celebrities from several network television stations and radio stations. By the end of the night, the event had raised over $10,000. Meanwhile, the extra funds this year enabled the group to expand its piano lessons program throughout Central Florida. Children in different economically hardhit locations were given lessons for ten weeks at a time and were provided with teachers, keyboards for group lessons, and keyboards for students to use for practicing at home. Programs took place in Parramore, Sanford, Oveido, and Winter Park. Additionally, students from the Society’s Piano Bank program were eligible for scholarships for further individual lessons up to $300. Students had to obtain teacher recommendation and then auditioned for the scholarships. In all, 18 were awarded in the spring to students who were then featured in a June recital. The group also runs three 30-week classes which students can continue throughout the year. “The goal here is not to sell pianos,” says Grimes. “The goal is to give back to the community and get a reputation in the Orlando market for serving music and helping kids. We’re not just a piano store.” He also noted that the group has just moved into new facilities in Parramore converted from an old high school to include a new music lab, a computer lab, and rehearsal spaces. Next spring, Grimes says that the Society is planning a “Pop-Up Pianos” program in the area similar to the “Play Me, I’m Yours” program that took place in cities like New York City last summer, where dozens of pianos were placed in diverse public places for anyone passing by to play. Indeed, the Society seems to have tapped into a vital interest in helping provide music exposure and education throughout the region. “It’s a wonderful program,” Grimes says. “Everybody up to the mayor’s office believes in our credibility. We’re just happy to have them all 100 percent behind it.” NOVEMBER 2011
Students in Group Lessons Program at Midway Elementary in Sanford, Fla.
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Fresh Faces:
Siouxland Music Supply Sioux City Store Turns a New Page on Sheet Music
Just a year ago, Jerritt Munch and Kay Derby were helping to sell off inventory in the local Sioux City, Iowa music shop they’d called home for years. It was the only place in town for a wide variety of sheet music and method books, and customers were facing the very real possibility of having to resort to online ordering forever afterward. Munch and Derby decided they couldn’t walk away from countless friends, associates, teachers, and students. That’s when Siouxland Music Supply was born.
“We’re fortunate that we have a good, loyal customer base and we work hard just to get to know our customers personally and get to know their needs and likes and dislikes.”
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Located in the heart of downtown just a couple blocks north of Interstate 29, Siouxland Music Supply is coming up on its first year of operation this month. In an expanded first-floor storefront, its owners have managed to create a spacious and welcoming place for music lovers of all types to find music for any occasion. “Kay and I both could have done better financially if we just cut the cord and done something different,” Munch says over the phone. “But we just had a lot of customers that would just say, ‘What are we going to do when the old store closes and we don’t have a place to go?’”
“Not everybody wants to order online,” he continues. “We’re fortunate that we have a good, loyal customer base and we work hard just to get to know our customers personally and get to know their needs and likes and dislikes. So when they come in here, it’s kind of like talking with family, basically. We have a laid back atmosphere and we treat them with respect and I have to believe that’s the only reason we’ve been able to hang on to so many in the transition.” Both Munch and Derby learned the trade at Jay’s Music, a hometown place on the fourth story of another building downtown that had been open over 30 years.
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Munch had worked there for nearly eleven years and Derby for five. Munch, who was a music major in college, had worked for years as a music teacher, substitute teacher, and sports coach before eventually answering an ad in the paper to help out part time at Jay’s. Five years ago, he began working at the shop full-time. Derby came to the company the same way, though she still works with a local accounting firm as well.
The business at the new store is pretty simple, relying on the strengths of Jay’s with a few extra touches. “We do mainly sheet music,” Munch says. “The band sets, all the different piano methods that teachers around here use, and the instrumental methods that the schools use. The we have solo and ensemble instrumental methods and
some textbook-type things. We have a lot of piano literature because the piano
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Fresh Faces crowd is good here in town. Everything from pop to classical. We try to have something for everybody.” The extra space they have at Siouxland has given them the chance to expand a bit, though. One extra room is beginning to get used for studio lessons, and an entire area toward the back of the store remains empty enough to host live performances in. “We’ve had one piano recital here,” he says. “During our grand opening, we had quite a bit of variety with live entertainment groups that came in and played music during the course of the day. So we’re trying to offer more stuff like that – not just stuff that’s for sale, but some neat services and neat options that people can have.” He’s also partnered with a group of artists from the building to start showing paintings throughout the store in an effort to beautify the interior and to help foster creative relationships throughout the community. In terms of market share, Siouxland has the benefit of being pretty much the
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only game in town. It services customers from the entire tri-state area of Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and cooperates to service Sioux City with a local instrumental store called Ray’s Midbell Music. “Like with the old store, there was always that understanding that we’ll handle the music and they can handle the instruments and we’ll try not to get in each other’s way.” He says it’s been a steep learning curve so far since many of the duties of running the shop are still new, but that things seem to be going great as they move into their first complete school year. “We’ve learned a lot because we had never been in a position to learn how
this works,” he says. “We’ve learned about how you can detail your new issue subscriptions so you’re not necessarily stuck with a lot of things that may or may not sell. We’ve also learned a lot about working with the publishers from that end.” How’s business so far? Just great thanks to all those loyal customers. If Munch and Derby’s attention to detail has proven anything, it’s that well caredfor customers will stick around. “It would have been very easy for people to say, ‘We’ll just order online now that the old store’s gone,’” he says. “But I think they’ve been pretty good to support us.”
NOVEMBER 2011
Retail
Larry’s Music: Friendly Competitors By Dick Weissman
Larry’s Music opened in 1981 in Grants Pass, Oregon, a town of about 23,000 that sits some 75 miles north of the California border. The founder – and still owner – is Larry Whaley. In 1990 Whaley opened another location in Medford, a town of 63,000. Medford is about 35 miles south of Grants Pass. The original Medford location was a small mall store with about a thousand square feet.
Medford, like many of the cities in Oregon, is in a transitional economic state. Once a timber town, it has settled into the role of a regional shopping center, with two recent additions to the mix. Nearby Ashland is something of the “Boulder of Oregon,” with its nationally known Shakespeare Festival, highpriced housing and its many cultural amenities. To a certain extent Medford is a sort of bedroom community for Ashland, and for Jacksonville, a nearby restored western town as well. A summer music festival called the Britt Festival brings tourists to Jacksonville, which is virtually next door to Medford. As is the case for most of southern Oregon, there is also an influx of Californians, who either buy second homes here, or emigrate
to lower-cost housing and a more relaxed lifestyle. In fact, it has gotten to the point where local residents are somewhat priced out of their own housing market. Over the last fifteen years, Larry’s first evolved into two Medford locations, and then to its present situation of a single Medford store with about 5,000 square feet of space. The Grants Pass operation is about the same size, and it remains in its original location. We stopped by the store and talked with manager, Chris Rapley. Part of the decision to close the other Medford location stemmed from the fact that the store had relatively little display space for its size. The teaching studios had been built in such a way that that they took up display space for instruments. After the move, Larry’s retained its longest-term teacher, who teaches all styles of guitar. Lessons in drums and keyboards were eliminated. The Grants Pass location also has a single teacher, Russ Welcome, who is so versatile that he is able to teach “a whole bunch of instruments.” Both stores also do repairs. Economy & Competition The current recession has been very tough for Oregon, where unemployment has been at about 12 percent. In Medford the figure has peaked as high as 15 percent, and in Grants Pass, 17 percent. As a result of this, Larry’s business has taken a severe hit in recent years. Christmas of 2008 was down as much as 50 percent in the stores. Since then things have gotten “a bit better,” but the area’s layoffs have made for a tough business climate. Medford is the town where Musician’s Friend first started, and when Larry’s opened Musician’s Friend already had
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a retail store up and running. Rapley told us that the relationship between the two stores was friendly, with many mutual referrals. In 2002 Guitar Center replaced Musician’s Friend with their own retail store, and a period of intense and unfriendly competition followed. Chris felt that at the time a “different mentality” pervaded Chris Rapley the operation, as some of the long-term employees of Musician’s Friend had left. Chris further described the new attitude of the time as, “corporate domination.” Larry’s continued to do what it had already been doing, and it also worked on expanding their school instrument band rental program. The Medford
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“ There’s no need for music stores to destroy one another.” area experienced some budget cuts several years ago, but the store actually has had to struggle to fulfill the demand for rental instruments. There are two high schools in town, and half a dozen more in the surrounding area, but Larry’s salespeople travel as far as Klamath Falls to the East, and even into Northern California schools. As far as other local competition goers, there is one other store: Medford Music. Chris described a climate that includes competition from big box stores, non-discount discount stores in general, and the Internet. He feels that many
consumers are opting for pricing over service, and that the MAP programs provide a ray of hope for the independent retail store. Acoustic guitar is the store’s standby, and currently the Medford store has several hundred banjos, mandolins, ukuleles and guitars. The instrument lines carried include Dean, Fender, various Godin brands, Hohner and Martin, with prices ranging from $100 to well over $1,000. Acoustic guitars seem to be especially attractive to parents, because the students can walk away with an instrument and immediately start to play, rather than needing an amplifier as well. On the electric front, the store stocks Dean, Ibanez,
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reducing inventory. The Grants Pass store is a busier place than the Medford location, which Chris Rapley attributes to less fierce competition in that town.
Fender and Jackson Guitars. Larry’s has a deep selection of printed music and accessories, and of course these provide better profit points for the store. Fender instrument sales held
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its own through the recession, and the store has also been successful in selling quite a bit of product on eBay that “won’t sell in Medford.” They have also responded to the economy by simply
The Personal Touch Larry’s places a strong focus on service and personal attention, which we observed in watching several customers who came into the store during our interview. The first customer bought a set of strings, but hung around for a good 20 minutes, discussing guitars and guitar parts with the employees. It was obvious that he was simply enjoying talking shop with folks who knew about guitars. The tack that the store takes is that they are they to service the needs of the musician, and no pressure is to be put on the customer to buy anything. Towards the end of our interview, two customers walked in and one announced that he was there to buy some gear. Once again I observed the store’s employees talking to these musicians at some length in a very friendly way before there was even any discussion of what equipment the customers were looking to buy, or what it would cost. After the two customers left, Chris
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remarked that he felt that if all the independent music stores were to go under, personal relationships like the ones that I had just witnessed would become almost impossible to achieve, and the loss would be of a far more tragic nature than simply an economic one. The store sees various product reps. who pass through Medford in the course of their travels, and Chris goes to the NAMM show in Anaheim. He spends quite a bit of time with the reps. At NAMM, checking out new products. He finds NAMM “very helpful, although we don’t necessarily do that much ordering there.” The store has held some clinics, but because of space limitations it isn’t a common occurrence. Larry’s advertises in the local newspapers, on the radio and on cable TV. They have even done a remote radio broadcast from the store. The store has a website which is mostly informational. Chris smiled when he described the site, and said, “We still hand-write receipts here. Where else can you go for that?” The store also does promotional baseball caps, guitar picks and t-shirts. Recently Chris has taken a new approach to Guitar Center, and has begun a dialogue with some of their employees and the store manager. Some months ago the manager came into Larry’s, and seemed surprised when Rapley recognized her. She had not realized that Larry’s had a band instrument rental program, and the two agreed that both stores would benefit from referring customers to one another when appropriate. Chris feels that opening the door to this cooperative approach will be beneficial to everyone. He pointed out that, “both of our stores are important, and the music community here needs both of us.” He added, “David can’t compete with Goliath.” Larry’s has also cultivated a friendly relationship with Cripple Creek Music in nearby Ashland, the subject of another recent MMR article. Rapley recently helped them find a stolen guitar, which someone had attempted to sell in a local pawnshop. Another level of competition comes from people who drive to Portland or Eugene to price check. Eugene is about 150 miles north, while Portland is 105 miles beyond that. He commented that, “Sometimes people will spend a hundred dollars in gas money to try and save ten dollars.” His final comment to november 2011
us was, “There’s no need for music stores to destroy one another. In the long run we’ll all do better to cooperate, and musicians will benefit as well.” By concentrating on service and developing relationships with local musicians and the parents of student musicians, Larry’s seems to have developed a niche that enable it to compete against the neighboring mega-stores without actually having to butt heads with them. It’s a formula that seems to work for them.
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New Products Levy’s Pink Guitar Straps Levy’s guitar straps are now available in a bold, “riot-colored” Pink in all cotton and polypropylene models. Like all
products in Levy’s extensive guitar strap and leather collection, these straps are designed for good looks and a dependable, durable build. Pictured are embroidered polypropylene models MSS8ST, MSS8IC, MSS8RS, MSS8SC, and MSS8AN. www.levysleathers.com Fishman Loudbox Artist Acoustic Amplifier The Loudbox Artist features 120 watts of bi-amplified acoustic power and includes two flexible input channels, precise feedback-fighting controls, and a new dual effects section. The Loudbox Artist features include two mic/instrument channels with combo 1/4” and XLR inputs, plus 3-band EQ and notch-filter feedback controls. A new dual digital effects section offers built-in Reverb, Chorus, Flanger, Delay, Echo, and Slap Echo effects, and includes independent channel effects level and on/off control. 1/4” and 1/8” auxiliary stereo inputs with level control allow for backing tracks or set-break music. Additional flexibility is provided by a balanced XLR Mix D.I. output plus D.I. outputs on each input channel. A Channel Mute allows the user to silence both input channels, while a headphone output enables private practice. The Loudbox Artist also features an Input gain control with 10dB pad and clip indicator, a dedicated effects loop on each channel and 24V phantom power 62 MMR
for condenser mics. Retail price: $769.15 www.fishman.com. WindTech PopGard The PopGard PG-2000 offers excellent protection against plosive sounds in side address microphones in studio and broadcast applications. In addition, the PopGard is hydrophobic, helping to prevent moisture from reaching the microphone element while remaining acoustically transparent. Weighing less than one ounce, the PopGard is easy to clean and attaches in seconds to most side address microphones from 46 to 68mm in diameter. There is no need for clamps or goosenecks to mount – the PopGard easily attaches to the microphone body using
lightweight elastic bands. This mounting method allows the PopGard to move with the microphone without constant adjustment. Retail price: $39.95. www.wind-tech.net TASCAM iXZ Mic/Instrument Interface The iXZ Mic/Instrument Interface turns an iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch into an instant recording studio. Plug in a microphone, guitar or bass to interact with the latest guitar amp, sampling, recording and DJ apps. The iXZ supplies phantom power for condenser microphones and input setting sets the gain.
There is also a headphone output to monitor from an iOS device. www.tascam.com Eastwood Guitars Airline® ’59 Coronado The ’59 Coronado has a white body with black rubber binding, offset with white
binding on a black headstock, built as a tribute to the vintage Supro® model used by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. The guitar features a zero fret for super fast low action and a Bigsby® for throwback tremolo sounds.
The’59 Coronado is a 25 ½” scale guitar with a toned chambered Mahogany body, rubber body binding and a bolt-on bound maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and block markers. This guitar features a TonePros® Roller Bridge, a Bigsby tremolo, and Wilkinson® Tuners. It also features a 3-way vintage switch plate, two Alnico Hot-10 Humbuckers, dual volume/tone controls, and includes the deluxe custom Airline Hardshell Case. www.eastwoodguitars.com Yamaha A-Series AcousticElectric Guitar Offered in a dreadnought cutaway and a concert size cutaway, the A–Series also features a new headstock design to the rosette and mahogany binding. It has a slim neck profile and a rounded fretboard edge and an increased string spacing and lowered action. In addition, the semi-open pore finish on the necks of the A-Series maintains the wood’s feel, yet also enhances playability. Dreadnought and concert shapes are offered in mahogany back and sides and rosewood back and sides. All models feature solid spruce tops and are outfitted with new S.R.T. (Studio Response Technology) electronics developed by Yamaha. The S.R.T. preamp incorporates a piezo pickup system with a built-in microphone modeling technique specific to each guitar model. The S.R.T. system lets players choose from three different mic settings that can be blended with the piezo pickup. In addition, the S.R.T. system’s feedback detector cancels feedback frequencies in live situations. www.yamaha.com NOVEMBER 2011
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model – per groove and at every step of the way. World renowned drummers on the project include: Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa, Missing Persons), Billy Cobham (Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra), and Rod Morgenstein (Dixie Dregs, Winger). The interactive DVD features a video with words of wisdom from Scott, who has worked with The Beatles, David Bowie, Elton John, Pink Floyd, and many other top artists. Ken also explains with intimate detail how each groove was recorded and mixed for EpiK DrumS EDU. Retail price: $29.99. www.alfred.com/proaudio. American DJ Royal 3D The Royal 3D Laser Effect adds a whole new dimension to affordable lighting with green and violet blue laser beams that dart across dance floors, walls, and ceilings to create a multi-dimensional feeling. 9/20/11
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The Royal 3D works its way through its extraordinary patterns with fluidity thanks to 1.8-degree stepper motors that give it smooth, seamless movements. For convenience, the Royal 3D has a 1/4” input for operation via a UC3 remote control (sold separately). The low, 24W power consumption makes this powerful and dramatic effect very economical to use. Retail price: $899.95. www.americandj.com
etudes he created specially to help players limber up, improve their picking technique and build their finger independence. Once guitarists have mastered these exercises, they’ll be ready to play from Day Trip/Tokyo Day Trip Live. This Guitar Recorded Versions songbook features transcriptions in notes and tab for all the
tracks from Metheny’s 2008 one-daylong recording session with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Antonio Sanchez. Retail price: $14.99 (Pat Metheny Guitar Etudes: Warm-Up Exercises for Guitar), $22.99 (Day Trip/Tokyo Day Trip Live). www.halleonard.com.
Planet Waves NS Mini-Headstock Tuner The NS Mini Headstock Tuner’s tiny, lightweight and convenient design allows it to be clipped to the back of the headstock, concealing it from the audience. Instead of using cable hook-ups or microphones, the new NS Mini Headstock Tuner from Planet Waves uses the
instrument’s vibration as its input and provides accurate tuning without the interference of ambient room noise. This tuning software uses the ultra-sensitive piezo sensor system for increased vibration sensitivity and more accurate note registration. Perfect for loud and dark stages, the simple, multicolor, backlit display shows the note name in red to indicate when the note is out of tune and green to reveal when the note is in tune. Retail price: $29.99. www.planetwaves.com
Pat Metheny Guitar Etudes and Day Trip/Tokyo Day Trip Live from Hal Leonard Hal Leonard introduces two new music education books from guitar legend Pat Metheny. In Pat Metheny Guitar Etudes: Warm-Up Exercises for Guitar, he showcases his own personal methods of warming up. This book includes a collection of 14 guitar NOVEMBER 2011
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New Products PRS SE Acoustic Guitars Made with high quality components, including solid backs and solid spruce tops, bone nuts and saddles, and PRS designed SE tuners, these instruments are the latest change from PRS. They share the same proprietary “hybrid X” bracing pattern and several distinctive construction features as the acclaimed Maryland-made PRS Acoustic guitars. The initial model for this new line will be the PRS SE Angelus, named after one of PRS’s most popular Marylandmade acoustic models. The SE Angelus will be offered in both a “Standard” and “Custom” package. The Angelus Standard model will include mahogany sides, a solid mahogany back, and a rosewood
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fretboard and bridge. The Angelus Custom model will include rosewood sides, a solid rosewood back, and an ebony fretboard and bridge. The product line will expand to include models with built-in pickup systems early in 2012. www.prsguitars.com/seangelus. Waves Audio ‘Tape, Tubes & Transistors’ Bundle Tape, Tubes & Transistors is a new bundle of plug-ins that recreates the audio chain of legendary producer/engineer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss). Tape, Tubes & Transistors features three meticulously-modeled vintage plugins: Kramer Master Tape, HLS Channel, and PIE Compressor. All three of these plugins have been developed in association
with Kramer as part of an ongoing series of collaborations. Together, they aim to recreate Eddie’s golden audio chain, which he used to record musical icons like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles. Retail: Native $400/ TDM $500. Special intro price is Native $199/ TDM $299. www.waves.com. Mixed In Key 5 Mixed In Key 5 quickly and accurately identifies the keys and tempos of digital music files, making it easy for DJs to create mashups and play perfect DJ sets. Version 5 offers new features and functions, as well as a powerful new key-detection algorithm. Mixed In Key 5 offers multi-processor support for both Mac and Windows machines. Another highlight is the new Audio Player, which lets users audition the key-detected songs and samples from within the software. In addition to existing support for MP3 and WAV file formats, Mixed In Key 5 adds M4A and MP4 (video file) support.
NOVEMBER 2011
As with previous versions, Mixed In Key 5 uses the “Camelot Wheel” system, which displays key names on a circular chart that is numbered and color-coded. This approach makes harmonic mixing easier by graphically showing which songs are compatible with each other. In version 5, a clickable Camelot Wheel offers an elegant new way to see keydetected material. Once the software has analyzed a collection of songs (for example, an iTunes library), clicking on a key name on the Camelot Wheel instantly brings up a list of all the files in that key, making song selection a snap. Retail price: $58. Upgrade price: $29.99. www.mixedinkey.com Tanglewood Evolution Exotic Series An extension of the Tanglewood’s successful Evolution Series, the Evolution Exotic guitars encompass a range of Tanglewood body styles which have been given an exotic twist through the incorporation of luxurious tonewoods. Flamed Maple, Bubinga, and Koa are used throughout the series, which is comprised of dreadnoughts, jumbos, superfolk, orchestra, and auditorium body styles, as well as an all-Bubinga acoustic bass. Several models feature Fishman Isys electronics. Retail Prices range from $449 to $799. www.tanglewoodguitars.com Bare Knuckle Aftermath Pickups Bare Knuckle’s Aftermath Pickups are designed to achieve accelerated bass response for exceptionally fast tracking of high-speed staccato riffing with powerful mid range and precise highend articulation. These pickups are designed with the metal guitarist in mind. www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk Native Instruments’ DAMAGE DAMAGE is a new software instrument that provides cinematic percussion for professional movie scoring and high-impact music production. Created by sound NOVEMBER 2011
design house Heavyocity and powered by the latest KONTAKT 5 engine, this unique sonic resource combines industrial sounds and orchestral percussion. The instrument is based on over 25,000 individual samples recorded in 24bit/96Kz using state-of-the-art equipment, resulting in 30 GB of source material. Sounds were captured in a variety of Multi-item_Ad_Mar11
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New Products locations ranging from various high-end studios to a Connecticut junkyard, and comprise all possible types of percussion from traditional instruments to exploding cars and cranes dropping objects from great heights. DAMAGE contains over 700 beatsliced percussive loops as well as 58 multi-sampled kits, including an arsenal of unique “Damage Hits” for distinctive stings and transitions. Loop Menus can be mixed and matched easily to create complex layered rhythms, while Single Loops offer detailed playback control for intuitive sound tweaking. Certain kits are based on ensemble-style recordings, with multiple velocity and round-robin layers, to provide true performance dynamics and a wide range of impact. The sounds are complemented by a specifically designed effects section that includes the versatile new Trigger FX 2.0 real-time sound mangling suite as well as the central “Punish” knob for seamless
increases in pressure and intensity. Retail price: $339. www.native-instruments.com Taylor Guitars Fall Limited Editions Taylor Guitars has released its collection of 2011 Fall Limited Edition guitars. This year’s offerings present a bounty of beautiful tonewoods, featuring rich cocobolo, premium-grade koa, and time-honored Indian rosewood, along with a bevy of fresh inlay designs and value-added upgrades. Anchoring the Fall LTDs are cocobolo and koa, two exceptional tonewoods with signature acoustic voices. Usually reserved for Taylor’s exclusive Presentation Series or Build to Order menu, cocobolo is paired with Sitka spruce tops on two models: the GA-LTD and the GSLTD. Additional cocobolo touches include top edge trim, and a backstrap, off-
set by creamy maple binding. Gorgeous AA-grade koa distinguishes a quartet of all-koa limiteds, which feature a shaded edgeburst around the body and neck, and bound with rich rosewood. The koa LTDs are offered as the GALTD, GS-LTD or in a pair of 12-Fret GA and GC models, and with an option of an optional Engelmann spruce top. Both the koa and cocobolo LTDs feature Taylor’s premium CV bracing for sweet, responsive tone and a Venetian cutaway. Players who crave rosewood’s classic tone and are looking for exceptional value will be drawn to the 400 Series and Nylon Series Limiteds. The 400 Series LTDs feature Indian rosewood back and sides and a Sitka spruce top, with bonus appointments that include a Small Diamond fretboard inlay and gold tuners. Four models are available: a 410ce-LTD, 412ce-LTD, 414ce-LTD or 416ce-LTD. In a twist, Taylor’s rosewood laminate
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NS24 receives a top swap to feature solid cedar, which adds extra warmth to nylon’s evocative tone. The guitars are offered either as an NS24ce or a non-cutaway NS24e. T he cocobolo, koa and rosewood 400 Series limiteds come equipped with Taylor Expression System® electronics and in a hardshell case, while the nylonstring limiteds come in a hardshell bag with Taylor’s ES-N® pickup. www.taylorguitars.com. Alto Empire Series Powered Mixers The Empire powered mixer line offers power, flexible routing capabilities and rugged portability. Up to 2,000 watts of class D power can be attained from the line, available in either tabletop or cabinet style designs. Empire mixers have ample headroom to accommodate extremely dynamic source material. The amplified sound is as clear as it is strong, giving a true, flat frequency response.
NOVEMBER 2011
The Empire TMX tabletop mixers are available with 8, 12, 16 or 20 channel sizes and each includes onboard digital effects. The 8, 12 and 16 channel models provide bi-amped, Class D power at 2 x 350 Watts, 2 x 500 Watts and 2 x 750 Watts, respectively. The 20-channel
model provides bi-amped, digital power of 2 x 750 Watts + 2 x 500 Watts. The Empire RMX cabinet mixers provide eight channels of mixing, EQ, onboard effects and plenty of power: 500 Watts mono / 250 Watts stereo for RMX505DFX; 1000 Watts mono / 500 Watts stereo for RMX1008DFX; 1500 Watts mono / 750 Watts stereo for RMX1508DFX; and 2 x 1000 at 8 ohms
bridged / 4 x 500 Watts at 4 ohms for RMX2408DFX. www.altoprofessional.com DR Strings NEON Acoustic Guitar Strings DR NEON™ Acoustic Guitar strings are super bright color coated phosphor bronze strings that will sound clear, bright and musical as well as provide unparalleled string performance and longevity. The strings, featuring DR’s new K3™ Technology coating, are 100% black light active so they glow strongly under UV lighting. DR’s new K3™ coating has been proven to last at least 9 times longer (by documented factory tests) than previous DR coatings. The new, durable K3 coating will not strip away, peel or come off under any playing condi-
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New Products tion that it’s been put thorough in stressful factory tests. NEON Acoustic Guitar Strings are available in Hi-Def Orange, Hi-Def Pink, and Hi-Def Green in standard acoustic guitar 11-50 and 12-54 gauged sets. www.drstrings.com Mighty Bright 2-LED USB Red Light The 2-LED USB Red Light features two red LEDs and is designed to eliminate night blindness in variable lighting conditions that exist onstage and during performances. The distinctive red LEDs
enable the eye to adjust more rapidly to dark lighting environments. Red light wavelengths are not easily observed from a distance, making the Mighty Bright 2-LED USB Red Light a good choice for professional DJs, production managers, and pro sound and light technicians. Red light is particularly appropriate in performance lighting situations, where white light and smoke can cause refractive wash-out. The Mighty Bright 2-LED USB Red Light is portable, adjustable, and environmentally friendly. The USB port means no batteries are necessary. Retail price: $14.99 www.mightybright.com MOD Kits DIY Inducer Pedal The Inducer is a Limited Edition tube distortion pedal kit designed around a New-Old-Stock 6189W JAN ( Joint Army/Navy) Philips vacuum tube. This 6189 is a premium grade 12AU7 that was ruggedized for reliable operation in mili-
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tary mobile, shipboard, and aviation communications equipment, making it ideal for use in an effects pedal. This tube is characterized by reduced microphonics, excellent linearity, and long life. When driven hard, as it is in this Limited Edition pedal, it produces beefy distortion. The Inducer uses the same classic circuit as the MODTM Persuader Kit, but the 6189 gives the Inducer rich distorted fuzz. There will only be 30 of these Limited Edition kits made. www.modkitsdiy.com VOX VTX150 Neodymium The new Valvetronix Pro VTX150 Neodymium combo amp features 150 Watts of power into a 12” Celestion VOX NeoDog speaker. At the heart of every Valvetronix amp is the “Valve Reactor” cir-
NOVEMBER 2011
cuit. First introduced in 2001, the Valve Reactor circuit uses a real vacuum tube to provide all Valvetronix amps with true tube tone. For the VTX150 Neodymium, the Valve Reactor circuit has been enhanced, using an EL84 tube in place of the traditional 12AX7 tube to create a sonic signature.
The VTX150 Neodymium boasts 44 amp models, each with three variations – Basic, Effect and Song – delivering a total of 132 exPeartly voiced preset programs. The broad array of effects is divided into two sections: Pedal effects such as stomp-box style distortion, wah, and compressor; and Modulation/Delay effects such as chorus, flanger, and tape echo. Retail price: $1099. www.voxamps.com
Bass features an Indian cedro body; bolton maple neck with Indian rosewood compound radius fingerboard; 24 jumbo frets; 34” scale; Jackson dual humbucking high output pickups for roaring tone; a high mass bridge, and black hardware. The JS3 Concert Bass features an Indian cedro body; bolt-on maple neck with Indian rosewood, bound fingerboard; 24
jumbo frets; 34” scale; three-band active EQ with bass, mid and high boost/ cut; Jackson dual humbucking high output pickups; a high mass bridge for unmatched sustain, and black hardware. The expanded JS series also introduces Jackson’s most affordable five-string bass, the JS3V Concert Bass. This model features an Indian cedro body; bolt-
Meeting the Needs of Students for More Than 30 Years ... Our Best-Selling SV-175 Cremona Violin! Cremona bowed instruments have set the pace for the vibrant student and rental markets for over 30 years. Strict adherence to international sizing requirements, domestic educational set-up standards and continuous quality improvement have made Cremona Violins, Violas, Basses and Cellos proven sales leaders. Our best-selling, ebony fitted SV-175 Cremona Premier Violin Outfit has recently been upgraded to include the J.LaSalle LB-13 Octagonal Bow and the TL-33 deluxe rectangular Travelite case.
Amedia Cymbals Taurus 20” Ride The Taurus 20” Ride has an unlathed heavily hammered underside. The top has a unique duplex vibe, including a standard lathing and hammering on the bow and bell and a skip lathing on the edge. It results in a wide variety of sonic possibilities. Dry and controlled or wet and washy; the cymbal has proven to be extremely versatile. Turkish Cymbal maker Amedia Cymbals, and its U.S. arm Amedia Cymbals USA, have recently entered their third year of operations in North America, following eight years of business operations in Turkey. The company is built on the traditional, old school methods of producing cymbals which include casting, lathing, hammering and branding manually. www.amediacymbals-usa.com
Cremona SV-175 Violin Outfit: •All-solid carved, graduated construction •Seven sizes from 4⁄4 to 1⁄16 •Long lasting ebony fittings •Finetuner tailpiece for precise, easy tuning •Rugged TL-33 Travelite case •Well-balanced J.LaSalle LB-13 bow with ebony frog
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New Products on maple neck with Indian rosewood, bound fingerboard; 24 jumbo frets; 34” scale; three-band active EQ with bass, mid and high boost/cut; Jackson dual humbucking high output pickups; a high mass bridge, and black hardware. The JS2 and JS3 Concert Basses are available in Black, Quicksilver and Transparent Black finishes. The JS3V
Concert Bass is available in Black, Quicksilver and Silver Burst finishes. Retail price $399.99 ( JS2), $466.65 ( JS3), and $506.65 ( JS3V). www.jacksonguitars.com VOX V846-HW Wah Wah Pedal This new handwired Wah pedal pays homage to the original Wah Wah pedal,
first introduced by VOX in the 1960s. The internal circuitry of the V846-HW uses no printed circuit boards whatsoever. The handwired turret board construction requires labor-intensive handwiring artistry that creates an ideal and efficient signal path. Responding to every nuance of the guitarist’s touch, the V846-HW is designed to be the ultimate Wah Wah pedal.
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To complement the handwired turret board construction, every component, including the inductor, resistors, condenser and the potentiometer, has been carefully selected for premium fidelity, tone and durability. Outside, the diecast body features a sandblasted exterior with crepe finish. The inductor is the heart of every VOX Wah Wah pedal. The V846HW uses a specially voiced vintage-spec Halo type inductor. The carefully selected magnetic core material and winding ensure a perfect reproduction of the original V846’s wah sound, sought after by guitarists around the world. The potentiometer is a VOX original that features a distinctive response, and it is sealed for durability. Carbon composite resistors (made in Japan by KAMAYA ELECTRIC CO., LTD) are used for their extremely low noise and uncolored sound. High-spec polyester film condensers are used. The high-quality footswitch made by Carling Technologies was selected for both its reliability and its good feel underfoot. The Switchcraft® jacks are well-known and trusted for their sturdy bushings, simple construction and high reliability. Together, these carefully selected components come together to provide unsurpassed audio quality. www.voxamps.com NOVEMBER 2011
Thirty-two Rose Etudes for Flute from Carl Fischer The new Thirty-two Rose Etudes for Flute is a reworking by f lute master Amy Porter of the famous etudes Cyrille Rose wrote for clarinet. Now f lute students can reap the rewards of pieces that have benef ited clarinetists for generations. As these etudes were written for the range of the clarinet and based on the range of Ferling’s oboe etudes, Porter has raised the octave placement in some exercises to make them more suited for all the octaves of the modern f lute. This edition also includes a data CD containing piano accompaniments written and performed by John Walker in both mp3 and printable PDF format. In this form, the Rose etudes will become as essential to f lute students as they are to clarinetists, as both practice and recital pieces. Retail price: $16.95. www.carlfischer.com
NOVEMBER 2011
Neil Peart’s Taking Center Stage: A Lifetime of Live Performance from Hudson Music In the 3-DVD set Taking Center Stage: A Lifetime of Live Performance, Rush drummer Neil Peart examines the details and challenges of performing in front of a live audience. Drawing from over 30 years of touring the world, Neil breaks down, demonstrates, and performs classic drum parts from songs spanning the entire Rush catalog, thereby giving the viewer the most in-depth insight into Neil’s body of work ever documented. Filmed in various locations over the course of a year, Neil takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes look at Rush’s 201011 Time Machine Tour. This includes rare and exclusive footage of Neil’s personal pre-tour rehearsals and back-
stage events at a Rush concert (including a visit to the soundcheck, an unprecedented backstage interview, and Neil’s warm-up routine). Neil then presents (in an interview setting with Hudson’s Joe Bergamini) a detailed look at every single song in the Time Machine set list (which includes the entire Moving Pictures album). Each song features analysis and demonstrations (including slowmotion), which are coupled with a detailed PDF eBook containing transcriptions of Neil’s parts. With in-studio rehearsal footage, backstage scenes, and live concert performances, this package documents not only Neil’s approach to live performance, but the very essence of his drumming style. Retail price: $39.99. www.hudsonmusic.com
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Supplier Scene Making the Gold Sixty-Eight Mixer The Rane team was recently given the challenge to craft the “Ultimate Gold Sixty-Eight Mixer” for the DMC World Finals 2011 competition. It was not a simple or quick task. The process involved taking Rane’s standard Sixty-Eight Mixer, stripping its casing entirely of black paint, and applying special gold plating to the entire exterior. The final product is a oneof-a-kind version of the famous mixer known for its precision and versatility, which was hand-carried to the DMC World Finals in London last month and awarded to the champion, the United States’ Vajra. The event also included performances by The X-Ecutioners and The Boxettes. www.rane.com
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Full Compass Promotes Al Breunig to Sales Manager Full Compass recently announced the promotion of Al Breunig to the position of Sales Manager. Breunig previously held the title of Assistant Sales Manager, a role where he provided support and guidance to the National Sales and CompassXpress teams, as well as management of Full Compass’ retail operations. In his new position, Breunig will continue to manage these groups and also contribute to the development and implementation of Full Compass’ overall Sales strategy. Prior to joining Full Compass, Breunig worked in Management and Sales & Marketing for several companies in the building industry, the most notable being his 20 year tenure as the General Manager of a major home center. He joined Full Compass as a Warehouse Operator in 2009, it was quickly realized that he had great management potential. Breunig was promoted to Customer Ser-
vice Manager later that year and took on the responsibility of managing the dayto-day operations of the company’s CompassXpress team. In November 2010, Breunig was promoted to Assistant Sales Manager and has served as an interim Sales Manager since July 2011. www.fullcompass.com Petrouf Duo Dazzle Dallas The internationally recognized Petrof Duo recently performed at the exclusive Blue Candlelight recital series in Dallas, Texas. Providing an entertaining yet sophisticated performance, the Duo brought to the Dallas audience a unique and inspiring musical experience. Performing on two Petrof concert grand pianos (provided by The Piano Gallery of Dallas, courtesy of owner Bob Rosenthal), the Duo’s four hands flash rhythmically over the keyboards complementing and challenging each other’s technical expertise. Blue Candlelight concerts usually take place in the Baron House, one of
NOVEMBER 2011
the most elegant residences in Preston Hollow, but due to the demands of this special double piano performance, this concert was relocated to the Brook Hollow Golf Club. www.petrof.com Hal Leonard Signs Exclusive Print Music Distribution Deal with Michael Daugherty Music Hal Leonard Corporation recently gained exclusive worldwide distribution rights covering the entire catalog of musical publications from Grammywinning composer Michael Daugherty. The deal covers all of Daugherty’s orchestral, band and chamber music repertory, published by Peermusic Classical and Boosey & Hawkes – both of whom are distributed by Hal Leonard – as well as all of his new compositions moving forward published by Michael Daugherty Music. First off the press will be the symphonic band score for Lost Vegas, Daugherty’s swinging musical homage to the Las Vegas of the 1950s and ’60s. Premiered, commissioned and recorded this year by the University of Michigan and Miami wind ensembles to great acclaim, Lost Vegas has already become one of Daugherty’s most popular works. All part rentals for ensemble works published by Michael Daugherty Music will be handled by Bill Holab Music. A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa (b. 1954), Daugherty first came to international attention when the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performed his Metropolis Symphony at Carnegie Hall in 1994. Since then, his music has entered the orchestral, band and chamber music repertory and made him, according to the League of American Orchestras, one of the ten most performed American composers. For more information, visit www.halleonard.com.
in Birmingham, England. The California DJ won his trip to BPM from American DJ in its Come Play In The UK Contest. The contest invited DJs to submit a short video that described which European DJ or musician they would like to meet. Mikey’s 2 minute and 39 second production, built around a rap version of Yellow Submarine and featuring cameos by the Royal Family and Beatles, selected DJ Simon Fletcher as the must-meet star.
Last year, American DJ ran a contest in Europe that offered DJs a chance to win a trip to the Mobile Beat Show in Las Vegas and attend the American DJ Customer Appreciation Party, which featured a performance by Naughty By Nature. By sending Mikey to BPM, the company
American DJ ‘Come Play In The UK’ Winner Mike Susca (DJ Mikey Mike) is traveling from Los Angeles to the BPM Show NOVEMBER 2011
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Supplier Scene says it has completed its trans-Atlantic DJ bridge building. For more information, visit www.americandj.com. Singer and Songwriter Vaughan Penn Endorses Sierra Guitars Sierra Guitars recently introduced guitarist Vaughan Penn as its newest endorsing artist. Penn, a singer/songwriter
from North Carolina, has received such accolades as “Top 40 Breakthrough Artist of the Year” (New Music Weekly Awards 2007). Penn’s original tracks from her 5 indie records have been featured over 125 times on some of America’s best-known TV shows and films, and her vocal style has been compared to K.T. Tunstall’s “Cherry Tree” or Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”
Penn has also toured and shared the stage with great artists like Casting Crowns, Mat Kearney, Huey Lewis and The News, Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, Aimee Mann, Emmylou Harris, Edwin McCain, Shawn Mullins, Hootie & The Blowfish, and Angie Aparo.
Penn plays the Sierra Sunrise guitar in a natural satin finish (SAS30CEM). For more information, visit www.sierraguitars.net. 27th Annual TEC Awards Announces Nominees for Outstanding Technical Achievement The TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio recently announced the nominees for the 27th Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held Friday, January 20, 2012, at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California. Co-presented by the TEC Foundation and NAMM, the TEC Awards is the pro audio industry’s most prestigious awards show honoring outstanding achievement in product innovation and sound production. The nominations, based on product entries by audio manufacturers, were made by a select panel of over 160 professionals in numerous audio specialties. Nominated products and projects must have been introduced during the eligibility period of July 1, 2010 to August 30, 2011. With the introduction of 2 new awards categories—Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects Technology and Amplification Hardware/Studio & Sound Reinforcement—the Technical Achievement categories have been expanded from 17 to 19, and include a wide variety of amplification products in use by performers and audio professionals for both stage and studio applications. Online voting began November 1. For more 76 MMR
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information, visit www.tecfoundation.com. Indy Guitars Launches Custom Shop Indy Custom Guitars, a division of SHS International, recently announced the establishment of their new USA Custom Shop. The Custom Shop produces a limited number of American aged and reconceived models under their new “USA Reserved” line. All components of each instrument are accurately reformed to give each instrument an amazing feel and look that emulates years of use at a very low price point.Each instrument is truly “one of a kind” and sold on a first come first ship basis. For information, visit www.shsint.net
For more Information about jj Babbitt products, visit www.jjbabbitt.com. Rush Guitarist Alex Lifeson Uses Audio-Technica’s AT4080 Ribbon Microphone to Record Music for Upcoming Film While recording his parts for the score to the upcoming Richard Gere/Topher
Grace film, The Double, Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson and engineer Richard Chycki used the AT4080 Phantom-powered Bidirectional Ribbon Microphone from Audio-Technica. Chycki who has also engineered for Rush, Aerosmith, and Mick Jagger, stated, “The AT4080 has all the great sonic characteristics of a ribbon, but without
jj Babbitt Purchases Bernard Portnoy Clarinet Mouthpiece Line The jj Babbitt Company has purchased the world-renowned Bernard Portnoy line of clarinet mouthpieces. Designed by Portnoy over 40 years ago, these models have been one of the industry’s most recommended step-up mouthpieces since their release in 1970. Portnoy mouthpieces are designed for intermediate, advanced and professional players. The line includes hard rubber models in Eb, Bb, alto and bass clarinet. In February, 1970, jj Babbitt began producing the mouthpieces for Mr. Portnoy under his private label. Portnoy worked closely with Babbitt staff and management on that production. When he died in 2006, his sons continued to distribute the mouthpieces until the jj Babbitt company’s recent purchase of the line.
The 92-year old jj Babbitt company is one of the world’s leading producers of mouthpieces for saxophones and clarinets. In addition to the Portnoy line, jj Babbitt manufactures over 2,000 different mouthpiece styles in six standard label lines: Meyer, Otto Link, Wolfe Tayne, Guy Hawkins, David Hite and jj Babbitt. NOVEMBER 2011
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Supplier Scene the fragility that often plagues that type of microphone. I was very pleased with the character of the AT4080 – so much so, that we used it as the core microphone for the heavier guitar tones.” For more info, visit www.audio-technica.com.
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NAMM Hires New Director of Membership The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) announced recently that Causby Challacombe will be its new director of membership. Challacombe has developed marketing and membership departments for national and international associations over the past 11 years. Prior to joining NAMM, she was director of marketing and communications for the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association. She spearheaded the growth and development of new membership programs and was instrumental in advancing membership engagement and retention. A native of Oklahoma, Chal-
lacombe received a bachelor’s in communications from Cameron University. In her new position, Challacombe will oversee all membership administrative functions and provide superior customer service. She will also be responsible for the development and implementation of an effective membership marketing plan, which will be carried out by a sales team in support of membership initiatives. She will also lead a cross-department team for organization-wide marketing and sales strategies that aim toward effectively retaining and serving current NAMM Members while expanding the membership base. For more info, visit www.namm.org Mastodon’s Troy Sanders Joins Warwick Warwick recently announced that Troy Sanders, of modern metal pioneers Mastodon, is now an endorsing artist. Mastodon is an American metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. They have released five full-length albums to date, expanding their musical borders from early raw sludge riffs to later psychedelic multi-layered songs, yet maintaining progressive style with unusual
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time signatures and odd instrumentation. Their latest record, entitled The Hunter, was released on Roadrunner/Reprise on Sept 26th, 2011. Warwick has inaugurated the occasion by building Sanders a custom Mastodon-themed Streamer Stage II, adorned with symbols from their past albums in silver inlay. For more info, visit www.warwick.de Yamaha Provides Drums at 54th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Yamaha Drums, long an integral part of the Monterey Jazz Festival, recently supplied a baker’s dozen drum sets to each of the premier jazz festival’s stages. Yamaha provided a selection of drum sets, including Stage Custom Birch, Tour Custom, Oak Custom, Club Custom, Absolute
NOVEMBER 2011
Birch, and Absolute Maple. Yamaha drum set artists performing included Eric Harland ( James Farm), Nikki Glaspie (Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk) and Bill Gibson (Huey Lewis and the News). For more info, visit www.yamahadrums.com. Electro-Voice Equipment Used in Papal Mass in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium On a recent visit to German capital Berlin, the Pope celebrated the Mass with 61,000 followers in the Olympic Stadium while millions more followed the event on television. Sound reinforcement equipment from Electro-Voice was used exclusively. In addition to the 171 Electro-Voice XLC enclosures already installed, a multitude of additional EV array elements were deployed on this occasion. These included 104 XLD181, 40 X-Line Xvls and Xvlts (main in- and out-hangs), as well as 60 XLE181 enclosures on a delay line. This mighty system was powered by Electro-Voice amplifiers.
In addition to the 90 P3000RL power amplifiers of the stadium system, a further 80 powerful TG7 amplifiers were used for the event. Six NetMax N8000-1500 loudspeaker controllers provided the system control
via an Optocore network (divided into three redundant circuits). The production team had only been assigned three days for the installation, tuning and sound check with the 800-voice choir. To learn more, visit www.electrovoice.com
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Supplier Scene Blackstar Amplification Presents Encore “Blackstar Blitz” Events at Premier Dealers Throughout U.S. Blackstar Amplification is bringing back their special “Blackstar Blitz” events at premier dealers across the United States, in response to requests for additional dates and locations. Guitarists and amp aficionados alike will be able to hear Blackstar’s tube, high-gain British amps and the HT tube-driven pedals live in-store. Blackstar product experts will be on hand at each event to perform demos and help attendees try out the equipment.
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Attendees can also register to win an HTOD1 Tube Overdrive Pedal and an HT-1 amplifier signed and personalized by Gus G. (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind). Blackstar freebies will also be available on-site. For more information, visit www.blackstaramps.com. Bechstein Artist Series at 7WTC Bechstein America recently partnered with New York Artist Management, LLC to present internationally-acclaimed classical pianists Blair McMillen, Dina Pruzhansky, Jasna Popovic and violinist, Asmira Woodward-Page in a performance at 7WTC, Marcus Robinson Art
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Studio, on Wednesday, October 21. The concert was presented as part of the company’s ongoing Bechstein Artist Series (BAS). BAS is a series of concerts featuring some of the world’s most talented musicians performing at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Blue Note Jazz Club. Works by Bach, Schubert and Adams will be performed. NOVEMBER 2011
Keep Music Education Strong Learning to play music is so much more than memorizing notes and scales. It helps a child develop creativity and instills self-discipline, commitment and confidence. Your leadership in the community assures that music is a part of quality education for every child. Keep music education strong—go to supportmusic.com.
believe in music 5790 Armada Drive • Carlsbad, CA 92008 • 760.438.8001 • www.namm.org
Classifieds MMR CLASSIFIEDS INFO: ☛
RATES: Classified Display: $30 per column inch for text only. $40 per column inch, 1 color, logo, graphics. $50 per column inch 4 color.
☛
PAYMENTS: ALL ADS ARE PREPAID. Charge on Mastercard, Visa or American Express.
☛
SEND YOUR ADVERTISEMENT TO: 21 Highland Circle, Suite 1, Needham, MA 02494 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com.
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QUESTIONS? Call Maureen Johan at 800-964-5150 x 34 mjohan@symphonypublishing.com.
Business Opportunities
Visit the Classifieds on the Web: www.mmrmagazine.com 82 MMR
NOVEMBER 2011
Business Opportunities Are You Tired of Trying to Climb the Corporate Ladder?
is a multi-store, family owned and operated full-line retailer based in Metro Atlanta. Ken Stanton Music has over 60 years’ success and customer satisfaction.
Seeking: Certified Band/Orchestra Repair Techs, Print Music Manager, Store Managers, Sales Associates in the following departments: Guitars, Pro Audio, Drums and Percussion, and Band/Orchestra. Looking for friendly, customer service oriented, self-motivated, proven closers with good listening skills and 2+ years experience. Availability for flexible scheduling a must. Bi-lingual a plus. We feature: Competitive non-commission based pay, medical/ dental coverage, 401(k) plan, vacation/holiday/sick time, and room for advancement. Complete application online at: www.kenstantonmusic.com By mail:
Via email:
Ken Stanton Music Attn: Scott Cameron, General Manager 119 Cobb Parkway North, Suite A Marietta, GA 30062 scottc@kenstanton.com
www.mmrmagazine.com
www.mmrmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2011
MMR 83
Business Opportunities • Band and Orchestra Rentals • New and Like New Educator-Approved Brand Name Instruments • Personalized Rent-To-Own Program • No Franchise Fee or Inventory Investment • No Shipping Costs • High Commissions Paid the 1st of Every Month • Exceptional Service
Music Man is a family owned and operated Band and Orchestra dealer located in West Palm Beach, FL with over 30 years’ experience serving the music education community of South Florida. Seeking: Educational Sales Representatives who are friendly, knowledgeable, professional, creative and dynamic to build and maintain long-term relationships with existing customer base through the use weekly sales visits. 2+ years of sales experience or instrumental music related degree desired. Repair Technicians w/ 5+ years of repair experience or degree from an accredited Band Instrument Repair program desired. Salary: Negotiable based on experience All inquiries will be kept confidential. Send resumes to: John Jarvis Music Man 2309 N. Dixie Hwy West Palm Beach, FL 33407 or via email to john@musicmaninc.com
Visit the Classifieds on the Web: www.mmrmagazine.com
For Sale Gifts
Instruction
BandGifts.com
Learn Instrument Repair
Guitar • Horns • Piano • Strings T-shirts, Hats, Stickers, Jewelry, Keychains, Miniatures, Ties, and more.
Online or On Campus
www.ciomit.com
For Classified Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34 • mjohan@symphonypublishing.com 84 MMR
New! Selling warm Florida Retail Music Store 9 teaching studios, 25 year rep, great lines, $500k inventory, buy/partner $200,000+-, turnkey! Bruce 321-725-3047 NOVEMBER 2011
For Sale
Merchandise
Midwest Piano Store For Sale
Attn: PIANO DEALERS!
We Want to Give You the Business! 16 year old well established and respected piano store available. Major lines and staff available. For more information email:Music9216@gmail.com
We can deliver quality prospects to you, whether your business is Local, National, or International. Piano World is the world’s most popular piano web site. We are where people searching for piano information land first. And we get more traffic in a month than other piano sites see in a year. Invest your advertising dollars wisely, get the details at: www.PianoWorld.com/advertising
PianoWorld.com Home of the world famous Piano Forums
Merchandise
ACCORDIONS, CONCERTINAS, & BUTTON BOXES new, used, buy, sell, trade, repair, tune, CASTIGLIONE DISTRIBUTING CO. 13300 E 11 MILE WARREN, MI 48089 PH # 1-586-755-6050 WWW.CASTIGLIONEACCORDIONS.COM
Hunter Music Instrument Inc adds in an accordion line. From button accordion to Piano accordion, from Kid’s to adult, from entry level to professional, from solid color to combo, we have a wide selection for the accordion player.
718-706-0828 www.huntermusical.com
Visit the Classifieds on the Web: www.mmrmagazine.com NOVEMBER 2011
MMR 85
Merchandise
Repair Tools Publications
HaMaR
PERCUSSION PUBLICATIONS www.hamarpercussion.com
Print Music
FAST TURN-AROUND ON STOCK REPAIRS NATIONWIDE NAPBIRT member, 29 Years Experience Contact: Dan Rieck, 801-733-4243 dan@utahwoodwindrepair.com
equatone@earthlink.net
YAMAHA–KAWAI
CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED PIANOS Japanese High Quality
Repair Tools
GUARANTEED You get what you pay for!
1-800-782-2694
North American Music 11 Holt Drive Stony Point, NY 10980 Fax: (845) 429-6920
FINANCING AVAILABLE
Breaking News! Find it in the Hot News section of MMR’s Web site, www.mmrmagazine.com
BOW REHAIRING Expert Bow Service
Order forms,Pricing and Shipping label at:
Miscellaneous Attention Store Owners and Big Time Collectors
We’ll buy instruments and accessories of any type! For serious interest please contact: 949-682-5236 and Ed@Bookmans.com
www.bowrehairing.com Violin bows as low as $10.00 per bow in quantity incl. shipping (see website for details.) Large inventory of replacement parts both new and vintage. IRA B. KRAEMER & Co. Wholesale Services Division
“An industry leader since 1967” 467 Grant Avenue, Scotch Plains, N.J. 07076 Tel: 908-322-4469 Fax: 908 322-8613 e mail: info@bowrehairing.com
For Classified Sales Call Maureen 800-964-5150 ext. 34 • mjohan@symphonypublishing.com 86 MMR
NOVEMBER 2011
Vintage Instruments
Services
SHIPPING YOUR PIANO
with Lone Wolf Trucking
is a “grand” idea!
An independent, long-distance Mover specializing in coast-to-coast residential Relocation.
1-800-982-9505
www.lonewolftrucking.com Alamogordo, New Mexico. 88310
ICC MC-256289
Vintage Instruments
Wanted To Buy WE BUY, SELL, TRADE and ship worldwide. ONLINE APPRAISAL SERVICE GRUHN GUITARS, 400 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 256-2033
fax (615) 255-2021
www.guitars.com
Wanted USED TUBAS ANY CONDITION-CASH PAID THE TUBA EXCHANGE 1825 CHAPEL HILL RD. DURHAM, NC 27707 1-800-869-8822 WWW.TUBAEXCHANGE.COM www.mmrmagazine.com
February 2012 NAMM Issue
WebShowcase
Your Web-site Ad Can Reach 9,600 Music Dealers and Suppliers in MMR! Promote your web-site
to the music industry in $ four-color presentation for 95!
Generate Traffic, develop
on-line sales and product $ information for a total cost of 95!
e-mail your web-site logo and any message and we will do the rest!
Call Maureen Johan 800-964-5151 ext. 34 fax: 781-453-9389 • email: mjohan@symphonypublishing.com NOVEMBER 2011
PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT 1. Publication Title: Musical Merchandise Review. 2. Publication No.: 0027-4615. 3. Filing Date 10/3/11. 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly. 5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 12. 6. Annual Subscription Price: $32. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: Musical Merchandise Review, 21 Highland Circle Ste. One, Needham, Norfolk, MA 02494. 8. Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters or General Business Office of the Publisher: (Same as #7). 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Sidney L. Davis, 21 Highland Circle Ste. One, Needham, Norfolk, MA 02494; Editor: Christian Wissmuller, 21 Highland Circle Ste. One, Needham, Norfolk, MA 02494; Managing Editor: None. 10. Owner (If owned by a corporation, its name and address must be stated and also immediately thereafter the names and addresses of stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of stock): Zapis Capital Group, LLC; Leon Zapis, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Richard Bongorno, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Maria Wymer, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Donna Thomas, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145; Renee Seybert, 26202 Detroit Rd. Ste. 300, Westlake, OH 44145. : 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12. (For Nonprofit Organizations - Does Not Apply) 13. Publication Name: Musical Merchandise Review. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: October 2011 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months/Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: a. Total No. Copies : 11,258/10,757 b. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution: (1) Paid/ Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions:. 6,178/6,155 (2) Paid/Requested In-County Subscriptions:.0/0 (3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, and counter sales:.0/0 (4) Requested copies distributed by other USPS mail classes:.0/0 c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation:. 6,178/6,155 d. Nonrequested distribution: (1). Outside county nonrequested copies:.4,342/4,417 (2) In County nonrequested copies:. 0/0 (3) Nonrequested copies distributed through other USPS mail classes:0/0 (4). Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail: 576/25 e. Total nonrequested distribution:. 4,918/4,442 f. Total Distribution:11,096/10,597 g. Copies not distributed:162/160 h. Total: 11,258/10,757 i: Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 56%/58% 16. This Statement of Ownership will be printed in the November 2011 issue of this publication. 17. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions and/or civil sanctions. Sidney L. Davis, Publisher
MMR 87
Ad Index COMPANY NAME
E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS
PAGE
A A.I.M. Gifts/Albert Elovitz In AL Cass Alfred Music Publishing Allparts Music Corp Amati’s Fine Instruments Amedia Cymbals USA American Way Marketing LLC
www.aimgifts.com www.alfred.com/dealer www.allparts.com www.Amatis.us www.AmediaCymbals-USA.com www.americanwaymktg.com
34 78 11 78 75 74 33
www.mikebalter.com www.ChateauUSAmusic.com www.bigbangdist.com guitars.bluebookinc.com
64 69 73 66
www.TrapsDrums.com www.chesbromusic.com
74 59
B Mike Balter Mallets, LLC Band World Music Inc Big Bang Distribution Blue Book Publications Inc.
C Cappello Music Co., Inc. Chesbro Music Co.
D D’Addario & Co. Dream Cymbals And Gongs
www.daddario.com www.dreamcymbals.com
35 16
www.eleca.com www.danelectro.com
69 5
www.floydrose.com www.frenchamericanreeds.com www.galaxyaudio.com www.gci-technologies.com
76 80 60 7
www.humes-berg.com www.huntermusical.com
29 72
E Eleca International Evets Corporation
F/G Floyd Rose French American Reed Mfg. Co. Galaxy Audio GCI Technologies
H Humes & Berg Mfg.Co. Inc. Hunter Music Instrument Inc.
K Keystone Electronics KMC Music, Inc Kyser Musical Products Inc.
www.keyelco.com www.kmcmusic.com www.kysermusical.com
25 56 77
www.legere.com www.levysleathers.com
13 cov2
88 MMR
PAGE
NS Design
www.thinkNS.com
65
www.tuners.com www.oregonburls,com
40 53
www.diplomattemusic.com www.peakmusicstands.com www.peavey.com www.playdrums.com
80 60 9 49
www.rawtalentguitar.com www.retailup.com www.rivera.com www.rocksolidguitarstands.com
41 18 70 44
www.sagamusic.com www.sagamusic.com www.sagamusic.com www.samsontech.com www.samsontech.com www.schilkemusic.com www.shoreviewdistribution.com www.shubb.com www.skbcases.com www.supernaturalcymbals.com
71 15 67 3 17 79 51 78 45 39
www.TechnologyDrive.com www.tkl.com www.tycoonpercussion.com
36 1 55
O OnBoard Research Corp. OregonBurls.com
P Paul Shelden Global Productions Peak Music Stands Peavey Electronics Percusion Marketing Council
R Raw Talent Guitar Retail Up Rivera Research & Development Rock Solid Guitar Stands
S Saga Musical Instruments Saga Musical Instruments Saga Musical Instruments Samson Technologies Corp. Samson Technologies Corp. Schilke Shoreview Distribution Shubb Capos SKB Corp. Supernatural Percussion Inc
T Technologydrive.com TKL Products Corp. Tycoon Percussion
U/V U.S. Band & Orchestra Supplies Vater Percussion Vic Firth Company Visual Sound
www.StLouisMusic.com www.vater.com www.VicFirth.com www.visualsound.net
68 47 61 cov4
W.D. Music Products Inc. West Music
www.wdmusic.com www.tjflutes.com
73 18
www.yamaha.com www.zildjian.com
19 37
Y/Z
N NAMM National Educational Music Co.
E-MAIL/WEB ADDRESS
W
L Legere Reeds ltd. Levy’s Leathers Ltd.
COMPANY NAME
www.namm.com www.nemc.com, Bench.com
20-21 57
Yamaha Corp. of America Avedis Zildjian Co.
NOVEMBER 2011
RESERVE YOUR EXHIBIT AT
THE 3RD ANNUAL
LOUISVILLE, KY
JEN CONFERENCE January 4-7, 2012 Developing Tomorrow’s Jazz Audiences Today! Created by and for the Jazz Education community, the JEN Conference delivers industry leaders in an intimate, cultural setting – making this one of the most engaging jazz events of the year. This past January in New Orleans, over 2400 attendees were brought together with top educators, marketers, presenters, performers and industry leaders to identify and discuss trends, share techniques, and leverage promotional opportunities. Nearly 100 exhibitors took advantage of this amazing interaction – sign up now to reserve your sponsorship for the conference in Louisville, KY If you’re a Jazz Educator, performer or simply want to support America’s true art form, JEN is the “Must-Attend” event for key industry professionals and market influencers like you.
Reach the highly influential audience of:
t $PMMFHF )JHI 4DIPPM .JEEMF TDIPPM KB[[ FEVDBUPST t 1SPGFTTJPOBM +B[[ .VTJDJBOT t 4UVEFOU .VTJDJBOT t .BOZ PUIFS BMMJFE UP UIF mFME
Exhibit space is limited, so go to the JEN web site and reserve your space today www.jazzednet.org The Jazz Education Network
is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences. For complete membership information/benefits please visit us at: www.JazzEdNet.org