Music & Sound Retailer January 2017, Vol 34 No 1 by Music & Sound Retailer

NAMM SHOW ISSUE NAMM SHOW ISSUE NAMM SHOW ISSUE NAMM SHOW ISSUE NAMM SHOW ISSUE THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

January 19, 2017 Volume 34, No. 1 BE SURE TO WATCH

MI Manufacturers Bring Their Best To The NAMM Show In Anaheim

RETAILER REBEL SCOPES OUT REVERB.COM This T h r iv in g On lin e M a r k e t p l a c e C a n G i v e Your Br ic k - An d - M o r t a r S t o r e A B o o s t By Gabriel O’Brien David Kalt likes to find solutions for things that don’t work. After spending a few years working in recording studios, Kalt, who has a master’s degree in computer science, created ClientBase, the first customer relationship management (CRM) software for travel agents and group tour operators. After selling that company, he created a highly successful online options trading site, optionsXpress, which he took public in 2005 and later sold to Charles Schwab. In all of his successes, Kalt allowed himself one extravagant purchase: his dream guitar. It was a 1963 Fender Strat, which he bought from Chicago Music Exchange (Chicago IL). (continued on page 54)

DIAMONDS IN THE SKY By Dan Ferrisi This year’s iteration of the NAMM New Product Spotlight marks our fifth annual, and we’re showcasing products (and, in some cases, promotions) that our industry’s manufacturers plan to promote most aggressively at this month’s NAMM Show in Anaheim CA. We’ve gathered nearly 60 submissions for the feature; even covering that many items, though, we had to omit dozens more. An industry that’s replete with so many innovative, exciting new products that it’s impossible to cover all of them in a single issue is a good problem for an editor to have, though, right? As you traverse the Anaheim Convention Center, keep this issue handy. We’ve gathered all of this year’s “must see” and “can’t miss” offerings, and we’ve provided a booth number for each one. So, you can make the most of your four days at the NAMM Show and not miss a single headline-grabber! (continued on page 28)

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KMC Music Expands, Strengthens Its MI Efforts

Supported by dozens of product introductions, the addition of several lines and the introduction of a year-long series of promotion programs, KMC Music is making a strong commitment to the future of musical instrument distribution and its efforts to be a leading value-added distribution resource. With the NAMM 2017 introduction of six new series of

Washburn guitars, a repackaged line of Rhythm Tech products, two new Oskar Schmidt models, the reintroduction of Daisy Rock Girl Guitars and the relaunch of a line of eight Hamer guitars that feature rich dealer margins, KMC is juggling several important initiatives. “This is just the beginning of a very exciting year for KMC’s musical instrument product marketing program,”

KMC’s President, Mark Terry, declared. “Later in the year, we will be introducing new models from Jasmine, Barcus-Berry and Hilo, as well as more new offerings from Washburn and Rhythm Tech. In fact, we are planning to bring new musical instrument and accessory products to market every few months throughout the year.” This represents only what’s new and forthcoming from KMC’s company-owned brands, Terry hastened to add. The company has been aggressively adding lines to its distributed portfolio over the last several months. New lines include Ernie Ball, Hitman, Novation, P&H Bows, Bullet Cable, ProLogix and Babicz Full Contact Hardware. “More and more brands are turning to KMC because of our unique ability to reach a broader and deeper mix of musical instrument dealers in every market throughout the country,” Terry contended. “We provide a completely integrated way to go to market for these brands…an approach that includes solid promotion, field training, field demos

Mark Terry

and immediate service support, when necessary.” KMC is pursuing a threepronged approach to its businessdevelopment program, focusing in equal measure on its musical instrument, pro audio, and band and orchestra units. “This emboldens KMC’s position as the complete, one-stop business resource on all market fronts for our growing network of resellers,” Terry explained. “We intend to offer them every kind of product they need to maximize their retail sales, across the board, in musical instruments, accessories and pro audio.”

Fishman Moves To New Headquarters

Fishman has moved to a significantly larger, high-technology-driven company headquarters. The beautiful, 58,000-square-foot building at 3 Riverside Dr. in Andover MA represents a major expansion from the company’s previous 32,000-square-foot site, and it provides more space for R&D, manufacturing, quality control, inventory and finished goods. It also includes a bigger, state-of-the-art model and machine shop with the latest in 3D printing and laser and CNC machine technology, as well as a finish room for polishing, grinding and painting. Two conference rooms with LCD monitors and videoconferencing are complemented by a fully outfitted recording studio and a special showroom that adjoins the reception area, enabling visitors to see and demo a range of the company’s products. There’s also a wall of Fishman-equipped guitars from some of Fishman’s OEM partners. Chief Operating Officer Jason Cambra stated, “Our new facility provides us with a more efficient layout with an improved workflow in every department of the company: from manufacturing and R&D, to sales and engineering. The building also offers us room for expansion as Fishman continues to grow our business and moves into new technologies and product categories.” MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

28 VOLUME 34 NO.1

50 Columns

Features ON THE COVER

Like Diamonds In The Sky

Retailer Rebel Scopes Out Reverb.com

Our “Retailer Rebel” columnist, Gabriel O’Brien, makes the case that Reverb.com’s ease of use, mobile-platform friendliness and wide adoption among musicians, coupled with its low fees, make it an easy way for MI retail stores to monetize unused inventory, source used gear, sell pre-owned inventory to new customers and add margin to the bottom line.

60 Five Minutes With

In Larry Morton, President of Hal Leonard Corp., we find a respected industry veteran who exemplifies all the components of MI success: good business, sincere musical passion and a devotion to industry service. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s compiled an incredible career and earned the respect of his peers across the MI market. He joins us for an interview this month.

This year’s iteration of The Retailer’s NAMM New Product Spotlight marks our fifth annual, and we’re showcasing products (and, in some cases, promotions) that our industry’s manufacturers plan to promote most aggressively at this month’s NAMM Show in Anaheim CA. We’ve gathered nearly 60 submissions for this eagerly anticipated feature.

ON THE COVER

26 The Music & Sound Independent Retailer

64 MI Spy

The Retailer’s resident super sleuth has traveled to scores of cities to shop for virtually every music product under the sun. This month, however, marks a genuine first for our secret agent. While the rest of us are battling winter’s cold, MI Spy jets to Hawaii for a sand-flecked, sun-drenched ukulele mission.

68 NAMM University Listings 74 Special To The Retailer

Michael and Leslie Faltin, who own and operate Music & Sound Award-nominated Instrumental Music Center, share tips for how to hire staff members who’ll be genuine assets.

76 From The Trenches

Small music retailers would do well to examine the convenience store model and consider how it might apply to independent music stores’ business.

78 Front And Center

PRS Guitars’ Bev Fowler has become a well-known name in MI, leading the artist relations team and collaborating with the marketing department.

82 Confessions Of A Retailer

There’s plenty of fun to be had at the NAMM Show, but, for retailers, it’s essential that the experience be maximally productive. We have some key tips to share.

84 Shine A Light

The opening of Shuffield Music Co. was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Owner/ Manager Paul Shuffield, Jr., who had been interested in opening a music store for years.

86 Veddatorial

Black Friday helped prove that all is not lost for brick and mortar, provided that we do the work, and that we offer customers what they want and need in a pleasing way.

94 Under The Hood

QSC’s first foray into digital mixers, the TouchMix Series, has been making major waves ever since its debut. Continuing to build on that excitement is the company’s latest model, the TouchMix-30 Pro.

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EDITORIAL

Rich With Talent Attending the NAMM Show each January is a pleasure for several reasons: getting away from the frigid New York winter, having the opportunity to catch up with amazing friends, gaining knowledge and insight from my peers and colleagues…the list goes on and on. As invigorating as the entire NAMM Show experience is, though, nothing is more rewarding than bestowing Music & Sound Awards (MSAs) to our industry’s best dealers, manufacturers, reps and iconic executives. The MSAs are now in their 31st year, and they’re generally acknowledged as the music products industry’s highest honor. As such, I’m humbled to play a small role in administrating an awards program that spotlights the extraordinary companies and individuals who set an example for the rest of us…who help to grow the size—and the esteem— of the musical instrument business. Final balloting commenced on December 15, with thousands of industry members having cast their votes in recent weeks to try to ensure their friends and partners earn top honors. But, although winning is, of course, important, I want to use this space to honor all the nominees, each one of which merits accolades. To start, let’s spotlight the finalists for Dealer of the Year in the multi-store dealer division: I DJ NOW (New York), Instrumental Music Center (Arizona), Schmitt Music (multiple states) and Ted Brown Music (Washington). Last year, I DJ NOW and Instrumental Music Center were also among the four finalists, although West Music ultimately carried the day. All four businesses are quite different in size, product focus and market positioning, but each had a standout 2016 and each should be celebrated. In the single-store dealer division, which, incidentally, is my favorite one, because it’s where we fete all the mom-and-pop music shops that sustain our industry, we have an outstanding group of nominees for 2016. For

Dealer of the Year, it’s a razor-thin contest between Carter Vintage Guitars (Nashville TN), Chicago Music Exchange (Chicago IL), Kraft Music (Franklin WI) and The Candyman Strings & Things (Santa Fe NM). Here, once again, we find businesses that are very different in their product focus and mode of operation, but that all, nonetheless, have distinguished themselves. It’s probably no surprise that there are numerous NAMM Top 100 Dealer awards among the group, including The Candyman Strings & Things having won the top prize in 2014. Last year’s big MSA winner, Sweetwater, is vying for three awards this time. On the manufacturer side of the equation, this year’s Lifetime Achievement/Hall of Fame nominees are competing for the chance to stand alongside past winners such as Hartley Peavey, Seymour Duncan, Bob Taylor, Paul Reed Smith, Jim D’Addario and Mike Matthews. This year’s contenders, Albert Chauvet of Chauvet Lighting, Jim Hennessey of The Music People, Chris Martin of Martin Guitar and Richard McDonald of Fender Musical Instruments Corp., evince the entrepreneurial thinking— and the raw musical passion—that serves to distinguish the music products industry. There’s little doubt that, in time, all four will take home an MSA plaque. I also want to give special mention to D’Addario & Co., Inc., Taylor Guitars and Yamaha Corp. of America, all of which achieved an incredible triple play: earning separate nominations for Product of the Year, Outstanding Community Service and Manufacturer of the Year. In an industry as rich with creativity, philanthropy and musical craftsmanship as ours is, it’s truly remarkable that their dealer partners singled out those companies for three of the MSAs’ highest honors. Are you reading this while on site at the NAMM Show in Anaheim CA? Then head to booth #5034 to see the list of Music & Sound Award winners. Or, just catch the awards presentations on ConventionTV@NAMM!

January 19, 2017 Volume 34, No. 1

DAN FERRISI dferrisi@testa.com Editor

ROBERT L. IRAGGI riraggi@testa.com Advertising Director

ANTHONY VARGAS avargas@testa.com Assistant Editor

RICKY PIMENTEL rpimentel@testa.com Art/Production Assistant

BRIAN BERK Contributing Editor

ROBIN HAZAN rhazan@testa.com Operations Manager

GEORGE HINES SKIP MAGGIORA Editorial Advisors

VINCENT P. TESTA President/Publisher

MYKI ANGELINE DONOVAN BANKHEAD KYRSTEN BEAN

MICHAEL & LESLIE FALTIN JEFF KYLE JR. MICHELLE LOEB

JANICE PUPELIS Art Director STEVE THORAKOS Production Manager CIRCULATION circulation@testa.com FRED GUMM Digital Art Director MATT VAN DYKE Editorial/Social Media Coordinator mvandyke@testa.com ALLEN MCBROOM GABRIEL O'BRIEN DAN VEDDA Contributors

Editorial and Sales Office: The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Phone: (516) 767-2500 • Fax: (516) 767-9335 • MSREDITOR@TESTA.COM. Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care and must be accompanied by return postage. Sound & Communications • DJ Times • Sound & Communications Blue Book The Music & Sound Retailer • The DJ Expo • IT/AV Report The Retailer’s Vnewsletter • Convention TV @ NAMM • InfoCommTV News VTTV Studios The Music & Sound Retailer (ISSN 0894-1238) (USPS 0941-238) is published 12 times a year for $18 (US), by Retailer Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Music & Sound Retailer, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767

JANUARY 2017

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Bob Taylor

NAMM Young Professionals To Host Event At NAMM Show

The NAMM Young Professionals will host a two-hour event, which will feature Bob Taylor, Founder of Taylor Guitars, during the NAMM Show this month. The event, which will be open to all NAMM members, is scheduled for January 20 from 4pm to 6pm at the NAMM Member Center. The event will bring together the best and brightest young members of the music products industry to have an engaging discussion with Taylor. There will also be a closing reception for networking that follows his presentation. Composed of young professionals under 40, members of the NAMM Young Professionals cover the entire spectrum of the music industry, including retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors, service providers and other roles. Their mission is to provide networking and professional development to the future leaders of the music products industry. Reserve your spot by visiting nammyp2017.eventbrite.com. And be sure to bring your business cards to the event.

Music China Enjoys Explosive Show Growth

The 15th edition of Music China, held October 26 to 29 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, attracted 1,909 exhibitors and 90,125 visitors. The record-breaking 12-percent increase in visitor numbers, the growth in exhibitor numbers and the expanded exhibition space all reinforced Music China as a must-attend annual event. According to Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager for Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., “This show started in 2002, and it has been developing together with the industry ever since. Whether attendees are looking for business partners, to buy instruments, to launch products, to gain industry knowledge or just to have fun, Music China is an all-encompassing platform that can accommodate their needs.” Many exhibitors are attracted to Music China because of its penetration into the Chinese market. D’Addario & Co., Inc., is one such company. David Via, D’Addario’s Vice President, International Business Development, explained, “Our industry, as a whole, is not growing a lot when you look at it globally. Yet, China is a vibrant market that continues to develop. Not only do we see it in western music and instruments, but we also see the resurgence of eastern music and culture, as well. At the show, you can meet a variety of people and have the opportunity to really do business with the dealers, retailers and artists, as well as the consumers in China.” The high-level industry forums, which were held alongside the show, were packed full of audience members who wanted to learn more about new business ideas and the evolving musiceducation market. One session, hosted by Mark Goff, Owner and President of Paige’s Music, gave the audience an in-depth insight into business survival of smallscale companies. Future shows under the Musikmesse brand include Messe Frankfurt, held April 5 to 8 in Frankfurt, Germany, and NAMM Musikmesse Russia, held September 14 to 17 in Moscow. JANUARY 2017

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Photo courtesy Cory Hall.

degree tilt, there’s the ability for consistent sweeping without any large breaks and bursts of rolling fans,” Stanley explained. “At different points during the set, we’ll use them for blinders and big beam looks, along with some crowd sweeping effects to reflect the mood of the music. They definitely build as the show goes on. We get some big looks using the 360-degree tilt close to the end of the set. Cassadee has a fun and dynamic show, and the Rogues keep pace.” In addition to the Rogue R1 FX-Bs, the Cassadee Pope rig, which is controlled by a grandMA2 Lite, is composed of moving spots, washes and blinder panels.

Cavanaugh Gives Lecture, Awards Products Cassadee Pope Gets Versatile With CHAUVET Professional

On Cassadee Pope’s current tour, in which she opens for superstar Chris Young, she is supported by a Michael Stanley-designed lightshow that uses some very versatile Rogue R1 FX-B fixtures from CHAUVET Professional, supplied by Bandit Lites. Stanley, who is also the programmer and lighting director for Chris Young, used 12 of the rotating Rogue fixtures in his floor package for Pope after consulting with the Bandit Lites team. Stanley positioned the Rogue R1 FX-Bs inside a 10-foot vertical truss with guide rods. The truss is built on pallets arranged in a staggered configuration to allow sweeping, unbroken coverage of the stage. Like the artist herself, the Rogues in Stanley’s rig convey a myriad of emotions throughout the performance. “I built the Rogue’s pallets in a staggered position so that, in 360-

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Jim Cavanaugh, President of Super-Sensitive Musical String Co., recently gave a presentation at the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) annual conference in Grapevine TX. It was entitled, “The Science of Strings in the ClassJim Cavanaugh and Margie Thomas. room.” The lecture addressed and answered many questions surrounding the superior tonal quality of the company’s flagship string, Red Label, as well as its newest member, Red Label Pearl. At the conference, Cavanaugh awarded one lucky winner, Margie Thomas, a string teacher from Edison NJ, a large basket of Super-Sensitive’s most popular products. It was valued at more than $1,000.

NAMM Unveils President’s Innovation Award Recipients

The NAMM Foundation has recognized 60 college music students with the organization’s prestigious President’s Innovation Award. The annual award provides outstanding college music students who are exploring a career in music education, music business and/or music products with a stipend to attend the NAMM Show, being held this month in Anaheim CA. “The NAMM Show has proven to be a catalyst in launching and advancing countless careers, and we are proud of the next generation of student leaders who have been recognized with the President’s Innovation Award,” Joe Lamond, NAMM’s President and CEO, remarked. “Their presence alongside our veterans at the upcoming show will create the energy to drive our industry forward and contribute to a more musical world.” At the NAMM Show, the Innovation Award winners will have the opportunity to network with established industry professionals, check out the latest music products and participate in the NAMM Foundation’s GenNext initiative: a professional development program for college students to help jump-start their careers. Held during each day of the show and presented in conjunction with the College Music Society, NAMM’s GenNext is open to all college and university students, and it provides dedicated education sessions to help the emerging professional advance in his or her career. JANUARY 2017

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A look at, and inside of, the location in Fort Worth TX.

Guitar Center Expands Presence In Texas Guitar Center has expanded its presence in the highly active Texas market with recent store grand openings in Cedar Hill (October 13) and north Fort Worth (November 10). The Cedar Hill store, which covers 13,349 square feet, is located at 971 N. Highway 67. The north Fort Worth store, a 12,000-square-foot facility, can be found at 8957 Tehama Ridge Pkwy. To celebrate the new stores, Guitar Center held separate weekend events. Both stores feature modern showrooms that are equipped with the latest products for musicians: guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards, live sound gear, DJ equipment, lighting products

KHS America Launches Academic Alliance Program

and recording gear. Customer services include Guitar Center Lessons, an in-house music academy for players of all ages and skill levels; GC Repairs, an on-site maintenance and repairs service; GC Rentals, which offers easy rentals of instruments and other gear; and Guitar Center Workshops, which provides free introductory classes and instruction on guitar, ukulele and recording. Shoppers at the new locations can also enjoy Guitar Center’s multichannel “endless aisle,” which gives customers the ability to combine in-store, online and phone options to purchase music equipment from anywhere.

KHS America has introduced the KHS America Academic Alliance, a program that supports the music-education community by trying to foster the symbiotic relationship between school music programs, school music dealers and the KHS portfolio of school music brands. To facilitate that, KHS America has created a variety of Expansion Cooperatives that are designed to help dealers grow their business, while also providing valuable assistance to the school music programs that they serve. The Academic Alliance also includes a three-tiered benefit program for participating schools, which increases engagement with KHS brands while also rewarding educators for their passion and commitment to improving the lives of students through music education. “Supporting music education in every way possible is as important today as it ever has been, and it truly takes a community effort,” Dr. Peter Boonshaft, Director of Education for KHS America, stated. “I am thrilled to be part of an organization that has found a way to bring these members of the musiceducation community together to support each other through the Academic Alliance program.”

World Marketing Associates Reps Audix

Audix Microphones has appointed Francis Williams and Julian Young of World Marketing Associates as exclusive representatives for the Audix product line in the Europe/ Middle East/Africa (EMEA) region. Chris Doss, Audix’s Vice President of Sales & Marketing, said, “We are extremely pleased to have Francis and Julian representing Audix in EMEA. Their decades of industry experience, understanding of the marketplace and strong relationships will be invaluable in driving international growth of the Audix brand.” World Marketing Associates will represent Audix from their offices in the U.K., France and Russia. Williams, the Managing Director, noted, “Since the ’80s, Audix has been one of the industry’s most popular mic brands, and we have been close to them personally for very many years. It is extremely gratifying to be given the opportunity to build the brand further.”

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Musical Trends Fuel Five-Year Analog Synthesizer Growth Following three decades of digital interfaces and sampler dominance, a new generation of musicians who desire a return to warm, pure sounds are fueling a resurgence in analog synthesizer retail sales. In the past five years alone, Moog, Korg USA, WMD and other brands that are presenting their synths and electronic products at the NAMM Show this month have helped drive the analog synth market to 19.9-percent growth in total retail sales. The data, provided by the 2016 NAMM Global Report, underscores a reemergence of players who are captivated by the tactile playing experience of analog control surfaces. Clearly, many musicians favor working knobs, faders and other features in lieu of digital displays and computer interfaces. “Players are realizing that an analog synth is much more of a real, honest-to-goodness musical instrument,” Dave Smith, Founder of Dave Smith Instruments, stated. Nate Tschetter, Manager of Music Product Marketing at Yamaha, added, “Many are choosing analog because it’s immediate. And, although analog is definitely ‘in,’ it’s more about the ability to create unique sound and having it sound good.” With professional-grade analog synths ranging from the low hundreds to several thousand dollars, Korg and several other makers of electronic instruments are continuing to meet the increased demand by releasing new and redesigned synths at price points that are accessible to a variety of musicians. “The power-to-affordability ratio is phenomenally favorable to the synth enthusiast,” James Sajeva, Director of Technology Brands at Korg, declared. “In the case of a reissue synth, you can get the sound and workflow for a fraction of what an original—in even remotely MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

good condition—would fetch.” Overall, electronic music products were one of the strongestperforming music products segments in 2015, posting near double-digit retail growth of 9.9 percent. The electronic music

products category, composed of keyboard synthesizers, controller keyboards, electronic pianos, rhythm machines and electronic drums, touted a retail value of $238.3 million in 2015. For 2016, the category had already

reached more than $155 million through the third quarter. Additionally, digital pianos are enjoying a renaissance, and they’re up 24.38 percent in retail sales and 13.1 percent in units sold over the past 10 years.

ADVERTORIAL • JANUARY 2017 • NAMM.ORG

Note From Joe

Thank You for Being Part of a Movement Our industry’s annual, global family reunion not only provides a platform for accomplishing business goals, but through NAMM’s ‘Circle of Benefits’ business model also helps promote and bring music making to the world. With each New Year comes new opportunities for personal and professional improvement, as well as the chance to make a positive impact on our local community and the world. And while I’m sure you have many goals for the coming year, as a NAMM member, a NAMM Show attendee, and perhaps even a donor to the Believe in Music Fund, you’ve already made a positive impact on our industry. In fact, your support is the ‘fuel’ that powers our united movement to create a more musical world. As the global music products and sound industry convenes in Southern California, we represent a multitude of nationalities, backgrounds, ideas, beliefs and unique business goals. We like to think of The NAMM Show as our industry’s crossroads, uniting a broad spectrum of music products professionals, music educators, pro audio, lighting and entertainment technology specialists to conduct the business of music and sound. With so many distinct groups converging at NAMM, the show becomes far more than the sum of its parts. It is a once-a-year opportunity to connect with professionals you may not be able to otherwise, share ideas, develop relationships, explore trends, garner a business vantage point and collectively drive our industry forward. In a time when many choose to focus on our differences, uniting at The NAMM Show reminds us that we have so much in common—a shared passion for music, the certainty that it’s a uniting force, and the belief that access to music improves lives.

Adhering to NAMM’s Vision, Mission and five Objectives, the dedicated team at NAMM strive to serve our members by providing them with the resources necessary to succeed in business. And while The NAMM Show serves as a predictable and reliable platform for your business success, your participation at NAMM shows does something even more important. By contributing to our Circle of Benefits business model, by which we reinvest proceeds from the show back into growing our industry, you’re part of a larger movement––one that supports The NAMM Foundation programs which help an untold number of people every year, representing all age demographics and walks of life. Your participation in the show also enables us to create more active music makers by giving people of all ages the opportunity to learn and grow with music. Bottom line: your decision to support NAMM helps us in working toward and achieving our shared vision—a world in which the joy of making music is a precious element of daily living for everyone, a world in which every child has a deep desire to learn music and a recognized right to be taught, and in which every adult is a passionate champion and defender of that right. We hope you achieve all of your goals in the year ahead and we thank you for being a champion of our movement—a champion of music, music education and music making around the world.

Joe Lamond NAMM PRESIDENT AND CEO

Through the support of NAMM members, we’re able to promote music making in communities everywhere…

Music-Making Program Grants

Research

The NAMM Foundation supports innovative music service organizations serving thousands of people that demonstrate music’s impact, including children with special needs, wounded warriors, active seniors and the elderly. These programs also set examples for positive and life-changing musicmaking experiences and affirm that every person is an innate music maker.

The NAMM Foundation is a global leader in funding scientific research on the mental, physical, developmental and emotional benefits of music making. Research outcomes, following peer review publication and coordination with researchers, are broadly disseminated to inform the general public about the impact of music making. Research also informs public policy and advocacy.

Advocacy Music and the arts are vital to every child’s education. The NAMM Foundation offers tools and resources that celebrate and validate the importance of music in schools. The NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education, SupportMusic Coalition, Talking Up Music Education podcast, Music Education Days and GenNext are signature programs that celebrate music education and advance community support.

Lobbying Year-round lobbying profoundly affects our members, from intellectual property rights to ensuring that the more than 50 million students in the U.S. receive music education as part of the ESEA reauthorization. Each May, NAMM conducts the annual Fly-In, uniting more than 100 members to meet directly with their state and national constituents to support music programs.

TRADE SHOW INCOME

TRADE SHOW GROWTH

Help Achieve our Vision of a More Musical World!

INCREASED PUBLIC AWARENESS

INDUSTRY GROWTH

INCREASED DEMAND

NAMM trade shows are unique because the proceeds are reinvested back into the industry, funding music-making charities, programs and initiatives that strengthen and grow our industry.

The NAMM Foundation’s Coalition on Coalitions provides tactics, resources and best practices to move and improve state-level policies, funding and advocacy for music education. NAMM partners with Americans for the Arts (AFTA) and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) to inform and connect NAMM members with arts advocacy organizations in their states. The state coalitions currently featured on the dashboard are Alabama, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Don’t see your state here? Become an advocate and add it to the list! Visit namm.org/coc or email Eric Ebel at erice@namm.org to get started

Thank you, NAMM members! Learn more about how your support has changed lives at nammfoundation.org. NAMM Advertorial is published by NAMM. To keep up-to-date on the latest breaking industry news, sign up for our NAMM News e-newsletter at info@namm.org.

L AT E S T

NAMM Foundation, Lennon Bus Announce Winners

The NAMM Foundation and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus have announced three exceptional schools and their music programs as the winners of a recording residency on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus: Scotts Valley High School (Scotts Valley CA), Country Club Hills District 160 (Country Club Hills IL) and Herricks UFSD (New Hyde Park NY). The high schools were selected from many applicants based on student- and faculty-submitted video entries that answered the question, “What makes music education great in my school district?” “We are so pleased to honor the three school districts for their commitment, enthusiasm and support for music education for all students,” Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of the NAMM Foundation, shared. “Through our relationship with the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, we look forward to sharing an enriching musical experience with the students and their communities that will inspire their musical journeys for years to come.”

Yamaha’s TransAcoustic Guitar Earns Year-End Accolades

“We extend our congratulations to the winners, and we look forward to another round of successful residencies, especially as we approach our 20th anniversary,” Brian Rothschild, the Lennon Bus’ Co-Founder and Executive Director, added. “The NAMM Foundation has been an incredible partner, and we anticipate another motivating and inspiring residency tour.” During the 2017 school year, the music students will have the chance to showcase their talents over a period of two days on the Lennon Bus, which is a state-of-the-art mobile recording and production studio. On the first day, the students will compose, record and produce an original song and music video. On the second day, the school and district will come together to demonstrate their support for music education with a SupportMusic Community Forum and rally. Led by the NAMM Foundation, the forum will share the successes and the challenges of music education, as well as recognize the many accomplishments of music education within the district. The day will conclude with a community celebration and tours of the Lennon Bus.

The Yamaha TransAcoustic Guitar, which was highlighted at Summer NAMM in Nashville, is now seeing a fresh wave of praise from mainstream media outlets as one of the most significant consumer tech innovations of last year. The TransAcoustic Guitar won “Best in Show” honors at Summer NAMM, where it made its U.S. debut. Since then, it has caught on quickly in industry and mainstream media circles, as well as appearing in several high-profile, end-of-year consumer tech roundups as one of the year’s top tech advances. The TransAcoustic Guitar incorporates a new concept in acoustic guitar technology that allows the player to add both reverb and chorus to the natural sound of the instrument, emanating from the guitar itself, without having to plug in external effects or amplification. It accomplishes that through the incorporation of an actuator inside the guitar. When the player performs, the strings cause the actuator to vibrate, which is then conveyed to the guitar body and to the air around the guitar, resulting in authentic reverb and chorus effects. Three knobs located on the side of the guitar provide easy adjustment of the level of the effect, as well as a line out volume level and an on/off control. As was mentioned in last month’s issue, Popular Science named the TransAcoustic Guitar in its “2016 Best of What’s New Awards” lineup, remarking that the instrument’s unique capabilities have the effect of “granting you onstage rock star prowess right in your lap.” In addition, USA Today’s Jefferson Graham cited the TransAcoustic Guitar among seven “Top Tech Innovations of 2016,” calling himself a “huge fan of Yamaha’s innovation here.” And, Men’s Journal featured the TransAcoustic Guitar in its “Gear of the Year 2016” list of the 42 best products of the year, commenting that “an innovation like the one inside the…TransAcoustic is a big deal.” 16

Sharing Group Planned For Music Retailers

MoneyCapsules has announced the secondquarter launch of MoneyCapsules Groups, which preserves key sharing-group features: building trustful relationships with non-competitor retailers, learning from each other’s success and failures, and realizing that you’re not alone. Participation in sharing groups holds the potential to improve your store’s bottom line, and it can provide inspiration and support…even a dose of courage. “We’re excited about the launch of MoneyCapsules Groups,” Jaimie Blackman, MoneyCapsules’ CEO and the President of BH Wealth Management, stated. “MoneyCapsules Groups will offer online forums to build trusting relationships, live gatherings for deep-dive learning opportunities and financial benchmarking with group members through a secure online portal. Monthly assignments will be given out, and members will be held accountable by their peers.” According to Blackman, the sharing group will also help with transitioning ownership, culminating in a succession plan for all its members. “That’s important, because two-thirds of U.S. public and private companies admit they have no formal CEO succession plan in place,” he said. “Your exit strategy might very well be the most important financial transaction of your life.” JANUARY 2017

L AT E S T

Shure Earns ‘Company Of The Year’ Honors Based on its recent analysis of the professional and commercial microphone market, Frost & Sullivan has recognized Shure Inc. with the 2016 North America Company of the Year Award. Shure is a recognized leader in the microphone market, earning a North American market share of more than 40 percent. “Shure has launched numerous innovative wired and wireless microphone products, conferencing systems, audio processors, earphones, headphones and software systems, expanding its footprint both nationally and globally over the decades,” Frost & Sullivan Industry Principal

Yorkville Sound And Ernie Ball Partner Up North

The Ernie Ball string and accessories catalog is an addition to Yorkville Sound’s growing catalog of distributed lines in Canada. Ernie Ball is best known as an innovator in string technology. Founded in California in 1962, the company’s artist roster includes Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Slash, Metallica and John Mayer. Considered a core brand among many music retailers, Ernie Ball’s addition presents opportunities for both Yorkville Sound and Yorkville Sound’s extensive dealer network in Canada. “It is with great pleasure that we add Ernie Ball strings and accessories to the Yorkville family of distributed brands,” Jeff Cowling, Yorkville Sound’s VP Sales and Marketing, stated. “Brian Ball and Nathan Stiff have been wonderful to work with as we lead up to our launch, and our large network of Canadian dealers should be thrilled about this valuable addition.” The current Ernie Ball catalog includes virtually all essential guitar accessories, including straps, tuners, slides, and a pedal line, in addition to string lines. Yorkville Sound began shipping Ernie Ball strings and accessories on December 15. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Alaa Saayed said. “Significantly, it is the most purchased brand among institutions, enterprises, houses of worship and live event sound contractors, as well as theaters, broadcast and studios.” Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the award to a company

that has demonstrated excellence in terms of growth strategy and implementation. The award recognizes a high degree of innovation with products and technologies, as well as the resulting leadership in terms of customer value and market penetration.

“We are honored and grateful to receive this coveted award from Frost & Sullivan,” Shure’s President and CEO, Christine Schyvinck, noted. “And we’re proud to be recognized by a globally reputable firm that focuses its analysis on innovation and growth.”

L AT E S T

One Control Appoints SFM MI For Distribution SFM MI has been appointed as the exclusive North American distributor of One Control products. Founded in 2010, One Control is a Japanese manufacturer of highquality pedal switchers, power supplies and products that allow musicians to fine-tune their pedal board. One Control’s primary line of guitar pedal switchers ranges

from a one-channel true bypass looper to the company’s flagship 10-channel programmable switcher with MIDI capabilities, the Crocodile Tail Loop. One Control also collaborates with guitar effects designer Bjorn Juhl, who designed its series of BJF Guitar and Bass effects. “I am very excited to be

RBI Purchases TOCA Percussion

Rhythm Band Instruments (RBI) has purchased TOCA Percussion from Drum Workshop, Inc. For more than 55 years, RBI has built a network of clinicians, educators, musicians and customer support staff, focused on bringing quality musical instruments and musiceducation products to students, educators and classrooms around the world. RBI is a leader in the development and distribution of elementary musical instruments and related materials, and it will wholly own TOCA Percussion and its line of hand percussion products and accessories. “TOCA Percussion is a terrific asset, and it fits perfectly into both our existing position as a leader in the music-education space, and our

working with SFM,” One Control’s President, Tomokaz “Kaz” Kawamura, said. “Our product line has grown to the point where their experience and positioning in the market will allow us to reach the next level.” “We are thrilled to be One Control’s new distribution partner for North America,” SFM MI’s

General Manager, John Kelley, added. “Their approach to effects and effect management design is fresh and innovative, and their professional-grade, affordable products are a natural fit with our other premium, guitar-oriented brands. We’re looking forward to driving One Control’s continued development in North America.”

go-forward plans for RBI Music,” Brad Kirkpatrick, RBI’s President, said. “We’re extremely enthusiastic about working with both entities’ suppliers, customers and artists to continue to build upon the legacy of TOCA Percussion.” Rhythm Band is known for its brands of children’s instruments, including Kidsplay, Chromaharp and Boomwhackers tuned musical percussion tubes, as well as for being the exclusive distributor of brands that include Aulos, Noteknacks and pBuzz, among others. More recently, RBI has extended its strategic vision, becoming the exclusive North American distributor for a number of stringed and percussion musical instrument brands.

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© 2017 QSC, LLC. All rights reserved. QSC and the QSC logo are registered trademarks of QSC, LLC in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and other countries. TouchMix is a registered trademark in the U.S., China and the European Union.

L AT E S T

Washburn Guitars Celebrates 134 Years Washburn Guitars is celebrating 134 years of innovation in, and service to, the global musical instrument industry. According to Washburn’s Vice President and GM Gil Soucy, “Washburn is proud to celebrate 134 years of authentic American originality at the NAMM Show with additions to our line that reflect and reaffirm [Washburn’s] values.” Among them, he named value, sound, playability, cosmetics and durability. According to Soucy, Washburn’s ability to consistently create authentically original guitars for every level of play is responsible for helping to create the modern retail guitar industry. “As we set our sights on defining the future of this industry,” he continued, “it’s important to take a moment and reflect on all that has been accomplished by this iconic American brand.” Those accomplishments are numerous and far reaching in their impact. They include the creation of the world’s first large-bodied acoustic guitar, the implementation of large-scale production processes, being the first to feature artist endorsements, being the first to provide retailers with consumer advertising and catalog support, and being the first company to offer retailers and consumers a complete line of fretted instruments that included guitars, banjos, mandolins and harp guitars. The company’s commitment to design, cosmetics and play-

ability are evident in three new series of guitars being introduced at the NAMM Show. Director of Design and Development Jonathan Lee and his team have created a new lineup of solid body and solid top guitars being debuted within Washburn’s Heritage, Woodline and Revival series of guitars.

Step up to a higher level of sales and service. Contact our team of Sales & Customer Service Professionals today.

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Coming Next Month • Our in-depth review of this month’s NAMM Show. • The annual NAMM New Product Wrap-Up feature. • Five Minutes With Casio America’s Mark Amentt. • MI Spy crosses the Golden Gate Bridge to San Francisco. • Under The Hood: Floyd Rose Audio’s Headphones. • and much, much more! MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

800.323.2746 SALES@DADDARIO.COM

PEOPLE

Hail To The Chief

The Focusrite Group has appointed Tim Carroll as Group CEO. Carroll takes over from Dave Froker, who retired at the end of December. Carroll will lead the group through its next era of innovation and growth. In his most recent position, based in Berkeley CA, he was a Vice President with global responsibility for audio products at Avid Technology. Carroll plans to relocate to the U.K., where he will be based at Focusrite’s High Wycombe headquarters. Carroll has extensive management and sales experience, and he’s familiar with many of Focusrite’s existing customers, products and sales channels. He is a professional musician by background, having attended the New England Conservatory of Music, and having recorded and toured for nearly 20 years as a keyboard player, prior to joining Avid. According to Executive Chairman Phil Dudderidge, “I have known Tim for many years, and my colleagues and I are delighted to welcome him to Focusrite. Tim comes to us with 18 years’ audio industry experience, and he’s a widely respected figure in the music technology business. His mix of industry knowledge and senior management and sales experience made him the outstanding candidate, and we are so pleased he has agreed to join our company.”

On The Case

Alex Case has assumed the Presidency of the Audio Engineering Society (AES). “Alex Case has a diverse background in business, science, engineering and academia,” John Krivit, immediate Past President of the Society, stated. “Alex is a great communicator. His skill set will serve the AES well over the next year, as it has already done with his committee and Board of Governors roles.” Case has dedicated his professional life to the study of aesthetics, perception, signal processing, electroacoustics and room acoustics for the creation and enjoyment of recorded music. Bringing a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to his pursuits as an audio engineer and educator, Case’s background has served him well in his roles as a Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society and Co-Chair of the Membership Committee, while also having served on the Education Committee and the Technical Committee for Recording Technology and Practice. In addition to his leadership in the AES, Case currently serves as Associate Professor of Sound Recording Technology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, while continuing to give lectures and master classes at universities and events around the world. Case is a widely published author of more than 100 articles in industry journals and trade publications, as well as two books, and he’s a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, for which he is a frequent presenter of papers and chair of special sessions. 20

If I Were A Carpenter

Bittree has promoted longtime industry veteran and 20-year employee Bryan Carpenter to Senior Sales Consultant. Carpenter has previously held posts at Bittree, such as Purchasing Agent and Sales Consultant, and he also co-invented Bittree’s iconic Front Programmable patchbay. That technology allows users to change the normals and grounding of individual circuits quickly and easily from the front of the patchbay. With more than two decades’ experience in the pro-audio, broadcast and the MI community, Carpenter’s responsibilities include providing direct sales and support for networks, systems integrators, channels, resellers, post production, production and entertainment companies with domestic and international clientele. Carpenter has been instrumental in many of Bittree’s milestones, including a national purchasing agreement with FOX, Disney buildout specifications, proprietary products manufactured for the US military and AT&T, and audio and video specifications for Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Apple, Verizon and Netflix. He has provided audio and video solutions for Technicolor and worldwide specifications for both the Marriott hotels group and the Las Vegas Sands gaming enterprise, as well as Cirque du Soleil.

Hey Mr. Wilson!

RØDE Microphones’ Sales & Marketing Director, Damien Wilson, has been promoted to CEO of the Freedman Electronics Group, home to pro-audio brands RØDE, Aphex, Event Electronics and SoundField. Wilson will take over day-to-day management of the group’s business. Prior to RØDE, Wilson had been Creative Director at boutique advertising agencies The Shop and Peer Group, specializing in below-the-line marketing for alcohol and tobacco brands. He joined the Freedman Electronics/RØDE team in 2007, starting as Marketing Manager. Within a year, he became RØDE Global Sales & Marketing Director, and he acted as GM of RØDE Microphones, LLC (in the U.S.) from 2008 until 2013. There, he helped to steer the company through the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis. The pioneering $1 mic campaigns, online marketing and editorialized social strategies have been influential throughout the industry. In recent years, Wilson has also become involved in product design and development, boasting intimacy with every aspect of RØDE’s industrial design, production, sourcing, dispatch and global presence, both in supply chains and sales channels. He possesses front-to-back knowledge of the company’s operation. JANUARY 2017

PEOPLE

Powerful Promotions

QSC has promoted several long-term employees to senior leadership roles within its global sales, engineering and executive management teams. The promotions include Anna Csontos to Vice President, Chief of Staff; Perry Celia to Senior Director, Domestic Sales for the Professional business unit; and Arnie Marx to Senior Director, Software Development. Csontos has been a key member of the QSC Executive Team since joining the company in 2011, playing an instrumental role in developing business strategies for growth. In her new role, she will oversee the legal department and the Systems business development teams, while continuing to lead the Application Engineering Team (AET) and execute various strategic initiatives for the company. Celia has spent the past eight years at the company, holding a variety of sales management positions, where he has succeeded in delivering strong sales results and customer service. A 30-year veteran of the pro-audio industry, Celia began his career at West L.A. Music, and he’s held sales management roles at Lone Wolf, Sound Source, Alesis and JBL Professional. In Marx’s 16 years at the company, he has overseen countless software and firmware developments, including the Q-Sys Designer releases. In his new role, he will continue to oversee software development for the company’s Boulder CO and Costa Mesa CA teams, and he’ll play an integral role in the development of its global software development efforts. Prior to joining QSC, Marx held positions at Kofax Image Products and Russell Information Sciences.

Down Mexico Way

Line In The Strand

Anna Csontos

Perry Celia

Arnie Marx

Chauvet has named Carlos Zamora de Martino as General Manager of Chauvet Mexico. Prior to joining the company’s rapidly growing Mexican operation, Zamora held senior executive positions at a number of global companies. He was also the CoFounder and CEO of Geo Lite LED Lighting. In his new position, he will be responsible for managing all facets of the CHAUVET Professional, CHAUVET DJ, ILUMINARC and Trusst business in Mexico. According to Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet, “Although we have been selling products in Mexico for 25 years, our business in the country increased dramatically when we opened Chauvet Mexico in 2013 and began to distribute directly. Our goal now is to build on this success, which is why we recently opened an expanded showroom in Lerma outside Mexico City, and why we are committed to taking our management to the next level by hiring accomplished professionals like Carlos.” For his part, Zamora is eager to lead the Chauvet Mexico team of 20 employees. “I am very honored to join Chauvet Mexico,” he stated. “We have a passionate and enthusiastic team in place, along with a new facility, so we’re well positioned to achieve the high goals we set for ourselves. One of my focuses will be on developing even closer relationships with our customers, because they are our reason for being.” 22

Morley has added John Strand as International Sales Manager to better serve its international partners. Strand brings a diverse background in international sales, previously having worked with Community Professional Loudspeakers, Washburn and Cherub Technology. The company’s Sales & Marketing Manager, Bill Wenzloff, who previously handled international sales, will assist Strand in making the transition. Then, he will focus on domestic sales. Wenzloff commented, “Please help me welcome John to our team. He will be meeting everyone at NAMM, so we can really focus on the needs of our international distributors. This is the beginning of some really awesome changes we are making at Morley. We are very excited for the future of the company.” One of those changes is that Morley/Ebtech will be moving its operations to a new, larger manufacturing facility in Glendale Heights IL. The move will allow marked improvements in manufacturing, while also allowing for future growth in all areas.

Pink And The Brain

KMC has appointed industry veteran Samantha Pink to serve as Director of Business Operations, reporting to KMC’s President, Mark Terry. Pink assumes responsibility for ensuring the smooth operation and integration of all the various departments within KMC, including distribution, service and MIS, as well as overseeing the flow of product from the vendors to the warehouse and out to the customer. In addition, Pink acts as a key interface with relevant departments in the JAM Industries corporate headquarters in Montréal, Québec, Canada, with responsibility for establishing and reporting on KPIs, tracking budgets and troubleshooting various issues. Pink brings an extensive MI and pro-audio background to her new position at KMC. She held a number of increasingly strategic positions at Full Compass Systems over a 14-year period that culminated with her tenure as Vice President of Procurement, Product, Merchandising & Planning. Other important experience includes positions at Bob’s Discount Furniture, The Music People and Land’s End. Pink graduated from Concordia University, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in business management and communications. JANUARY 2017

PRODUCTS

Wail Like Wynton

Over view: Hal Leonard’s “Wynton Marsalis Omnibook” Specifics: Hal Leonard’s “Wynton Marsalis Omnibook” features 35 of Marsalis’ most popular tunes transcribed exactly from his recorded solos for all B-flat instruments, with solo analysis sections and a complete discography. Hal Leonard Omnibooks are a resource for musicians who want to master a particular artist. The comprehensive collections feature accurate, notefor-note transcriptions for all instrumentalists, and they’re spiral-bound for easy usability. They also include chord symbols and metronome markings. The Wynton Marsalis edition includes “Au Privave,” “Black Bottom Stomp,” “Caravan,” “Cherokee (Indian Love Song),” “Donna Lee,” “Embraceable You,” “Free to Be,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “In Walked Bud,” “Johnny Come Lately,” “La Vie En Rose,” “Loose Duck,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Rubber Bottom,” “Stardust,” “A Train, a Banjo and a Chicken Wing,” “Union Pacific Big Boy,” “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South,” “You Don’t Hear No Drums” and more. MSRP: $19.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Hal Leonard, 800.554.0626, halleonard.com

It’s Great Outdoors

Over view: Blizzard Lighting’s TOURnado IP COB Lighting Fixture Specifics: Blizzard Lighting’s TOURnado IP COB lighting fixture is suited to outdoor use. TOURnado IP COB fixtures feature one 80-watt COB LED with a 60-degree beam angle and high-output RGB color for color mixing. Just like the other fixtures in Blizzard Lighting’s TOURnado series, TOURnado IP COB fixtures sport a convection-cooled, cast-aluminum housing with a tempered glass lens, watertight internal gaskets, and IP65-rated power and data cable input and output connections. That means they’re built to weather any storm. TOURnado IP COB fixtures have a number of built-in auto programs that can be run individually or all together, with variable speed, fade and flash settings. Users can control Blizzard’s TOURnado IP COB fixtures in master/slave, standalone, auto mode or via four/ five/eight channels of DMX. Programming is via an LED control panel with four touch-sensitive buttons. TOURnado IP COB also comes with secure dual mounting brackets for positioning flexibility; a complete set of IP-rated, three-pin in/ out data cables; as well as a PowerCON-compatible power input cable. MSRP: $699.99 Ship Date: Call company Contact: Blizzard Lighting, 866.493.6025, blizzardlighting.com 24

Kickin’ Cabinet

Over view: RCF’s ART 708-A MK2 Two-Way Cabinet Specifics: RCF’s ART 708-A MK2, an active eight-inch, two-way cabinet, is the next generation of the ART 708-A. It boasts improved output and performance. The new transducer technology used in the cabinet features an eight-inch woofer with two-inch voice coil with inside-outside aluminum coil and a magnetic structure; it guarantees a fast and accurate mid-bass frequency range. That’s coupled with a one-inch high-frequency compression driver with 1.5-inch voice coil. RCF uses its Coverage Matching Design (CMD) Technology, matching the transducers to guarantee the smooth transition between the high-frequency horns’ polar responses and lowfrequency transducers’ directivity. Frequency response is 60 hertz to 20 kilohertz. Onboard is a new-generation 800-watt digital power amplifier (600 watts for the woofer and 200 watts for the compression driver), resulting in high output, low distortion and natural sound. MSRP: Call company Ship Date: Call company Contact: RCF USA, 732.902.6100, rcf-usa.com

In The Bag

Over view: Promark By D’Addario’s Sliver Essentials Stick Bag and Transport Deluxe Stick Bag Specifics: Promark by D’Addario’s Sliver Essentials stick bag and Transport Deluxe stick bag showcase form and function. Made from durable, weatherproof ballistic nylon and synthetic leather, the bags are built to withstand the wears of the road, as well as onstage and offstage use. Both bags feature metal hanging hooks that affix to the tension rods of a drum, keeping them secure while playing. The Sliver Essentials stick bag has enough room to fit four pairs of drumsticks, and it’s part of a new, high-quality line of stick bags that suit gigging musicians. The Transport Deluxe stick bag features magnetic secured, leather carrying handles, a large front-zippered pocket, a zippered interior pocket, metal hanging tom-mounts, a leather business card slot, a metal key leash, a pencil slot, a deluxe leather pocket for a wallet and cell phone, and ample drumstick storage. MSRP: Sliver Essentials Stick Bag: $32.99; Transport Deluxe Stick Bag: $62.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Promark by D’Addario, 631.439.3300, promark.com JANUARY 2017

Analog Drive

Ultimate distortion, times eight Analog Drive gives you eight analog distortion types in one box. It is the ideal pedal for musicians who want to wreak havoc to signals and tones in the most diverse and characterful way possible.

100% analog circuitry • 8 different types of analog distortion • 3 band analog EQ 2 × Expression pedal inputs • 100 user preset slots • Fully controllable via MIDI

Visit Elektron.se for full specification, sounds, and more! Contact our US sales office at sales@elektronmusicmachines.com or call (213) 935-8521.

Analog Heat

Audio enhancer. Audio destroyer.

Analog Heat is a stereo analog sound processor excelling in treating audio in both beautiful and radical ways. The eight different stereo analog stereo distortion circuits, the stereo analog multi-mode filter and the stereo analog EQ are perfect for warming up samplers, drum machines, synths, the master bus, you name it.

100% analog signal path • 8 different types of stereo analog distortion • Stereo analog multi-mode filter • Stereo 2 band analog EQ • 128 user preset slots • 2 × CV/Expression pedal inputs • Audio interface capability • DAW integration via Overbridge

Hot Licks’ Sixth Annual Drum Recital Is A Big Hit

October wouldn’t be the same without Broderick Robinson’s Drum Recital at Hot Licks Guitar Shop (Waldorf MD). The store hosted the sixth annual event on October 1 in its newly designed, 4,000-square-foot concert hall. The hall was decorated with towers of colorful balloons and bright lights, and the children wore custommade T-shirts just for the occasion. The goal of the recital is to inspire every student who has the desire or skill level to participate, to break the fear factor of performing on stage and in front of a live audience, and to learn to perform with other musicians. The Drum Recital is designed to motivate, explore and create excitement. Robinson has been teaching drums for more than 40 years, and he’s been an instructor at Hot Licks for nine years. According to Robinson, “Instructing is my passion, my purpose and my destiny.” This year’s event hosted 24 of Robinson’s drum students. They took the stage with a full band, including steel drums, saxophone, piano players and the instructor on bass guitar, accompanying them. The event brought together students of all ages, as well as family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors and community members, to showcase the talent the students have honed in the last year in Robinson’s classes. The concert room was packed with a standing-room-only crowd of more than 355 guests. Some traveled from as far away as North Carolina, New York and Pennsylvania to attend. Families spent the entire day enjoying different styles and genres of music, fellowship with others and the opportunity to encourage each student. There was always something cooking for the guests, including hot dogs on the grill, fresh popcorn, cookies and bottled water. Robinson’s recital is just one of many recitals that take place at Hot Licks annually. In June, one of the piano recitals had so many participants taught by Kay Darby-Finch that it took three days to accommodate all the aspiring musicians. That level of enthusiasm befits a full-line music store like Hot Licks, which has 13 lesson studios and which conducts more than 500 lessons per week.

Snazzy New Web Site For Vic’s Drum Shop Vic’s Drum Shop (Chicago IL) unveiled its new Web site last fall. The site features full e-commerce functionality, as well as product demo videos, in-store event videos and details about upcoming clinics, guest appearances and other happenings at the 10,000-square-foot store, which is located in Chicago’s largest music rehearsal complex. “We’re bringing the same level of professionalism, huge selection and top-notch customer service that customers experience at our retail store to our new Web site,” Kevin Jensen, Vic’s Drum Shop’s General Manager, enthused. “Vic’s offers the most extensive selection of drum and percussion inventory and technical drum knowledge of any independent store in the country, and our online customers can take advantage of that huge selection and unparalleled expertise.” “Another huge perk for our online customers is a vastly improved shopping experience,” Wes Gue, Vic’s Drum Shop’s Technical Director, added. “The new site is 10 times faster than the 26

previous site, which means you’ll be able to check out more of our massive inventory and incredible prices in a lot less time, instead of waiting (continued on page 90) for pages to load.” JANUARY 2017

Working forward to payment solutions that hit all the right notes Every musical instruments retailer is different, but all share a common ambition: to succeed. And it starts by serving customers better. Synchrony Financial delivers payment solutions that help drive traffic, increase average transaction size, and build repeat business. Whatever youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re working forward to, we can help make it happen. Engage with us at synchronybusiness.com/music or 1-855-433-4522.

What are you working forward to?

LIKE DIAMONDS IN THE SKY: MI MANUFACTURERS BRING THEIR BEST TO THE NAMM SHOW IN ANAHEIM

(continued from cover)

Magic Mic

Take A Rest

MXL Microphones has debuted the MXL DX-2 dual-capsule variable dynamic instrument microphone. The DX-2 features a unique, flat-faced design and innovative variable control knob for blending tone with two distinctly different capsules. It’s the first dual-capsule dynamic microphone that allows you to tailor the sound from one capsule to the other and all points in between, so that you can easily customize your sound. The front of the microphone is a flatfaced, side-address design with high SPL tolerance for placing the microphone capsules close to the sound for optimal pickup. The back side of the DX-2 features an innovative crossfade knob, making real-time adjustments easy. The first capsule’s supercardioid, large-capsule design captures the warmth and fullness of your instrument, whereas the second capsule’s cardioid, small-capsule design offers superb mid range and highend detail. MXL Microphones, 800.800.6608, mxlmics.com, Booth #6700

Teton Guitars has expanded its Arm Rest guitars with five new models. Taking Teton’s most popular model and adding a rounded, comfortably angled armrest resulted in two models: the STS105NT-AR Teton guitar and a cutaway electronic version, the STS105CENT-AR Teton guitar. An Arm Rest Teton guitar has never before been offered with a solid western red cedar top. Also being introduced are three solid-Sitka-spruce-topped Arm Rest Teton guitars. Those include the STS150CENT-AR-12 12-String Arm Rest, the STG150CENT-ARL Left-Handed Arm Rest and the STC150CENT-AR Classical Arm Rest. With the new 2017 Arm Rest models added to current models, the Teton Guitars Arm Rest series now features 11 guitars with four different body shapes: dreadnought, auditorium, grand concert and classical. Teton Guitars, 800.243.7276, tetonguitars.com, Booth #4430

Special K Zildjian has introduced the K Custom Special Dry collection. It’s an extension of the company’s K Custom family of cymbals. The raw, earthy cymbals deliver a dry, funky sound with lots of dirt for a unique expression of personality. A three-step hammering process, distinctive shape and extra-thin weight give the cymbals a fast attack, while shutting down quickly with just enough sustain. There are 22 models in the collection, from 10-inch splashes to 23-inch rides. The larger-size crashes (up to 22 inches) allow drummers to experience louder volume with trashy overtones. A dynamic 14-inch FX Hi-Hat Top (sold only as a top) with a unique hole pattern emulates a “filtered” sound. The trash crashes and trash China create a unique white noise sound that projects through any live performance. Zildjian, 781.871.2200, zildjian.com, Booth #2940

JANUARY 2017

Head Above The Rest D’Addario’s Evans Drumheads has launched UV1, a series of drumheads that is the first to market with a newly patented UV-cured coating. The coating provides durability and consistency of texture. The UV1 also features a new 10-mil film known for its warmer tonal characteristics, while also being more resistant to stretching and denting. Combined with Evans Level 360 Technology, and debuting a new logo, UV1 is a versatile and durable 10-mil drumhead for a wide range of sonic possibilities and musical applications. It’s a great solution for drummers who are tired of flaked, chipped and worn-out coatings. The added benefit of increased surface texture makes it extremely responsive to brush playing, all while the UV-cured coating provides a very high level of durability. Evans Drumheads, 631.439.3300, evansdrumheads.com, Booth #4834

Live From New York As with all CADLive mics, CAD Audio’s CADLive D88 Kick Drum Mic benefits from the company’s Equitek technology heritage and knowhow. It provides excellent performance, with an extended dynamic response, in a variety of live sound situations. The CADLive D88 has one of the largest available capsules for a percussion mic. It features a TrueFlex diaphragm that is powered with a PowerGap Neodymium magnet to provide a particularly hot signal that’s engineered for massive kick drum sounds. A dynamic supercardioid mic with a frequency response of 20 to 17 kilohertz, the D88 delivers maximum SPL of greater than 150 decibels, and it’s suitable for extreme musical styles with exceptionally high volume and low-end output. CAD Audio, 440.349.4900, cadaudio.com, Booth #6630

High Performance The Performance Series Wireless is the latest from Audix. The 40 Series and 60 Series combine features and performance, and they’re available in single-channel and dual-channel versions. The R41 diversity receiver and R42 two-channel diversity receiver feature 32-megahertz, wide-spectrum tuning with a 300-foot operating range. The R61 true diversity receiver and R62 two-channel true diversity receiver feature 64-megahertz, wide-spectrum tuning with a 450-foot operating range. The handheld and bodypack transmitters are 64 megahertz and work with all systems. Vocal models include Audix’s OM Series dynamics and the VX5 condenser. Bodypacks can be used with lavalier, headworn and instrument microphones, as well as electric guitar and bass. There are more than 60 system options available. Systems include receiver, antennas, power supply, bodypack or handheld transmitter, and microphone. Audix, 503.682.6933, audixusa.com, Booth #6390

JANUARY 2017

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A Perfect 4.0 On-Stage’s super-stable GPA1003 Utility Stand for Pedal Board features an eight-pound cast-iron base with six rubber feet, and it slides discreetly underneath virtually any pedalboard. It provides three M20 portals, which allow you to place everything from guitar hangers to additional mic stands conveniently at your disposal. It ships complete with a Rocker-Lug microphone stand shaft. Like all other Rocker-Lug models, the shaft tilts up to 40 degrees from the vertical, eliminating the need for a boom arm. The Rocker-Lug shaft can be positioned right, left or center. Additional RockerLug mic stand shafts can be purchased, allowing for up to three mics on your GPA1003 setup. On-Stage, 800.289.8889, on-stage.com, Booth #5940

Stand By Me Manhasset Stands has introduced its #1060 LED Lamp II. It’s replacing the current model, the #1050 LED Lamp. It’s been retooled with new features, while also retaining the most desirable features of the earlier model. The new #1060 LED Lamp II was designed with the same durable ABS case construction as the model #1050, including a pivoting lamp head that allows for easy adjustment of the light bar. Other features include 15 LED bulbs built into the construction for glare-free, full-width, audience-shielded illumination in an attractive design. The new model has three settings: high, low and off. The two settings of illumination allow more flexibility for the individual needs of musicians when reading their music or for the amount of light needed in a venue. Manhasset Specialty Co., 509.248.3810, manhasset-specialty.com, Booth #4406

It’s The Fuzz Morley, in collaboration with Ray Burton, has released the Limited Edition Power Fuzz Wah in chrome. In 2015, Morley released the Cliff Burton Tribute Power Fuzz Wah: one of the most sought-after Morley pedals in the history of the company. The combination wah and fuzz has separate wah level control, fuzz level and intensity, as well as a modern/vintage switch to select between two types of fuzz. The wah and fuzz can be used individually or together. The Chrome Power Fuzz Wah is suitable for use with guitar, bass, keys or any other instrument you can plug into it. It’s housed in a mirror-finished chrome cold-rolled steel chassis, equipped with dual LED indication and a Quick Clip battery door. Morley, 800.284.5172, morleypedals.com, Booth #4382

JANUARY 2017

Scintillating Software eMedia Music Corp. has started shipping “eMedia Ukulele For Dummies” and is showing the new version six of its “eMedia Guitar Method” guitar lesson software. “eMedia Ukulele For Dummies” features more than 65 lessons with 35 high-definition videos that teach chords and important ukulele techniques. More than 25 popular songs let students apply what they learn and have fun as they play along with band accompaniment tracks. “Guitar Method 6” builds on eMedia’s current bestselling, interactive guitar lesson software and delivers more than 190 lessons, interactive tabs/notation for more than 80 songs, and new features that include chord recognition, Performance Evaluation, Jam Tracks, ear-training studies to help guitarists learn songs by ear and more. eMedia Music Corp., 888.363.3424, emediamusic.com, Booth #6504

ProX Live Performance Gear BUILT LIKE A TANK!

Controller Cases

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Fits Pioneer DDJ-SX2

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Peak Performance Fishman’s SA Performance Audio System includes the SA330x wide-dispersion modified line-array speaker system, the SA Sub subwoofer and the SA Expand four-channel expander/mixer. Easily personalized for specific audio needs, the SA330x, alone or with the SA Sub and SA Expand, is suitable for solo acoustic performers, small combos, DJs, keyboardists and others: all who need to be heard in small-to-medium-sized situations in which a portable, practical and full-frequency amplification solution is required. The SA330x produces 330 watts in a wide-dispersion design for clean, crisp audio. Channel expandability via an accessory port provides one-cable audio and power for the SA Expand. The SA330x also includes a dedicated subwoofer output and a strong, lightweight modern industrial design that’s easy to set up. Fishman, 978.988.9199, fishman.com, Booth #4340

Utility & Speaker Cases

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Handcrafted Wonders Handcrafted at every step using elements of cymbal-making that even traditional cymbal companies have abandoned, Sabian’s Artisan Elite cymbals take Artisan deeper, darker and dirtier. Extensive multi-peen and high-density hammering is one of the factors that contribute to the Elite sound, resulting in tone that is lower-pitched and drier than other Artisan cymbals. Their unique lathing and flatter, lower-profile bell also result in a woody bell tone that is more integrated into the overall cymbal sound than other Artisan models. The lathing also delivers articulation that gets close to that of a raw cymbal, while allowing the cymbal to open up to a degree. Essentially, it’s a blend of open tone from the lathed sections with dry articulation from the unlathed. The feel is also softer. Sabian, 800.817.2242, sabian.com, Booth #3254

Pressure Cooker Sustain without compression…a common suggestion that means, “Don’t mess with my attack.” Amptweaker’s PressuRizer compressor accomplishes that in several ways, and it includes a built-in FET limiter/booster at its output. Incorporating a studio-grade compressor, a wet/dry blend and some unusual side-chain variations, it varies from smooth compression that limits the initial “whack” to a dry-blended approach that adds compression after a short delay. The bloom switch (fast/slow) rewires the side-chain so that the signal grows after initially cutting. When blended with the dry, the result sounds normal and then grows like a Les Paul. The limiter switch adds the FET booster, and it can be set to soft for barely limiting or hard for a slightly broken-up sound. Amptweaker, 513.410.3377, amptweaker.com, Booth #5299

Sultry Satin Sadowsky Guitars is presenting the Satin Series. They’re built on the same benches and by the same builders as any other NYC bass, but at a more attractive starting price. Satin Series basses feature ash bodies with maple fingerboards or alder bodies with rosewood fingerboards. The J-style bass is fitted with a pair of the company’s hum-cancelling pickups with ’60s wind, whereas the 24-fret modern style has soapbar pickups in “bridge forward” locations. The bodies are chambered and the necks are graphite-reinforced, just like all the company’s NYC basses. Sadowsky Guitars only offers solid colors with a satin finish. Deluxe Satin models will be available that will feature flame maple tops and a variety of bursts. Sadowsky Guitars, 718.433.1990, sadowsky.com, Booth #5948

JANUARY 2017

Pure Magnetism Celestion’s FTX Series of common magnet motor coaxial loudspeakers includes the 12-inch-diameter FTX1225, eightinch-diameter FTX0820 and 6.5-inch-diameter FTX0617. The FTX models offer a full-range frequency response in a single, self-contained driver by concentrically aligning low- and highfrequency drivers, providing improvements in signal alignment and off-axis response when compared to a traditional, two-way system. The FTX Series’ “common magnet motor” assembly, in which the same magnet is used for both LF and HF elements, enables the voice coils and acoustic centers of the drivers to be brought very close together, boosting signal coherence and time alignment, for a more natural-sounding audio reproduction. The single-magnet assembly also offers a lighter weight and a more compact profile, for when space is at a premium. Celestion, +44 (0)1473 835300, celestion.com, Booth #4674

Ear Candy Yamaha’s HPH-MT5 and MT8 studio monitor headphones were developed for studio and monitoring professionals. The MT series headphones produce flat, highresolution sound with precise stereo imaging to faithfully reproduce source signals. They also provide high levels of isolation and comfort to ward off fatigue during marathon monitoring sessions. The MT5 and MT8 feature custom 40-millimeter and 45-millimeter drivers, respectively. Both use CCAW voice coils, along with powerful neodymium magnets to achieve precise definition, extended frequency response and control, even at high output levels. The MT5 features a closed back and a circumaural configuration for a comfortable fit. A sweat-resistant headband ensures lasting durability. The MT8 is highly accurate, exposing every nuance of a performance. It features steerable earcups for single-ear monitoring and die-cast aluminum support arms. Yamaha Corp. of America, 714.522.9011, yamaha.com, Marriott Marquis Ballroom

Accept No ‘Sub’-stitute QSC’s K Cardioid Subwoofer is a single-box powered cardioid subwoofer solution for highly portable entertainment and installation applications. It provides all the benefits of cardioid deployment in a single, compact enclosure. The K Cardioid Subwoofer is adept at managing low frequencies on the stage, or in any application where undesirable low-frequency energy must be minimized. Powered by a 1,000watt, class D amplifier, processed with the latest DSP technology and featuring dual 12-inch, long-excursion drivers each arranged in a 6th order bandpass chamber, the components all combine seamlessly to produce 15 decibels more output at the front of the cabinet than at the rear. Highly portable, the cabinet features comfortable aluminum handles and four rear-mounted casters. Two M20 sockets accept a 35-millimeter speaker pole in other horizontal or vertical orientations. QSC, 800.854.4079, qsc.com, Booth #6555

JANUARY 2017

Different Drum Can’t find a perfect-fitting drumhead for your classic drum set? Remo listened, and the company has developed the Classic Fit drumhead for oversized drums made prior to the mid-’60s. The Classic Fit batter drumheads have a slightly narrower flesh hoop and step design, yet they maintain a standard outside diameter that does not interfere with the counter hoop. Available with Ambassador Coated, Clear or Fiberskyn film, and in the following sizes: 12 inches, 13 inches, 14 inches, 16 inches and 18 inches. Also available in a Snare Side Ambassador Hazy, in 12-inch and 13-inch sizes. The Classic Fit drumheads will give you the classic sound and ease of head replacement you’ve been looking for. Remo, Inc., 661.294.5600, remo.com, Booth #3440

To Be A Kid Again “Alfred’s Easy Best-Loved Children’s Songs,” from Alfred Music, is a beautiful keepsake collection of more than 100 classic nursery rhymes, playground songs, activity tunes and memory rhymes. Carefully arranged for piano to play and sing with young children, each song also includes guitar and ukulele chords for easy strum-andsing performance. The book also features a “Genre Index” that breaks down the titles into song types and categories. Finally, an “About the Songs” section includes a brief history of all the tunes. Professional MP3 recordings of every song can be downloaded from alfred.com with purchase. Among the titles are “All the Pretty Little Horses,” “The Alphabet Song,” “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep,” “Down by the Bay” and “Hickory Dickory Dock.” Alfred Music, 800.292.6122, alfred.com, Booth #4618

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Wail Watching Electro-Harmonix’s Wailer Wah features the circuitry, sound and tone of the Crying Tone in a traditional rack-and-pinion-style pedal at an affordable price. The Wailer Wah delivers expressive wah and cocked wah sounds and, at just over 1.5 pounds, a substantial weight savings as compared to many wah wah pedals. The Wailer Wah comes equipped with a nine-volt battery, or it can be powered by an optional nine-volt AC adapter. The pedal is available now. Electro-Harmonix, 718.937.8300, ehx.com, Booth #5396

Police Academy Mic’d Up Audio-Technica has introduced its ATM350a microphone systems. Providing crisp, clear, well-balanced response even in high-SPL applications, the ATM350a cardioid condenser instrument microphone comes in six specially designed systems that provide discreet, solid mounting solutions for a host of instruments, including woodwinds, strings, brass, percussion, drums and piano. Following in the footsteps of the ATM350, the ATM350a can handle 159 decibels maximum SPL, which is a 10-decibel increase over its predecessor. That allows the mic to cope with an even greater range of extremely powerful, dynamic sound sources. Like the ATM350, the new mic features a cardioid polar pattern that reduces side and rear pickup and protects against feedback. The mic’s in-line power module incorporates a switchable 80-hertz hi-pass filter to help control undesired ambient noise. Audio-Technica, 330.686.2600, audio-technica.com, Booth #6740

Taylor Guitars’ Academy Series is a new line of affordable acoustic guitars that makes an enjoyable playing experience more accessible. The series features the Dreadnought A10e, Grand Concert A12e and nylon-string Grand Concert A12e-N. It leverages Taylor’s excellent playability and tone into an acoustic guitar at an entry-level price point. The series delivers all the most important qualities a developing player needs to enjoy a rewarding guitar-playing experience—playing comfort, appealing acoustic tone, performance reliability, easy maintenance—at a price that starts at $499 MAP. The series also incorporates an ergonomic armrest into the guitar’s lower bout (normally reserved for Taylor’s premium series) to enhance playing comfort. Each Academy Series model is an excellent acoustic guitar distilled down to its core essentials. Taylor Guitars, 800.943.6782, taylorguitars.com, Room 213

JANUARY 2017

Let’s Get Real Hal Leonard expands its interactive learning materials with “Real Book Multi-Tracks.” The series uses great songs from Real Books in innovative new play-along packs. Each book includes accurate, easy-to-read lead sheets and professional, customizable audio tracks accessed online for 10 songs. The interactive, online audio interface includes tempo control, looping, buttons to turn each instrument on or off, lead sheet with follow-along marker, and melody performed by a saxophone or trumpet on the “head in” and “head out.” Full stereo tracks can be downloaded and played offline. Each book includes separate lead sheets for C, B-flat, E-flat and bass clef instruments. The new recordings let players choose which instruments they want to hear playing while they play along. The online interface is super flexible and easy to use. Hal Leonard, 800.554.0626, halleonard.com, Booth #5720

All That Jazz Vic Firth Co. has announced the Modern Jazz Collection, part of an experimental group of products that was years in the making. Never before available to the public, the five models were developed collaboratively with drummers who include Jeff Ballard, Greg Hutchinson, Joe McCarthy and Lewis Nash. MJC1 has a slightly elongated 55A shaft with a medium taper and oval tip. The thicker diameter helps deliver a little more weight and emphasis to the ride cymbal. MJC2 is slightly thinner than the 5A with an extra-long taper for great response and playability. MJC3 features an 8D shaft with a little extra length for a great upfront feel. MJC4 has the unmistakable sound and feel of maple. It has a 5B diameter with a long taper for great rebound. MJC5 boasts an 8D shaft with a medium taper for great balance. Vic Firth Co., 617.364.6869, vicfirth. com, Booth #3040

300

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MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

There Can Only Be ‘1’ VocoPro has announced its Digital-1 system. It’s an entirely digital wireless microphone system that utilizes mic-on-chip technology to package the audio for transmission, which produces crystal-clear sound. The Digital-1 operates in the futureproof 900-megahertz frequency band, far outside the TV broadcast station range. The Digital-1 receiver touts a highresolution color LCD display that shows crucial information, such as radio and audio signal strength, group and channel, and microphone battery status. A built-in frequency spectrum analyzer with a graphic readout will provide an idea of the performance-area RF environment. The product’s dual-diversity antenna will ensure good signal reception, even in heavy RF areas. The handheld microphone’s lithium-ion rechargeable battery can provide up to 14 hours of performance time per each full charge. VocoPro, 800.678.5348, vocopro.com, Booth #6010

Drive You Home Radial’s Direct Drive is a combination amp emulator and direct box that lets you perform live or record without a guitar amplifier. It features a Voicing Control with three amp simulation EQs, starting with a traditional Radial JDX 4x12 tone; next is a beefysounding Marshall Half-Stack for rock and metal; finally, there is a clean Fender Twin tone for blues and country picking. A bright switch acts like the presence on your amp. Connect your guitar to your pedals, the pedals to the Direct Drive and the XLR output to the PA. You can even send a signal to your amp and tuner. It can be powered using a standard nine-volt power supply or a typical pedalboard power brick. It’s made to handle the rigors of professional touring, with 14-gauge steel throughout. Radial Engineering, 604.942.1001, radialeng.com, Booth #6940

Hot & Humid Oasis’ HH-Combo is the first musical instrument humidification device to come with its own hygrometer attached to the humidifier. You can humidify your guitar and monitor the humidity inside the guitar sound hole with one device. The humidifier body contains a super-absorbent, drip-resistant, polyvinyl acetate sponge, which holds more than 10 times its weight in water. The humidifier can operate for 15 days or more before needing to be recharged with distilled water. The HH-Combo maintains 40-percent to 60-percent RH to the guitar (inside a closed case) if the humidity outside the case is as low as 20 percent. If the outside humidity is lower than 20 percent, the humidifier can be easily adjusted to provide additional humidity. The hygrometer is accurate to plus or minus three percent between 40-percent and 60-percent RH, and plus or minus five percent outside that range. Oasis, 410.772.5380, oasishumidifiers.com, Booth #1217

JANUARY 2017

All About That Bass Trace Elliot has introduced the ELF bass amplifier. Weighing 1.6 pounds, the amp is small enough to fit in your back pocket. The ELF’s size and internal power supply make it a portable, gig-worthy bass amplifier. Designed in the U.K. and the U.S., the ELF produces a solid, fan-cooled 200 watts RMS at four ohms. The switch-mode power supply has thermal protection and over-current protection, along with a gain knob with a clip indicator light. In terms of sonic quality, the ELF has a clean signal path with simple controls, making it easy to achieve a professional bass tone. The three-band rotary EQ has three proprietary Trace Elliot filters. Studio-quality XLR output ensures that the tone the player has on stage is the same tone in the PA. Trace Elliot, 601.483.5365, traceelliot.com, Room 201AB

Manuel “Manny” Miller, Sales Rep Years at Alfred Music: Two Instruments: Guitar, Piano, Voice, Native American Flute, Melodica Best Perk of Working at Alfred Music: Shredding with musician coworkers Favorite Genres to Play: Jazz Fusion, Post-Hardcore Rock, Classical Favorite Artists: Queen, Drake, Paco de Lucìa First Concert Experience: Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2006

Dynamic Duo BG Franck Bichon has released the BG DUO ligature for soprano sax, available in four finishes. It offers a focused tone, stable intonation in all registers, great projection with warm, bright sound, and precise articulation. Tonally beautiful and sonically excellent, the ligature meets the needs of demanding and expressive players. With a number of different tonal options available, everyone can find his or her sound with ease and without compromise. DUO ligatures are available in the following finishes: silver-plated, gold lacquered, rose gold and 24-karat gold-plated. BG ligatures are handmade in France. BG Franck Bichon, +33 (0)4 78 56 86 00, bgfranckbichon.com, Booth #4307

Fifteen years and a hundred guitars ago, I was new to the guitar, but I wanted to rock—chug the low string riffs like a pro, know how and when to sus chords, and shred the full fretboard, not just one position.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

alfred.com

Sound Innovations for Guitar nails all that and more. Pedagogy is creatively sequenced with rote to fuse memorizing, playing by ear, and reading. This modern method is miles ahead of anything else out there, and the book that every guitar student should learn from.

It’s A Twister Jensen is highlighting the latest family/series of speakers in the Jet line: the Jensen Tornado Stealth speakers. The 12-inch Stealth speakers tip the scales at featherweight, but offer remarkable sound. The Jensen Tornado Stealth 100 is derived from the original Jensen Tornado used in Fender’s GB Signature Twin Reverb, among others, with an added stylish bell cover on the magnet assembly. The speaker offers crystal-clear, clean tones accented by shimmering highs, with each note sounding tight and well defined. The Jensen Tornado Stealth 65, also equipped with a stylish bell, has a warm low end, relaxed mids and rounded highs. It responds to overdrive distortion with easy breakup and punch. The Tornado Stealth 80, also equipped with the cool bell cover, is well balanced from low to high end with powerful lows, firm mids and sparkling highs. Jensen Speakers, 480.820.5411, jensentone.com, Booth #4893

Rest A While Alvarez has added special Armrest model guitars to its Artist Series. The AG/AR Artist Series models deliver high-end features at a value-minded price. The Alvarez Armrest models are the result of a 12-month research and development and refining process. The Alvarez design team opted for a slimmer bevel than the standard, which gives the guitars a more sophisticated and designer look. The Armrest models are featured in two series: the 60 and 70. The 60s will feature a solid-Sitkaspruce top with mahogany backs and sides, with a rosewood armrest. The 70s are delivered in solid Sitka spruce with rosewood backs and sides, with an armrest made of flamed maple for a beautiful contrast. Alvarez, 314.727.1191, alvarezguitars.com, Booth #4000

Gliding On Air Graph Tech’s Dry n’ Glide is an engineered talc formula that keeps your hands dry, neutralizes the acids to stop corrosion and feels super smooth. Talc or baby powder is messy to apply, feels a little gritty on the instrument and does nothing to neutralize the acidic nature of your hands. Dry n’ Glide’s formula and roll-on applicator makes it a must for any guitarist, drummer, or brass and woodwind player who wants an easy way to keep their hands dry and smooth. Its PH-balancing formula protects instruments, strings and cymbals from corrosion, all while creating an effortless feel when musicians play. Graph Tech Guitar Labs, 604.940.5353, graphtech.com, Booth #5964

JANUARY 2017

Getting Amped Lars & Ivan has debuted eight professional headphone amplifiers. They play back high-fidelity-quality audio in mobile devices where digital processing and compression codecs have compromised or sterilized the warmth and fidelity of a recording. Utilizing contemporary engineering, along with integration of vacuum tubes in select models, Lars & Ivan headphone amps can restore the warmth and realistic character of a recording without colorization or artificial enhancements, facilitating a more true-to-original listening experience. The products include the THA21 class A desktop vacuum tube headphone, the THA-8X micro tube headphone, the THA-30X headphone amplifier with vacuum tube and bass boost, the DAC Fire USB-powered headphone amp with built-in mic, the HA-1 class AB mini headphone amp with bass boost and the HA-3K class AB long-life headphone amp with bass boost. Lars & Ivan, +852 2131 8319, lars-ivan.com, Booth #7436

Jammin’ ‘JEM’ Ibanez is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its relationship with Steve Vai, and the creation of the legendary JEM guitar, with the release of the new JEM777. The limited-edition reproduction of the very first JEM model is available in three striking, eye-catching colors. The JEM777 is crafted with a basswood body for a fat, well-balanced tone, and it’s fitted with a slim, five-piece JEM maple/ walnut neck. Other notable features include prestige fret edge treatment for a smooth, professional feel; disappearing pyramid inlays; jumbo frets (scalloped from the 21st to the 24th) to facilitate techniques such as bending, pull offs and tapping; Vai’s signature DiMarzio Evolution pickups for a wide array of rock tones; and Ibanez Edge tremolo bridge with Ultralite Tremolo Arm for extreme bends and dives. Ibanez, 215.638.8670, ibanez.com, Booth #4634

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Goliath Wins Goliath is the result of Antelope Audio’s 20-plus years’ experience in digital audio, clocking and analog circuitry design. It’s connectable via Thunderbolt, USB and MADI, and it comes with a growing arsenal of hardware-based FX models, among which are vintage guitar amps and cabs, legendary EQ and compressors. Goliath offers 36 analog inputs and 32 analog outputs. The grand total of 64 audio channels can be routed to a vast selection of digital and analog I/O options. All that connectivity is controllable via touchscreen or user-friendly desktop and mobile apps. Goliath fits the needs of the high ranks of the music industry. With it, the company sought to create a powerful, versatile interface that’s at an attainable price. Antelope Audio, 734.418.8661, antelopeaudio.com, Booth #6596

Italy’s Finest Go Go Gadget Roland has introduced the GO:MIXER, a compact audio mixer for smartphone video production. Compatible with iOS and Android smartphones, GO:MIXER connects digitally via an included cable, providing clear stereo sound that’s an upgrade over using the phone’s built-in mono mic or analog line input. With multiple inputs available, users can connect a mic, musical instruments and media players, and mix them all together live while they shoot. Recording a high-quality audio soundtrack along with a video has typically required complicated external gear and time-consuming editing in post-production. GO:MIXER simplifies the production process, enabling users to capture audio directly to a smartphone video in real time. GO:MIXER offers plug-and-play convenience, and it’s powered by the smartphone connection; no batteries are required. It measures 3.75 inches square and 1.1 inches tall. Roland Corp. U.S., 323.890.3700, roland.com, Room 300A

Your Band Rental Business Start or Expand with Our Flexible Plan No fees, shipping charges or chargebacks. You set the rental rates. You take the profits on step-up instruments. We pay for all repairs. We carry only top brands. You may quit at any time without penalty. Your area is protected–we don’t operate retail stores. We pay our commissions on time, every time.

FBT’s VERTUS CS1000 compact line array is an addition to the company’s VERTUS line. It combines maximum performance with a modular, scalable approach. Its lightweight but sturdy construction, blended with FBT’s distinctive engineering and elegance, has delivered a system that can be deployed on stage within minutes. It can also be discreetly integrated into delicate décors to provide high-quality sound and controlled directivity. A bi-amplified design, the system is composed of a long-excursion, 12-inch bass reflex subwoofer and a passive mounted satellite, linked via a Neutrik SPEAKON connector and equipped with six full-range neodymium three-inch drivers. Onboard the subwoofer is a class D, two-channel amplifier, complete with switch-mode power supply, delivering 600 watts RMS to the subwoofer and 400 watts RMS to the satellite, both of which are housed in birch plywood enclosures. FBT, 914.219.4180, fbtusa.com, Booth #6840

1.800.356.2826

W I L L S I M M O N D S AT E X T. 10 5

Harmony Music Band Rentals 17725 NE 65th, Suite B235 Redmond, Washington 98052 wsimmonds8@gmail.com

JANUARY 2017

Wrapped In Ribbons AEA Ribbon Mics and Preamps has launched the RPQ2 preamp. The two-channel mic pre has a comprehensive input range. With 81 decibels of gain, JFET circuitry and an input impedance of 63,000 ohms, the RPQ2 delivers the precision, quietness and headroom needed for high-resolution recordings. Originally designed to draw out the warmth and lush sound of ribbon mics, the preamp also excels with condensers and movingcoil mics, musical instrument pickups and phantom-powered,

high-output ribbons. The RPQ2 is AEAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second iteration of the high-performance RPQ preamp, with the addition of several features: instruments can be plugged directly into the RPQ2 high-impedance circuit; a mic/line switch permits balanced line inputs and outputs; inserts allow for patching compressors or other effects between the preamp and CurveShaper EQ section. AES Ribbon Mics, 626.798.9128, ribbonmics.com, Booth #6848

Time For A Goodtime Deering Banjo Company has released its Goodtime Six banjo. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sixstring, steel-string banjo that tunes like a guitar, and that features a fast, sleek and comfortable guitar-style neck. This Goodtime six-string banjo is available in two models: the Goodtime 6 (G6S) and the Goodtime 6 Jumbo (G6SJ). The Goodtime 6 features an 11-inch, three-ply, violin-grade maple rim with a frosted top head for a more traditional banjo snap. Players looking for a bit more bass response will enjoy the Goodtime 6 Jumbo, with its larger, 12-inch rim and renaissance head. The neck features a two-way adjustable truss rod, elegant wood block inlays and nickel silver frets. Guitar players will also enjoy the familiar 1 11/16-inch nut width on the neck, which further complements the comfort of the neck shape. Deering Banjo Company, 800.845.7791, deeringbanjos.com, Booth #1608

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Name That Tune Back from the golden age of lap steel guitar, Kluson has revived the four-per-plate tuners and the steel mounting tray used on the eight-string Fender “Stringmaster” lap steels. They are exact reproductions, and they’ll retrofit your original Stringmaster tuner tray like they were made for it. The tuners are made in the original nickel finish, and they’re available in chrome and gold, just like the tray. So, you can have a no-modifications-required replacement with plating that matches. The parts have never been available as a set before, and the recreation of the tray bears the Kluson brand. So, it will also be a welcome addition for new lap steel builders, simplifying the installation of a tuning system with a stable, no-nonsense design that makes installation easy. Kluson Manufacturing, 239.543.3625, kluson.com, Booth #3091

Golden State Warrior Xotic Guitars’ California Classic XSC-1 and XSC-2 Series represent a fresh take on vintage guitars. Hand built in the U.S., the guitars feature a nitrocellulose finish, premium-grade roasted flame maple neck and Raw Vintage hand-wound pickups based on Xotic’s proprietary design. Body and neck materials are hand-selected, premiumgrade woods that cover the full spectrum of lush lows, sweet midrange and shimmering highs. This results in both organic and vintage tones that work well with all styles of music. Not only does the company’s aging process give each guitar its own distinctive qualities and a naturally attractive look, but the lacquer checking process and roasted neck also allow the guitar woods to breathe and resonate for a pure and highly sought after tone. Customers have the option of light or heavy aging. Xotic Guitars, 818.367.9593, xotic.us, Booth #5033

A Bright Idea Constructed of matte silicone, the triple-LED NuFlex is a multipurpose music light from Mighty Bright. The light’s three LEDs are precisely calibrated to cast warm white light, eliminating any concerns of harsh, bluish light, which is sometimes associated with LED technology. The warm white light exhibits high color rendering, enabling musicians to see colors accurately. The NuFlex’s LEDs are continuously dimmable, and the product’s flexible neck bends to direct the light precisely where needed. Features and specs: durable, clip-on light; three warm white, energy-efficient LEDs; accurate color rendering (80-plus CRI); continuously dimmable up to 55 lumens; durable LEDs last 100,000 hours; precisely engineered, opticalgrade lens spreads light evenly across pages; flexible silicone neck; powered by three AAA batteries or by using a micro USB cord. Mighty Bright, 805.683.9000, mightybright.com, Booth #1531

JANUARY 2017

Analog Is Awesome Elektron’s latest analog effects units are Analog Heat and Analog Drive. Analog Heat is a stereo analog multi-circuit audio enhancer/destroyer. It can add sparkly brilliance, or grimy roughness, to any sound source: samplers, drum machines, synths, the master bus, etc. Analog Heat is a fiery furnace that makes music glow. Analog Drive represents something new. The eight different analog distortion circuits make it a highly flexible stompbox. And, it has excellent sound. It’s a suitable analog stompbox for guitarists who want to wreak havoc on signals and tones in diverse ways. Elektron, 213.935.8521, elektron.se, Booth #5420

Timeless Capsule Mojave Audio has released its MA-50 large-diaphragm transformerless condenser microphone. It’s a suitable microphone for both professionals and aspiring professionals. Utilizing the same capsule from the company’s MA200 and MA-201fet models, the MA-50 handles the fastest transients with ease, all the way up to 140 decibels. The microphone’s superior transient response and its ability to handle high SPLs make the MA-50 a versatile model. It’s well suited to capturing vocal performances, voiceovers, acoustic instruments, Foley/ADR and percussion instruments, and for use as drum overheads. The MA-50 utilizes a large-diaphragm, fixed-cardioid polar pattern design. The microphone incorporates a three-micron capsule and employs transformerless circuitry that results in a low noise floor. Mojave Audio, 818.847.0222, mojaveaudio.com, Booth #6979

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Trust But Veritas Veritas Instrument Rental (VIR) is offering a NAMM Signup Special. Approved applicants from the show will receive a rental instrument display rack with holders and header card (a $300 value), as well as 200 custom-imprinted student music folders (a $200 value). VIR will also be offering Affiliate Rewards, a productivity-based program where affiliates earn valuable rewards, which include TVs, tablets, electronics, travel and lodging accommodations in Orlando FL (home of the 2017 Affiliate Conference), and much more. VIR will deploy its rapid setup program to quickly get the necessary administrative and marketing tasks coordinated so that new affiliates are firmly in place and able to offer rental options to parents and students in need of instruments. Veritas Instrument Rental, 800.578.9724, veritas-online.com, Booth #4611

Strap Yourself In Levy’s Leathers’ MC8IGN (IGNITE) is a two-inch natural cotton guitar strap with suede ends. It’s decorated with a trio of geometric gliphs. The strap features tri-glide adjustment, and it’s available in several patterns. In addition, the company offers its MH17 (BILLY), which is hemp and suede. The straps will look great with acoustic or electric guitars. They are 2.5 inches wide, and they’re made with a fine hemp weave. Decorative suede reinforcement is on the ends. Fully adjustable, the straps are available in brown, copper and emerald. Levy’s Leathers, 204.957.5139, levysleathers.com, Booth #4656

In The Books The Little Black Songbook is a collection of pocket-sized songbooks, published by Wise Publications. There are more than 50 books in the range, with volumes dedicated to the world’s greatest songwriters and bands. Artists covered include Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Elton John, Coldplay, Cat Stevens, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Paul Simon. Each book typically includes lyrics, chord symbols and guitar chord boxes for around 80 songs. It’s bound in a PVC cover that will withstand a lifetime of use. Further titles in the series include books of chords, scales and ukulele songs. With more than half a million sold, they are an essential addition to every guitarist’s gig bag. The Music Sales Group, 212.254.2100, musicsales.com, Booth #4800

JANUARY 2017

Killer ‘B’ B&C Speakers’ MBX Series, available in six-inch, eight-inch and 10-inch versions, is a solution for two-way systems and a good choice for multi-driver applications. The woofers offer an excellent balance between low- and mid-frequency reproduction, with high sensitivity for reduced amplifier current requirements. The woofers all feature a neodymium ring magnet, copper-clad aluminum voice coil wire, ventilated voice coil gap and aluminum demodulation ring. A lightweight moving mass provides fast transient attack, while the specially treated surround and spider damp distortion-inducing resonances quickly. The series also introduces a new hydrophobic cone treatment, offering extreme weather protection without increased moving mass. Current models include the 6MBX44, the 8MBX51 and the 10MBX64. B&C Speakers, 973.248.0955, bcspeakers.com, Booth #6851

Juice Is Loose Boogie Juice’s fingerboard treatment returns to the NAMM Show for the fifth consecutive year. The pen, made in New Zealand, is natural, clean, green and sustainable. Boogie Juice comes in an easily used felt-tipped pen; it’s convenient to carry in your pocket or instrument case; and it quickly cleans and nourishes the fretboard of your guitar, violin, ukulele or any other fretted instrument. All it takes is one easy application. The product is well suited to luthiers and technicians. Boogie Juice, +64 4 569 8028, boogiejuice.co.nz, Booth #1631

Completely Custom AC Guitars’ Custom Series bass has been in continuous development since ACG came into being in 2005. The Custom Series offers a number of original, ergonomic designs and a wide selection of domestic and exotic woods, including Acrylic Impregnated fingerboards and ART (Acrylic Resin Treated) woods. The ACG DFM (Dual Filter Modular) preamp is designed and built to ACG specification by John East. The preamp uses two low-pass filters—one for each pickup—giving independent EQ over each pickup; a sweepable mid/treble and an active/passive option are also available. Custom-wound pickups, made to ACG specification by Aaron Armstrong, are available in several different formats and types. AC Guitars, +44 7754 502 366, acguitars.co.uk, Booth #4828K

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

The New Standard Fano Guitars has released the new and expanded Fano Standard Series line of guitars. Fano has built upon its Standard Series by adding two models, expanding color options and offering two distinct finishes. The 2017 Fano Standard Series adds the popular RB6 and TC6 models to the existing SP6, JM6/90 and JM6/HB offerings. In addition, all Standard Series models will be available in eight colors: Bull Black, Candy Apple Red, Olympic White, Ice Blue Metallic, Shoreline Gold, Inca Silver, Seafoam Green and Sonic Blue. Customers will also have a choice of two finishes: Medium Distress and NOS. Fano Guitars, 480.998.2818, fanoguitars.com, Booth #1799

Slide Home Bourns, Inc., has expanded its professional audio and professional lighting portfolios with the release of two slide potentiometers. The Bourns Model PTL01 100-millimeter slide potentiometer with LED is a solution for level controls in audio mixing, light mixing and broadcast consoles, or for sound processors. The 100-millimeter slide length enables a more precise setting as compared to shorter-length potentiometers. Its sleek, thin design allows multiple slide potentiometers to be mounted side by side in a relatively small space. Bourns’ Model PSP01 motorized master slide potentiometer has an extended cycle life of up to one million cycles. The 100-millimeter slide potentiometer features a high-quality motor with direct drive belt design, offering good quality, reliability and improved smooth operation as compared to side-mount motor drives. Bourns, Inc., 951.781.5054, bourns.com, Booth #6861

Amped Up

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The NAMM Show will feature a beta version of Amped Studio, the first “hybrid” DAW. It’s a cloud-based music-creation program that also works natively, offline. It offers the instant access of a Web-based music studio with an integrated sound library and community, along with the stability and industry standard of VST compatibility. Amped Studio allows you to shift away from being locked down to one single computer; all your projects, instruments and effects are readily available anywhere in the world with one click on the login button. And you’ll reap the benefits of being able to utilize industry-standard VST plugins on any machine. You’ll be able to download, install and use your desktop DAW on any machine. Have all your projects right at your fingertips. Amped Studio, +46 720-0954, ampedstudio.com, Room 201C9

50 MSR_PE_012017.indd 1

JANUARY 2017 12/27/2016 10:23:42 AM

Send In The Clones Demeter Amplification’s new design makes it possible for you to use your favorite low-power amplifier at any size venue. Your amp’s output tone is amplified by the company’s Power Clone 180. It boosts your exact sound up to 180 watts into four ohms. The company designed a box that hooks up to your amp’s speaker connection (or loaded speaker output), which then feeds a proprietary Jensen deferential transformer. That, in turn, runs Demeter Amplification’s 180-watt amp. Your amp’s tone is precisely duplicated, and you can control the volume by adjusting the sensitivity on the Power Clone. Any hum is eliminated by the ground lift. The Power Clone is 5"x7"x2", and it weighs two pounds. Get more power than nearly any tube amp, but only supply the extra speakers. Demeter Amplification, 805.461.4100, demeteramps.com, Booth #4388

But A Dream Dream Cymbals has announced its Energy 19-inch crash, 21-inch ride and 21-inch crash-ride. The Energy Series suits both heavy hitters and sensitive players due to their extreme dynamic range and vivid color. The 21-inch ride and 21-inch crash/ride are dynamic powerhouses that produce the same beautiful, crisp stick articulation found in the current Energy Series. The ride is a bit heavier, adding control and articulation. Both cymbals remain fully crashable, and they’ll deliver a warm wave of wash if the player leans in to turn up the heat. The bells remain unlathed, raw and bright. The 19-inch Energy Crash is a sonic powerhouse that produces an articulate, punchy crash that can cut through the densest ensemble setting. The decay tapers beautifully and evenly, resetting the table and awaiting the next opportunity to deliver a full, crisp and cutting accent. Dream Cymbals, 877.933.7629, dreamcymbals.com, Booth #3277

THE

ORIGINAL DRY REMASTERED

Introducing the all new K Custom Special Dry Collection. We created the dry sound over a decade ago and have now remastered these raw and earthy cymbals for today’s modern music styles. Each cymbal delivers a dry, funky sound with a fast attack and lots of trash for a unique expression. Once again, Zildjian has taken the art of cymbal making to the next level and has left its imitators behind. This is #DryDoneRight. The K Custom Special Dry is now available. Please come see us at NAMM at Booth #2940 or email us at sales@zildjian.com MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

#drydoneright 51

Bear With Me Big Bear Audio’s MP1 is a low-noise, discrete class A mic preamp with high-impedance, discrete instrument input for 500 series racks. With a unique interchangeable color slot, the MP1 has a wide selection of modular cards that provide levels of distortion and saturation, as well as subtle optical compression to full 1176 circuits. The MP1 was designed to provide producers and engineers the ability to “color” their sound with a high-end preamp. Popular cards have included the Germainium Discrete Saturator, the Pentode Distortion and the 15IPS Tape Saturator. An MP1+ transformer version is available, adding a Lundahl output transformer and an ELMA stepped attenuator. Big Bear Audio, 973.728.2425, bigbearaudio.com, Booth #6324

Horn Of Plenty The PHT1200 marks another innovative trumpet design from Phaeton. A trumpet virtuoso, famed Las Vegas performer David Perrico, created a trumpet to rival all others. The design is a conical bore, from .460 at the valve section with a gradual increase to .470 at the third valve exit. Performance is enhanced with heavy-duty finger rings, Amado-type water keys, fast-taper lead pipe, short-stroke Monel pistons and a custom gold-plated Perrico mouthpiece. Phaeton Trumpets, 877.541.4017, phaetontrumpet.com, Booth #3414

Travel Tenor The tried-and-true Kala Travel Tenor ukulele is lightweight and slim—perfect for any gathering or adventure!

This compact

uke has a huge sound that must be heard to be believed, making it a dependable option for all situations.

All models come

with a durable travel gig bag.

SPECs Overall Length: Body Depth: Body Width: Weight:

25.81” (65.55 cm) 1.81” (4.59 cm) 9.19” (23.34 cm) 16 oz (0.45 kg)

Kalabrand.com 52

JANUARY 2017

DU: 07.12.16

April 5 – 8, 2017 Frankfurt, Germany

Hail A Cab Wayne Jones Audio has released the WJ 700watt, passive, 2x10 bass cabinet. Now, you can have the same great cabinet sound using the head of your choice. It builds on the company’s range of cabinets. The custom-made WJ drivers themselves are 40 hertz to 4.5 kilohertz, and they will extend down to 28-hertz, Kevlarimpregnated cones with huge magnets. The product offers clean, true mids with no cloudy sound. It offers true studio sound for your bass, but with added live sound reinforcement. The product is portable, with bar handles for carrying. Wayne Jones Audio, +61 (0)411 862 366, waynejonesaudio.com, Booth #1697

Here you’ll hit the right note. Business, inspiration and excitement around making music: Musikmesse 2017 showcases just what the industry has to offer – with international innovations, workshops, events and concerts. Away from the noise and bustle of the show, our Business Area & Full-range Companies section provides the perfect ambiance for productive business meetings with quiet contact areas for you and your customers. Our Matchmaking program brings you in touch with the right exhibitors, and the series of lectures at the Business Academy offers know-how, trends and inspirations.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

info@usa.messefrankfurt.com Tel. 770.984.8016

It’s my tune.

Tickets and information: musikmesse.com

64201-001_MM_Business_Music_and_Sound_Retailer_104_77x171_45 • FOGRA 39 • CMYK • mr: 06.12.16

Fender’s American Professional line is its new, American-made flagship series of electric guitars and basses. The American Professional series boasts new pickups, neck profiles and colors, as well as two new models: the Jazzmaster and Jaguar guitars. Built for professional players, the series is composed of contemporary versions of classic Fender designs, paired with modern playability. Boasting 16 models and 92 SKUs, each guitar features rosewood and maple fretboards, as well as 11 colors, including three new ones: Sonic Gray, Mystic Seafoam and Antique Olive. Other colors included in the series are Olympic White, Black, Three-Color Sunburst, Sienna Sunburst and the return of classic Butterscotch Blonde, available only on Telecaster models. American Professional Series instruments are available in a variety of ash and alder body styles. Fender Musical Instruments Corp., 480.596.9690, fender.com, Rooms 300E, 304

USA

Real American Hero

RETAILER REBEL SCOPES OUT REVERB.COM

(continued from cover)

David Kalt

If an independent retail store is the best alternative to the mall, then a vertical-market-focused online marketplace is a reasonable reaction to the all-aroundterrible shopping experience that eBay has become.

Kalt began feeling the pain caused by eBay and similar Web sites firsthand shortly after purchasing Chicago Music Exchange in 2010. Kalt began to buy and sell used instruments online through eBay and, quickly, he found the experience to be less than satisfactory. In his usual fashion, he began to envision a solution to a problem that hardly anyone even knew existed: a vertical market for used musical instruments. (To establish our definitions, a vertical market is a market designed to fit a single industry or need.) In the case at hand, Kalt envisioned an online marketplace designed to facilitate user-to-user sales of musical instruments and equipment. When asked about the name choice, Kalt remarked, “I’ve always loved Reverb, and I thought it would be a catchy name for a business.” Wondering why someone would want to limit his or her purchasing to one specific vertical market or “ecosystem,” as opposed to using a larger, onestop marketplace like Amazon or eBay? That’s a good question. There are several answers, the first of which comes in the form of a different question: When’s the last time you went to the mall? The mall is the ultimate one-stop destination…the original be-all shopping experience. And, after decades of wading through crowds and bad shopping experiences, we can all pretty much agree that the mall sucks. If an independent retail store is the best alternative to the mall, then a vertical-market-focused online marketplace is a reasonable reaction to the tired, cluttered, expensive, all-around-terrible shopping experience that eBay has become. Much as with the mall, if eBay or Amazon were satisfactory, there wouldn’t really be a need for an alternative. They’re not satisfactory, though. JANUARY 2017

New!

Reverb.com has more than 120 people on staff. Growing quickly, the company has several new hires in a typical month.

And, given that there is a marketplace designed specifically for musical instruments, why not use it? Kalt describes himself as a “product guy,” saying that he hires people who are product-oriented so they can speak firsthand about products and functionality, as well as solve problems quickly. That approach clearly paid dividends because, just two years after launching, Reverb.com’s growth necessitated going from three to 30 developers. It currently has more than 120 people on staff and, in a typical month, there are several new hires. The tech team now has roughly 40 members, with another 35 focused solely on customer engagement. Some 85 percent of Reverb.com’s staff is composed of musicians, which is a huge number for a technology company. Again, though, you can’t argue with bottom-line results, and Reverb.com is a fast-growing power player in MI retail. How fast? When I spoke to the company in December, it was on track to hit $245 million in sales in 2016, and it projects $1 billion in sales by 2019. There are more than 115,000 sellers and eight million monthly visitors to the site. International sales grew 150 percent over the last year, and international users grew 700 percent. And here’s another super-interesting number: Roughly three percent of Reverb.com sellers have a brick-and-mortar storefront. Hard numbers aren’t available on MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

New version with chord recognition, jam tracks, updated interface, and more!

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eMedia Instrument Packs

Great Beginner Instruments with Lessons for Guitar, Keyboard and Violin Ukulele, Guita

SELL

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(888) 363-3424 sales@emediamusic.com 55

how many MI retail stores are using Reverb.com, but I can say this: It’s not enough. “I like the fact that some people don’t think of us as a tech company,” Reverb.com’s COO, Dan Melnick, said. “You don’t ‘feel’ the tech while you’re using the site; it’s meant to be seamless.” Of the on-staff developers, eight work on the iOS and Android apps, 15 to 18 work on back-end and front-end code, and a five-person product design team makes sure the site continually has a best-in-class user interface (UI). And, in fact, the UI is one of Reverb.com’s best features. The site’s ease of use and speed have made it inviting and user friendly, benefits that the company prioritizes. Simple things like the load time of each page on the site are given their due at Reverb.com.

You’d look a little beat up too if you spent the last 30 a years theup road. You’d look littleon beat too if you spent

the last 30 years on the road. If you purchased a Littlite in 1986, chances are it still works. aAnd if it doesn’t, If you purchased Littlite in 1986, chances chances are it it still is still underAnd warranty. are works. if it doesn’t, chances are it is still under warranty.

Gooseneck Lamps & Accessories Gooseneck Lamps & Accessories

Made in Hamburg, MI Made in Hamburg,USA MI www.littlite.com USA sales@littlite.com www.littlite.com sales@littlite.com

According to Melnick, “Your bounce rate [the percentage of site visitors who leave after viewing only one page] dramatically increases if the site doesn’t load quickly enough.” For payments, Reverb.com uses PayPal synchronized through its own Direct Checkout system, as well as credit cards. Most e-commerce sites still require buyers to exit the site and log into PayPal to process their payments. It’s often problematic, and it can degrade the user experience. According to Melnick, “We’re working toward a unified payment platform where the buyer no longer has to leave Reverb.com. When you leave Reverb.com, we’re no longer in control of the experience.” The idea is for Reverb.com to control the end-to-end user experience, or the “the whole widget.” He added, “It’s part of our DNA as a tech company. We measure and experiment and figure out what the best version of something is.” Reverb.com constantly mines user feedback from its customer service team to improve the technology that drives the user experience. All employees are encouraged to use the site to buy and sell gear, ensuring that they understand the platform and can expose potential issues. Kalt himself is not excepted; he still logs in every day. He explained, “In the early days, being able to feel the pain of what a dealer goes through in terms of negotiating and answering questions, and then working to make listings easy, being able to edit them and promote them….those are all things someone has to champion and fight for. We sat down with developers and made it happen.” At its core, Reverb.com is trying to make buying and selling product easier for dealers, and the shopping experience easier for consumers. One solution Reverb.com continues to develop, which should make many dealers very happy, centers on point of sale (POS) systems. JANUARY 2017

remo_felttone-msretailer_0217-thirdpg.pdf

Reverb.com’s executive team shares the creativity and vision of the company’s Founder, David Kalt (at center, holding a guitar).

Compelling blog posts, as well as interviews with artists and discussions about wider-reaching industry topics, drive traffic to the site. That original content gets buyers excited about gear and drives sales.

Currently, Reverb.com supports e-commerce integration with Magento, Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce, and it continues to support do-it-yourself comma separated value (CSV) integration. The company also has an open application programming interface (API), so anyone can write their own integration. (All the APIs that supported e-commerce platforms use are publicly available.) Rain POS, a new system that is targeting MI retail, MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

CMY

is working on out-of-the-box integration with Reverb.com. Along with improvements to the checkout funnel, as well as search efficiency, one innovation coming to the site is personalization. Reverb.com has begun to curate inventory that’s targeted to buyers based on their search history, their past purchases and more. “When a drummer logs in, they don’t want to see a bunch of guitars,” Melnick said. “And jazz drummers are different from metal drummers. Our goal is to get as granular as possible with that.” For dealers, some exciting, personalized innovations specific to that channel are in the pipeline. We expect to hear about them soon. Reverb.com is incentivized to make sales, meaning that, if you don’t find buyers for your products, the company doesn’t make money. Personalization is just another way to help facilitate that. According to Melnick, “The goal of personalization is not to favor one shop over another shop. The question is, ‘Do you add unique inventory to the platform, and can we find a buyer for it?’” With Reverb.com’s low, 3.5-percent fee, selling through it is much more appealing than third-party marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. And, because it’s a ver57

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tical market-focused environment, everyone on the site’s a potential MI buyer. That’s not the case for the online shopping malls. Reverb.com is very committed to original content. Pete Schu, Managing Director of Content, said, “Even with all the search engine optimization (SEO) tips and tricks, and all the back-end keyword information you can work on, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have compelling original content.” One way the company prioritizes that is by creating content based on what people are, or might be, searching for. For example, think about questions like, “What are the five best small tube amps?” and “What’s the best capo?” Answers to those questions in the form of compelling articles and product videos keep people coming back to Reverb.com, even when they aren’t buying. Schu added, “Even with our demos, we try to take a different approach, because the field is saturated. So, we do things like our Potent Pairings series, where we show how to get a particular artist’s tone with different pedals that are very affordable.” Compelling blog posts, as well as interviews with artists and discussions about wider-reaching industry topics, drive traffic to the site. That original content gets buyers excited about gear, helps to foster interest in potential buyers and drives sales. Internal data shows that the more original the content is, the more likely a sales conversion will be. “Our data shows we get a lot of conversions that come one click away from a blog article,” Schu affirmed. “The more original the article, the more traffic it drives

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In just a few years since its founding, Reverb.com is now approaching $250 million in annual sales and becoming a ubiquitous brand.

and the higher the percentage of users who clicked through and bought something.” That clearly shows why developing original content is so important. “If consumers today are going to be loyal to a brand, they want more than a utilitarian idea of ‘You make a product. I buy a product,’” Schu declared. “They want their brand to stand for something, whether that’s a value or a lifestyle aesthetic.” Although Reverb.com is a tech company and a marketplace, it behaves very much like a lifestyle brand, relative to content and keeping consumers in the fold. Someone can buy a pedal or an amp anywhere; original content helps consumers get more out of it than just a simple buying experience. Reverb.com’s data reveals that its users are mostly older than 25, and it skews toward used items. When the company began, site inventory was mostly vintage and used items; now, although new items have overtaken used in terms of number of listings, used items still sell more frequently. Used gear is also more closely associated with Reverb.com’s brand identity. And that’s an interesting fact, because it exposes some pretty specific buying trends among consumers. Reverb.com’s identity has helped attract buyers for off-the-beaten-path items that might be more appealing to long-term players than to beginners. Many first-time buyers focus solely on marquee-name gear, and they have a bias toward new items that have never been played or touched. Older, more experienced buyers are much less likely to show trepidation when buying used items, and they’re much more likely to be interested in buying new items that are esoteric, rather than common things found everywhere. One of the best ways to ensure a quality user experience is robust customer support. Chris Miller, Director of Customer Engagement, said visitors are five to six times more likely to buy something on Reverb.com if they engage with the customer support team. According to him, “Customer support runs the gamut from ‘What’s the best studio monitor for under $500?’ to ‘Where is my item?’” The company supports buyers during the purchasing process, helps point them toward items and fields miscellaneous questions. The team also helps sellers who might have questions about international sales or how to improve their sell-through rate. One side effect of Reverb.com’s success: Traditional brick-and-mortar shops are now less dependent on big-name brands, as the online marketplace has helped to drive customers JANUARY 2017

ments. And it’s a viable way to find unique, interesting used pieces to complement your new inventory. Plus, even if the margin isn’t as high as it would be on locally sourced used items, it might help drive foot traffic into your store if you fill your pedal case with unique items that people haven’t seen before. And boosted traffic usually helps make sales. According to Kalt, “If you look at the most successful retailers, they have a good used selection. The stores that have the best foot traffic and vibrancy take used very seriously. It gets a lot of repeat visits.” He continued, “We have plenty of people buying used inventory, bringing it into Reverb.com and having success. We want dealers to have that same success by buying used and making money on it, as well as getting more customers.” Reverb.com is a viable alternative to traditional e-commerce for many brick-and-mortar stores that don’t have the time or the capital to build and maintain their own Web store. The company is also more than willing to speak to dealers one on one and help them optimize their listings. I did just that while on-site at Reverb.com’s headquarters, getting advice on everything from taking better photos, to how to leave feedback, to how to drive more sales. Its ease of use, mobileplatform friendliness and wide adoption among musicians, coupled with low fees, make Reverb.com way for MI retail stores to MC17_4.125v6.75_Music Soundan andeasy Retailer_R1.pdf 1 7/12/2016 下午6:43 monetize unused inventory, source used gear, sell pre-owned inventory to new customers and add margin to the bottom line.

to new and unique brands, such as Reverend Guitars and EarthQuaker Devices. How has that happened? Miller said “boutique” manufacturers that have gotten a lot of exposure on the site have experienced a “communal lift” because of the hugely increased exposure. Reverb.com is, in a sense, helping to remove the stigma from buying a brand of guitar or amp that, although up and coming, hasn’t been widely seen; in fact, those items have become showpieces that consumers are actively seeking out. Perhaps most importantly, Reverb.com gives brick-and-mortar MI retailers a robust marketplace whose clientele is more likely to take a chance on those items. As such, it can be a great place for your physical storefront to sell, but also source, unique and vintage inventory. In fact, Reverb.com incentivizes dealers to source inventory on its platform by offering one percent back on your fees, provided that you take your sale proceeds in Reverb Bucks and then spend that money on buying inventory for your store. One percent might not sound like a lot, but it adds up over time. Small innovations like that make Reverb.com even friendlier to brick-and-mortar dealers. According to Miller, “There’s a ton of used gear that you can’t really get anywhere else that Reverb.com opens the door to. For a lot of brick-and-mortar stores that sell used gear, they have to take what someone brings in off the street. Then, they have to sell that stuff to someone who comes in off the street.” He continued, “Why not try finding something really cool on Reverb.com to put on your wall? There’s sort of a ‘wow factor’ to a lot of the gear you find here.” That type of flow reversal isn’t something I’ve yet tried in my role at Larry’s Music Center, but it’s an interesting idea and a great way to try to limit exposure to harsh dealer stocking requireMUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

CMY

F I V E M INUTES W ITH

LARRY MORTON

PRESIDENT, HAL LEONARD CORP. By Dan Ferrisi

Every business exists to be profitable and allow its associates to earn a living. However, in the music products industry, two other factors are also at play: a deep-seated passion for music, along with a desire to grow the market by trumpeting far and wide the joy experienced by music makers. In Larry Morton, President of Hal Leonard Corp., we find a respected industry veteran who exemplifies all the components of MI success: good business, sincere musical passion and a devotion to industry service. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s compiled an incredible career and earned the respect and esteem of his peers across the MI market. He’s even served as NAMM’s Chairman, playing an integral role in key industry initiatives. In this month’s interview, Morton reflects on what has been—and, indeed, continues to be—a deeply rewarding career. He also discusses Hal Leonard’s unique competitive advantages, as well as the mentors who have shaped the person he’s become.

The Music & Sound Retailer: You’re someone who has dedicated his life to working in the music products industr y. Tell me about how you initially became 60

interested in, and passionate about, music. Did it begin in early childhood? Larr y Morton: Like most of us, my passion for music showed up early in life. My older sister was taking piano lessons and, when I was around five years old, my parents noticed that I would pick out by ear whatever my sister was playing. So, they signed me up for piano lessons. That got it all going, and it led to me studying music for all my school years, all the way through studying music theory and composition in graduate school. Beyond that, however, the most powerful force in my life was my parents’ encouragement to play music. They really valued and respected music, and they never tried to dissuade me from devoting my life to it. Having parental support of a child’s passion can be life changing and incredibly fulfilling for both the parents and the child.

The Retailer: How did you get your start in the workforce? Did a passion for music factor into your early jobs? Morton: Music has been my absolute passion, and my entire career has been in the music products industry. I’ve never even considered any other path. After finishing graduate school, I got my start through a chance meeting with an industry legend, Lowell Samuel, who owned a chain of MI retail stores and a wholesale distribution company. Lowell became my mentor and somewhat of a father figure, and I’m incredibly grateful that he helped me get started. That early experience led me to move to Los Angeles CA and work for Roland Corp. in 1986, which JANUARY 2017

Hal Leonardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team is passionate, capable and committed to the dealer channel.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Hal Leonard is based in Milwaukee WI.

Hal Leonard’s dealer resources are second to none.

gave me the opportunity to learn from Ikutaro Kakehashi, the visionary Founder of Roland. In turn, that set me up to join Hal Leonard in 1990, under the brilliant leadership of Keith Mardak, the company’s Chairman. Over the past 26 years, Keith has been the greatest mentor of my life—both personally and professionally— and I continue to learn from him day after day.

The Retailer: What initially brought you to Hal Leonard? Was there something in particular that attracted you? If so, what was it? Morton: I had known about Hal Leonard since my earliest days of studying music, so I already had tremendous respect for the quality and scope of the company’s publishing output. Plus, as an established industry person, I was well aware of the fact that the company was extremely well run and loaded with talented, dedicated people. I really wanted to be part of that winning team, and I hoped to contribute to the company’s longer-term success. So, I made contact with Hal Leonard in hopes of getting my foot in the door. Again, though, it started with my first “official” interview with Keith Mardak, which is a hilarious story. Suffice it to say that, after the interview, I was blown away by Keith and I wanted to work for him! The Retailer: Starting with your earliest days with the company, discuss your roles, responsibilities and achievements within Hal Leonard. What have been your highlights within the company’s four walls? Morton: My first positions at Hal Leonard were in the sales and marketing areas. So, I got the opportunity to learn so much about working closely with our music retailers. That experience has really shaped my views and understanding about how to line up Hal Leonard’s interests with those of our retailers, as well as end users such as musicians, students and teachers. With that perspective, we developed and launched numerous industry-leading 62

programs, including our Dealer-Access Web site, Rack-N-Roll (VMI) merchandising programs, our Full-Line Internet Provider (FLIP) program and many other important initiatives. We also developed the industry’s first seven-day-a-week Retailer Call Center, with extended hours to cover all time zones after hours. I’ve also been heavily involved in our digital programs, where we’ve developed in-store and online-affiliate programs that are industry firsts. In recent years, I’ve also focused on rights acquisitions and strategic acquisitions to help us expand our business to better serve all aspects of the music products industry.

The Retailer: What is the ver y best part of being President of Hal Leonard? What makes you most excited to get out of bed in the morning and go to the office? Morton: Those are great questions! I’m so lucky to work with our amazing leadership team and so many dedicated employees. They are impressive people, who I love and respect, and they motivate me through their example to try to be better each day. I also get excited about the ultimate result of our work, which is that millions of people learn to play music because of Hal Leonard. We are continually nurturing the next generation of musicians to develop their passion for playing music. It’s incredibly rewarding to think about the positive impact we are having on people’s lives through better enjoyment of playing music. The Retailer: What is the “secret sauce” at Hal Leonard that ser ves to distinguish the company not only from its direct competitors in music print publishing and MI distribution, but also from MI companies more broadly? Is there a key distinguishing characteristic you can put your finger on? Morton: The ingredients of our “secret sauce” are not very secret, I suppose, because the secret sauce is made up of time-tested principles such as passion, work ethic, honesty, integrity, commitment and professional pride. We are absolutely a “team” company, and everyone values each other’s knowledge and contributions. We have such great people, and we’re capable of doing anything we set out to do. With respect to our retailer customers and our third-party relationships with music rights or distribution rights, we truly treat them all as “partners,” even though that word is overused. We feel that, if we do what we say we will do and meet our commitments, we can sustain those partnerships over a long period of time, which, fortunately, we have done over and over. Above all, I would give credit to Keith Mardak for setting that tone for the company and for leading by example. He’s a great role model for the rest of us. The Retailer: How does Hal Leonard strike a balance between being a widely respected, universally known music print publisher and being the distributor of brands such as Samson, Tycoon, Loog Guitars, ZT Amps and Line 6? Do those business areas fit together neatly? Morton: We view the two areas as separate but related businesses. Our core music print publishing business gives us a unique vantage point, having direct contact with thousands (continued on page 81) JANUARY 2017

M I SPY

THE SPY’S ‘MELE KALIKIMAKA’ MISSION

It was deep in the months of winter that I got a call at midnight. Roused from my sleep, I picked up the phone, expecting a terrible disaster. “Ever been to Hawaii?” a gruff voice asked. It was The Chief. Surprised, I responded, “No, I haven’t. Why?” “I need you to go find out about ukuleles,” The Chief snapped. “Now!” With that, he hung up. I sat upright in my bed, baffled by the call. Hawaii? Was The Chief serious? He had to be, right? I mean, he’s always serious. Still, though…Hawaii had never been an MI Spy destination before; ukuleles have rarely been on the mission agenda. I momentarily entertained the slim possibility that this was The Chief’s way of giving me a much-needed break. Then, however, I told myself that was ridiculous. And who cared, anyway? I was going to go no matter what the motivation was! I booked my tickets to paradise—Oahu HI, to be specific—where Honolulu sits on the south end of a pretty large island, surrounded by blue waves and white sand. I booked a room at Vive Hotel Waikiki, a boutique hotel with no amenities aside from its close proximity to downtown and the Waikiki beach line. I scheduled a rental car and got in on a Saturday. When we landed, the weather was stormy, but tropical and warm nonetheless. I soon discovered that I’d packed too much, given that it never really gets cold in Oahu, even during the rainy season. My first stop on the list was over in Kailua HI, over the mountains above Honolulu, past the Pali Lookout. It’s a town where roosters and chickens run free in the parking lot of the Whole Foods grocery store. Bumper stickers boasted the statement, “I liked Kailua before you were here,” bespeaking a strong native pride. Not surprising, I thought, because many tourists don’t rent a car and take the journey over the Pali Highway into that beach town. 64

Coconut Grove Music 167 Hamakua Dr. #200 Kailua HI 96734 808.262.9977

I found the first store in a suburban mall, near a CrossFit studio and what looked like a small swamp. Although parking was easy and plentiful, the entrance itself was confusing. A sign outside showed the store as open, but then there was a closed door, which turned out to be a stairwell. So, up I went. When I emerged onto the showroom floor, I saw ukuleles directly in front of me; to my right were basses, amps and guitars. Van Halen was playing on the radio. A gentleman behind the counter started to speak to me as I walked over to the ukes, taking in the bright orange and blue lacquered bodies. What I would soon learn about ukes in Hawaii is that the most expensive—or “top shelf”—ukes are toward the top of the wall, and usually behind the counter. The more entrylevel ukes tend to be near the bottom, whereas the mid-range ukes are in the middle. When I turned around, the clerk started to explain to me that the most expensive ukes were to my right, behind a second counter adjacent to where he stood. The brand was Kamaka, he said, and they were made right down the street, crafted from the prized koa wood that the original Hawaiian ukes of the past were made from. We got into a long conversation about the protection of koa, harvesting limits and how some ukuleles are lacquered for a more affordable price. Then, he pointed out a Koaloha for $799. By that point, the sheer number of variations among the ukuleles was keeping me on my toes: different woods, embellishments, sizes, etc…. Anyone who knows ukes will know what I’m talking about. “Every year, some schools go and take a trip to the Acacia koa plant,” the clerk said. “It takes 30 years to grow. Most koa is harvested from private lands…from rainforest on the Big Island.” I pointed at one pretty koa ukulele, but he said it doesn’t sound that great, explaining the wood has to break in. Out on the floor, an entire display was dedicated to the entry-level Makala Waterman ($53) from Kala Brand. As I poked around, the clerk continued, “Everything makes a difference, even the wood. Mahogany is warmer sounding.” He added, “The guy who owns Kala was from here originally. He wanted to expand to more woods and different sizes.” Among the models that I noticed were a Gretsch ($109.89), a Kala Brand mahogany baritone ($219.99) and a LAG Tiki Uku ($114). I noticed a spalted maple from Kala Brand ($199), a Makai ($249.99) and a Kala Brand mahogany travel tenor ($249.99), about which the clerk was particularly excited. “It comes with a padded gig JANUARY 2017

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bag,” he noted. “Some people don’t want to like it, but they end up leaving with it. It’s great for travel.” My time at Coconut Grove Music was running out. The next stop was back near Honolulu, but, first, I hit the windy, idyllic beach in Kailua.

GoodGuy’s Music & Sound 619 Kapahulu Ave. Honolulu HI 96816 808.732.4663

The next shop was located on the outskirts of Honolulu. After a breakfast of loco moco near the hotel, I headed over to a strip mall near Papa Murphy’s pizza. For such a small space, the store was packed, with guitars and basses hanging overhead toward the front and back, as well as behind the long counter to the right upon entering the building. The Owner was busy helping someone, so I eyed a tiny end cap display of expensive koa ukuleles. A clerk, who noticed me staring, explained the various ukulele sizes. He elucidated the difference between a tenor neck or body, a soprano neck or body, and a concert body, adding that the local Hawaiian ukuleles were higher in price ($800 to $1,200). He pointed out a confusing price sheet to the right of the handful of ukuleles. To my left, on the wall, was a range of entry-level to mid-range ukuleles. On the wall, behind the counter, I spied the more expensive ukuleles. The mysterious thing about GoodGuy’s was that there were absolutely no prices on anything. I had to ask the clerk or the Owner to check the prices; even then, he gave me a range, pointing out the instruments on the far back wall one by one. I noted an entrylevel piece from the Waikiki ukulele company. “That’s $50…nice sound,” he told me. Other brands included Makai, Lanikai, Ali’i, all in various shapes and sizes. The shop felt very old school…very native Hawaii. Locals were casually chatting; there was a generally laid-back vibe; and no one was in a rush to sell me anything. Some of the more expensive models were $649 and up, the clerk informed me. There were all-koa ukuleles up behind the counter, and I spotted a Martin in mahogany ($500 used) with a warped back. After some discussion, I gathered that the ukes low on the wall were $50 to $79, whereas the middle of wall was populated with the $249 range and up. Having already been in the shop for a while, I didn’t want to ask the price on each uke individually. So, I decided to head out to Easy Music Center.

Easy Music Center 1314 S. King St., Ste. G1 Honolulu HI 96814 808.591.0999

Driving through the streets of Honolulu, I couldn’t help but notice all the giant square skyscrapers full of hotels, some in very strange Japanese fashion that evoked the movie “Blade Runner.” I wondered about the architecture 66

while I drove, then I parked near the warehouse building where Easy Music Center is located. I passed pho and ramen places, local hole-in-the-wall restaurants and fitness studios. As I walked in, my ears pricked up when I heard Led Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” playing loudly. One clerk didn’t see me when I walked in, but a second and third one said, “Hello.” The first clerk eventually approached to ask if I needed anything. I walked directly toward the back, where one of the salespeople had pointed to a wall, stocked high up to the ceiling, covered in more shapes, sizes and styles of ukuleles than I had ever seen. I stared at various models and wondered how they were organized, assuming it was the standard I’d seen so far: the highest-priced, locally made, koa wood models on the top and the entrylevel ukes near the floor. That arrangement was confirmed when a clerk with dyed hair saw me struggling and came to help out. There had to be hundreds of ukuleles at the store. I saw a $99 guitalele, an Acacia tenor from Kala Brand ($379), a Makala soprano in blue ($46.99), an Islander mahogany tenor ($399.99) and an Islander Asian Acacia tenor ($156). The clerk explained to me that the concert ukuleles were on the wall in front of me, opposing the side wall to my left, where all the others hung. He continued, “The top two rows are koa. They are locally made Kamaka and Koaloha brands,” he said. “They also have a deluxe tenor with a different decorative trim and slightly different sound. There’s one with a mahogany soundboard and one with spruce.” The clerk added, “Elvis played the soprano. When you see people playing ukes on TV, they are usually playing soprano. There are some larger guitar ukuleles, but soprano is the standard.” The koa models on the top were diverse. Some were pure koa wood, and they ranged in price up to $2,500. “All the ones on top are made on the island,” I was told. That confirmed the koa mystique I’d been picking up from the mission’s beginning. There were koa and koa laminate ukes near the top, and I spied a range of soprano, tenor and concert sizes. The highly knowledgeable clerk continued to give me lots of information. It was all very helpful, of course, but it left my head spinning with uke options. Granted…not a bad problem to have. After staring at the different colors and grains of native wood, I was starting to (for real) pine for a uke. It didn’t help that, ever since I had gotten to the island, even though I hadn’t actually seen a single rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole’s famous song, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” what with its earnest ukulele strumming, would not leave my head. The clerk snapped me back to reality, saying the ukes on the top row were all $900 and up. I spotted a Martin uke superficially similar to the one I had seen at GoodGuy’s; it was going for $1,499. My eyes drifted toward the bottom rows, where entry-level soprano models from Kala Brand, Lanikai and Makala, just to name a few, were found. Those ranged from $50 to $239. As I left the store, the radio was cranking Rasta electronic music.

WestSide Music Hawaii 94-239 Waipahu Depot St. Waipahu HI 96797 808.676.8008

I had planned to head to the lesser-known beaches on the west side of Oahu, which coincided with the last store on my list. WestSide Music Hawaii was on the way to Makaha Beach, an unspoiled beauty on the poorer side of the island, near the also-stellar Yokohama Beach. The store is located in a tiny strip mall. It was perhaps the tiniest space I had visited yet. When I arrived, the clerk was busy talking with a few locals about different ukes. I noticed a back room, which was very small and filled with consignment gear. There was one used baritone uke (made in Germany) on the wall in the consignment room; it was going for $69. I asked the clerk, once he was available, to give me the lowdown. “The expensive ukes are the four on the far left on the back wall behind me,” he said, pointing to the top-shelf row of koa models I had grown accustomed to seeing as the standard method of display in Hawaii. I took in two spruce Makai ukuleles: a tenor ($134.99) and concert ($109). The store had a slim selection, which also included a Makala concert ($109), an under-$100 Lanikai Sailor Jerry, two Kala Brand models ($169.99 and $115.99, respectively), another Makai ($149.99), and a number of embellished cheapie Makala models in lime green, blue and pink ($69 apiece). The more expensive offerings were a concert in koa ($499.99), a concert rosetti ($699) and two additional ukes ($600 and $760, respectively), all of them from Kalihi. The clerk was helpful in answering my questions and attentive to my needs, even while chatting with locals. I waved goodbye before leaving the store, bidding the mission a fond farewell.

The Sale

In the end, Easy Music Center wins for the sheer volume of ukuleles from which to choose, along with the informed clerks who were willing to help and give a breakdown. Coconut Grove Music would be the second choice, due to the easy parking and the friendliness of the clerk. Third on the list would be WestSide Music. Fourth would be GoodGuy’s Music & Sound, but only because pricing wasn’t clear upon walking in. That, of course, meant having to talk in depth to the clerk about each ukulele. All in all, each store had that calm “aloha” spirit. There was no hard selling; the clerks were willing to answer questions; and they let me hang around as long as I wanted to. JANUARY 2017

LEGENDARY SOUND

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(Published as supplied by NAMM.)

NAMM U Schedule At The NAMM Show

NAMM University is proud to offer the ever-popular free Breakfast Sessions each morning of the show at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel. Come listen to top industry insiders share opportunities and challenges facing our business today. Once the show opens, NAMM has focused sessions every 30 minutes in the NAMM Idea Center to help you maximize your time on the show floor. Each session is loaded with great information and is free to all attendees.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 Retail Boot Camp 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Levels 2 and 4

Get to The 2017 NAMM Show a day early for Retail Boot Camp! For the first time at The NAMM Show, Retail Boot Camp will feature two different tracks, offering the best intensive one-day training for everyone in a music retail business. Registration and refreshments will be from 8:30–9 a.m. (Lunch will be served at noon.) Retail Boot Camp is free to all NAMM retail members, but you must sign up. Go to namm.org and log in to register.

Track 1: Retail Boot Camp – Sales, Marketing & Websites

Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor; Larry Bailin, Digital Marketing Pioneer; and Ben Blakesley, Marketing Expert

Track 2: Retail Boot Camp – Financial Management Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 NAMM U Breakfast Session 8–8:30 a.m. Free breakfast—first come, first served 8:30–9:30 a.m. Session Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms, Second Floor Breakfast of Champions

Joe Lamond, NAMM President and CEO, and Guests In the near future, 70 percent of the population will be walking around with a supercomputer in their pockets; the sharing economy will upend the very concept of ownership; and all indicators suggest we’ll spend part of the day in our own virtual worlds. How will the music products industry fit into this new reality? To explore that question, The 2017 NAMM Show kicks off with the ultimate innovation summit, “Breakfast of Champions.” In a series of one-on-one interviews, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond will speak with the biggest innovators in the music industry, and beyond, about how they’re creating the future right now. A must-attend session for NAMM members wanting to chart the future of their businesses for the years ahead.

NAMM IDEA CENTER LEVEL 1 LOBBY (BETWEEN HALLS B AND C) OPEN 10:30 A.M.–5:30 P.M. SESSIONS START EVERY 30 MINUTES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

10:30 a.m. 7 Ways to Supercharge Your Lesson Program

Carol Cook, The Music Room Get more lesson sign-ups, increase retention and improve your lesson operations— all while boosting add-on sales in your retail business. Join Carol Cook, owner of The Music Room, as she shares seven critical steps she’s used to grow her thriving lesson program. She’ll offer proven tips for closing the sale to prospective students, tightening up lesson-administration practices and setting students up to succeed for better retention. Whether you’re new to offering lessons or running a thriving music school, you’ll want to be at this session.

11 a.m. 5 New Things You Must Know About Instagram

Ben Blakesley, Marketing Expert and Social Media Marketing Leader of Reebok If you’re using Instagram for your business in the same old way, you’re missing out! Two years ago, Ben Blakesley, marketing guru and music retail expert, took NAMM audiences through the “5 Things You Must Know About Instagram.” Since then, the platform has changed substantially. Blakesley returns to NAMM to take you through the most important new features and functionality. Walk away knowing how you can better connect with your customers, and make the most of your Instagram marketing.

11:30 a.m. How to Improve Your Local Google Visibility

Scott Dailey, Single Throw Marketing Is your music store showing up on the first page of Google? Are local customers finding you when they search for the products and services you sell? In this impactful half-hour, Scott Dailey, digital business expert and vice president of Single Throw Marketing, will literally give away practical steps you can take to go from being invisible to being among the top local page 1 options on Google. Dailey will discuss how to turn a lifeless website into a page 1 local staple and offer tips for cleaning up inaccurate information that prevents buyers from finding you online. Find out how to compete against bigger, more digitally dominant local competitors and appeal to an impatient mobile consumer.

12 p.m. 5 Steps to More Profitable Displays

Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor Your employees simply can’t be everywhere suggesting add-ons to customers. Displays are your silent salesperson, whether they’re intriguing windows to impulse items at checkout. Fresh off the heels of Retail Boot Camp, Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor, will show how effective displays are the foundation of a healthy business. Get his tips for creating high-impact, profitable displays that move more product.

12:30 p.m. 5 Ideas to Improve Your Website Now

Will Mason, Mason Music Your website is your digital salesperson and receptionist, but are you treating it that way? In this value-packed session, Will Mason of Mason Music will get specific with five improvements to help you upgrade your website. These can result in an immediate difference to your business by getting more people to your site and selling them on your brand. He’ll cover everything from compelling website images and effective ways to tell your story online to SEO hacks and tips to add value to your site. Whether you want to give your website a tweak or a complete overhaul, you’ll want to be at this presentation.

1 p.m. How to Build Better Facebook Ads

Myrna Sislen, Middle C Music, and Ryan Sargent, MakeMusic Facebook ads often fail because the right people don’t see them. Don’t let your Facebook ads be ignored! Ryan Sargent, social media manager for MakeMusic, and Myrna Sislen, owner of Middle C Music, will show you how to use Facebook’s built-in tools to help improve your next ad campaign. They’ll walk you through optimizing your audience targeting, running automatic tests to make your ads more relevant and tracking your results. You’ll get a guided tour of Facebook’s Power Editor and discover how to get your next campaign seen in just a few minutes. Using Middle C Music’s Facebook ads as a case study, Sargent and Sislen will also provide real-world examples you can use.

1:30 p.m. Music Lessons: How We Went From 90 to 900 Students

Noel Wentworth, Wentworth Music Wentworth Music has grown its lesson program from 90 to 900-plus students. Join Noel Wentworth, the company’s vice president of education, to find out how he did it, and what it can mean for your program. He’ll show how to apply the same free marketing strategies he used to create massive word-of-mouth buzz, PR and advertising that transformed his lesson program from an underdog to the dominant player in his market. Discover why performance opportunities, community involvement and storytelling are the most valuable tools in growing your lesson program—and your business.

2 p.m. 30 Ways to Increase Profits by 30 Percent—or More

Joel Menchey, Menchey Music Service Don’t miss out on opportunities to improve your profitability! Join Joel Menchey of Menchey Music for this fast-moving, can’t-miss session. Inspired by the book Double

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XPRS SERIES ACTIVE SPEAKERS NATURAL EXPRESSION VERSATILE PLUG-AND-PL AY SYSTEM TH AT COMBINES PIONEER PRO AUDIO SOUND ENGINEERING WITH POWERSOF T ENERGY EFFICIENCY & RELI ABILIT Y BIRCH ENCLOSURES & HIGH QUALIT Y DRIVERS 2400W CLASS D AMPS BY POWERSOFT ROTATABLE HORN & DUAL ANGLE POLE MOUNT (XPRS12/XPRS15) F O U R E Q M O D E S & M U LT I P L E C O N N E C T I O N S F O R F L E X I B L E S E T- U P AUTO-RANGING POWER SUPPLY & ADVANCED PROTECTION FEATURES

P I O N E E R P R OA U D I O. C O M

Your Profits In Six Months or Less, he’ll reveal 30 straightforward ideas you can use to boost your profits in a short period of time—ideas you haven’t heard before. Get a checklist of tried-and-true tips for increasing revenues and cutting costs that will go straight to the bottom line.

2:30 p.m. How to Get Found on Google: SEO Tips in Plain English

CJ Averwater, Amro Music If you’re not showing up in the top five results on Google, you’re missing out on 75 percent of web traffic. In this session, CJ Averwater, vice president of Amro Music, will share practical, easy-to-implement tips to increase your page rank, along with searchengine-optimization trends to watch for in the future. These ideas have worked for him—find out how they can work for you, too. As a bonus, he’ll look at when and how to find SEO companies that can help you.

3 p.m. New Merchandising Ideas to Drive Sales

Tracy Leenman, Musical Innovations You can stock all the right products but miss out on sales because of poor merchandising. Don’t let this happen! Here, NAMM’s 2015 Dealer of the Year, Tracy Leenman of Musical Innovations, will discuss merchandising tips to help you increase sales, product turns and customer satisfaction. Featuring successful examples from her own showroom, she’ll focus on easy-to-implement, proven ideas you can take back to your store and use immediately. And if you’ve been to Leenman’s past merchandising sessions, get ready for new concepts you haven’t heard before.

3:30 p.m. 5 Strategies to Grow Your Rental Program

Daniel Jobe, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. (Moderator); Leslie Faltin, Instrumental Music Center; Jeff Bertrand, Bertrand’s Music; and Peter Sides, Robert M. Sides Family Music Center Want to grow your rental business and make it more profitable? Want to see how other successful school music retailers do it? If so, this is a must-attend session. Daniel Jobe, music retail consultant of the CPA firm Friedman, Kannenberg & Co., will lead a dynamic panel with school music retail experts. They’ll dive into five essential strategies to grow your rental business and bottom line, covering everything from best practices in growing your rental program to creating rental customers for life to financing your rental infrastructure. A session for both longtime and first-time school music retailers alike.

4 p.m. Don’t Give Up on Facebook!

Michael Newman, Michael Newman Consulting Are you frustrated by Facebook’s pay-to-play environment? Are you giving up on Facebook or drastically reducing your Facebook marketing efforts? Not so fast! Michael Newman of Michael Newman Consulting will show you how Facebook can still be a powerful and inexpensive marketing tool for your music retail business. He’ll use real data and examples from successful Facebook marketing campaigns, so you’ll get new ideas for taking your marketing to the next level.

4:30 p.m. How to (Not) Get Sued in Music Retailing

Alan Friedman, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. (Moderator); Ron Bienstock, Scarinci Hollenbeck; and Jim Goldberg, Goldberg & Associates These days, anyone can sue anyone for any reason, and music retailers carry their own special brand of risk. Instrument rental contracts, music teacher agreements, ill-conceived business ownership plans—these are just a few ways you can ruin your business and get crushed by the mammoth cost of litigation. Working under the premise of, “You don’t need to burn your hand on the stove to know it’s hot,” CPA Alan Friedman of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. will moderate this panel of renowned music retailing lawyers, so you can get enlightened and steer clear of major legal pitfalls. (Lawyer jokes will be included.)

5 p.m. How We Broke Into the School Music Business

Stephen Olsen, Blues Angel Music In just three years, Blues Angel Music has built a sizable school music business using limited resources. In this session, Stephen Olsen, the company’s general manager, will show you how Blues Angel did it and also offer best practices you can use to grow your own school music business, or enter the market for the first time. He’ll discuss tips for appealing to band directors, ideas for winning over parents when you can’t win over band directors and how to advertise effectively without blowing your entire budget.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 NAMM U Breakfast Session 8–8:30 a.m. Free breakfast—first come, first served 70

8:30–9:30 a.m. Session Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms, Second Floor 2020: Future-Proof Your Business

Larry Bailin, Best-Selling Author, Digital Marketing Pioneer, and Award-Winning Marketing Executive and Entrepreneur There are only 36 months left in the decade. The year 2020 will introduce a new generation of customers to the world. How they interact, engage and buy may look very different from what you see today. Experts also predict radical economic change in the next decade. Are you prepared? Award-winning marketing executive and author Larry Bailin will help you look at the past and future with new eyes. He’ll walk you through what’s happening now and explain how it affects what comes next. Most importantly, he’ll show you ways to future-proof your business and grow it in the here and now. Prepare for the customers of tomorrow by building better connections with the customers of today!

NAMM IDEA CENTER LEVEL 1 LOBBY (BETWEEN HALLS B AND C) OPEN 10:30 A.M.–5:30 P.M. SESSIONS START EVERY 30 MINUTES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

10:30 a.m. How to Optimize Your YouTube Channel

Jim Tuerk, Reverb.com Want to get more visitors to your company’s YouTube channel, build your customer base and improve your online visibility? Join Jim Tuerk, director of business development for Reverb.com, to explore the often-neglected intersection of video and search engine optimization. He’ll dive into best practices for effective video descriptions, tags, keywords and link-building that can make a big difference to your YouTube channel. Don’t let missed opportunities limit your video marketing. Take your YouTube channel to the next level.

11 a.m. Social Media Marketing Update for 2017

Ben Ash, Sam Ash Music Online marketing and social media can be a moving target. Just look at the explosion of Snapchat, Instagram Stories and Facebook Live during the past year. Don’t miss out on these new opportunities and trends! Join Ben Ash, director of social media at Sam Ash Music, for this exciting half-hour. He’ll walk you through the latest developments in social media, discuss what they mean for your business and show how he uses them at his company—a music retail giant with 45 locations nationwide and an award-winning website. Get the inside story on social marketing in 2017 from a retail leader.

11:30 a.m. Why Google Hates You—and How to Fix It

Larry Bailin, Single Throw Marketing You do a Google search for your store and your products, only to find another store show up first. It’s infuriating. Does this mean Google hates you and likes the other shop better? What makes Google happy? Welcome back digital marketing pioneer Larry Bailin, fresh off the heels of a NAMM U Breakfast Session and Retail Boot Camp. In this presentation, Bailin will break down the barriers that keep you from gaining the top Google positions you deserve. He’ll show you how to keep your music retail business from being de-listed by Google, what it takes to get to page 1 on Google, and pay-perclick mistakes that can cost you money and get you bounced from a top spot. He’ll also show you how to spot a bad SEO vendor from a mile away. Get Google on your side.

12 p.m. YouTube and Facebook: My Most Successful Video (Double Session)

Mitch Gallagher, Sweetwater; Shane Kinney, Drum Center of Portsmouth; and John Mlynczak, Noteflight (Moderator) Video marketing can be the most engaging way to reach an audience, but how do you get your videos noticed in the fast-paced world of YouTube and Facebook? Find out during this panel discussion, which features a team of music retail video experts: Mitch Gallagher of Sweetwater, Shane Kinney of Drum Center of Portsmouth and moderator John Mlynczak of Noteflight. They will demonstrate and discuss their most successful videos, and you’ll walk away with ideas to get the most impact out of your video marketing on YouTube and Facebook.

1 p.m. The Top 5 Website Mistakes by Music Retailers

Sean Roylance, Rain Retail Even successful music retailers make common website mistakes—often unknowingly. After a hit session at Summer NAMM, Sean Roylance, founder of Rain Retail, returns to reveal the top five website blunders and how they impact your online success. Most importantly, you’ll see how these website content and design mistakes get made and how they can be corrected. You’ll leave with an understanding of how to better market your site, increase conversion rates and make more sales. A powerful session for retailers of all types and sizes.

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1:30 p.m. Innovative Store Design Ideas From Top 100 Retailers

Tim Spicer, Spicer’s Music (Moderator); Carlo Gonzalez, Steelwood Guitars; Max Maxwell, Maxwell’s House of Music; and Rand Cook, The Candyman Strings & Things Want an inside look at some of the most innovative store design concepts in music retail? Join moderator Tim Spicer of Spicer’s Music and a panel of NAMM Top 100 retailers—Carlo Gonzalez of Steelwood Guitars, Max Maxwell of Maxwell’s House of Music and Rand Cook of The Candyman Strings & Things—as they reveal their best store design and merchandising ideas. Get an up-close look at their showrooms, and find out how you can apply innovative ideas to your own store design. Discover new ways to deliver a “wow” factor when customers walk in, and keep them coming back.

2 p.m. 7 Low-Cost Promotions to Grow Your Lesson Program

5 p.m. Cross-Promotion Ideas That Grow Your Business

Ernie Lansford, Music Industry Veteran (Moderator); Alan Rosen, Bananas at Large; and Mike Risko, Mike Risko Music School Looking for new business and more sales? How about increased local awareness of your store? Then join music industry veteran Ernie Lansford and this panel of successful independent retailers: Alan Rosen of Bananas at Large and Mike Risko of Mike Risko Music School. In this session, they’ll discuss how to better cross-promote your music store with other local thought leaders, including the community arts, education and business influencers. Hear their proven cross-promotion ideas for engaging and securing powerful relationships in the community. Don’t miss out on these sources of new business!

Paul Myatt, Forte School of Music Imagine running a music lesson program that not only turns a profit but also increases your retail sales. In this session, Paul Myatt, director of Forte School of Music in Australia, will discuss the proven, low-cost guerilla marketing tactics that he’s used to build Forte into a program with more than 4,000 students across 12 locations. Walk away with new ideas to raise your lesson program’s awareness and establish powerful relationships in the community.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21

2:30 p.m. Video Storytelling That Brings Customers in the Door

Guy Kawasaki, Marketing Legend, Best-Selling Author, Chief Evangelist of Canva and Former Chief Evangelist of Apple What’s the secret of the most innovative companies? Why do some consistently outperform everyone else—and stay at the forefront as the competition struggles to keep up? Find out at this special Breakfast Session. NAMM welcomes marketing legend Guy Kawasaki, chief evangelist for Canva, former chief evangelist for Apple and the best-selling author of such classics as “The Art of the Start.” In 60 minutes, Kawasaki will reveal practical, surprising and even counterintuitive ideas to trigger innovation in your own music business—ideas you won’t forget after The NAMM Show. Discover how to create innovative products and services from one of the world’s most influential business thought leaders.

Grant Billings, Steinway Piano Gallery of Naples (Moderator); John Fowler, Shoreline Music; and Will Mason, Mason Music Video storytelling establishes credibility and tells your story like no static picture or text can. How can you take advantage of this powerful tool at your music retail business? Join Grant Billings of Steinway Piano Gallery Naples, John Fowler of Shoreline Music and Will Mason of Mason Music as they reveal their top promotional videos and best practices. They’ll outline how you can get your story out there with video and strike a chord with the best customers who are just waiting to find you.

3 p.m. 5 Ways to Maximize Sales on Reverb.com

Brian Reardon, Monster Music In one year, Monster Music did $130,000 in new business on Reverb.com, an online marketplace for selling gear. In this session, Monster Music owner Brian Reardon will reveal his proven recipe for success on Reverb.com, covering best practices for everything from product photos and listings to customer inquiries and shipping. Find out how he’s grown his business with Reverb.com and, in fact, how many of his listings sell within the first 24 hours.

3:30 p.m. Online Marketing Tips: From YouTube to Email

Ashley Atz, Premier Guitar Magazine (Moderator); Rob Mestric, Port Mac Guitars; Shane Kinney, Drum Center of Portsmouth; and Luke Viertel, Premier Guitar Magazine Marketing online is critical in today’s music retail environment, but how do you cut through the noise and get noticed? What are the most effective methods for getting the word out—and for measuring your success? Join Ashley Atz of Premier Guitar as he moderates this panel discussion with savvy music retail marketers: Rob Mestric of Port Mac Guitars, Shane Kinney of Drum Center of Portsmouth and Luke Viertel of Premier Guitar. They’ll look at proven ideas and best practices for using email marketing, YouTube, third-party online advertising, geotargeting and retargeting. The panel will also discuss helpful metrics to consider when evaluating your marketing plan. Take your online marketing to the next level in the new year!

4 p.m. New Website Changes to Embrace for 2017

John Carley, Trinet Internet Solutions How do you get more customers and prospects to your website—and engage them to do business with you? How do you make your site stand out from the competition? Join website expert John Carley of Trinet Internet Solutions for this important online update. He’ll cover five key changes you’ll want to make to your website in the new year to ensure it’s operating at peak effectiveness. We all employ different online tools, but remember: Your website is often customers’ final destination. Make sure they find you.

4:30 p.m. Take Control of Your Repair Shop’s Bottom Line

Robert Christie, A&G Central Music Your repair shop is critical to your business, so don’t let preventable problems lead to losses—and hurt your relationships with customers. Join Robert Christie of A&G Central Music as he discusses changes he’s made to his repair shop that have improved the customer experience and the bottom line. Take home ideas on improving purchasing, inventory management, and selling repairs and maintenance agreements that can help your repair operation right away. Take control of your bottom line now.

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

NAMM U Breakfast Session 8–8:30 a.m. Free breakfast—first come, first served 8:30–9:30 a.m. Session Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms, Second Floor The Art of Innovation

NAMM IDEA CENTER LEVEL 1 LOBBY (BETWEEN HALLS B AND C) OPEN 10:30 A.M.–5:30 P.M. SESSIONS START EVERY 30 MINUTES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

10:30 a.m. Music Retail Store Design 2020

Corin Birchall, Kerching Retail How will customers shop in the 2020s? The music retail landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade, with seismic shifts in how consumers spend their disposable income. However, developments in music retail store design and the instore experience have been more gradual. In this session, Corin Birchall, founder of Kerching Retail, a retail design, sales and marketing consultancy, will share practical examples of leading retailers that are bridging this gap and creating retail experiences fit for the 2020s. Create a store that customers fall over themselves to visit—without spending a big budget. Make your brick-and-mortar store fit for the 2020s.

11 a.m. Music Retail’s Top Instagram and Facebook Promotions for 2017

Cris Behrens, Summerhays Music Center What are the best Instagram and Facebook promotions in music retail right now? In this fast-paced session, Cris Behrens, marketing manager of Summerhays Music Center, will break down his six favorite campaigns from throughout the music business. Find out how your fellow music retail friends are using Facebook to get in faceto-face contact with end-users and harnessing Instagram to instantly get marketing materials out to the masses. Walk away from this half-hour with new ideas for making the most of these social media platforms.

11:30 a.m. Beyond E-commerce: How Online Can Boost In-Store Sales

Joerg Hermsen, Schmitt Music; Keith Grasso, Island Music Company; and Gordon O’Hara, Retail Up (Moderator) Looking to increase your in-store sales? Look no further than your online presence. In fact, your website and social media can be your two most powerful tools for driving brick-and-mortar traffic. Find out how from this panel of retail experts, including Joerg Hermsen of Schmitt Music and Keith Grasso of Island Music Company with moderator by Gordon O’Hara of Retail Up. In this fast-moving, informative discussion, they’ll share their own best practices and big ideas for creating more success in-store using websites and social marketing.

12 p.m. Innovative Store Design Concepts on a Budget

Tim Pratt, Dietze Music Don’t let your store look like yesterday! Join Tim Pratt of Dietze Music for innova-

tive and proven store design ideas you can do on a dime. During the past five years, Pratt has opened stores, rethought stores and given stores a full-blown facelift. In that process, he had to get creative, so he didn’t overload his budget. Now he’s ready to show you what he discovered, including how to redesign and remerchandise to get more sales from existing departments. Get ready for new ideas you can take back to your business and use right away.

12:30 p.m. Strategies and Secrets of NAMM’s Dealer of the Year

Menzie Pittman, Contemporary Music Center Contemporary Music Center won the highest honor in music retail: NAMM’s 2016 Dealer of the Year. Now, owner Menzie Pittman comes to the NAMM Idea Center to share his strategies and success secrets. Discover how he’s created a competitive advantage that sets him apart from online and chain retail giants. He’ll discuss everything from his award-winning lesson program to events and partnerships that engage the community. Join Menzie for this powerful half-hour, and find out what it all means to your business.

1 p.m. 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Increase Cash Flow

Robin Sassi and Kimberly Deverell, San Diego Music Studio Is business sluggish? Or, are you just looking for a few simple ways to improve cash flow? If so, Robin Sassi and Kimberly Deverell of San Diego Music Studio will share their tricks of the trade. Get proven ideas for boosting cash flow by using free events, services and products. These ideas have worked for them. Discover how they can work for you!

1:30 p.m. The Biggest Mistakes in Lesson Programs

Pete Gamber, Music Inc. Magazine Columnist Do you often ask, “Why aren’t music lessons booming at my store?” If so, consider this: Sometimes, making just one big mistake can stall a lesson program. Here, lessons guru Pete Gamber will lay out the biggest mistakes that impede a program’s success. He’ll also show how fixing any one of these “big mistakes” can transform a weak lesson program into a growing program that differentiates your business from the competition. A must-see session for any retailer with a lessons business.

2 p.m. Powerhouse Promotions That Drive Sales and Traffic

Tim Spicer, Spicer’s Music In just four years, Spicer’s Music has gone from startup to go-to store. Its secret? Hosting powerful events that engage the community and lead to a surge in sales, traffic and customer loyalty. Co-owner Tim Spicer will walk you through these easy-toplan events, along with how he’s used them to compete with larger online retailers, get free advertising and become the local music retail hub. He’ll also look at how to use a street team of brand ambassadors to drive foot traffic and ideas for taking Make Music Day to a new level. A must-see presentation if you host store events or plan to do so.

2:30 p.m. How to Keep a Big Balance in Your Bank Account

Deb Barker and Chad Lyon, Wells Fargo You might think it’s impossible to stock the latest and greatest inventory and still have a large bank balance. But it can be done, whether you’re a new or veteran retailer enjoying financial success or dealing with ongoing challenges. In this session, Deb Barker and Chad Lyon of Wells Fargo will show you a few simple ways (such as matching product terms to financing terms) to grow your bank balance and maintain it for years to come. Discover how to keep ample inventory and ample cash on hand at the same time.

3 p.m. Master Retailers: What I’ve Learned (Double Session)

Kevin Cranley, Willis Music (Moderator); Sammy Ash, Sam Ash Music; George Quinlan Jr., Quinlan & Fabish; Whitney Brown, Ted Brown Music; Pat Averwater, Amro Music; and Cindy Cook, The Candyman Strings & Things How do the best of the best find new opportunities, manage change and solve nagging problems? In this special NAMM U double session, Kevin Cranley, president of Willis Music and former NAMM chairman, moderates a high-powered panel of music retail luminaries: Sammy Ash of Sam Ash Music, George Quinlan Jr. of Quinlan & Fabish, Cindy Cook of The Candyman Strings & Things, Pat Averwater of Amro Music and Whitney Brown of Ted Brown Music. They’ll dive into practical tips for taking your business to the next level, share their biggest lessons learned and also reveal how they face down the same trials you go through on a daily basis. A can’t-miss session for anyone in music retail.

4 p.m. 5 Promotion Ideas to Boost the Bottom Line

Paul Decker, Music Villa; James Schultz, The Guitar Store; Brett Mulzer, Moore Music;

and Eric Feldman, Guitar Shop Tees and Guitar World Columnist (Moderator) What’s your most powerful source of advertising? It’s your customers. But are you truly engaging them to help increase your sales and brand exposure? Join Eric Feldman, founder of Guitar Shop Tees and “Shop Talk” columnist for Guitar World magazine, as he leads a panel with music retail insiders Paul Decker of Music Villa, James Schultz of The Guitar Store and Brett Mulzer of Moore Music. They’ll give you tips to better motivate your existing customer base to spread the word about your store. Get specific ideas and programs that can immediately contribute to the bottom line, and walk away motivated with examples that you can put into action right away.

4:30 p.m. Turn In-Store Events Into Profits

David Vincent, Delve Texas (Moderator); and Panel In-store events aren’t just about promotions—they’re also a way for brick-and-mortar retailers to increase sales, traffic and, ultimately, profits. After a hit session last year, David Vincent of Delve Texas returns to moderate this dynamic panel discussion and show you how to make the most of your in-store events. Discover retail success stories, along with tips for increasing foot traffic, promoting and capitalizing on events, and partnering with manufacturers.

5 p.m. “But What if I Die?”—Succession Tips for Music Retailers

Alan Friedman, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co., and Jaimie Blackman, Succession Planner and Wealth Manager No matter how certain our futures appear, more certain is that our careers will end at some point. With that certainty in mind, succession planning should be an essential part of your business plan. Unfortunately, it’s easy to put off thinking about how to transition your business, even though business struggles, an owner’s failing health and the demise of a key manager can force that transition. Right now (while you’re still alive), is the single best time to begin succession planning. Join Alan Friedman, CPA, of Friedman, Kanneberg & Co. and succession planner and wealth manager Jaimie Blackman for a meaningful discussion on why succession planning can’t—and shouldn’t—wait.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22 NAMM U Breakfast Session 8–8:30 a.m. Free breakfast—first come, first served 8:30–9:30 a.m. Session Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Pacific Ballrooms, Second Floor Best in Show

Frank Alkyer, Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily Magazines, and Panelists What will be the biggest products, must-see innovations and technology breakthroughs in the new year? What do you need to check out before you leave Anaheim? Discover this and more at “Best in Show,” the legendary NAMM U Breakfast Session that closes out Sunday. Host Frank Alkyer, publisher of Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily magazines, will moderate this fast-moving discussion with six music retail experts. They’ll reveal their picks from the show, offer hands-on demos and also look at why these products and services will make a big impact with customers. Don’t miss this must-attend session for retailers and manufacturers alike.

NAMM IDEA CENTER LEVEL 1 LOBBY (BETWEEN HALLS B AND C) OPEN 10:30 A.M.–4 P.M. SESSIONS START EVERY 30 MINUTES UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

10:30 a.m. 5 Ways to Boost Your Brand in the Music Business

Brett Berhoff, Entrepreneur and Thought Leader For musicians, retailers and manufacturers alike, your brand is one of your most powerful tools. Join entrepreneur, thought leader and Huffington Post contributor Brett Berhoff to explore creative marketing strategies, and harness the power of your brand! Berhoff will touch upon everything from handling rejection to expanding opportunity in the music business.

11 a.m. Lessons Learned, Featuring Omar Hakim and Rachel Z (Double Session)

Chandra Lynn, GlowLiving (Host); Omar Hakim, Drummer; and Rachel Z, Keyboard Player Every musician experiences ups and downs on the road of life, but you can avoid big pitfalls by taking other people’s advice to heart. In this session, Chandra Lynn, MI marketing veteran and host of glowliving.com, takes her “Lessons Learned” video interview series to the NAMM Idea Center’s live stage for hard-won wisdom from

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legendary drummer Omar Hakim (Sting, David Bowie, Journey and Madonna) and keyboardist Rachel Z (Peter Gabriel, Vertu with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, and Pino Daniele). This interview will explore their experience with auditioning for gigs, leveraging endorsements, honing technical chops, and staying healthy and balanced on the road.

12 p.m. How to Build a Fan Base on YouTube (Double Session)

Laura B. Whitmore, Mad Sun Marketing (Moderator); and Panel YouTube offers endless opportunities for artists to grow their fan base. Are you making the most of this video platform? In this session, Laura B. Whitmore, president of Mad Sun Marketing, will sit down with artists who built their careers using YouTube. Hear their unique stories and approaches. Most of all, get firsthand advice for leveraging the video platform, and take your career to new heights.

1 p.m. Marketing and PR Power Tips for Musicians (Double Session)

Jillian Kelleher, Connector Entertainment Group (Moderator); Victor Brodén, Bassist; and Ed James, Anthemic Agency It’s no secret that traditional A&R and the days of scoring a career-making record deal are just about gone. Today, it’s not about who you know—it’s about who knows you. Whether it’s sharing covers on Snapchat or reaching out to the world on Instagram, there’s a set of best marketing and PR practices that every musician should abide by, along with some out-of-the-box tips and tricks for getting noticed in a saturated mar-

ket. Join Jillian Kelleher of Connector Entertainment Group for an in-depth discussion with industry experts on everything from creating strategic content to brand partnerships. Stop trying to find the right people. Teach them to find you!

2 p.m. Hit Songwriting Strategies: Change for the Changing Industry (Double Session)

Thornton Cline, Award-Winning Songwriter (Moderator); Michele Vice-Maslin, Songwriter; Ted Perlman, Producer and Songwriter; and Gloria Loring, Artist The music industry is constantly evolving. Hit songwriting and business strategies that used to work may not be relevant in today’s ever-changing music industry. In this session, award-winning songwriter Thornton Cline will lead a panel of hit songwriters who will show you how to navigate these changes. Get new strategies and helpful advice from industry insiders and top professionals on how to achieve songwriting success through staying current.

3 p.m. Women in the Music Industry Sound Off (Double Session)

Laura B. Whitmore, Women’s International Music Network (Moderator); and Panel Ever feel like you’re a lone woman navigating the music industry? Rest assured, we’re with you! In this insightful session, leading female music industry VIPs share their insights, strategies and stories, focusing on challenges and successes. Hosted by Laura B. Whitmore, founder of the Women’s International Music Network, this fast-paced hour welcomes men, too!

NAMM Retail Tech Stage At The NAMM Show Educational sessions on retail software and technology platforms, presented by NAMM Service Providers.

NAMM Member Center Level 1 Lobby THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 11 a.m. Rain Retail: How to Manage All Your Sales Channels From the Cloud

Sean Roylance, Rain Retail Find out how new cloud technology lets you manage your in-store, online and thirdparty marketplaces from one system. Here, Sean Roylance of Rain Retail will reveal how product information can be entered just one time to update all your sales channels instantly. He’ll also explore how Rain’s cloud-based POS system can integrate with your various channels to not only manage retail sales but also rentals, service, repair and classes.

12 p.m. Tri-Technical Systems: Turn AIMsi Data Into Profits

Bill Steppan, Tri-Technical Systems Join Bill Steppan of Tri-Technical Systems, and discover how to acquire timely data from AIMsi to help preserve cash, generate greater returns on inventory investment and improve profitability. He’ll discuss optimizing your min/max reorder quantities based on your preferred ordering schedule to reduce overall inventory, while increasing turns on your best-sellers. Also, get new ideas for increasing your spending efficiency by combining special orders with store stock.

1 p.m. Reverb.com: New Seller Tools to Grow Your Business

Dan Melnick, Reverb.com Do you feel as if you don’t have the time, money or tech-savvy to expand your business online? Find out how online music gear marketplace Reverb.com can do the heavy lifting for you. Join Dan Melnick, the company’s chief operating officer, as he gives a behind-the-scenes look at the technology that powers Reverb.com. He’ll discuss the latest seller tools and how music retailers can take advantage of these tools to reach millions of new customers and compete on a global scale.

2 p.m. Retail Up: How to Integrate Your POS With Outside Programs

Gordon O’Hara, Retail Up Your in-store point-of-sale system is a hub that can integrate with many other outside programs, ranging from your accounting, reporting and manufacturer ordering to your

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

online listing services, website and credit-card processing. This session, hosted by Gordon O’Hara of Retail Up, will explore each of these areas. It will look at common integrations and review how you can extend the power of your POS system to increase communications with outside systems, sales, tracking and the reach of your staff— and reduce time spent managing your store and expenses.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 11 a.m. NAMM Standards: How to Get Started

Thomas Bruton, NAMM Standards Committee Find out why music retailers are embracing the NAMM Standards to reduce time to market for new products and reduce errors in purchasing, receiving and invoicing. Here, Thomas Bruton of the NAMM Standards Committee will give you practical steps to get started. He’ll cover everything from creating a data-centric team to measuring success with the NAMM Standards. Discover how to take advantage of this powerful, free resource to help simplify website updates and product purchasing, not to mention save time and money.

12 p.m. Pro-Active: Turn Your Website Into a Marketing Powerhouse

Bill Walzak, Pro-Active Websites Your website can be your most powerful marketing tool. Are you treating it that way? Join Bill Walzak of Pro-Active for tips and strategies to get the most out of your site. This session will cover everything from website navigation and visitor engagement to mobile and calls to action. It will also touch upon online promotions, social media sharing and cross-pollinating your website within your store and vice versa.

1 p.m. Myles Enterprises: How to Gather Supplier Product Data

Myles Reck, Myles Enterprises Gathering manufacturer and distributor product data for your inventory systems and website shopping carts can be daunting. In this session, Myles Reck of Myles Enterprises will discuss who has what and how to get it so that you can reduce the amount of time spent on data retrieval and updating systems. Is it more effective to go direct to the manufacturer or use a third party’s data store containing multiple manufacturers? Does your current POS provider offer data updating services? And how does the NAMM Standards Item Document fit into data collection? Find out at this session.

S PECI AL T O THE R ETAIL ER

GETTING TO ‘YOU’RE

HIRED!’

By Michael and Leslie Faltin We love our little corner of the Sonoran Desert, populated as it is with good folks and many fine examples of the statuesque saguaro cactus. Maybe it’s the 115-plus-degree summer temperatures or the massive lightning storms that follow, but the people here are a little different. We don’t respond to no fancy, big-town, flim-flam sales jargon! We want it straight and honest, and we want to deal with someone who rubs us the right way. The Tucson AZ metro area is home to nearly one million people. And nearly every day, when one of us ventures out, we run into someone who is our customer. We literally cannot remember one conversation where someone didn’t have nice things to say about our business. We like it that way. The quality of the interactions is what separates our store from the local competition, as well as from online and catalog retailers. Because our employees represent us to our customers, they are absolutely the most important link in the retail chain. Payroll expenses are our largest line item other than “cost of goods sold,” and we’ve realized that the best investment we can make is to hire amazing people. We find people who “get” us, and who realize they’re an integral part of a team that is unique and special. We believe that we’ve developed a culture at our store— a bond among the staff—that makes them a team that can accomplish almost anything. We know that great salespeople pay for themselves several times over; sometimes, though, people who consider themselves “professional salespeople” aren’t the kind of folks our customers like to buy from. In general, we try to find great people who reflect our values. We look for people who are intelligent, who possess problem-solving skills and who, ide74

ally, have some experience making music. The priorities are in that order. A great interaction with the customer is our goal. Where you search for employees can greatly affect the quality of choices you get. For sheer volume (even at the expense of quality applicants), we use Craigslist to generate interest in employment at Instrumental Music Center. The cost is low, and respondents must be somewhat computer literate. This avenue is a mixed blessing: Lots of applicants, but, often, they’re people who are unemployed for a reason. Us: Dear applicant: Can you come in and interview tomorrow? Her: No, sorry. I’m attending a training on how to get a job and I’m not available. Us: How long is the training? Her: It’s ongoing, and I’ve been going to this training class for three months now. Us: … Hiring temporary employees for super-busy seasons has given us a chance to see how people operate in high-pressure situations. We use word of mouth and social media to help fill those positions. All of these workers know their job is temporary, but, if we see a diamond in the rough, we try to convert him or her to a permanent position. This approach gives us a chance to see someone we aren’t sure about in action. Ultimately, some of our best employees have come to us through working seasonal events. OK, now it’s the time when we part with our secret formula… #1 Hire the right people. #2 Be willing to get rid of the folks who don’t add to the equation. Let’s start with the first one. We don’t have application forms. In this day and age, you should be computer literate enough to slap together some kind of résumé from some Web site. With luck, you are coherent enough to change the heading from “Your Name Here!” to your actual name. People who can do this are winners! Beyond that, we attach a small sheet to incoming résumés that allows the employee receiving the document to add some first-impression comments. Those comments range from professional appearance, to attitude issues, to notes about odd behavior. We take every opportunity we have to gather data so that we can make the best choice possible. We have been known to do Google searches on folks, and we’ve even looked at prospective applicants’ Facebook timelines. When interviewing applicants, we are on the lookout for any potentially useful information. Did they arrive on time? Did they wear flip-flops? Did they spin on the drum throne and fidget like a toddler? Are they able to get to the point, or do they ramble on and on (and on)? All of those are indications about how that person will behave if hired. We hire primarily based on personality, not knowledge. We can teach people why there are so many types of clarinet reeds; conversely, however, we can’t teach them to care about people and be polite. It started as kind of a joke, but we would ask applicants if they knew the square root of 36. (continued on page 91) JANUARY 2017

FROM T H E TR ENCHE S

LOAF OF BREAD, QUART OF MILK… By Allen McBroom Everyone knows the location of the convenience stores that are closest to home. You also know the location of the convenience stores that are closest to work. You know which ones you like to visit and which ones you avoid, because we all do some mental sorting and filtering when it comes to choosing one. Is it clean? Are there unsavory sorts loitering around the front of the building? Is their gas a good price, or are they higher than most? Considering 80 percent of all fuel in America is sold by convenience stores, the last question is asked a lot. Is the clerk at the counter friendly or surly? Is the place well lit? You can modify that checklist, but, chances are, our filters are pretty similar. We all use convenience stores because they’re convenient. It’s a lot easier to grab a loaf of bread or a quart of milk at the convenience store than it is to go to the supermarket, park, walk miles to find what you need, stand in line and then drive out of the parking lot. We perceive our time as having value. Thus, even though the milk and bread might be a bit higher in price at the corner store than at the supermarket, we don’t care. The slightly higher cost is a small price to pay for the convenience…a small price for saving 20 minutes by not going to the supermarket. One truism about convenience store operators is this: They understand how to pull in, and sell to, their market. They know they can charge more for a Slim Jim, more for a six-pack and more for potato chips than the supermarket can. They also know the draw they have with us, the public, is the quick availability—and the affordable price—of fuel. They all stay within a few cents of each other on gas, and they make up the difference on the small items where a higher price doesn’t impede sales. Independent music stores and small music retailers would do well to examine the convenience store model and consider how it might apply to their own business. The mantra of the small store in recent years has been sounding something like this: “How can we sell ABC for a profit when it costs us $3.50 and the online monster-of-the-moment is selling ABC for $3.25, with no sales tax and free shipping?” Feel free to substitute anything into the ABC slot: strings, capos, straps, tuners, etc. Acces76

sories with no MAP are fertile ground for the Internet demolition crews…the masters of the race to the bottom. If you’ve been feeling that way, then back up for a moment. Remember the convenience store model. You can sell ABC at a decent margin (not the specious MSRP but, rather, a price that builds in a decent margin) by becoming a music convenience store. When folks need or want a set of strings, they want them right now, not in three or four days. You’ve got those strings available right now. That means you’ve got the convenience aspect covered. Now, how about the rest of the filtering? Is your store well lit and staffed by friendly folks? Are customers greeted with a smile when they enter? Here’s one: Are your big items (guitars, keyboards, etc.) priced at or near MAP? That’s the analog to posting a fuel price. Say everyone knows a certain model guitar sells for $699 (MAP) beIndies would do well to examine the cause they’re all over the Internet at that price. If a customer sees that the in-store convenience store model and how it model you have is also $699, he’ll most likely think all your prices are probably might apply to their own business. OK, right? Folks who frequent music stores (or music Web sites) have a general knowledge of what some items usually cost. That’s at least true of the items they’ve been checking out recently. They have gotten used to seeing MAP on specific models. So, when they see that item in your store, it has to be at or near MAP. If they see an item in your store that they aren’t familiar with, you can be sure they will note your price and check it against online prices. If you aren’t at or near MAP, that’s the equivalent of being 20 cents over everyone else at the fuel pump in the convenience store world. Want to see how this idea looks to your customer? Google one of your serialized items—one with an enforced MAP—and then look at your price and compare it to the online prices you see. Whom would you buy from? Even if you’re at MAP already, the Internet seller still has the advantage of no sales tax and free shipping. So, you have to overcome that by passing the filters we talked about earlier. Having a neat store, a friendly staff and a welcoming vibe go a long way toward making you the leading contender in completing the sale. It’s hard for a Web site to overcome a handshake, a smile, an offer of fresh coffee and a hands-on demo. If you make the sale, you just beat your competition at the pumps. Well done! On smaller-ticket items (e.g., accessories, non-serialized products), most folks don’t do a lot of price checking. They need it, you have it and the bigger-ticket items have already confirmed your prices are OK. They feel comfortable grabbing what they need from your store. That’s the bread-and-milk equivalent for your business. Your customers won’t mind paying a bit more for the convenience you offer. Again, keep in mind that you must pass the filter test just to get them in. Once that’s done, though, having what they want will usually make the sale. In the end, we (of course) aren’t convenience stores. However, we are stores that can offer convenience, and for a better margin than conventional wisdom might have led us to believe. Just as long, that is, as we make sure our stores pass the filter test. Happy trails…. JANUARY 2017

You can’t keep your eyes off the…drum kit, right? Watch it come to life on ConventionTV@NAMM....

FRONT AND CE NTER

BEV FOWLER Director Of Artist Relations, PRS Guitars

By Myki Angeline Bev Fowler has become a well-known name in MI for her work in artist relations for PRS Guitars, where she leads a team that supports the company’s family of artists and collaborates with the marketing team to promote those artists. On any given day, you might find her on the phone with artists like Carlos Santana and John Mayer, performing emergency tasks like overnighting equipment to Mark Tremonti, Neal Schon or Zach Myers, or assisting with preparations and event strategies for industry events like NAMM, Experience PRS and more. Fowler is also a philanthropist, helping to raise $5 million for the Living with Cancer Resource Program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, by means of PRS’ events and partnership with that institution. During the NAMM Show, Fowler will be honored at the She Rocks Awards, which takes place on January 20 at the Hilton Anaheim. The WiMN recently spoke with Fowler about her start in the MI industry, her experiences at PRS and the multiple roles she’s played at the company, as well as her thoughts on role models and females in our industry. For more on PRS Guitars, visit prsguitars. com. 78

The Women’s International Music Network: What is your first recollection of being involved with music? Bev Fowler: Music was a big part of my life from early childhood. My dad had an extensive record collection with a wide array of genres. I always credit him for my ultimate love and appreciation for music, as he exposed me to different types of music. The WiMN: How did you enter the MI workforce? Fowler: At age 17, I was offered a part-time job by a family friend. I was a senior in high school with hopes of pursuing a college degree in psychology. But, I began to work as an Office Assistant for a manufacturer’s rep firm that specialized in pro-audio and sound contracting, and I quickly worked my way up into a position in inside sales. I eventually got my psychology degree, but I decided to pursue my career in the music industry instead. For 12 years, I had the privilege of representing brands such as HARMAN Professional, Sony Pro Audio and Rane Corp. The WiMN: You’re currently Director of Artist Relations at PRS Guitars. Have you held any other positions at the company? Fowler: I started my tenure at PRS as the Executive Assistant to the President. That position exposed me to all facets of the business, including manufacturing, sales, marketing and accounting. I had opportunities to interact with our artist endorsers, and I began to establish working relationships with many of them. I really enjoyed that aspect of my job, and I found myself wanting to work with the artists more. Eventually, I was offered the opportunity to join the artist relations team. The WiMN: Describe a typical day. Fowler: Every day is different! I often describe my job as a tornado and constant whirlwind of things to do. Most of my day is spent in “reactive mode,” handling various needs and requests from artists. Flexibility and patience are key. I work closely with Paul Smith on the business matters as they pertain to AR, and I collaborate regularly with our marketing team to support and promote our endorsers. The WiMN: What does it take for a musician to be a PRS artist? Fowler: First and foremost, it takes a genuine desire to be a part of the PRS family. We consider many factors for an artist endorsement, and they vary on a case-by-case basis. We pride ourselves on having a strong working relationship with our artists; there’s a lot of give and take. We provide tools for the artist to do their job and, in exchange, we rely on the artist to influence the customer and give us brand exposure. The WiMN: Who are some artists with whom you have regular interactions? Fowler: Carlos Santana, Mark Tremonti, Zach Myers, Neal Schon, John Mayer, Howard Leese and Orianthi, just to name a few. The WiMN: What are some challenges you’ve faced being a woman in a male-dominated field, and how do you cope? Fowler: I haven’t really experienced many challenges related to being a woman. From the time I started in the industry, I knew I had to work hard to earn the respect of my peers. Once I did that, I remained confident in what I do. Gender conflicts have never really been a problem. However, I do recall feeling hesitant when I became Director of Artist Relations for PRS. Being the only female on the team was never uncomfortable for me. But, when I became “the boss,” I worried about how the structure change would be received by the guys in the department, especially when you also factor in seniority. I thought it was best to be upfront about my concerns, and I spoke to each of my employees individually. To my surprise, they all welcomed the change and seemed genuinely excited. The WiMN: Any other cool things you get to do, aside from signing artists? Fowler: Most of my time is actually spent marketing and promoting the artists with whom JANUARY 2017

If you can’t wait to find out the winners of the

then be sure to stop by The Retailer’s booth, #5034, at the NAMM Show. We’ll have signage announcing the winners in both the dealer and the manufacturer/rep divisions.

And don’t forget to catch the MSA presentations

LIVE on ConventionTV@NAMM, airing throughout the NAMM Show!

‘I often describe my job as a tornado and constant whirlwind of things to do.’ —Bev Fowler we’re working. That gives me an opportunity to keep my creative side engaged. The best part of my job centers on the relationships I have with the artists. Many have grown into friendships through the years, and we’re like one big family. I love to put a group of endorsers in a room together with guitars and sit back and watch the magic happen. It’s neat to see them interact in a casual setting and exchange licks, techniques, stories, etc. I also dabble a bit in philanthropy through our partnership with the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore MD. This past October marked our 17th annual “One Night, One Show, One Cause” event, consisting of a golf tournament, live auction and concert. Since 2000, PRS Guitars has raised more than $5 million for the center’s Living with Cancer Resource Program. The program offers supportive care, programming and education to cancer patients and families. The WiMN: Who are some of your biggest role models?

Fowler: I’d have to say Robin Roberts. I often think back to her acceptance speech at the 2013 ESPYs, when she was honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. I got goose bumps listening to her describe her life’s journey as a female sportscaster and news anchor, her contributions to women’s basketball and her fight against breast cancer. Her words were very powerful, and her demonstration of determination, self-confidence and courage in everything she set out to do was very inspiring. The WiMN: Do you think it’s true that there aren’t enough female guitarists? Fowler: I wouldn’t necessarily say that there aren’t enough female guitarists. I think there are a number of female guitarists who have not been recognized by the music industry. It’s rare that you see a female on the cover of, or featured in, an MI magazine. And, if it does happen, she’s usually compared to a male guitar hero. I’ve had the good fortune of working with some pretty incredible female guitarists and bassists, such as Orianthi, Jennifer Batten, Donna Grantis and Rhonda Smith. The more exposure we give to female musicians, the more influential they will be among women and young girls who aspire to succeed in a music career. I’ve noticed some improvement the last few years, and I hope the trend continues. The WiMN: What are you most looking forward to at the She Rocks Awards? Fowler: I’m extremely humbled to have been chosen as a recipient for a She Rocks Award. It’s truly an honor, and I look forward to the opportunity to network with other women in the industry. Myki Angeline is the Founder and CEO of Rants of a Sic miK, and Rants & Raves. She is an accomplished podcast creator and social media influencer, and a sought-after, impactful speaker and trainer.

10,000 PRODUCTS 250 BRANDS

info@stlouismusic.com

Tel: 1-800-727-4512 St Louis Music is a division of U.S. Band & Orchestra Supplies, Inc.

www.stlouismusic.com

FIVE MINUTES WITH: LARRY MORTON, PRESIDENT, HAL LEONARD CORP.

(continued from page 62) of music retailers. Therefore, we have the ability to give our MI distribution partners broader access to the music products market. Also, our music print business puts us in the center of music education, so we have powerful marketing reach to promote MI products to schools, teachers and students, creating opportunities for our music retailers. Further, we view the type of music products that we distribute, particularly recording and live sound technology, as yet another aspect of learning to play music; that’s very compatible with our published music materials. That said, however, in order to service all segments of our market properly, we do have certain parts of our sales staff focused entirely on MI distribution as Product Specialists. That ensures we don’t interfere with the needs of our music print publishing business.

The Retailer: What is the future of music print publishing, as the world increasingly moves toward digitalization of nearly ever ything? Do you expect tectonic shifts in your market segment? Morton: The physical print music business is incredibly strong and stable, so we envision that area being important for the long term. However, we also have embraced digital technologies for many years. We launched the world’s first digital sheet music Web site, sheetmusicdirect.com, in 1997, which was five years before iTunes! In conjunction with that launch, we also pioneered a Digital Retailer program so that our music retailers could participate both online and in-store. That has been very successful. As we look forward, we will continue to reshape the scope of what physical music books and methods can be by incorporating online content that can be accessed via unique codes that are printed in the books. That adds value to the books; it expands the capability of the physical book; and it bridges the gap to the digital world for both the consumer and the music retailer. Likewise, we continue to develop online subscriptions to music content and music lessons that can be purchased through participating music retailers. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

The Retailer: Give our brickand-mortar-dealer readers insight into Hal Leonard’s commitment to working through the dealer channel, as opposed to pursuing direct sales. To what extent is a firm commitment to the dealer channel a fundamental part of Hal Leonard’s core business approach? Morton: Our company’s Founders had music retail stores.

Keith and I, along with many of our management team, have come from music retail. So, there is a lot of dealer-centric DNA embedded in Hal Leonard. Further, many of our folks have served on, or are currently serving on, industry boards with music retailers. So, we try to stay in tune with the retailer’s point of view. Our business model is based on strong marketing partnerships with our retailers, whether it’s in

merchandising programs, online promotions, live events, music-education shows, workshops, artist or author clinics, and much more. We don’t see that fundamental approach changing in the future.

The Retailer: Do you have any suggestions you’d offer to the brick-and-mortar dealers who are reading this interview…ideas that you think (continued on page 92)

C O NFESSIO NS OF A R ETAIL ER

MY 10 BEST NAMM SHOW TIPS By Donovan Bankhead

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article was published by NAMM U. The NAMM Show and Summer NAMM are always fun times to see new products, meet new people and catch up with old friends. But, as retailers, we need to make sure we’re getting the most out of each show. Amid all the fun distractions, remember that we’re there to work. It’s easy to watch every demo, concert and artist signing, but, if you do that, you won’t leave your first booth. Now, it might sound as if I’m all work and no play, but the world around us is changing. What we used to do isn’t as effective anymore. Take a few minutes and consider the flow chart provided.

What it says, in essence, is that time equals change. The more that things around you change, the more that what used to lead to success will eventually lead to failure. We need new ideas and approaches just to maintain our positions in the marketplace. The NAMM Show is the single easiest way to be inspired with new ideas to keep your business relevant. With that in mind, here are my top 10 tips to get the most out of the NAMM Show. 1. Attend NAMM Idea Center sessions. Go to the NAMM Web site well before the show and check out the Idea Center schedule. Then, using an online calendar that syncs to 82

your smartphone, plan your vendor/booth appointments around the NAMM U sessions that you want to check out. Also, I recommend that you require your staff to attend NAMM U sessions, as well. That way, they’re hearing new ideas that will change your business straight from the horse’s mouth! Have them put their initials in the calendar appointment so you know who is going. (See adjacent page.) Have them take some notes, too. For sessions that we think are going to be especially important, we will often have several people (maybe our whole NAMM Show team) at a single session. 2. Schedule vendor appointments. Don’t wing it! You’ll have a hard time talking with anyone if you just walk up to a booth. (That is especially true of brands you don’t carry, but that you’d like to…namely, the bigname brands.) Remember that your time is limited. If you spend as much time in the Idea Center as we at Springfield Music do, you won’t have time to meet with someone just because he or she asks for a meeting. Conserve your time, and plan your meetings using a map of the show floor to keep from walking back and forth. 3. Set a budget. Again, don’t wing it. Have a plan for what you’ll order. If you don’t, you might as well hand over your wallet. Listen to the vendor’s presentation, and then take some time to think about what’s best for your store. Let the excitement of a new product or a great presentation pass before you write an order. You will save tons of money. 4. Schedule a pre-NAMM meeting for staff. This is a great opportunity to set the tone for the trip. You want your crew to know that they’re attending the show to improve your business—and your bottom line. Explain what’s expected of them, and get their input on what they want to accomplish. One of our managers wrote a simple outline of what to expect, and we use that to review our expectations with all attendees before we leave home every year. 5. Schedule a post-NAMM meeting for staff. Do this before the show, or else it might not happen. It’s a great time for each team member to share what he or she got out of the show. Most importantly, though, it’s your opportunity to create an action plan. Don’t try to implement all your new ideas in the first six weeks. Spread them out over the next six months to one year. At Springfield Music, we actually do nightly wrap-up meetings at the show. Then, on the last evening of the show, we have our final wrap-up of our trip. (Sometimes, it’s even in the car, if we’re driving.) 6. Take advantage of free food. Attend the NAMM U Breakfast Sessions. The breakfast is always excellent, and it’s free! Also, the morning panels and presentations are usually very good. And here’s a bonus tip: Before the show, ask your best suppliers if they would like to take you and your crew out to dinner one night. That alone could save you hundreds of dollars. 7. Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be doing a lot of walking. I’ve noticed the women in our group sometimes bring two pairs of shoes: one to walk from one end of the convention center to the other, and another for when they’re in the booth…. 8. Use your smartphone. Use it to record product demos, take pictures and post to Facebook/Instagram, etc. JANUARY 2017

help they can offer you. And, hey, the worst they could say is “no.” You have nothing to lose! Using the preceding tips has helped me build my company, Springfield Music, into a NAMM Top 100 dealer with five locations. Follow all of them and I’m confident your business will improve, too. Generally, the artists who do the presentations are trained professionals, so the demos are very good. You can show the footage to the crew back home for product training, and then reuse it in your social media. Facebook Live makes it very easy to broadcast the latest and greatest products to your fans and customers back home. 9. Bring your own bag. Don’t be that person who carries the free bag from a vendor. You’ll hate it by the end of the week. Bring a messenger bag or backpack with comfortable straps and plenty of storage. Bonus tip: Be selective when taking literature. If you aren’t, you’ll need your own personal porter to get all your swag back home. I clean out my bags when I’m packing to go home, and I only keep the stuff I know I’ll need. A smarter idea is to take business cards, and then have the vendor mail literature to you. 10. Find an industr y group or mentor. This is probably my numberone key to success. (Well, maybe number two, behind the Idea Center.) There are several industry groups, which have likeminded people who are trying to grow their businesses, that you could consider joining. The Independent Music Store Owners (iMSO) is a Web-based group that’s open to independent music store owners who do not have more than four branches and who earn less than 50 percent of revenue from Internet-based activity. If that doesn’t work out, then speak to someone whose Idea Center presentation really moved you and ask if you can keep in touch…maybe run questions and problems by them in the future. You’ll be amazed by how much MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

SHINE A LIGHT

‘SHUFFIELD’ ALONG

By Michelle Loeb

The opening of Shuffield Music Co. in October 2008 was an exciting turn of events for the local music community, which, just a few months prior, had lost the area’s other local music store after six years in business. However, it was also the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Owner/Manager Paul Shuffield, Jr., who had been interested in opening his own musical instrument store for more than two decades. “I had frequented music stores since taking up the guitar in my early teens, and I was always intrigued by the business,” said Shuffield, who has been a performing musician for more than 30 years. “In the late 1980s, while in college, I was asked to teach guitar lessons at a music store in a neighboring town. That exposure to the inner workings of an independent store—and my involvement in sound system installations—piqued my interest in owning my own store.” Flash forward to 2008 and Shuffield, who worked in fundraising and community development after graduating college, was finishing a work contract and looking for what to do next. “After long discussions with my family, I decided to fulfill a dream and open a music store,” he stated. “I’ve never regretted that decision.” With the closest independent store located about 30 miles away and the closest Guitar Center some 60 miles away, Shuffield’s closest competition became the Internet. He opened an 800-square-foot store that “provided a great opportunity to learn the musical needs of our iniNikki andcustomer Matt Ray. base,” he explained. Early tial target on, he knew he was going to have to provide his customers with an in-store experience that was second to none. 84

Shuffield Music Co. 610 Main St. Arkadelphia AR 71923 870.230.1733 shuffieldmusic.com Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm Paul Shuffield, Jr., Owner/Manager

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that quality customer service is still valued by consumers,” Shuffield affirmed. “It is critical to talk with your customer, to find out their true needs, and to get them a product that will actually fix their problem and provide quality service after the sale. Sure, pricing is a significant factor, and we want to get our customers the product they need without ‘ripping them off,’” he continued. “But, your customers want quality service. They want someone who knows them, understands their needs and values their opinions.” No doubt contributing to the store’s welcoming atmosphere is the fact that, at Shuffield Music Co., everyone is family. Shuffield’s wife and two of his three sons have been very involved in product selection and offerings; meanwhile, Shuffield’s oldest son has recently taken on a bigger role in the marketing and merchandising of products and services. “It’s resulted in a significant increase in sales,” Shuffield noted. “The whole family, as well as some close friends, is very active in assisting with installations and sound contracting projects that we are involved in,” added Shuffield, whose parents are also involved in business operations. With the help of his family, Shuffield has built a one-stop shop for customers in downtown Arkadelphia AR. The store offers a full line of instruments, including guitars, ukuleles, folk instruments, percussion, and band and orchestra, as well as a lessons program to go along with each. It offers instrument rental and repair services, as well as audio, video and lighting sales JANUARY 2017

design and installation services. “All of those,” Shuffield said, “help drive our sales to a great degree. That trend has remained basically constant since opening.” Shuffield Music Co. even offers some services that you don’t often find in a local music store. Among them, for example, are the custom design and printing of T-shirts and vinyl signs, vintage vinyl and turntable sales, and a wedding registry. All that has endeared Shuffield Music Co. to the local music community, and it’s allowed the store to grow over the years. First, in 2012, it moved into the downtown district, doubling in size. However, Shuffield noted, “Although we were able to increase our inventory and services, the location didn’t have the traffic patterns we had forecasted prior to the move. So, last May, we moved to our current location: a 2,400-square-foot storefront on the town’s Main St.” He continued, “Since that move, our business has increased by 10 percent over the same period last year.” In addition to the added exposure from its new location, Shuffield Music Co. has maintained a strong presence online and in the community, thanks to Shuffield’s community development background. He has been able to tap into the skills he gained in that field and use them to build a customer base—all by using social media. “This has been very helpful in getting the word out for us in a measurable manner,” Shuffield remarked. “It’s amazing what power a hashtag can have.” Offline, Shuffield Music Co. works closely with local businesses and organizations to partner on cooperative advertising opportunities. The store is very involved in local events, either through a level of sponsorship or by providing sound or lighting support. And, it holds a semi-annual Strings for Food event to support the community’s Little Free Pantry. Shuffield’s ties to the community grow stronger as the years go on, and he is so confident in the long-term success of the business he started eight years ago that the store’s five- and 10year plans involve future expansions and additional locations, all of which will use the current MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Shuffield Music Co. as their template. “Our primary mission in opening the store was to provide quality products and services at affordable prices, and we’ve continued to serve our customers in that manner,” Shuffield declared. “I feel that we have been successful in that focus over the years, and we’ll continue to follow that philosophy in the future. Our main goals are to continue to provide the products and services our customers seek, and to expand into other markets to better serve our existing and future customers.”

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BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION By Dan Vedda

We’re in a period of rapidly changing shopping patterns, and it’s obvious, particularly postBlack Friday, that trends are just that: patterns on the move, rather than at an endpoint. As much as tech frontrunners believe that new will inexorably replace old—often with ample evidence of a transition in progress—there are multiple versions of “new,” and it’s already obvious that “newest” does not automatically win. One example is the (so far) lackluster performance of mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, as documented by Forbes after the holiday weekend. Nearly 90 percent of in-store payments were by credit or debit card. If you deduct cash payments, mobile apps came in at a paltry 0.6 percent across the country, despite all the hype and “the way it will be” talk from early adopters. Reasons cited are lack of consumer incentives, equipment incompatibility and security concerns. Sorry, Apple acolytes. Shopping habits have some inertia, too, and those habits are shaped by more than technology. For example, witness the dramatic slowdown in online shopping for the period directly after the presidential election. (Although still growing, the expected 7.8-percent growth for the period came in at 1.3 percent. Increases from Black Friday/Cyber Monday brought the projection back into line, but my point is that outside events can also drive or depress sales.) I find it interesting to see some of the emerging patterns, particularly when we look at their effect on our own industry, especially on those of us in physical stores. After all, there are a lot of predictions that the storefront as we know it is doomed to oblivion. I’m not worried, at least for the moment. Online shopping has become a major component of consumer behavior, but brick-and86

Black Fridays Of Yesteryear

Here’s a quick backstory on Black Friday. In its original concept (circa 1961), it was a description of the gridlocked traffic—both motor vehicle and pedestrian—from holiday shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. Over the next couple of decades, it morphed into the concept that Black Friday was “the day when retailers finally moved into the black” (profitability) for the year. It’s a romantic concept, not unlike “Tax Emancipation Day,” but also more of an effective metaphor than a fact. The term was not used as a marketing hook when I worked at Sears years ago; at that time, “Black Friday” sales were just “After Thanksgiving” sales. But, in those days, the actual promotions were tightly guarded secrets. I remember the Thanksgiving ad flyers sitting on pallets in Receiving, and the trouble someone could get into for sneaking a copy out of the store. There was no “bleed” into earlier weekends; there were no previews; and no one opened before 6am. Of course, there were no smartphones or Web sites for real-time analysis of the bargains, either. Shoppers often hit the stores where they had charge accounts. (Yes, early on, the big retailers had their own cards and didn’t accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express.) Alternately, they would pull their Christmas Club money (ask your parents, postBoomers) and get deals from their favorite stores, all of which had toy departments (pre-category killers, y’all), fashions, and “hard lines” like appliances, TVs and things called VCRs. Although you might have shopped Macy’s for fashion and Sears for appliances, it was all done in real time in meatspace. And, back then, it was fun, albeit strenuous.

mortar sales still account for the lion’s share of dollars. Plus, online shopping operates in multiple channels, and not all of them are divorced from the physical shopping experience. Business Wire reports that only 18 percent of the weekend’s sales went to “online only” retailers, with the rest of online shoppers buying from a multichannel retailer, such as Best Buy, Target or Walmart. About 28 percent of those multichannel buyers opted to pick up their purchase in the physical store, and the majority of those (64 percent) used that store trip to buy more. To me, getting bodies into the store is the most important task. Here are some additional stats that are interesting: Although brick-and-mortar sales decreased slightly, the drop was lower than expected, and the increase in online sales often went to the multichannel companies that operate physical stores, keeping those businesses stronger. Mobile was credited for about a third (36 percent) of online sales, but people browsed via mobile far more than the completed transactions (conversions) would indicate. That might mean a lot of the mobile activity was price checking. The biggest mobile activity actually came on Thanksgiving Day. Unfortunately, we can’t tell how much of that activity was driven by shoppers sitting at the dinner table waiting for pie. For those of us in physical stores, then, the results are mixed, but, from my perspective, hopeful. JCPenney scored an impressive comeback in stores nationwide, with good traffic reported throughout the weekend. Most pundits attribute those results to a vastly improved shopping experience, coupled with a curated inventory focused on value for the dollar. Meanwhile, store traffic for Sears and Walmart was lackluster to embarrassing. Here, again, the decisive factor seems to be the JANUARY 2017

perceived quality of the shopping experience. I believe the takeaway is that people still want to shop in stores, but the quality of the experience (sales help, convenience, merchandising and inventory) is paramount. A good shopping experience can earn a loyal customer. People like to go to a place where they are well treated and where their needs are addressed. That is totally on trend for the “experiential” generation that we call millennials, and it’s almost nostalgic for boomers, who remember the golden age of department stores. They will get in their car and visit a store that cares about them, that is visually interesting and that sends them home with what they came for… and perhaps more. So, our big task in our storefronts this year is to serve the customer by amping up (so to speak) our store environment. We need to freshen up our merchandising, get our contact people fully engaged with customers and put some real thought into inventory for perceived value, not just profitability. We’ve certainly improved over the last decade in those areas, but not enough. Of course, we have to get people into the store to experience those improvements. We need to push our outreach, performances, local advertising, social media and all the usual promotional tactics. But, we’d also appreciate the help of our supplier partners. Many of the multichannel stores (Home Depot, Jo-Ann Stores and Best Buy, for example) displayed coupons and offers that were good in store only to help drive traffic. How about some strong brickand-mortar-only products, deals and swag, supported by your own Web site and social media advertising? Some companies are making an effort in that direction, but, often, it’s only for dealers that can muster a multi-thousanddollar buy in. I will tell manufacturers only this: There are small stores, new stores, scrappy stores, which carry your products, that could MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

become (or already are) loyal, ardent supporters of your brand. Often, they are the stores that are bringing new players into the fold, giving your brand a foot in the door from the beginning. I think that’s a win for you.

The Black Friday sales weekend showed us that all is not lost for brick and mortar if we do the work, and if we provide what customers want and need in a way that pleases them. I can already see, early in the season as I write

this, that it isn’t primarily about price. It’s about convenience and, even more, about being appreciated and supported. We won’t get everyone, of course. But, if we do our job well, we won’t need everyone.

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Ad Index

Company

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ALFRED PUBLISHING................41 AUDIX............................................9 BITTREE........................................93 BOURNS PRO AUDIO..................91 CASIO.........................................C-IV CE DISTRIBUTION......................45 CELESTION...................................65 CHAUVET LIGHTING..................21 CHESBRO MUSIC.........................31 CRAFTER GUITARS.....................91 D'ADDARIO...................................17 D'ADDARIO...................................19 D'ANGELICO GUITARS..........C-III ELEKTRON MUSIC MACHINES.................................25 ELIXIR STRINGS..........................29 EMEDIA CORPORATION............55 ETYMOTIC RESEARCH..............10 FISHMAN TRANSDUCERS.........39 GALAXY AUDIO..........................3 GATOR CASES..............................43 GODIN GUITARS..........................75 GOLD TONE MUSIC GROUP......58 GRAPH TECH................................37 HARMONY MUSIC BAND RENTALS....................................44 KALA BRAND MUSIC CO..........52 KIRLIN INDUSTRIES...................38 KMC MUSIC..................................11 KYSER MUSICAL PRODUCTS....12 LEE OSKAR PRODUCTIONS......91 LITTLITE.......................................56 MANHASSET SPECIALTY COMPANY..................................6 MUSIKMESSE...............................53 MUSIC CHINA..............................59 NAMM...................................... 14-15 NEW SENSOR...............................81 NEW SENSOR...............................83 NEW SENSOR...............................85 NEW SENSOR...............................87 OASIS HUMIDIFIERS............... C-II PARTS EXPRESS...........................50 PEAVEY.........................................67 PEAK MUSIC STANDS................92 PIONEER........................................69 PRO X.............................................33 QSC.................................................18 RAIN RETAIL SOFTWARE..........42 REMO.............................................57 REVERB.COM...............................5 RIVERSONG GUITARS................93 SABIAN..........................................7 SEYMOUR DUNCAN...................49 SHURE...........................................23 SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL.........27 TASCAM........................................93 TAYLOR GUITARS.......................35 THE CAVANAUGH COMPANY....47 TKL PRODUCTS...........................46 TRUSST..........................................36 U.S. BAND & ORCHESTRA SUPPLIES...................................80 VOCOPRO......................................13 WD MUSIC PRODUCTS..............8 YORKVILLE..................................63 ZILDJIAN.......................................51

Musical Innovations’ Leenman Earns Honor Tracy E. Leenman, Owner of Musical Innovations (Greenville SC), has been named winner of the 2016 Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award. The award was presented at the Greater Mauldin Chamber of Commerce’s annual Holiday Banquet on November 17 by Emily DeRoberts, District Manager of Duke Energy’s South Carolina Government and Community Relations Team, and Pat Pomeroy, Executive Director of the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce. South Carolina State Representative Garry Smith also presented Leenman with a special certificate of commendation and congratulations from the South Carolina House of Representatives, which “thanks her for her hard work, dedication and commitment, and honoring her for her accomplishments.” The Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award honors individuals or groups who make a difference in their communities or places of work by using their time, talents and compassion to positively impact the lives of others. Recipients of the award help foster a culture of citizenship and service that acts as a catalyst for others to become involved in civic and social activities. The award is designed to recognize outstanding service and civic participation, along with the following business values: integrity, stewardship, inclusion, initiative, teamwork

and accountability. Leenman was nominated for the award by Elizabeth Burwell, Owner of High Performance Gym, who is an active member of the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce. In presenting the Duke Energy Award, DeRoberts noted Musical Innovations’ longtime support for Greenville County Schools’ music programs. That includes providing instruments for children in need, offering clinics with national-name clinicians, working with directors on recruiting, and visiting schools on a regular basis to provide supplies, repairs and other needs. “We are very passionate about music education,” Leenman noted. “We are active in music advocacy at the local and national levels, and that benefits our customers immensely, especially in light of the passage of the new Every Student Succeeds Act. We were proud to be able to help Greenville County apply for—and win—the 2016 Top Communities for Music Education award. No other area school music dealer visits the schools as often, or provides the level of service we are able to offer.” Musical Innovations is a full-line school music dealer, carrying most major lines of band and string instruments, classroom instruments, print music, accessories and gifts. It offers student rental and purchase plans, instrument repair, and lessons on all band and orchestra instruments, including Suzuki violin instruction for students

Gruhn Guitars Unveils Eric Clapton Guitar Collection This past November, Gruhn Guitars (Nashville TN) put on offer a collection of 29 guitars owned and used by Eric Clapton. The wide-ranging collection features both vintage and modern guitars, each of which is accompanied by a photo of Eric Clapton with the guitar and a signed letter from him attesting to his ownership and use. According to George Gruhn, Chairman and CEO of Gruhn Guitars, “Eric Clapton first visited my shop in 1970 when Derek & the Dominos performed on ‘The Johnny Cash Show.’ He assembled his famous ‘Blackie’ Stratocaster using components from the four Stratocasters he bought from me and parts he purchased from Sho-Bud Guitars around the corner from my shop the

While every care is taken to ensure that these listings are accurate and complete, The Music & Sound Retailer does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

JANUARY 2017

SPECIAL TO THE RETAILER: GETTING TO ‘YOU’RE HIRED!’

(continued from page 74)

as young as four years old. The company is active in supporting school music programs at the state, local and national levels. Leenman has won two South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) Friend of Music Business Awards (2009 and 2013), as well Tracy Leenman (right) receives as the KEYS “Keeping the award from Emily DeRoberts. the Beat” National Advocacy Award in 2009. She was also honored in 2009 by Phi Beta Mu (Theta Chapter) with the Outstanding Contributor Award and, in 2015, by the Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA) with the Sandy Feldstein Service Award. Musical Innovations has been named to NAMM’s Top 100 Dealer list for four years in a row. In 2015, the store won both the Best Customer Service and Dealer of the Year awards. This year, it was named among the Top 100 Small Businesses in America by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, winning a Small Business, Dream Big! Blue Ribbon Award. And, Leenman has been named among the 2017 recipients of the Women’s International Music Network’s She Rocks Awards, which honors women who display leadership and stand out within the music industry. Her award will be presented at the NAMM Show this month.

Although it’s not knowledge you use every day, a curious, alive, moderately intelligent person should be able to come up with the answer. Also, it’s good data to gauge someone’s reaction to a non sequitur, regardless of the answer offered. We also use a real-world simula-

tion, where applicants have to calculate a dollar total of items in a bag. There are non-taxable items, free items and regular merchandise, along with complete instructions. This exercise seriously separated the wheat from the chaff. Passing that basic math test is a requirement for employment,

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same day. Over the years, Eric and I have remained in touch and made a good number of instrument deals, and he has frequently visited Gruhn Guitars when he passes through Nashville.” Gruhn continued, “It is very meaningful to have a friend like Eric Clapton who shares my love of guitars and uses the instrument to such great effect. Everyone at Gruhn Guitars feels incredibly honored to represent him in offering a group of very fine instruments from his collection.” The collection includes two pre-WWII Martin acoustic guitars; Custom Shop/Masterbuilt Fender Stratocasters; recent-issue Gretsch, Roland and Gibson electric solidbody and hollowbody guitars; archtops including vintage and modern D’Angelico guitars; resonator, classical and flattop guitars; a fretless Music Man bass; and an Epiphone Les Paul autographed by Les Paul. The Clapton Collection is on display at Gruhn Guitars and at guitars.com/ clapton. “As a guitar player and music fan, I’m ecstatic,” Keith Gregory, who has worked in sales at Gruhn Guitars since 1993, enthused. “Though I’ve been fortunate to see, play and sell thousands of truly amazing guitars here at the shop over the past 23 years, the opportunity to find new homes for instruments owned and used by one of the greatest guitar players of all time is by far one of the most exciting experiences in my 40-plus years in the guitar business.”

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

FIVE MINUTES WITH: LARRY MORTON, PRESIDENT, HAL LEONARD CORP.

as it’s fifth-grade-level math, as well as common sense. Regardless of how careful we are when making our best choices, it still sometimes doesn’t work out. Yup…that naughty F-word. (Fired!) We avoid some issues by creating a probation period. The position is considered “temporary” until the 90-day point. Both parties agree to have the ability to sever the relationship, for any reason and with no retribution, before the 90 days have elapsed. Employees who are a poor fit for our store affect everyone. We dread having to let someone go, but the net effect is like cutting a sandbag loose from a balloon that’s sailing over the beautiful Catalina Mountains at sunset. In the end, everyone ends up feeling better. Michael and Leslie Faltin own and operate Tucson AZ-based Instrumental Music Center, which has been nominated for four Music & Sound Awards, including Dealer of the Year.

(continued from page 81) would help them bolster their business? Do you have any constructive criticism for your dealer partners? Morton: I wouldn’t presume to advise retailers on how to run their businesses, but I will say that we encourage all music retailers to work with us on a local and grassroots level to help to create more music makers. That’s the key to success for the entire industry. It can take the shape of supporting school music events or encouraging live performance opportunities. As much as possible, especially today, we need to try to continue to elevate the retailer-supplier relationship to the level of joint stakeholders, building our collective businesses together. Too often, we let our supplier-retailer relationships become bogged down with minor trade issues. Of course, we need to resolve those day-to-day problems, but we all need to put more energy and focus into expanding the market together.

The Retailer: Reflect a bit on your work with the NAMM Board of Directors, ser ving the music products industr y broadly and, in particular, helping to ensure we seed our future with good, strong music-education programs in public schools. Morton: NAMM does amazing work, and our industry is so

fortunate that we have successful trade shows that raise money, which is then reinvested in NAMM’s activities that support music education and the awareness of music making. As a non-profit, NAMM does so many important things from which we all benefit. I’ve not found any other industry with the same level of passion and capabilities as we have with NAMM. In my time on the NAMM Board and as NAMM’s Chairman, I learned that we must never take for granted the important role of music in society, especially in schools. It’s a message that has to be continually promoted and constantly updated to adapt to ongoing changes in the world. It really becomes apparent in the work that NAMM does in Washington DC with respect to lobbying for music education and other industry issues. It was truly inspiring and incredible to see the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was the culmination of more than a decade of hard work by NAMM and its members. The ESEA, which began as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in the 1960s, years later became the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. In December 2015, it was reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act and, thanks to NAMM’s efforts, a bipartisan group of elected

officials added specific language covering “music and the arts.” That language ensures that music programs are entitled to use federal education funds. That victory will have long-term positive consequences for our industry. However, there is much more work to be done at the local level. Every NAMM member should find a way to get involved in his or her local community. Small steps lead to big accomplishments.

The Retailer: As people watch Hal Leonard over the next one, three and five years, what can they expect? Do you foresee major changes, or largely a continuation of what we’ve seen in recent years? Morton: We feel bullish about our company and the industry itself. The music products business is a resilient and strong market, and we think the innate desire inside people to play music will continue to drive our industry forward. There will certainly be more merging and blending of physical and digital, both with the products and in the retail experience. You’ll see Hal Leonard continue to focus on that evolution, especially with an eye toward how to engage our retailers during those changes. And, on the MI distribution side, we’ll continue our expansion by offering a wider variety of music products to the music retailer channel.

UNDER THE HOOD: QSC’S TOUCHMIX-30 PRO

(continued from page 94) “All of the presets were done in live settings, in live rooms, with live PA, open microphones and monitor systems running, as opposed to being done in a studio,” van Straten explained. “We had Jon, a guy with 30-plus years of live sound experience, saying, ‘When I go to a gig and I show up on a stage, if I see this instrumentation and if I see these microphones, then I have a list of steps I’ll go through to set everything up.’ And Jon and our team built those steps into the presets.” Van Straten continued, “Jon was explaining that to some of our customers, who are Grammywinning, top global touring band sound engineers, and their response was, ‘Well, hey, that’s exactly what I do, too, and that’s on a button? You just saved me 92

two minutes per channel!’” Graves added, “By the way, I’ve also had a couple of them say, ‘What the hell are you doing, dude? This is how I make a living! This stuff is magic for us, and now you’ve given the secrets to people!’ But I’ve also heard, ‘I was at a gig and they threw me a curve, and man, those presets saved my butt.’” In addition to input presets, the TouchMix-30 Pro also features a number of presets for outputs, many of which are dedicated to optimizing interaction between the mixer and QSC’s loudspeaker and amplifier offerings. “One of the things we try to do very consciously is make sure that our mixer has synergy with all of the QSC products,” Graves said. “So, if you have a K Series speaker and select an output in the touch-

screen display, the mixer shows you where you should set the knob on the K Series to make it work the best it can. Essentially, we’re just helping people set the proper gain stage. If you have a GXD amplifier, the TouchMix-30 Pro will tell you where to set those settings. Or, if you have the new E Series, the EQs for the E Series are built into the output presets on the TouchMix-30 Pro.” A number of effects are also available on the TouchMix-30 Pro. According to Tschetter, “There are six different processing engines on the mixer, and any one of them can be one of two different types of reverbs, stereo or mono delay, chorus or pitch change.” Graves added, “And there are some presets for each effect. So, for instance, there’s a reverb JANUARY 2017

effect that sounds like one of the big, famous reverbs, and it has a number of presets that are related to that brand of reverb. So, there are six processing engines, with six potential effects per engine, plus the presets for each effect. And there’s also a Pitch Correct effect that can be assigned to any channel.” The TouchMix-30 Pro also offers a host of “Wizards,” which help users through various aspects of mixer operation using a simple onscreen interface. For example, the FX Wizard helps users apply effects using the TouchMix-30 Pro’s six processor engines, and offers suggestions as to which effects are appropriate for which instruments. “Say someone is setting up a live band, and they want to, for instance, put reverb on the kick drum,” van Straten explained. “They can call up the FX Wizard and select Drums and Percussion, then select Kick Drum to see the effects they can apply. Now, because we have Jon as the product manager, and other really smart people who know from experience that no one should ever, ever put a hall reverb on a kick drum, that option is blacked out in the Wizard, because it’s just not something that’s typically done.” However, there is also the option to bypass the FX Wizard. “If an experienced sound engineer knows he’s trying to make a special effect, he can still send the channel to the effect, and the mixer has all those provisions to make that possible,” Graves said. “We didn’t limit users, so if they know what they’re doing, they can add whatever effects they want. But we figured, if you’re using the Wizard, you should have someone helping you out, so we went to great lengths to test literally every preset that’s available. So, the snare drum has a lot of different reverbs that you can pick, because snare drums have a lot of potential sounds. However, there are fewer effects for the mandolin, and you don’t get to put, say, a large hall on the mandolin through the FX Wizard, because it wouldn’t make sense.” “We also have a Gain Wizard, which shows you, if you’re clipping during your performance, how many notches to turn down MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

on your input gain,” Tschetter said. “We also have in the FX Wizard a matrix that helps people get the right effect into the right person’s monitor. I know how to do all that stuff the traditional way, but I’ll still use the Wizards because they’re just really fast.” Other Wizards available on the TouchMix-30 Pro include the Room Tuning Wizard, which helps users set speaker equalization for the room, and an AntiFeedback Wizard, which helps users eliminate feedback from the mix. “When we were looking at features for the TouchMix-30 Pro, I did a lot of research, and the market did seem to want an Anti-Feedback Wizard and a Room Tuning Wizard that did those things for the user,” Graves said. “Speaking as a front of house guy, we can get pretty arrogant and think, ‘Dude, if you can’t EQ a room and you can’t figure out how to get rid of the feedback, you need to back away from the mixer.’ But, that’s not how the real world works.” Indeed, many venues that tend to rely on sound engineers who are less experienced, such as houses of worship and schools, should find those user-friendly features indispensable. Two real-time analyzers are available on the TouchMix-30 Pro. “One of them is tied to the channel equalizer, whether it’s an input or output channel. So, while you’re doing the equalizer, you can be looking in real time at the energy distribution of the signal that you’re working with,” Tschetter explained. “The second real-time analyzer is sort of standalone, and gives you the ability to select what its source is. The source can be any of the outputs, or it can be the cue, so whatever you’ve cued up on the cue bus will be displayed on the real-time analyzer. Or it can display the signal from the talkback microphone input, so you can see the acoustic tonal balance in the room.” The TouchMix-30 Pro also offers the option to record multi-track audio direct to an external USB hard drive in a 44.1-kilohertz or 48-kilohertz WAV format, without the need for a computer. It also allows for 32 channels of DAW interface with Apple computers for bidirectional I/O with workstation

from the computer, live or in the studio, with super-high-quality, studio-grade preamps.” The TouchMix-30 Pro, which is available now, has an MSRP of $2,359.99. For more information, or to view a series of tutorial videos on the TouchMix-30 Pro’s features, visit qsc.com/touchmix30-pro.

software, such as Cubase and Pro Tools. “You just plug one end of a USB cable into the TouchMix, the other end into your computer, the computer recognizes the TouchMix, and now you have a high-quality, 32-channel I/O to your DAW,” van Straten explained. “You can record into the computer, and you can play back

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UNDER THE HOOD

QSC’S TOUCHMIX-30 PRO By Anthony Vargas QSC may be the new kids on the block in the digital mixer category, but the company has been hangin’ tough in the face of some stiff competition and, step by step, carving out a nice niche for itself. QSC’s first foray into digital mixers, the TouchMix Series, has been making major waves ever since its debut at the NAMM Show just three years ago. And the company is confident that it will cement its place in the mixer market with the release of the latest

TouchMix model, the TouchMix-30 Pro. As QSC’s Vice President of Professional Product Development, Gerry Tschetter, put it, “Certainly, we’re the new guys in the mixer category. Of course, I remember when we were the new guys in the powered loudspeaker category, and that worked out pretty well for us.” With an eye toward maximizing its digital mixer market share, QSC has designed the TouchMix Series to appeal to novice users, while also offering experienced users plenty of options to play around with. “We set out from the very beginning to put a tool in the hand that, whether you’re an experienced sound-reinforcement professional or a novice, you’ll be able to get terrific results,” QSC’s Senior Director of Marketing, Ray van Straten, said. “TouchMix delivers results for users at any level of experience, and that is a key differentiator for us. We set out to do that from the start, and all the feedback thus far indicates that it’s resonating with our customers, both pro and novice.” The TouchMix-30 Pro is no exception to that general design philosophy. It offers all the signature TouchMix features that streamline and simplify the mixing process, along with several additional features intended to offer advanced users more control over the mix. “There’s an expanded feature set on the TouchMix-30 Pro, with some of the features aimed at professionallevel users and some of them aimed at the users that are going to just use it as a mixer,” QSC’s Senior Technical Sales Engineer, Jon Graves, said. “So, it bridges that gap pretty elegantly, we think, because it doesn’t talk down or talk up to anybody.” The TouchMix-30 Pro also offers the highest channel count of any TouchMix model, with 32 total mixing channels (24 Mic/Line, six Line, plus Stereo USB) and the highest number of outputs, at 16. It also retains the TouchMix Series’ innovative “touch and turn” interface, which features a main control dial that is used to fine-tune settings and a large touchscreen that offers users hands-on control of the mixing channels in addition to a wealth of onscreen information. And, like all TouchMix models, the TouchMix-30 Pro allows for remote control via tablets or smartphones running on either Android or iOS. In addition to its distinct user interface, the TouchMix Series is known for its live instrument, microphone and audio source presets. The TouchMix-30 Pro packs more than 120 of those presets, each one designed by Graves and QSC’s team of experienced audio engineers. QSC plans to release additional presets for even more instruments in future firmware updates. (continued on page 92) JANUARY 2017

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