THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS
June 2020 Volume 37, No. 6
Advice Column Tips and Findings From NAMM’s Webinar Series Page 23
SALUTE TO SERVICE
For Veterans Suffering From PTSD,
MUSIC IS THE ANSWER
Page 26
A MORE REWARDING
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Yorkville Sound to Help Design Ventilators in the Fight Against COVID-19 Yorkville Sound, manufacturer and distributor of pro audio systems and musical instruments, is now dedicating its engineering and manufacturing expertise to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction with Starfish Medical, Yorkville’s design team is engaged in an open-source ventilator design project, with a goal of increasing the availability of ventilators in Canada. “Our design and manufacturing team is very excited to be part of the solution during this unprecedented time,” said Steve Long, Yorkville Sound’s president. “We’re providing circuit-board design and layout, as well as the assembly of the control panel for the ventilator project. Our capable facility is quite nimble, and we are able to produce finished results quickly and with accuracy. We are dedicated to help flatten the curve and provide much needed equipment for our country’s healthcare professionals.” John Walmsley, executive vice president of strategic relationships at Starfish Medical, added, “What better contributor to a Canadian emergency ventilator program than Yorkville Sound, whose manufacturing and production ingenuity established it at the top of the music and professional sound industry? Like other industrial contributors, Yorkville stepped in and got us the parts we needed fast.” Yorkville Sound’s collaboration with Starfish Medical is an answer to the government of Canada’s call to action to Canadian businesses and manufacturers to help deliver critical health supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. This particular ventilator project is inspired by “The Winnipeg Ventilator,” a project designed for intensive care unit use and among the easiest in the world to bring into high-volume production. More information on this ventilator design can be found at thewinnipegventilator.com.
inMusic Acquires Stanton From Gibson Brands
inMusic on May 21 announced the acquisition of Stanton from Gibson Brands Inc. “With a legacy spanning over 70 years, Stanton is the perfect complement for inMusic’s family of DJ brands,” inMusic stated in a press release. “From developing the replaceable stylus and sparking a consumer market for audio equipment, to becoming an industry leader in the design and manufacturing of professional audio products for club, mobile DJs and turntablists, it is only fitting that Stanton joins the home of DJ technology leader, inMusic.” Stanton specializes in solutions for the DJ market including Final Scratch (the industry’s first DVS solution), stereo cartridges designed for the working and performance DJ, and one of the first standalone smart controllers. inMusic is the parent company for many DJ brands, including Denon DJ, Numark and RANE, as well as music technology, software and consumer electronic brands including AIR Music Technology, Akai Professional, ALTO Professional, Alesis, Denon Professional, HeadRush, ION Audio, M-Audio, Marantz Professional, MixMeister, Rane Commercial, SONiVOX and SoundSwitch. “inMusic continually redefines the landscape for expressive DJ performance through unparalleled innovation and a dynamic response to the demands of its customers. With Stanton joining the home of the world’s premier music and audio technology brands, inMusic’s groundbreaking advancements in engineering, design and technology guarantees Stanton’s place at the forefront of this performance-driven industry, in the world’s true home of DJ,” said Jack O’Donnell, CEO of inMusic.
MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
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THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS
VOLUME 37 NO. 6
26
COVER STORIES
F E AT U R E S
23 Advice Column
28 Five Minutes With
We offer plenty of information and advice from several of the excellent webinars NAMM has hosted recently.
D’Angelico Guitars' Brenden Cohen has seen the coronavirus from its epicenter: New York City. Learn what he has seen during the health crisis and how the guitar manufacturer is forging ahead for the future.
26 Salute to Service
30 MI Spy
For military veterans suffering from PTSD, music can be a great answer, thanks to the work of Guitars 4 Vets.
COLUMNS 32 Grassroots Marketing
Even if customers are now allowed in your store, Zoom has become and will remain a valuable online resource for MI retailers. Mike and Mirian Risko offer plenty of Zoom advice.
33 In the Trenches
Allen McBroom describes everything he learned during his coronavirus "vacation."
36 Veddatorial
MI Spy could not visit stores due to many stay-at-home orders. So he/she did the next best thing: reviewed MI store websites. In this part one of a two-part story, MI Spy virtually checked out Minneapolis.
34 Shine a Light
Texas’ Strait Music has 57 years of tremendous success. Find out what the MI store is doing to separate itself from the competition today.
38 Under the Hood
Today, having every tool needed at your store in order to get the job done is even more important, such as MusicNomad’s Premium Guitar Tech Truss Rod Wrench Set.
46 The Final Note
Chris Meikle, senior vice president, sales and marketing, St. Louis Music, might have been a chef today if he did not pick the music route.
Ohio’s Skyline Music has only been able to do enough to cover the things that needed to be paid during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are reasons to be optimistic in the future.
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EDITORIAL
It Is Always Darkest Before the Dawn I think I can say with 100-percent certainty that Thomas Fuller was not thinking of COVID-19 when he penned the above phrase in the 1600s. Yet, I think the phrase works right now. As I write my second editorial from my home, I think about how much the world has been through this year, with more to come. And there have been times when I have been worried that the virus, combined with the level of unemployment it has caused, can cripple or even wipe out entire segments of retail. But something tells me MI is going to be OK. Call it a gut feeling. Being at home a lot has let me watch TV quite often. I have seen a lot of non-music-related shows, and one thing I noticed is that, when people in all industries are shown in their homes communicating on Zoom, Skype or some related online product, a large percentage had a guitar or other musical instrument noticeable in the background of their webcam. And when the country was at its nadir in March, who did it call upon to help us get through these tough times? Well, musicians of course. Elton John, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and Billie Eilish were among the artists who answered these calls. Sales at your store have likely suffered without any, or the same level of, foot traffic. Sadly, not every MI store will survive the downturn, just like stores had to close during other times of crisis, such as the Great Recession more than a decade ago. I personally hate to lose any reader of this magazine. But one of the things I learned from the many Zoom calls I hosted on msretailer.com is that in several states, MI repairs are considered an essential business. And in all interviews I conducted, I discovered that music lessons can work online. In addition, many retailers and manufacturers alike have confirmed that music is one activity consumers have wanted to do
while they’ve been instructed to stay at home. I encourage you to check out these interviews if you can, at msretailer.com/special-reports. I conducted more than 20 of them in late March, April and May. We have a great cross-section of the industry covered. Another thing I noticed during these interviews was ingenuity at its best. Prime example: Middle C Music’s Myrna Sislen, whose store had to be closed per Washington, D.C. guidelines, worked out an arrangement with a Korean restaurant to have customers pick up MI products there. It was a good arrangement for Middle C, as it continued to sell product, of course. And it was good for the restaurant, as the same customer could order purple rice or bulgogi while picking up an instrument or some accessories. And then there is something else I have seen before but that never gets old: How about how everyone in MI came together? So many companies did their part, from Gig Gear’s Daniel Shatzkes being on the front lines as an emergency medical technician, Yorkville Sound helping to make ventilators, Thalia Guitar manufacturing intubation boxes that protect healthcare workers as they perform procedures on COVID-19 patients, D’Addario making face shields, Gator Co. making masks and so many others. And, in addition to the MI industry’s support for the medical community, there has been a ton of support for the music community as well, such as companies offering free lessons and more. If this isn’t a great industry, then I sure do not know what is.
June 2020 Volume 37, No. 6
BRIAN BERK Editor bberk@testa.com ANTHONY VARGAS Associate Editor avargas@testa.com AMANDA MULLEN Assistant Editor amullen@testa.com DONOVAN BANKHEAD ROBERT CHRISTIE KIMBERLY DEVERELL JEFF KYLE JR. ELLEN LEVITT
JANICE PUPELIS Art Director STEVE THORAKOS Production Manager CIRCULATION circulation@testa.com FRED GUMM Digital Art Director
MICHELLE LOEB WILL MASON ALLEN MCBROOM GABRIEL O'BRIEN MIKE & MIRIAM RISKO
ROBERT L. IRAGGI Advertising Director riraggi@testa.com RICKY PIMENTEL Art/Production Assistant rpimentel@testa.com ROBIN HAZAN Operations Manager rhazan@testa.com VINCENT P. TESTA President/Publisher TIM SPICER DAN VEDDA LAURA B. WHITMORE 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 Report • 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.
JUNE 2020
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Hal Leonard Introduces the PROF-it Program for MI Retailers Hal Leonard announced a revised program that simplifies the process so that the consumer has a seamless transaction with Hal Leonard, processing the payment and fulfillment and providing the selected retailer with a commission. The Preferred Retailer Online Fulfillment Program (PROF-it) is open to any retailer with a physical location: they don’t even need to have an e-commerce website. This new program is a revision of Hal Leonard’s Shopping Cart, where consumers shopping on halleonard.com “check out” by selecting a retailer of their choice. “Our original Shopping Cart program required that the selected stores contact the consumers to acquire payment info, and that got to be a little complicated,” said David Jahnke, senior vice president, national sales. “With the PROF-it program, the consumer simply selects which retailer they want to support, and then Hal Leonard processes
the order, the payment and the shipment, and sends the retailer a quarterly commission. Once storefronts are open again, the consumer can even choose to have the product delivered to the store so they can pick it up from there, giving the retailer some foot traffic, too.” Participating retailers receive monthly reports on purchase activity so they can stay connected with the customers. Retailers also will receive custom-coded URLs that they can use on their websites or social media to ensure their customers automatically go into their store’s shopping cart when they visit halleonard.com.
Public to Vote on New Aston Mic's Sound
Aston Microphones released the first photo of its Aston Element as round two of Project Element opens for voting. Known as the “People’s Microphone,” Element is the first ever mic to have its final voicing decided by a public vote, through a series of blind listening tests of its prototypes alongside competitors’ offerings, stated the company. Aston will ship in September, but the most important part of Element, its sound, is being decided by the public. More than 2,000 musicians, engineers and producers have already had their say in Project Element, providing more than 36,000 data-points for the Aston design team to use in development and more are joining
KHS Teams Up With Lesson Squad
KHS America entered into a strategic partnership with Lesson Squad to digitally empower affiliated artists across all of its musical instrument brands, including Mapex drums, Jupiter & XO winds, Hohner harmonicas and accordions, Herculesstands and more. “We view this partnership with Lesson Squad as a contribution to the entire industry, which hasbeen asking for digital innovation,” said Jerry Goldenson, president and CEO of KHS America. “It is the only platform that meets the needs of all stakeholders such as touring artists,educators, students, retailers of all sizes, and of course, manufacturers like us.” Lesson Squad’s platform allows artists to digitally recommend gear
each day. Round two opened for voting on June 3. The Voter’s Edition Element will be the first production run, which will only be available to registered voters, at a 25-percent discount from the regular price. Limited to 2,500 mics, each will be supplied with an official Aston Family Developer certificate, a letter of thanks from Aston CEO James Young, a special badge and a custom sticker. Inspiration for the mic came from the Aston 33, a panel, now of more than 600 top audio practitioners and artists who have been involved in similar blind-listening tests on all Aston’s microphones to date, including the 2020 TEC Award-winning Stealth.
in a trackable way and be rewarded for their influence. If they teach, they can also manage lessons through the platform, either offline or online in Lesson Squad’s virtual lesson rooms. The 18 major brands under the KHS America umbrella are using Lesson Squad’s platform not only to add value to their artist programs, but also to help facilitate the conversion of artist influence directly into instant e-commerce sales opportunities for their valued retail partners, stated KHS. Lesson Squad has been developing and testing its platform with brands such as Mapex, Jupiter and Hohner over the past 6 months in preparation for a wider roll out to manufacturers andretailers across the industry.
Shure Donates $79K of Earphones to Chicago Public Schools Shure donated $79,000 worth of earphones to Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The earphones are compatible with mobile phones and laptops to enable more focused learning for students and teachers who may encounter distracting noise or difficulties in hearing online lessons at home. Select schools on the south, west and north sides of Chicago have received the earphones to distribute to those who need them. “Once schools were closed, teachers, staff and administrators were forced to move toward a new normal by having students and teachers use online learning tools like Google Hangouts,” said Jeffrey Finelli, principal at Edison Park Elementary School. “Shure made a donation specifically for families who were not fortunate enough to have the proper tools to help their child learn effectively at home. It made a world of difference for so many families. Students are now not distracted when they are participating in the live video conferences and able to communicate with their classmates. This was not possible before 8
Shure made its generous donation.” This is one of several initiatives Shure has embarked on in response to COVID-19 to help people in the communities where the company is based. Shure has donated N95 masks to a Chicago-area hospital; provided support for the Chicago Independent Venue League, a collection of more than 20 music halls and performance venues; and made a corporate donation to Direct Relief, an organization working with authorities to provide personal protective equipment (PPEs) to healthcare workers in affected regions of the world. “We are pleased to lend our support to CPS students and educators during this challenging and unprecedented time,” said Mark Brunner, vice president of global corporate and government relations at Shure. “This significant need for online learning tools presented an opportunity for Shure to fulfill what we consider to be a vital part of our corporate responsibility to our community.” JUNE 2020
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Taylor Launches Urban Wood Guitar Initiative Taylor Guitars announced the launch of a new Urban Wood guitar initiative. Developed in partnership with West Coast Arborists Inc., the initiative gives select trees in need of removal from California cities a second life as high-value instruments. The first urban wood species to be featured in the Taylor guitar line is Urban Ash, used for the back and sides of Taylor’s new Builder’s Edition 324ce guitar. This urban wood program marries the idea of sustainability with local sourcing in Taylor’s home state of California, bringing attention to an entirely new concept: the “urban forest.” This refers to the planned and managed tree canopies that provide the green infrastructure of cities and neighborhoods. There are an estimated 173 million trees in California’s urban tree canopy, covering 15 percent of its urban areas. These trees provide many benefits to communities including shade, sound absorption, wind breaks, wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration, not to mention aesthetic appeal. As beautiful and beneficial as urban trees are, they don’t live forever, and after years of maintenance, they eventually need to be removed due to old age, weather or disease damage, or other reasons. Historically, the trees have either been turned into low-value products like firewood or mulch or taken to a landfill. In 2017, Taylor co-founder Bob Taylor, along with Taylor’s director of natural resource sustainability, Scott Paul, and master guitar designer Andy Powers, began to explore the idea of making guitars from end-of-life urban wood as another expression of Taylor’s commitment to responsible sourcing practices. As Powers has noted, historically, makers of string instruments used materials that were locally available. Taylor’s exploration led to a relationship with Anaheim, Calif.based West Coast Arborists, (WCA), an established company that provides tree services to more than 300 municipalities and public agencies across California and Arizona, including Taylor’s home base of El Cajon, Calif. The company manages tree inventories across the regions they service with proprietary software that incorporates GPS tracking and other data integration. Currently, WCA has more than 10 million tree sites inventoried in its computer database, and it has a mobile app that its network of arborists and clients can use to schedule and track tree service. As part of its range of services, each year WCA plants between 18,000 to 20,000 new trees. It also removes trees when requested by a city, transporting them to their strategically located log yards across the state to facilitate disposal. To offset rising disposal costs and develop socially responsible market alternatives to keep trees out of landfills, 25 years ago, WCA launched a pilot urban wood recycling initiative with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). It has since evolved into what WCA has dubbed its Street Tree Revival program. The company also invited Taylor to evaluate its inventory of urban 10
wood species from their log yards to determine if any would make instrument-grade tonewoods. After building prototype guitars with a handful of species, Powers identified one that excited him: Shamel ash, better known as tropical or evergreen ash. It’s a tree that was widely planted across parts of southern California after World War II. Some 70 years later, some of those trees reached their end-of-life cycle and needed to be removed. “This ash species happens to be a great mix of the right weight, density, dimensional stability and drying attributes, and responds well to sawing, sanding and finishing,” said Powers. “In almost every physical way I can measure it, it’s reminiscent of really good Honduran mahogany.” This ash’s characteristics make it a strong contender as a highgrade guitar wood of the future, which is why Powers decided to use it on the new Builder’s Edition 324ce, part of Taylor’s premium Builder’s Edition collection. “Through perception and mindful solutions, Taylor Guitars has helped us redefine ‘waste’ into something that strums cool,” said Arlene Biscan, marketing manager at WCA. “This partnership has given us a platform to showcase just one of the many creative ways we can upcycle and utilize urban wood. We hope this project prompts awareness amongst our communities too; as we encourage more for ward thinking when choosing the tree species we plant for our future.” Both Taylor and WCA view this new Urban Wood guitar initiative as a new paradigm of responsible urban forest management with the potential to not only create a new, high-value market for end-of-life wood that has traditionally been part of the urban waste stream, but to bring more attention and resources to re-greening projects and expand the urban forest canopy in communities throughout southern California and beyond. Powers also sees the broader benefits of embracing other urban woods for guitars. “Using some of these available woods can help take some of the pressure off other tonewoods in other tropical areas of the world,” Powers said. JUNE 2020
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Odyssey Addresses COVID-19 Pandemic Through Innovation Odyssey Innovative Designs has adjusted its operations to address the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to keep the MI industry alive, while also expanding its business in the medical field directly supporting first responders, and beyond. Based in southern California, Odyssey and its group of companies, Show Solutions and BC Cases, were under a “safer at home” mandate by the state since mid-March. During this shutdown period, being a U.S.-based manufacturer and operating with the use of personal protective equipment, Odyssey donated thousands of its in-house stock of N95 masks to local doctors, hospitals and healthcare providers experiencing a massive shortage. After extensive evaluation and approval by the City of Los Angeles, Odyssey re-opened its manufacturing operations in early-April with a series of precautionary adjustments. With an inherent sense of optimism, Odyssey created a safe, conducive and efficient operational structure based on guidelines, recommends and shared resources during this pandemic. 1. Mixed Model, In-Office/Remote Odyssey identified essential functions as accounting, manufacturing, logistics and customer service, operating on shortened schedules,
between in-office and remote to limit exposure. 2. Symptoms Testing All in-office employees are periodically tested for basic COVID-19 symptoms, with fevers being the primary indication. Any employee showing the smallest sign of symptoms are sent home. 3. Operational Distancing As a manufacturer, the product assembly lines have been strategically rearranged in order for each production engineer to be at least six-feet apart, stretching into areas of the warehouse. 4. Protective Equipment All employees, from desk staff to production to the warehouse, are required to wear protective masks and gloves at all times, and are all trained on proper use of PPE to avoid cross-contamination. 5. Waiving Drop Ship Fees In an effort to keep the supply chain and retail businesses alive within the MI industry, Odyssey is waiving all drop-ship fees to help relieve some of the traditional expenditures by resellers. Further advancing and diversifying the business, Odyssey has seen an increase in demand and requests from the medical, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries for specialty cases. Odyssey has long hand-manufactured custom cases for these industries from its facilities in southern California, but has experienced a substantial amount of custom orders and inquiries. “Over our 25 years of business, we have always believed in the strength of our industry, and it’s no different during these unprecedented times. Community becomes vital because it’s the support of our family, friends and neighbors pulling together that will get us all through this,” said Mario Montano and John Hsiao, co-founders of Odyssey Innovative Designs.
More Great Stuff Going on in MI Today
As an addendum to our May cover story about the great stuff going on in the MI industry today, we offer more companies that are doing fantastic things for their communities and the world at large:
Thalia Capos
John Packer Musical Instruments www.jpmusicalinstruments.com
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Thalia Capos designed an intubation box to help those on the front line fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. “I have designed medical devices before, and actually spent a fair amount of time developing suppliers in China in the medical space, including getting their factories FDA registered,” said Thalia Capos’ Chris Bradley. “I have now rekindled those relationships, and I am currently working on several big projects.” Bradley continued, “First, I have begun importing N95 masks and other PPE from one of my well-known suppliers. I had to jump through some regulatory hurdles, but we now have a supply chain flowing with our first 10,000 N95 masks in transit. Once we successfully get the supply chain flowing, we plan to increase importation of these masks and other PPE to 50,000 per week or more. We will then distribute these products to the hospitals that need them most. “Second, I have been working on several designs of new products that are desperately needed on the front lines. One that has bubbled to the top is called the aerosol box. These boxes are used to provide additional protection to doctors and nurses when they perform endotracheal intubations (i.e. putting someone with coronavirus onto a respirator).” Bradley added, “This box or shield was first created in Taiwan JUNE 2020
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by Dr. Hsien Lai. A doctor friend of mine who oversees 30 emergency rooms in California told me that these were needed ASAP, and that if we could mobilize Thalia to make these that we would save lives. So, seeing a clear need and opportunity, we have redesigned the box with his input so that it can be made very efficiently and cost effectively in the Thalia Studio using our six laser cutters. With this new design, I expect to be able to produce 200 of these boxes per day within a short period of time.”
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Justice, by raising funds for them in their campaigns and actions to stop modern slavery. We were just able to make them a payment of more than $700 from sales of a special edition of our latest Performance 3 capo. As our customers will know, we also put leaflets in our packs highlighting their work. He continued, “We are also collaborating with one of our favorite UK-based guitar players, Gordon Giltrap, to raise money for our National Health Service. I have known Gordon for very nearly 50 years! I first booked him to come and play at my school when I was a teenager running the school folk club. He and I got our heads together to see what we could do to assist the NHS in this pandemic crisis, and we are producing the Gordon Giltrap ‘Heartsong’ capo, and $12.50 from every sale will go to the University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, named after Gordon’s most famous composition ‘Heartsong.’” (continued on page 16)
eBay
Through May 31, eBay matched up to $1 million in contributions made by U.S. customers who donate a portion of sales to Feeding America, Direct Relief and Opportunity Fund. Funds raised will help support each charity’s relief response, including providing meals to children out of school, providing essential medical supplies to health workers and supporting small businesses who are impacted.
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G7th
“These are indeed tough times and we, at G7th, are doing our best to make sure we emerge at the other end strongly!” G7th’s Nick Campling told the Music & Sound Retailer. “In business terms, we are keeping in touch with our distributors around the world, maintaining relationships and making sure that we have stock available. Supplies from China, where we have our patented capo designs manufactured by trusted partners, have been interrupted, but are now getting back on track and catching up with orders. We are in the very fortunate position of having some cash in the bank at the start of the pandemic, so we are able to keep our people employed and busy from home. Campling added, “We continue helping our longterm charity partner, Hope for
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Note From Dan
ADVERTORIAL • JUNE 2020 • NAMM.ORG
A Blueprint for Recovery: Voices From the Past What we can learn from the courage and actions of our industry's forebears. We, as an industry, can find strength, and insight from the
2003, he pulled out a yellowing copy of “Training GI’s For Music
wisdom of our past leaders, and comfort in knowing we are not
Stores,” a short pamphlet NAMM created to help our members
alone in facing adversity. Through wars and recessions, and
through that period of change. Anna Sipavich, a real-life Rosie
now a pandemic, the music products industry has proven
the Riveter, assembled a variety of products working for the
its enduring value and passion, but, like our predecessors,
Wurlitzer Company during the second world war, ranging from
it will take some creative thinking and ingenuity to build a
keyboards to airplane parts.
stronger future. Through each challenge, there were new opportunities to be During his NAMM Oral History interview, James Mixter
discovered. School music programs developed after the war,
explained how piano companies were manufacturing toilet
and NAMM ramped up its advocacy efforts, which continue
seats during World War I and gliders during World War II.
today with The NAMM Foundation. Popular trends such as the
Retailers, during the Great Depression, took on product lines
ukulele emerged from the ashes of WWI. Clever retailers and
outside of music products. For example, Menchey Music
suppliers were right there to fill the need of the demands.
in Pennsylvania added a new greeting card brand to its inventory—it happened to be called Hallmark.
These examples of rethinking and reinventing business models show how we can look for creative ways to reach customers.
After WWII, the big band musicians who had jobs before being
In our era, consider how you’re engaging consumers through
drafted came home to find the swing era coming to a close.
your websites and social media as you cultivate new business.
With the help of the GI Bill, music education classes and band repair schools were turning out qualified professionals, many
While we do not know what will happen next, we do know
of whom enjoyed a full and successful career in the years
that our industry will survive and thrive. The current health-
ahead. Fred Morgan was one such soldier who enrolled in an
crisis will lead to new ways of doing business, new product
instrument repair school, and soon after graduating, opened a
opportunities and new ways to engage your customers.
small shop outside of Sacramento, where he remained happily doing what he loved until his retirement over 60 years later!
By working together, we will write our own history.
Many others, like Bernie Vance in Bloomington, Indiana, opened their own music retail stores. When I interviewed Mr. Vance in
Dan Del Fiorentino • NAMM Music Historian
Music in wartime is especially important. There are no barriers of language, race or creed. Music speaks to our souls. Many people today are going through anxiety, sorrow and suffering. Anything which can take them out of themselves into the realm of beauty deserves support from all of us. Eleanor Roosevelt
The creativity and resilience demonstrated throughout our industry’s history can provide insight and inspiration to our own recovery.
James Mixter recalled that
Anna Sipavich worked in
Bernie Vance took
Robert Menchey’s store
the Baldwin Piano Company
the Wurlitzer Company
advantage of NAMM’s
began diversifying its product
made toilet seats during
factory, assembling music
“Training GI’s For Music
line to include Hallmark
World War II to stay in
products and airplane
Stores” program after World
greeting cards during difficult
business.
parts.
War II.
economic times.
See more:
See more:
See more:
See more:
namm.org/Mixter
namm.org/Anna
namm.org/Vance
namm.org/Menchey
Our global community’s response to this crisis has been incredibly inspiring, with more yet to be written. Please share your story at namm.org/playback/submit-a-story.
Despite any obstacle, NAMM and our members have moved the industry forward since 1901.
We are all in this together. namm.org #MusicISLife
L AT E S T
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(continued from page 13)
a single employee. While we did face a 20-percent cutback in hours early in Oregon’s closure period, we are all back to full time and more. We are also finalizing a special program for all music retailers that will allow them to re-supply all their strap needs in an extremely economical manner when they re-open. On demand, private labeled straps will be available with no minimums, no artwork charges and free shipping for 12 straps or more.”
JodyJazz
With so many of its retail partners unable to function normally due to the current health crisis, JodyJazz announced its “Dealer COVID-19 Direct Sales Advocacy Program.” JodyJazz seeks to compensate its dealers for any direct sales received on its own website during the period of the crisis. This program includes all dealers who are currently part of the JodyJazz authorized dealer network both in the USA and overseas and relates to direct sales on the JodyJazz.com website. All JodyJazz products are currently available for purchase on its website at the full USA manufacturer-suggested retail price (MSRP). Purchasers on the site will be asked to name the music retailer from whom they would normally be making their purchase, and if they are part of the JodyJazz authorized dealer network, JodyJazz will then compensate that dealer the markup amount from standard dealer prices for that product. The program will extend to such time when the epidemic may reasonably be considered to have subsided, with most dealers once more open for business. “We want to champion our retail partners to the greatest degree possible during these deeply troubling times,” said Jody Espina, founder and president of JodyJazz. “Like all small businesses, we are facing unprecedented challenges due to the health crisis. But, now more than ever in the music products industr y, we appreciate that we are all part of the same ecosystem. When this terrible situation passes — and it will pass — it will be so important for all of us that our retail partners get back up on their feet again as quickly as possible. This program is our contribution to help make that happen.”
Strapworks LLC
“We are focusing on what we can do through Strapworks,” CEO Thomas Foster told the Retailer. “We make straps for literally every industry. More importantly at this time, we also provide raw materials for making face masks.” Foster continued, “When our limited supply of elastic started flying off the shelves, we quickly contacted all of our great vendors to secure what we could in elastic and narrow webbings. Since late March, we have provided more than 400,000 yards of elastic to everyone from crafters to major industry players. This is more elastic than we have sold in the previous 20 years. We have sold over 1 million cordlocks. And, we have also provided hygienic grab straps for transit districts so riders can avoid touching any metal parts of the bus. Our Amazon account has blown up with orders for all things crafty.” He added, “I am extremely proud that we have not had to lay off
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Synthax
Amid the disruptions in the market caused by COVID-19, Synthax, distributor of RME audio solutions, Ferrofish audio converters, Digigram broadcast and streaming solutions, Appsys digital audio tools, and myMix personal monitors and mixers, announced a series of free weekly webinars covering a variety of industry topics, from breaking down audio networking systems to the psycho-effects of IEM usage. The free webinars are hosted by several of Synthax’s key technical experts and are offered Monday through Friday. The webinars are targeted to those who work in the live sound, broadcast and audio production markets. “With so many professionals currently waiting to go back to work, we thought this would be a perfect time to offer some advance learning opportunities,” Derek Badala, director of sales, Americas for Synthax, said. “These daily webinars offer pro AV professionals around the world the chance to make the most of their time and advance their knowledge of different audio networking systems and solutions, as well as receive up to 4 CTS renewal credits for some of the sessions in the process.”
DPA Microphones
DPA is providing a variety of creative online resources and virtual entertainment in the wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic. DPA is also supporting its customers and industry professionals by continuing to stock and service equipment. “DPA is working diligently to maintain production and operations to ensure an uninterrupted supply of microphones. We remain committed to our employees, partners and customers around the world,” said Kalle Hvidt Nielsen, CEO of DPA Microphones. “Additionally, in the past few weeks, we have been inspired by many creative ideas and initiatives that we have seen implemented, both within the DPA organization and the industry at large. Through our digital program, DPA will continue to educate and inspire our online community during these difficult times.” As part of its efforts, DPA is hosting a variety of digital content including: • Online training webinars focused on products, segments, techniques and more. • Interviews with industry professionals, such as Whit Norris, Brad Maddox and Eddie Caipo, on multiple streaming platforms. • Livestreamed performances by musicians, including symphony and orchestra engineer Mary Mazurek. • Additional Mic University articles, including ones focused on tips for stay-at-home content providers and a cleaning guide that provides ways to ensure proper mic hygiene. JUNE 2020
NOMINEES MANUFACTURERS AND SALES REPS:
The Nominations Are In. Vote now for the Music & Sound Awards/Dealer Division
VOTE NOW Please click www.msretailer.com/vote
MULTI-STORE DEALER DIVISION Best Guitars & Basses Best Instrument Amplifiers Best Keyboards Best Sound Reinforcement Best Recording-Related Products Best Percussion Best DJ Equipment Best Clinics Best Customer Service Best Sales Staff Multi-Store Dealer of the Year
HURRY! Deadline to vote is June 26.
SINGLE-STORE DEALER DIVISION Best Guitars & Basses Best Instrument Amplifiers Best Keyboards Best Sound Reinforcement Best Recording-Related Products Best Percussion Best DJ Equipment Best Clinics Best Customer Service Best Sales Staff Single-Store Dealer of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award
(Individual person at either a multi-store or single-store retailer)
/MSRetailer
w w w . m s r e t a i l e r. c o m
PEOPLE
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Wilcher to Run for City Commission in Kentucky
Gordy Wilcher, who for 46 years owned Owensboro Music Center in Owensboro, Ky., on May 19 filed to run for the city’s commission. Wilcher is also a founding member of the iMSO MI trade group, bassist and vocalist with the Velvet Bombers, and often contributed to the Music & Sound Retailer’s September Independent Retailer Roundtable feature. “A huge thank you to many of our current city leaders and friends and family for your support,” Wilcher wrote on Facebook. “I do not take this challenge lightly and want to work hard for our community and our business and fellow citizens. I have a fantastic team to help me stay on course. I BELIEVE IN OWENSBORO.”
Catching a New Wave
New Jerseybased Wave Distro, distributor for pro audio brands including Empirical Labs, Useful Arts Audio, Whitestone Audio Instruments and Serpent Audio, announced the addition of industry veteran Orin Portnoy as sales representative for select brands in the USA and Canada. Portnoy brings a wealth of experience in audio to Wave Distro, most notably from his 20-year tenure as vice president of sales and marketing for CE Distribution and, prior to that, a decade spent with New Sensor Corporation (Electro-Harmonix, Sovtek). Born and raised in New York City, Portnoy currently works from his home base in Tempe, Ariz.
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Yamaha Corp. of America (YCA) named Reed Larrimore its senior director of combo channel sales. In this role, Larrimore is responsible for leading sales efforts for the company’s combo music products, as well as expanding the scope of distribution for Yamaha Guitar Group products under the Line 6 and Ampeg brands. He is also tasked with broadening sales for Steinberg software and hardware products. Larrimore continues to report directly to Garth Gilman, corporate vice president. “Reed is an accomplished professional who has done an exceptional job of leading Yamaha sales teams to success,” said Gilman. “He is also one of only a select few individuals in his position to be inducted into the prestigious Yamaha President’s Club, which awards high-achieving sales professionals in the organization. I am confident that he will continue to elevate our company’s overall sales strategy for many years to come.” Larrimore joined Yamaha in 2001 as district manager for what was then the Pro Audio and Combo Division, serving the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania territory. In 2005, he was promoted to eastern regional sales manager, and in 2012, to director, national sales. He was named director, combo channel sales, in April 2019.
A Sound Selection
Audix named Steve Johnson as vice president of sales and marketing. Johnson has served for more than 30 years in the pro audio and communications industries, with a background in engineering, marketing and senior management roles. Johnson was most recently the CEO of Community Professional Loudspeakers, with previous leadership positions with Bosch Communications Systems, Harman Music Group and Shure microphones. “Audix is an outstanding brand with a legacy of quality and innovation,” said Johnson. “There are many exciting things on the horizon and in the works at Audix. I look forward to helping expand their reach and shaping a strong long-term vision that drives success for years to come.” “Audix has been seeking an industry leader with the skillset to take [the company] to the next level,” added Cindy Bigeh, CFO of Audix. “We welcome the strong business acumen Steve brings to the Audix sales and marketing teams. We are anticipating much success with Steve at the helm.”
JUNE 2020
PEOPLE
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In Memoriam: Joe Keith
The Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA) announced Keith was a staple at the RPMDA annual conventions and the director the passing of one of RPMDA’s founding members, Joe Keith of Music for the RPMDA Choir. Mart in Albuquerque, N.M. Keith died at home from complications of Memorials can be made to St. John’s Music Ministry, 2626 Arizona pulmonary fibrosis, which he had been battling the past four years. He NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. A private service will be held, and a is survived by Claudia, his wife of 58 years, and three children. celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Those wishing to Keith served as RPMDA President from 1978-1979, and after years express their condolences can visit frenchfunerals.com/obituaries/ of dedicated service to RPMDA and to the print music industry, he Joe-Keith, or do so via mail to Claudia Keith, 7720 American Heritage and his wife received RPMDA’s highest honor, the Dorothy Award, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. in 1999. Joe and Claudia purchased the Music Mart in the early 1960s with the goal of doing all that was possible to support music education and lesson programs. As the store grew, so did his interest in the print industry as a whole. Keith was instrumental in being part of a small group of retailers who PRS SE PARLOR ACOUSTICS formed the RPMDA in 1976.
SMALL BODY, BIG VOICE
The PRS SE P20 & P20E are parlorsized acoustics with a big presence. Featuring PRS hybrid “X”/Classical bracing, which allows the top to freely vibrate, the SE Parlor acoustics project with even, bold tone. These guitars boast all-mahogany construction, and have an organic, warm voice. Their smaller size makes playing for hours fun and comfortable and allows for more convenient transport. To find out more and to hear how they sound please visit www.prsguitars.com.
Solid State Logic (SSL) appointed Marc DeGeorge as national sales manager, audio creation products. DeGeorge, who was previously U.S. sales and marketing manager, music products, will continue to report to Phil Wagner, SSL’s senior vice president. “Marc has been a key part of our sales team for almost a decade, and in his new role he will help extend our success into adjacent markets; particularly for our products such as SiX and our new interfaces,” said Wagner. “Through our relationship with Audiotonix, we have been able to substantially increase our manufacturing capacity while retaining the quality that SSL is known for. In this newly created position, Marc will be instrumental in helping us reach a broader set of consumers.” DeGeorge joined SSL in 2011 and has been responsible for managing SSL’s independent dealer network, as well as cultivating the company’s console sales, primarily to the North American professional studio market.
© 2020 PRS Guitars / Photos by Marc Quigley
On the Marc
For official PRS strings and cables, as well as a full line of accessories, wearables and parts, please contact your PRS dealer or shop online at: www.prsguitars.com/shop
PRODUCT
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Alice in Wonderland
Hal Leonard announced the latest addition to the Omnibook series with the release of the “Bill Evans Omnibook.” Featuring exact note-for-note transcriptions of his recorded solos for piano, the book contains a variety of helpful features throughout the book, including chord symbols, easyto-read notation, rehearsal letters, metronome marks and more. The book is also bound in the signature Omnibook series’ spiral-comb binding for easy usability. The book features 40 transcriptions highlighting many of the works played by Evans over the course of his career, including: “Alice in Wonderland,” “Blue in Green,” “My Foolish Heart,” “My Romance,” “Nardis,” “Peace Piece,” “RE: Person I Know,” “Skating in Central Park,” “Some Other Time,” “Waltz for Debby” and more. MSRP: $29.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Hal Leonard, halleonard.com
Tip of the Cap
When a saxophone case is dropped or bumped, it can cause costly damage to the expensive instrument inside. Seattle music products company Key Leaves created a way to protect saxophones from this damage with its GapCap, which replaces traditional saxophone end plugs or end caps and features a coilspring wall to provide the perfect fit inside the saxophone neck socket, no matter what make or model you play, stated the company. If a saxophone case is loose-fitting, the GapCap screw expands to fill the gap inside the case and hold the sax in a safe, secure position. This reduces risk of bent keys or a bent sax body that results from the sax bouncing around inside a loose-fitting case. The flexible spring-wall design of GapCap also provides shock absorption, decreasing impact force that can damage the sax. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Key Leaves, keyleaves.com
STAR of the Show
TAMA’s STAR Reserve Hand Hammered Brass Snare Drum features a 5.5-inch-by-14-inch, 1.5-millimeter hand-hammered brass shell. The hammering on the shell is achieved by using two different-sized ball-peen hammers. The middle portion of the shell is hammered with the larger size, while the smaller hammer is used toward the edge of the shell. This creates more flexibility along the middle of the shell and more rigidity at the edges, stated the company. Overall, the hammering pattern diffuses sonic reflections, leading to a dry, airier tone. The 1.5-millimeter custom Brass Mighty Hoops support a focused sound, control overtones, impart just the right amount of bite, and complement the inherent musicality of this artisan-crafted snare drum, added the company. MSRP: $1,812 Ship Date: Now Contact: Hoshino, hoshinousa.com
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Before I Forget …
Fender released the Jim Root Jazzmaster V4, the latest iteration of the company’s collaboration with the Slipknot guitarist. The newest model in Fender’s Artist Signature Series captures the eclectic, fast and aggressive, yet fluid playing style Root is known for, stated the company. New features include new Jim Root signature active EMG pickups, a hardtail bridge, single-knob volume control, three-way switch for simple access to crushing tones, and white neck binding with white pearloid block inlays that reflect in dark light so players never have to be worried about losing their place, stated the company. MSRP: $1,399.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Fender, fender.com JUNE 2020
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Livestreamer’s Dream
I See the Light
MusicMedic announced the Flexi-Nova Leak Light System, a 10-inch flexible leak light with 15 LED lights on both sides. The lights are encased in soft-shrink tubing that will not mar or damage instruments, stated the company. The system comes with a threefoot cord powered by USB connection. It also comes with a set of international USB adapters and interchangeable plug styles. The Flexi-Nova Leak Light System’s flexibility and unique design make it easy to snake in and out of tone holes. The small size makes it well suited for use on smaller instruments such as clarinets, flutes and piccolos. Plus, the Flexi-Nova Leak Light System offers an effective solution for a baritone saxophone crook that other leak lights have trouble reaching. Specifications include 10-inch LED Leak Light; three-foot USB extension cord; and five-watt, five-volt internationalvoltage USB power supply with interchangeable plug styles. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: MusicMedic, musicmedic.com
For podcasters and content creators of all kinds, VocoPro unveiled its Streamer-Studio and Streamer-Live systems. With this content creator package from VocoPro, creators have everything they need to capture lasting performance, vlogs and podcasts at home or on the road. The heart of the Streamer package is the Streamer USB audio interface. Plug in a PC or smartphone with the included condenser mic to broadcast your content to the world. The Streamer USB audio interface also has tons of features including Bluetooth wireless input; 16 onboard sound effects; and chat and singing mode with features like pitch correction, pitch bend and vocal eliminator for accompanying music tracks. This makes it one of the most flexible and affordable audio interface packages on the market, stated the company. Other features include Bluetooth input to stream accompaniment tracks; 16 sound effects; clean mic preamps with a 48V phantom powered input and a non-powered input for dynamic mic or instruments; independent mic, reverb, FX, accompaniment and monitor level controls; and rechargeable audio interface via USB to eliminate need for power supply. MSRP: Streamer-Live: $149; Streamer-Studio: $119.00 USD Ship Date: Now Contact: VocoPro, vocopro.com
On the Spot
CHAUVET DJ’s Pinspot Bar features six individually adjustable 4,000K Natural White LED pinspots on a single bar, weighting just under 10 pounds. CHAUVET DJ created Pinspot Bar as a solution for achieving the desired lighting effect without the heat or heavy energy consumption of pre-LED technology. Each pinspot is individually controllable and pixel-mappable for flexibility in applications where highlighting essentials like buffets and art installations is a must, stated the company. Users can achieve
elevated looks using included accessories like the 2,700K color filter and gels for five-degree, 10-degree or 20-degree beam angles. Pinspot Bar mounts to pipe and base with included Omega brackets. The unit contains PowerCon-compatible power input to avoid messy cables when power linking and an onboard digital display. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: CHAUVET DJ, chauvetdj.com
Handmade quality, right from your backyard. Snow on the ground. Acoustic on your back. Head in the clouds. Rubber Pads & Parts proudly sourced from Colorado.
HANDMADE IN THE USA Since 1980 www.kysermusical.com
TRACE BUNDY, practicing in the Rocky Mountains.
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Sanitary Confinement
König & Meyer launched a “must-have” item for these unprecedented times, according to the company: a sturdy and sleek stand to hold handsanitizer bottles. A small footprint and white finish make this stand easy to place anywhere in a store, event space, church and more. An adjustable holder fits leading hand sanitizer brand bottles from 250-1000 ml (1 liter) size with up to 4x4 inch bottom. It has a round base with integrated steel plate and plastic cover and anti-vibration rubber insert for noise filtration. Comes with a fiveyear warranty. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: König & Meyer, k.m.de/us
Forever Young
Hawaiian Ukulele & Guitar’s HUG Ukulele Quality Beginner Series offers two models, each in three sizes, giving players plenty of options to punch an economy ticket to a tonal paradise reminiscent of the Aloha State, stated the company. The HUG Ukulele Quality Beginner Series Mahogany features all-layered wood construction with layered mahogany for the top, back and sides. Its series counterpart, the HUG Ukulele Quality Beginner Series Spruce and Mahogany, is also constructed of all-layered wood with layered spruce for the top and layered mahogany back and sides. ABS binding is used for the materials, including for the compressed-wood fingerboard. Each ukulele offers a walnut bridge and black-and-white rosette for a sophisticated touch. Both HUG Ukulele Quality Beginner Series are available in Soprano, Concert and Tenor sizes. MSRP: $105 to $155 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Hawaiian Ukuele and Guitar, hugukulele.com
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The Best Offense Is a Good Defense
Adam Hall’s MIDI 5 2D Defender is a series of traversable modular cable protectors whose multidimensional concept pairs flexibility and easy day-to-day use, stated the company. Every MIDI 5 2D middle section has a drive-over ramp which can be passed over completely. The ramp module’s six-degree angle fulfills almost all requirements and standards regarding barrier-free accessibility at events, added the company. The flat incline of the MIDI 5 2D Series makes it easy for wheelchair users to roll over the protectors with no trouble at all, and they’re also so stable that they can bear the weight of forklifts and trucks, added the manufacturer. The MIDI 5 2D Series also features the Defender LaserGrip surface. Its ergonomic shape and surface structure reduces the risk of an entire line of cable protectors accidentally shifting out of place. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: Adam Hall, adamhall.com
A New Norman
Norman Guitars launched a line of acoustic guitars to honor the longstanding heritage and quality tradition it has been known for since 1972, stated the company. The revamped Norman line offers eight new models: the B18 CW MJ Cherry Burst , B20 Natural GT, B18 Parlor Cherry Burst GT, B50 12 Natural SG, ST30 MJ Havana Burst SG, ST40 CW Natural HG, ST50 Cherry Burst HG and ST68 MJ Natural. According to the company, the newly redesigned Norman line of guitars offers a more modernized Country design, feel and sound. MAP: $549 to $1,695 Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Norman Guitars, normanguitars.com
JUNE 2020
By Brian Berk
Advice Column Tips and Findings From NAMM’s Webinar Series
No matter if your store is open or not, today is anything but business as usual. In an effort to provide all of the advice necessary for MI retailers to get through these difficult times, NAMM has hosted a series of webinars. Here, I provide some tips from several of the webinars, as well as a look at what some retailers and manufacturers have gone through during this pandemic. This is just a taste of what was presented in four of NAMM’s webinars. Make sure to visit namm.org to view the complete series of webinars and to see what may have been added since press time.
‘COVID-19 Small Business Update: Key Issues to Consider as You Re-Open for Business’
Bob Phibbs, “The Retail Doctor,” also dubbed this session “Reopening with Hope: What You Need to Plan for, Rethink and Buy to Reopen Your Doors.” He presented a five-step plan for retailers when reopening a store: 1. A PLAN FOR DOING YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE “In the last eight weeks, trust has been broken,” said Phibbs. “Trust for the government to take care of us, trust for our public health, trust for our politicians, trust of our banking system, trust of the stock market and even trust our own family can keep us safe has all been broken. Suddenly, we are looking around and saying, ‘Wow, this is very different.’ This cosmic shellshock we’ve all [had] is affecting everything. It especially affects retail, because we are the signs of a new world.” The solution to this problem is to do “everything in your power to regain that trust and make people feel safe and welcome again.” “Anything touchable needs to be regularly sanitized,” said Phibbs. “Heavily touched surfaces should be cleaned every 30 minutes or more. … Doing due diligence means you are going to need to wear a mask, even if you personally think it is unnecessary or your governor doesn’t require it. It is not about you. It is about your customers.” Phibbs pointed to a survey that said 86 percent of people would not go into a store where people were not wearing masks and gloves, with the latter part dependent on what they are selling. “What that means is, they are already afraid walking in and need to be reassured,” he said. As for types of masks, Phibbs noted retailers should not look scary or “surgical.” Finding someone who can create a mask with your store logo can really work well. Etsy is one place to find people who can sell these products, he suggested. Concerning customers wearing masks, Phibbs stated retailers must decide based upon state rules. However, he said a great way to get customers
MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
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to wear masks in your store is to encourage them to take pictures of the mask, post them on your social media page with a hashtag and reward them with something. The goal is to make things seem normal, but retailers must manage the optics. 2. A PLAN FOR LEADING YOUR TEAM Trust is also broken for retail employees that were furloughed. “You have to rebuild your team,” said Phibbs. “They are shell shocked.”
Quickly, MI store employees must be trained in proper sanitizing practices and much more. “You have to have a meeting with everybody,” stressed Phibbs. “… Give your staff a script for the top four questions you think they will be asked, and then role play with [the employees] as much as you can so they feel confident with it.” Phibbs took it one step further, recommending employees sign a sheet saying they understand everything they were told and are willing to perform those duties with new procedures. The store owner should keep a copy of these signed documents. 3. A PLAN FOR YOUR “NEW” BUSINESS Customer demand is likely to be only 30 percent to 40 percent of what it would be during normal times, noted Phibbs. “Think of this like you are opening a new business,” he said. “It is actually going to be better than the last one.” This involves rethinking a lot of things, including sales training, if employees know how to upsell and if they are suggesting addons. “You are going to have to get more out of people that are coming in,” said Phibbs. “More so than getting new customers.” “Don’t expect employees to do it automatically,” he continued. “You have to train it, then practice it first. … It’s not just a matter of having someone know how to play the instrument. Can they get someone to nurture that little flame of desire, so they say, ‘I want to upgrade to the next big thing’?” 4. A PLAN FOR CARING FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS, NOT WAITING ON THEM “We have to make shopping fun,” stated
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Phibbs. “We have to remember we are a music store. We are not a hospital. We are trying to have fun with this. Some people wonder if they need to sacrifice a goat to figure it out. No, we need to think about how we interact with customers in a new way and make sure you train your staff how to interact with people.” Do not ever talk about the news with customers inside the store, Phibbs asserted. “If I had a sign on my door, it would say, ‘Escape the News With Our Music,’” he said. Focus on human connection, Phibbs continued. “[Customers] are here for hope. They are here to upgrade. They are here for a lesson. They are here for fun,” he said. “People are buying hope, and your employees have to deliver that. … People who feel they matter buy from you. Those that don’t, don’t [buy from you].” 5. BUILDING HOPE “Why is hope important?” Phibbs asked. “When you have hope, you are looking forward. You gain energy in the feeling of potential.” “But hope is not a strategy,” he cautioned. “You can’t say you hope [COVID-19] will get better. You need to take action.”
‘Sales & Marketing in the Time of COVID-19, With Marcus Sheridan — Part 3: Timeless Selling’
In this session, marketing expert Marcus Sheridan started off by noting, “Economic hardship is always followed by certain sales and marketing opportunities. Always.” Opportunity could be found in the form of virtual sales appointments, for which he offered 11 best practices: 1) Know and teach the technology 2) Require cameras to be on 3) Limit text on slides 4) Limit screen sharing 5) Write names down 6) Ask questions using names 7) Smile … a lot 8) Face a light source 9) Sit up straight or stand 10) State purpose of call 11) Take control of the call “Virtual is going to be fundamental to every business in manufacturing and retail,” stressed Sheridan. He added that even if MI retailers feel that virtual sales calls will not appeal to an older audience, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed this thinking in a big way. “All elderly that are not used to this
technology are getting ver y used to it, especially video conferencing, because that is how they are communicating with their doctors right now,” said Sheridan. “And many of them are using platforms like Zoom to communicate with their children and families. Let’s get in the mindset that, although some may not know how to [use a virtual platform], many do.” Sheridan added that retailer websites should be much different today than preCOVID-19. Dealers should make sure their home page offers the following: • Show empathy/awareness • Show the state of your business • Show how customers can engage you Sheridan provided the example of DR Strings as a company who did it right. On its website, DR Strings stated the following: “We are all in this together. DR Strings is donating 10 percent of profits to community food banks of New Jersey, where $1 provides three meals. DR Strings is currently shipping and trying as best we can to meet the needs of our customers.” When communicating with customers via email, Sheridan relayed there are three best practices when creating subject lines: 1) Including the person’s name will increase open rates by an average of 10 percent. 2) Including the word “video” will increase open rates by an average of 10 percent. 3) Including a personalized, specific element will increase open rates by an average of 20 percent. Video messages within the email can go a long way, he added. “Your ability to make human connections right now with your customer base has never been more important than it is right now,” said Sheridan. Providing virtual visits to the store is another excellent approach to earn more sales, said Sheridan. He cited the example of an MI manufacturer, Deering Banjos, as a company doing virtual visits well. “Deering allows you to choose the colors and finish [of the banjo]. So, it will change its look as you change the color or style you want. It’s really great.” A “learning center” on a website is another thing Sheridan recommended. It is a place to get answers to common questions in the style people want to learn. He stressed this section must have a search function for people to try to find what they want to know, whether they consume information by reading it or watching a video. “In a time of chaos, like we have today, people are looking for steady voices,” Sheridan said. “The steady voices are teachers who can talk about something and do it in a way where the marketplace says, ‘Wow,
JUNE 2020
a steady voice. Thank you for that. Now, I understand.’” Sheridan concluded with 10 thought-leadership best practices. These are: 1) What’s wrong with your industry? 2) Who is your product or service not a good fit for? 3) What are the steps of a successful purchase? 4) What are the steps of a failed purchase? 5) What is the No. 1 question your sales team gets? 6) Who are your biggest competitors? Compare yourself to them. 7) What are the negatives with your product? 8) Brainstorm and rank the categories in your space. 9) Share your business’ secret sauce. 10) Talk and teach more about cost/price/rates/value than anyone in your entire industry. As for No. 8 on the list regarding ranking categories in your space, Sheridan noted in his industry, the swimming pool business, he has written stories comparing and contrasting his company with competitors, something people often search for on a website. He said it is important not to bash competitors. However, comparing your business with theirs factually can be very helpful. Regarding sharing the ‘secret sauce,’ “Do not hide it like you are Colonel Sanders and Coca-Cola syrup,” Sheridan asserted. “You are not [them]. I am not [them]. Let’s not act like we have a secret sauce when we really don’t. Most companies that believe they have a secret sauce do not.” Sheridan was asked during the question-and-answer session about if sharing the ‘secret sauce’ would allow a large competitor to swoop in and steal the ideas. He responded that independent retailers are much more nimble, and big competitors have to go through a lot of red tape, so it wasn’t likely to happen, adding he has rarely ever seen this happen. And as for No. 10 on the aforementioned list about cost,
MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
Sheridan suggested that you should not just show the price, but you should explain the price. “Explain what makes a product expensive; what makes it cheap,” he said. “Explain what makes an instrument $50,000 vs. $3,000, yet it looks the same. How is that possible? Most people don’t know. Unless you explain it, people will make poor buying decisions. And we complain that people are so cheap these days. Well, (continued on page 40)
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Matthew Bills
SALUTE TO SERVICE
David, a veteran, holds an autographed guitar with a patriotic design.
By Brian Berk
For Veterans Suffering From PTSD,
MUSIC IS THE ANSWER
Music’s many benefits have long been touted in the pages of the Music & Sound Retailer, including as recently as January, when we published a feature story about how music has greatly benefited those in prisons. But one thing we have not highlighted is the tremendous positive affect music has on America’s military. We truly salute their service. But often, after returning home from combat, veterans must deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Success of treatments for PTSD can be spotty at best. But one thing that has helped soldiers deal with trauma is music. And at the forefront of helping members of the military suffering from PTSD is Patrick Nettesheim, co-founder of Guitars 4 Vets Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that strives to enhance the lives of wounded veterans by providing them with free guitars and music instruction. According to Guitars 4 Vets (also known as G4V), “Through self-expression and the healing power of music, it is our intent to restore the feelings of joy and purpose that can be lost after suffering trauma.” Nettesheim loved music from an early age and first became a guitar instructor at age 16. He also played in a band. “In my early 20s, I came to the realization that playing in a band in Milwaukee, Wis., was a dead end,” Nettesheim told the Music & Sound Retailer. “And then, after moving around the country, I realized playing in a band just about anywhere was a dead end because I wasn’t born into royalty. I did not have a celebrity parent, and I didn’t have the money to pay the people you need to get to. Bands do succeed the old-fashioned way, but it has been a little more difficult the last 30 years.” Guitars 4 Vets nearly never happened. In 2006, Nettesheim recalled playing in three bands while still teaching private guitar lessons. He received a call from a potential client, Dan Van Buskirk, about taking lessons, but Nettesheim did not call him back for a while. “A week went by, (continued on page 43)
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Veteran Joe
Veteran Erin
Veteran John
Another happy veteran
Yamaha CEO Tom Sumner and Patrick Nettesheim
A Guitars 4 Vets alumni group meets in Chicago.
MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
27
FI V E M INUTE S W ITH
Brenden Cohen
Co-Owner, CEO and President, D’Angelico Guitars By Brian Berk
Of course, dealing with the coronavirus pandemic has been a tough time for all. For some perspective on how to do business during this crisis, we reached out to D’Angelico Guitars, whose headquarters is located in the heart of Manhattan in New York City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. We asked D’Angelico Guitars CEO Brenden Cohen to discuss these crazy times, how his business can be stronger once the crisis resolves and much more.
The Music & Sound Retailer: Please tell us about yourself, your family, your background and your love for music. Brenden Cohen: I grew up in Long Island, N.Y., and Florida. I’ve always had a diverse set of interests. I’m an avid snowboarder and traveler, and music has always been an integral part of those passions. Though I don’t come from a musical family, we have a deep appreciation for it, culturally. When we re-launched the D’Angelico brand, I had the opportunity to become part of the world of live music and musical instruments, where my appreciation and passion for music really deepened. The Retailer: Tell us how long you have been at D’Angelico and why you re-launched the company. Cohen: John Ferolito Jr. and I re-launched the D’Angelico brand in 2011. At first, I was handling all marketing and branding, making sure we had an identity that was informed by our history, but also restated itself in the modern age. As soon as I started learning about John D’Angelico, I fell in love with the brand — the story, the legacy and the instruments. And as we started (very slowly at first) producing guitars and gauging the public’s reaction, we were extremely encouraged to continue. I realized that we were in the position to be a company with its own niche, and from that point forward I was solely dedicated to growing the brand. The Retailer: We have been going through an awful health and economic crisis. Please tell us how you have weathered the storm personally and how D’Angelico has weathered the storm as a company. Cohen: This is an unprecedented time, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by the crisis. Personally, I have tried to play my part every day, taking social distancing extremely seriously, keeping in touch with family and friends, and making sure I am doing absolutely everything I can to protect our company. And, as a business, we’ve prioritized protecting our staff and trying to remain connected to our audience online. We’ve launched a few challenges via social media that have harbored a lot of remote connections among musicians, which we really feel the world needs right now. It’s been very encouraging to see the response from players of every stripe. We are also fortunate to say that our online sales have remained strong throughout this time. Not only is it a testament to all of the businesses who work so hard to connect with their customers despite all circumstances, but it’s also great to see people bringing music into their homes during such a difficult time. It shows how much we need music and music-making in times like these. 28
The Retailer: New York City was of course hit extremely hard by the coronavirus. Can you tell us what the experience was like for you seeing empty streets near D’Angelico’s NYC offices? Cohen: New York City was and is in a very difficult position. As with anything in NYC, when something happens there, it happens in a big way. That’s just the nature of having eight million people in a relatively small geographic area. But it has been eerie. In a city that really comes alive as the winter gives way to spring, seeing the streets and restaurants and parks empty is just surreal. But it’s an illustration of our communal decision to help stop the spread of this virus! So, in a way, it’s encouraging. Through all of the tribulations that history has thrown at New York, its strength and resolve have always been clear. We’ll get through this, too. The Retailer: D’Angelico has been ver y active during the COVID-19 crisis, hosting plenty of virtual events and more. Please tell us about these ef forts in detail and what your philosophy behind them is. Cohen: We think it’s important to prioritize staying connected during this time. With the #DreamOfMeChallenge that we launched on our Instagram channel, we took the opportunity to issue a fun goal and important message: Though we are living in a lonely time, we are in it together. Watching our fans learn a piece of music they otherwise may never have learned, collaborating with one another remotely and using this time to get impressively creative has been heartwarming. We’ll be working with our artists and partners to continue facilitating this kind of creative output. D’Angelico has always been extremely grateful for and dedicated to our audience, and this is a time when we want to be more connected than ever. We plan on exiting this phase with an even stronger relationship with our audience than we had before. The Retailer: Any advice you can provide for MI retailers tr ying to sell your products during these tr ying times? Cohen: First, I’d like to say that we have reached out to all of our dealers with messages of support. We want to be as supportive as possible during this time. While we are in this naturally slow state, especially if you are a mostly brick-and-mortar retailer, we encourJUNE 2020
age retailers to take the opportunity to bolster their online efforts and engage with their audience on social media. Not only will it result in new business, but it will be extremely helpful in the long run. If your website could be stronger, it’s a good time to set goals for improvement there, as well. We hope to see nothing like this in our lifetimes again, but it does illustrate how important it is to be able to connect with your audience online at a time where in-person interaction isn’t possible.
The Retailer: Music is a really good activity during difficult times, especially this one. Consumers have had to spend a lot of time at home. Have you seen anecdotally that they have wanted to play music during this time? Cohen: Absolutely! As I mentioned before, our social media challenges have been very successful, and we’ve seen steady online sales, despite the mountainous challenges we all face. But this is the exact type of hardship that art and music can help alleviate. We have seen an incredible amount of online engagement from players and artists, and we are doing everything we can think of to continue supporting their efforts. It should also be mentioned that the live music industry is in an extremely difficult position. We have been sharing tips on our social media channels about how to support artists whose tours have been canceled. Our friends at MusiCares are doing a great job educating people on how to help. The bottom line is, while we all have to make tremendous personal sacrifices right now, each of us should be doing everything we can to support our favorite artists and businesses so that the entire music industry can thrive once we reach the other side of this crisis. The Retailer: Do you foresee any permanent changes after the COVID-19 crisis improves in terms of retailing and music? Cohen: As I mentioned, these are unprecedented times. So, to make too many predictions is difficult. But we do believe everything is going to return to relative normalcy. The MI industry was having a great year, and we have been trending upward for several years. So long as we all use our savvy and remain focused on weathering the storm, we believe the industry is going to return to thriving soon.
The Retailer: You had several product launches at The NAMM Show in Januar y. Can you tell us about them and how they have been faring? And can you give us a sneak peek at what you may release, whether later this year or early next year? Cohen: We are happy to report that this year’s product launches were our most successful to date. The majority of the limited-edition releases we debuted were in high demand and sold out in the first few months of the year. The thinline Deluxe Bedford SH stole the show, and we’ve received an overwhelming amount of requests for more. The throwback archtops and refreshed Premier Series acoustics have also done exceedingly well. We have a number of things in the works right now and are very excited about the second half of the year. We’ll be making announcements about new products in the coming months. The Retailer: Anything you want to add? Cohen: We would just like to take a moment to express our gratitude. This is a naturally reflective time, and we want to issue a heartfelt thank you to all first responders and essential workers, as well as all of our dealers and customers — all who continue to support us. And I would like to personally thank the incredible D’Angelico staff. Our brand runs on their passion and dedication, and they are the best team. Keep taking care of each other!
The thinline Deluxe Bedford SH "stole the show" at NAMM, stated Cohen.
The Retailer: As a company, what do you think you will take away from the crisis regarding improving as a business? Cohen: This crisis is offering many lessons, some of which are still playing out. We know we are going to continue focusing on our digital presence and having even more tools to interact with our customers and dealers. That has proved invaluable. And internally, we are witnessing our employees work together and communicate effectively with remarkable adaptability. We are going to build more processes and tools to continue this inspiring level of remote communication. The Retailer: Guitar sales were really strong prior to the crisis, growing by more than 5 percent in 2019 and 2018 compared to the prior years. Are you optimistic that once the crisis improves, we will resume having a strong MI industr y? Cohen: Yes! There’s nothing to suggest the MI industry won’t return to its previous strong state. Our online sales have been able to weather the storm with all things considered, and the stores will return. The MI industry is no stranger to hardships. We are also experiencing in real time how much people prioritize their ability to make music. Even under tremendously difficult circumstances, people are buying instruments because it is truly one of the things that makes us feel better. We’re also hopeful that all these hours spent indoors give way to a whole new group of guitar players who stick with it long after the crisis! MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
29
M I SPY
A Virtual Visit to Minneapolis MI Stores, Part 1
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Psst, ladies and gents: I’m writing this report from the MI Spy Cave, where I am in quarantine like many of you. Internet access is not great here, but I have my TV and my collection of spy flicks, including ever ything from Bourne to Bond and the full “Spy Kids” franchise. Plus, I can always play my beloved musical instruments. Music is something you can always turn to, even during pandemics, economic recessions and any other bad situations we may face. Before the pandemic threw a wrench into everyone’s plans, I’d been scheduled for a mission to Minneapolis, and I was darned excited to visit; but that trip has been scratched for the time being. So, I asked The Chief if it would be OK to plan a virtual visit to the MI stores in Minneapolis instead, and I got the goahead. Believe me, people: I do want to visit these stores in person one day soon! But until then, here are some of my findings from the digital realm. What a long, strange trip it’s been lately, especially when it comes to shopping. Fortunately, we can still go online and flex our purchasing power. But for those of us who love to visit music stores and enjoy checking out the deals and the quirks at each store, the experience is… different. (What else can I say?) So for this report, I perused the online presences of nine MI stores based in Minneapolis and analyzed them for a variety of things. In general, how interesting and inviting is each website, especially upon the initial look? How easy is it to navigate the site? How deep is the inventory? How is the website beneficial for both those who will go to the store in person and those looking at it from afar? How are the prices? Does the store seem to be a part of the greater community in the city or region? Certainly, I couldn’t carry on casual conversations with store workers and customers, and I couldn’t nose around the displays, as usual. But this type of distance shopping has its interesting aspects. And while nothing is quite like walking into a musical instrument shop (even if you are undercover, like moi), checking out stores via the internet has its pleasures, too. So, this report is going to be much different this time, but these are the days we live in. JUNE 2020
Encore Music Shop encoremusic.business.site
The first thing you notice when you look at the homepage of the Encore Music Shop site is a photo of the actual store. It shows you a wall of electric guitars of various models and colors. Cases are to the left, and in front are rows of amps and keyboards. “We buy, sell and trade used gear.” Amen to that! You can get a quote through Encore’s website if you’re interested in selling some gear. If you have a question or an offer, the Encore team wants you to send it to them ASAP. The “Get Quote” button is prominently placed front and center on the homepage. This store means business when it comes to buying and trading used gear. Just underneath the “Get Quote” button and an image of the store is set a set of three glowing testimonials — positive reviews of the service and offerings at Encore. And just beneath that is a set of nine photographs, arranged in “Brady Bunch” style, of the electric and acoustic guitars, amps and drums sold at Encore. Click on a photograph, and you get to see lots more photos of the offerings, and even 360-degree views of the store’s interior. It’s not a huge store, but it’s stuffed to the gills with musical instruments and equipment. What you don’t get from the website is important, however: What is actually offered at the store, and at what prices. This is definitely a drawback. It’s ver y hard to go through this website and order something from afar, or plan a purchase in advance. It’s not a super-sophisticated website. I’m guessing it’s a more in-person-oriented store, with stock that must change frequently. If you do have your heart set on a particular type of guitar, or if you have a strict price range, call or email them and make contact in that manner. But aside from the eyepopping photographs on the website, you won’t get a lot of background information on the store’s inventory. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
Eclipse Music www.eclipsemusic.org
The website for Eclipse Music has a few inviting elements, such as the carousel of photographs showing oodles of effects pedals. But overall, there is not a lot to find on the homepage. The main thing you can do is click on a link that will take you to a catalogue of effects pedals for sale. The store offers effects from a variety of boutique brands. Each item has a price and description, and if you are in the market for effects, you will be drooling over the offerings here. It’s fun to browse through all of these various effects, but I would like it even more if I was able to hear samples of what the effects sounded like. The photos of pedals and effects are certainly tantalizing. But one problem is that the text at the top left of the homepage is miniscule and rather hard to read. I had to really scrutinize it before I realized that it was the store hours and slogan. (It looks like the store name, logo, slogan and hours were put into an image file, and the space the image occupies on the homepage is so small that the text is almost impossible to read.) The rest of the fonts on the page are easier to read.
If you are into guitars and guitar gear, [El Diablo's] website grabs your attention immediately. A prominently placed series of rotating images offers info about the store, and many of the images feature guitars and guitar-based imagery.
Claire Givens Violins www.givensviolins.com
In a nutshell, Claire Givens Violins sells, makes and restores violins, violas, cellos and bows. If you want to see what an eye-catching, serious and comprehensive website can be, then go to this site. It has lots of attractive photos, the layout is easy to use, the prices and descriptions of instruments are clear, and there are even parts of the website that offer lessons in musical instrumentation and design. MI Spy has noticed over the years that websites for stores that specialize in classical string instruments tend to be more serious than many of the sites that cater to the “woo yeah, rock ‘n roll” type of purchases. They are going for the classical music crowd, so it’s not surprising that they have a more sophisticated look. But this site is not stuffy; it is inviting and professional. The homepage shows a rotating series of photographs of the store and the staff at work making and maintaining instruments. Underneath that are links for the store’s inventory and service offerings, plus information about its restoration service, Andrew Dipper Restorations. You can also click the “Tour Givens Violins” link, which takes you to a rather well-produced YouTube video of the store owner, Claire Givens, as she leads you on a walkthrough of the store, including its classrooms and instrument shops. The website has a series of blog posts as well, which make for informative and lively reading. The staff members are presented with their headshots and brief bios. There is even a page called “Anatomy of a Violin,” which is a good introduction to the instrument. If you are a novice or a professional, and interested in this specific set of musical instruments, this is a very good, informative website for what appears to be a very approachable business.
El Diablo Amps and Guitars www.eldiabloamps.com
If you’re into guitars and guitar gear, this website grabs your attention immediately. A prominently placed series of rotating images offers info about the store, and many of the images feature guitars and guitar-based imagery. When your MI Spy visited the site, one of the images in the slider depicted an adorable little wood-carved devil mascot wearing a medical mask along with the following message: “Due to COVID-19, our showroom is closed for the time being, though we will continue to fulfill online orders and gearrepair drop-offs. Stay safe, and keep your spirits up!” Below the slider, you’ll see five “Featured Products,” and below that, five “New Products.” The photographs of the products are solid and well cropped, and there is strong consistency between images. If you hover your cursor over the images, you’ll get a “Quick View” option that will open a popup with the product’s price and a brief description. You can also click the image or the product name to be taken to a page with even more images of the product and more detailed information. The store sells an interesting selection of new boutique guitars from small brands, ranging from $1,000 and into the $3,000 range. Even the preowned guitars they offer are pricey, from several hundred dollars to just under $7,000. This store is definitely for serious buyers. El Diablo also sells pedals and accessories, some new and many others used. It also offers lessons and hosts occasional events. This is a well-crafted website. It is easy to navigate, and there is lots of information and a good presentation overall (except for a few broken links that took me to blank pages). But be aware that El Diablo is not a bargain shop; some serious dinero is required! (continued on page 45)
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GRASSROO TS MAR KETING
How and Why to Create an Open Mic on Zoom By Miriam and Mike Risko
Some years ago, we began offering live video lessons via Zoom at our music store/school, so we were well prepared when COVID-19 forced us to close our physical doors to customers in March. We began moving other parts of our business to video, including our popular openmic nights. We’d long offered a free monthly open-mic night to the community, because we’d found it to be a great way to bring adult musicians of all levels into our store. Now, though, with the store closed until late May and the community under stay-at-home orders, we sensed that musicians would be even more eager for opportunities to display their talents, so we decided to bring our open mics to computer screens immediately and to hold them once a week instead of monthly. If anything, we underestimated the desire of musicians to get together in this unprecedented time. Our first virtual open-mic night was met with the most amazing enthusiasm. Not only did our local musician friends log on in great numbers, we were also able to reconnect with musicians who had left the area, and even some of the friends we’ve made over the years at NAMM shows who live around the country logged in to catch up with us. With all the guitarists, pianists, singers and ukulele players who signed up to perform, we couldn’t have been more pleased with the evening. What a delight when our second virtual open-mic night doubled in size! Local musicians invited out-of-town friends to watch or perform, and the evening turned into a welcome break from an endless diet of pandemic news. Participants were also able to enjoy a glass of wine in their homes during the performances without worrying about having 32
Four Technical Tips for Zoom
1. Invest in a decent USB microphone. Your audio will sound more full and more professional. 2. Make sure you have a good camera. Many built-in computer cameras are of great quality and work well, but if your camera is lacking, an investment of $70 for a USB camera can offer your audience a much better visual experience. 3. Create proper lighting. The light source should be behind the camera, not behind you. This includes sunlight from a window. 4. Keep the background noise to a minimum. During an open mic, mute yourself while you are watching other performances.
to drive afterward. And, best of all, as hosts, we had no setup or cleanup to deal with. We simply logged in, ran the show and logged out at the end. Our Zoom open mics have been such a big plus for us that we intend to continue with them even after our stay-at-home order is lifted. If you think something along the same lines might benefit you, here’s how you can create your own Zoom open mic at your music store or school. 1. Pick an evening that works for you, and be consistent. Consistency will ensure that you have a regular crowd every time. We find it’s best to hold the events after dinner, though you can also encourage people to eat during them. 2. Make sure your open mic is presided over by a host who can keep things running smoothly and engage the musicians in conversations. We get a lot of singer/songwriters at our open mics, and it’s fun to ask them about the material they’ve written. 3. Encourage musicians to attend even on nights when not enough time is available for all of them to perform. We find musicians as a group are ver y sympathetic and happy to listen to others. 4. Have some basic rules. Performers should restrict themselves to one or two songs. You should also have them register in advance and list what they plan to play, so you can introduce them properly. We ask participants to e-mail us to reserve a slot and, when we have 10 musicians, we stop accepting more, though we continue to welcome audience members. Also, you should remind all audience members to mute their devices during performances. It’s nice when people unmute at the end of a song so they can applaud the performer. 5. Encourage a little conversation among participants. Especially now, when people are feeling isolated, this is a really good way for musicians to connect with their peers. 6. Promote your open mic on your local Facebook pages. You may not find a lot of musicians that way, but you’ll find plenty of people who like to watch them. Encourage all participants to follow you on social media, and be sure to take pictures and video and post them afterward, so people can enjoy highlights of the show. 7. Use a little time to promote your business during the open mic. Whether you’re telling audience members about a new product or a new program, these are people who are definitely fans of yours and who are apt to be receptive to new offerings. Also, host your open mic from inside your store, if possible (and if you’re allowed to), and do a tour of the store during it, so you can show off your gear. While we understand that some businesses might like to charge a small fee for participation in an open mic, we choose not to do that, because we find that the amount of goodwill these occasions generate more than makes up for the free admission. We intend to keep these events going even after life returns to normal. Our plan is to do a combination of video and in-person open mics on a more regular basis than before the COVID-19 crisis, which, though it may have forced the closure of many doors, will never stop the music! JUNE 2020
I N T H E T RENCHE S
By Allen McBroom When I was a primary-school student, it seemed like each fall I had to write an essay called something like “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” Looking back, I have no idea what I wrote about in any of those essays, and that may be a good thing. I doubt they were Pulitzer-quality treatises. Since I can’t rehash those old papers, this month you’ll get a brand new one, this time called “What I Learned During My Coronavirus Vacation.” (It wasn’t really a vacation, of course. I got no time off. But calling it a vacation helps it fit with the aforementioned theme.) The first thing I learned was this: No matter what the government does to help, it’s probably not the help we were hoping for. The feds assigned tractor-trailer loads of cash to stimulus and recovery efforts, and despite best intentions, lots and lots of small businesses haven’t seen a dime of it. Maybe some businesses didn’t apply fast enough, maybe the funds ran dry, etc., but whatever the reason, the cash hasn’t gotten to everyone who needed it. In my state (Mississsippi), as of early May, the Small Business Administration (SBA) had granted 9,885 loan advances. These are for the $1,000-per-employee Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) advances. This means the SBA has acknowledged receipt of at least 9,885 EIDL loan applications. In contrast, the SBA has delivered only 140 EIDL loans. That means, as of early May, or about two months into this crisis, only 1.4 percent of the loan applications have actually resulted in loans. Is it just slow turning of the government gears, or a symptom of not enough cash to cover the loan requests? I don’t know. Maybe we’ll find out as we go along. Another lesson: Some folks can’t roll with the punches. I already knew this, but I saw it in stark terms during my coronavirus vacation, and it was disappointing to re-learn. I went to my cell phone provider to make a service change. I parked in front, walked in through the front door (which was propped open in a very welcoming way) and the store manager ran toward me yelling “Get out, get out! Go MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
What I Learned During My Coronavirus ‘Vacation’ back to your car!” Mixed signals, as I usually think of a door propped open at a business as an invitation to enter. There were no signs saying not to enter, and getting yelled at by a highly stressed store manager didn’t bring sunshine to my day. I made a mental note to not yell “Get out!” at my customers, no matter the situation. I also learned we did the right thing when we devoted time and gray matter to developing a website, a Reverb account, an eBay account, an Amazon account and computerizing our inventory. Floor sales evaporated during the government-mandated shutdown, but internet sales took off like a rocket. All we had to do was shift energy from one sales arena to another. Vendors have told me other retailers reported the same outcome with internet sales. Not doing internet sales today is akin to trying to operate without a phone number or an email address. I re-learned that there’s no substitute for a good sales rep. Increased internet sales dug deep into our supply of accessories, guitars and ukuleles, and our stock of those products had to be replenished no matter what. (Allen’s Adage No. 7: You can’t sell it if you don’t have it and can’t get your hands on it.) I’ve got email addresses and cell phone numbers for some key reps, and those contacts worked during the shutdown. We were able to get replacement product shipped when I thought it wouldn’t happen. Be good to your sales reps, y’all. They are the link to the stuff you sell, and without them, you’d have to deal with inside people you don’t know, and that never seems to go as well as talking to the rep you already know and love. Another lesson: I learned that coffee is, once again, my good friend. There were a lot of early mornings and some long hours during the first two weeks of shutdown, and Mr. Coffee and his cousin Keurig were my constant companions. I also learned that I had really started to take my post office folks, as well as my UPS and FedEx drivers, way too much for granted. They all worked with us to make sure we could get packages out and into the delivery stream. I doubt I’ll become complacent again about the level of service they deliver day in and day out. Our post office folks let me just drop labeled packages on the counter and walk off without standing in line. I texted the UPS and FedEx drivers each morning to see what they had coming in, and to arrange the pickup of the stuff going out. They gave me their personal cell numbers when we found out about the impending shutdown, and I am in their debt for that. I learned that, if I come in around 6 in the morning, I can crank up “Live at Fillmore East” louder than I should, and nobody complains. I learned extra humility when some of our inside vendor reps called just to see if we were OK. They weren’t looking for orders. Some of them called from home. They were just concerned about our little store and how we were doing. That feels good, to be remembered in times of distress. Those reps are hurting, too, and they still called to check on us. I learned that not knowing what was coming down the pike was a whole lot worse than actually knowing. I learned I never want to be a government official. Lawd gracious, no matter what they did (“they” being federal, state and county-level government folks), half the people were cheering their actions while half the people were mad as wet hornets. As I write this, we’re coming out of the height of the epidemic. Our state will drop its “safer at home” advice next Monday. Our city will stop requiring store employees to wear masks, and stop forcing retail stores to force their customers to wear masks. The NFL is talking about its upcoming season, and high-school graduations are being hastily planned. You’ve got lessons you’ve learned, and I’ve got lessons I’ve learned. As we come out of this, the trick will be to not forget what we’ve learned during our coronavirus vacation. Let’s remind each other to be kind, and to not take anyone or anything for granted. Happy trails. 33
SHINE A LIGHT
Deep in the HEART OF TEXAS By Michelle Loeb
Strait Music has been the rhythm behind Austin, Texas’ vibrant music scene for more than five decades, beginning when Dan Strait opened the doors at the store’s original location in 1963. Now in its third generation of family ownership, Strait Music operates Three generations of Strait Music two locations, with the second shop in northwest Austin opening in 1998. “It’s cool to be part of a business with that much history,” said Chris Cowart, guitar and drum department manager, who has been a part of the Strait Music family for 14 years. Cowart started off behind the counter before moving into sales and eventually management. He officially took over as manager of the combo department two years ago, and has worked hard to create a department that keeps its customers not only excited to play music but also excited to come in and shop at a locally-owned, brickand-mortar retail store. One of the ways of achieving this is making sure that his department has an impressive depth and breadth of merchandise. “We always have the newest and latest models, and our customers appreciate that,” said Cowart. “We carry the necessities, as well as those instruments that people can dream about.” The store offers a wide variety of brands that includes Martin, Taylor, Gibson and Cordoba, and Cowart makes sure it stocks instruments aimed at every skill level from entry-level to high-end. “If someone comes in asking for a certain model, we want to have it,” he said. “We always keep things in stock, and we don’t have empty hooks.” Strait Music’s combo department sells mostly new instruments, but Cowart will offer the occasional used item. “We have no real desire to dive into the vintage market, though,” said Cowart. “It’s very competitive, and what we are currently doing is working.” Finding that ideal product mix has been a work in progress for Cowart,
Chris Cowart
Strait Music Co. 2428 W. Ben White Blvd. Austin, TX 78704 (512) 476-6927 13945 N Highway 183 Austin, TX 78717 (512) 918-3743 www.straitmusic.com Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Chris Cowart, Guitar & Drum Department Manager
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who has learned over the years how to pay attention to the trends rather than rely on his own tastes as a musician. “When I first got into ordering and stocking the store, a lot of it was about what I liked, but I learned that it has to be a hybrid because there are things that you think are cool, but not every customer will like what you like. That’s something I learned to adapt to,” he said. “You need to have what people want so they don’t go online or elsewhere to get it.” Dealing with online competition is something that has affected every brick-and-mortar store in recent years, but Cowart is confident that guitars are better positioned to weather that storm than some of Strait Music’s other departments, which include pro audio, band and orchestra, and pianos. “We’ve seen a bigger hit with PA and recording gear, where it’s harder to compete with the internet because you don’t have to feel it the first time,” Cowart noted, “But, with guitars in particular, it’s an item that people want to touch and feel. There’s something about touching that guitar and holding it in your hands.” That said, Cowart does acknowledge that people have grown accustomed to the point-andclick experience of shopping online. As a result, he knows that he has to work extra hard to make the in-store experience as welcoming as possible in order to cater to those customers who still enjoy coming in and playing guitars in person. Cowart takes particular pride in the way he merchandises the department, making sure that customers can find what they want, as well as discover something new along the way. “I take time and pride in making my displays organic,” he said. “It’s cool to change things up on the floor and see the customers’ reactions. It’s not even about having new things. You just move them around and people say, ‘Wow, you have that?’” He has also worked to update facets of the combo department — including the acoustic, amp and bass rooms — giving them what Cowart calls a “wow factor.” “Being in Texas, everyone expects things to be big, and we want that feel of someone saying, ‘Wow, they have everything,’” he said. “It’s important that when they come into the store, they see that the store is impressive. We want to be a destination.” Beyond the selection and eye-catching displays, what sets Cowart’s department — as well as Strait Music as a whole — apart from the competition is its customer service. “We have a good, solid team who knows how to go above and beyond for the customer,” said Cowart, who typically maintains a team of four or five staff members, with more sometimes coming in around the holidays. While Cowart himself has a professional background as a musician — with his former band, Scorpion Child, signing to a label and touring for six years — he doesn’t necessarily look for that same experience in the staff he hires. “To work in MI, you’ve got to love music, but I don’t know that being a player is a prerequisite. Usually the best staff are the most personable and passionate about music. They can have a conversation with a random customer and make them feel comfortable,” said Cowart. “Customers come in with their walls up and they don’t trust you. We have to make those walls crumble so that they feel good. When they come in and see the guitars and they spend time with us, they see that we know what we’re talking about and that we can give them the attention they deserve. Even if they pay a little more in the end, they feel that it’s worth it.” Looking ahead, Cowart hopes to help Strait Music continue its success in the brick-andmortar space, while at the same time continually improving its social media game and maintaining its top-rated Reverb page so that all activities complement one another and keep Strait Music strong for the next 50 years. “One of the things about Strait Music is that we do everything, so it’s not a total specialty store. We may not be the best at everything, but we are good at everything we do, and that comes from the top down,” concluded Cowart. “Having that combination and evolving along with the buying trends and providing that experience for customers is going to keep us ahead of the curve.”
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V E D D AT O R I A L
"The fact that we can do contactless repairs and ship or deliver products to our
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
customers has not only saved a lot of school kids. It has also saved us. Had more of our suppliers been shipping (or had product available), we would have done even better."
By Dan Vedda
This isn’t a happy time for most of us. Whether someone is locked down at home, locked out of their business, or just tr ying to keep up with the alarming amount of both news and disinformation, it’s stressful. As I write this on the eve of May, we’ve got about two weeks before we can reopen. Personally, I’m excited on one hand to be able to crank down on back-burnered projects like detailing our remodel and cleaning storage, and other areas that get neglected when things are active. I’m working full days reinventing sections of the store, like figuring out seating options for the people who might eventually wait for students again (although waiting in the car is the logical first stage at reopening). It’s been a great time to redesign the layout (social distancing, y’all) and the signage (it acts as a “silent salesperson” and as a guide, so people touch fewer objects in a germ-wary time). If we hadn’t just painted the store, I’d be painting now, too. So we’re certainly trying to freshen everything up and emerge renewed for our customers when the lights come back on. On the other hand, no small amount of burn time has been spent on applying for whatever assistance might be available. Unfortunately, the award criteria are focused on business payroll rather than business overhead, so small, owner-run businesses are left to scramble. During this closure period, almost all of our market has shut down. The fact that we can do contactless repairs and ship or deliver products to our customers has not only saved a lot of school kids (who needed to complete playing tests from home), it has also saved us. Had more of our suppliers been shipping (or had product available), we would have done even better. That’s not to say we did well. We did the absolute bare minimum to cover the things that needed to be paid. But we did it, at least for the first five weeks. We’ll see what happens next. But I’m (optimistically or desperately, depending on the day) already thinking about what the path forward will look like. The encouraging thing is that people will not only still want to play music, but I believe they’ll come out of quarantine with a renewed 36
or increased desire to do so. I’m hearing, even from the most fearful, a desire to do things out in the world again. (This is separate from those who are protesting shutdown orders from a “personal freedom” angle.) People are eager to get back out into the world, but cautiously, to be sure. I already talk to people sick of screens, frustrated by onlineeverything, and craving the ability to move about. We’re going to be living with many of these new strictures for a long time, though; stubbornly waiting for the world to return to the old ways has been proven foolish time and again. Adaptation is key. Personally, I’d get a kick out of going to a good old drive-in movie, but with surround-sound Bluetooth in the car. In Ohio, Swenson’s Drive-In Restaurants are doing gangbuster traffic now that the weather is better. What better social distancing is there than remaining in your car when you go out for a burger, just like your grandparents did? (I just hope the carhops re-institute roller skates.) And there are other examples of throwback ideas that would work well in a postCOVID-19 landscape. The point is, we have to continue to think in terms of our customers’ mindset and put them at ease if we want them to return to our stores. What that means will vary with almost every market. Contactless online rentals delivered to the schools sounds perfect ... unless a school says “under no circumstances will we allow student deliveries on campus” in their desire to avoid items of uncertified cleanliness (whether that includes people or instruments). Have a solution ready for these types of knee-jerk roadblocks, because if you argue the point, you’re the bad guy. Instead, listen to the customers’ concerns and do what you can to reassure them. Affiliate links, though they only provide a pittance compared to actually stocking and selling the product, can be a boon. Perhaps you use affiliate links to capture ancillary online sales for products you don’t carry in-store. Hal Leonard has some great programs for dealers that might be worth a look, and there are others. But that raises an issue I started to talk about before “Coronageddon.” Manufacturers: Consider the additional sales you might garner by using affiliate status with a broad array of progressive dealers rather JUNE 2020
than selling on “BezosMart.” If you’ve been on Amazon’s Marketplace ... well, how’s that going these days? Remove the headaches that will only get worse as Amazon becomes the de-facto toilet paper dispenser, and tap into stores that are doing the work of growing the market. While we’re at it, we know no two instruments sound alike. How do we educate the consumer to think of our instruments as items of unique character, rather than commodities? Taking them off commodity platforms might be a logical step. (Just a thought.) If we work to grow the market, and if we educate the consumer about the quality and individuality of our products, I think we can reclaim our audience and profit. Yes, it would require a lot of work. Sorry/not sorry, “we’ve-alwaysdone-it-this-way” types. As I write this, I’m about to do a Zoom/Facebook livestream for a local youth chamber orchestra. They’ve asked me to do a presentation and questionand-answer session on selecting instruments, the advantages of qualified repair, and the need for care and maintenance. It’s a great opportunity to get that message to consumers while raising the store’s profile. But here’s the point I make that underscores the need to be involved in the community — and the benefit to manufacturers in finding community-minded stores to partner with: The youth orchestra approached me about speaking (before the stay-athome orders, this was supposed to be a live meeting), and they did not ask any of the large local band and orchestra dealers. Why? They told me point-blank that they felt I was focused on the students and the community, not just trying to rack up sales. Perhaps that kind of service is what people will look for in the new normal. Yes, the toll this crisis has taken — on our population, our medical community and our businesses — is horrific. But if we can hold MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
out and work to position ourselves in alignment with peoples’ needs, I think we can do better than the economy at large. I think music will be more important, not less so. The path is twisted, but the destination remains the same. No fault if you’re
just done, tired of the struggle and not interested in reinventing yourself yet again. I get it. But if you’re still in a position to flip on the lights and have the desire to do so, it can be an exciting and creative time. If you have a comment, feel free
to share it on the “Veddatorial” Facebook page. And as always, post an inquiry if there’s another topic you’d like to see covered here. (Please post to the page rather than DM, so others can see the dialogue.)
U N DER T H E HOOD
MUSICNOMAD’S PREMIUM GUITAR TECH TRUSS ROD WRENCH SET
By Brian Berk
In today’s new world, having everything you need at your store or home in order to get the job done is even more important. This starts with having the right tools. Assuming you work on guitars often, fumbling around looking for the right wrench can be a hassle and a waste of valuable time. That’s why MusicNomad Equipment Care introduced its Premium Guitar Tech Truss Rod Wrench Set, which is intended for every gig bag or workstation. “We see during these times where there are shelter-in-place orders, and even where they are not in effect, people are working more on their gear at home,” Rand Rognlien, product designer and CEO of MusicNomad, told the Music & Sound Retailer. “So things like string changes, setups, cleaning and general maintenance are being done in the home with more frequency and across more of their instruments. During normal times, many musicians have relied on their local stores, repair shops or techs to do the job for them, but now they are taking the time to learn how to do it themselves. Also, with more people working from home, there is more free time to care for their instruments or watch a how-to video. Having the right care and maintenance products is very important to do the job right.” According to Sonoma, Ca.-based MusicNomad, the wrench set offers “unmatched versatility and organization in one compact, rugged case the size of an iPhone.” Designed to work on most electric, acoustic and bass guitars, this 11-piece set comes with six Allen key sizes, three socket wrench sizes, a specially designed spoke-wheel tool and a 3/8inch blade bit. “Finding the right size and quality wrench to get the job done is not easy due to all the different truss rod sizes out there” said Rognlien. “All our products are designed to solve problems and make life easier for musicians and techs.” Bonus features include laser-etched sizes on each wrench and three magnetized screwdrivers for small truss rod cover screws. The socket wrenches and spoke-wheel tool can slide into MusicNomad’s Octopus handle (sold separately) for additional leverage and comfort. The kit is compatible with models from Fender, PRS, Gibson, Taylor, MusicMan, Epiphone, ESP, EVH, Gretsch, Guild, Cordoba, Ibanez, Jackson, Knaggs, Charvel, Bourgeois, Takamine and Yamaha, to name a few. The Premium Guitar Tech Truss Rod Wrench Set carries a $54.99 retail price and is available now. A portion of all equipment care sales funds MusicNomad.com, a musicians’ advocacy website created by the company, and One For Music, a program that donates one percent of MusicNomad’s sales to music programs and nonprofits that play or promote music in everyday life. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive on the product thus far, noted Rognlien. “People can’t wait to get their hands on it,” he said. “In a recent survey we did with 600 guitar players, we found 40 percent owned 10 or more guitars. Since there are so many different-sized truss rods out there, having one kit to handle the majority of sizes is in high demand. Fender alone has six different truss rod wrench sizes, depending on the model, country of origin and what decade it was made. Also, with the kit being compact, organized and high-quality, it 38
gives the guitarist or guitar tech the tools to get the job done.” MusicNomad also launched TrussRodWrench.com to help the industry by tackling a much-asked question from those that set up guitars: “What truss rod wrench size do I use for my instrument?” With no industry standard, the size often changes by brand, by model, by country and even by decade. “We found one brand might have five different wrench sizes depending on the model, where it’s made and the year,” stated Rognlien. The answer to a staple question on guitar forums can now be found in one place across 75 brands for the top acoustic, electric and bass guitars. “By compiling the info with feedback directly from many of the brands, it’s great for the industry, because it will reduce the number of emails and phone calls [placed] to the brand’s customer service while giving techs and guitarists worldwide one place to get reliable info 24/7,” added Rognlien. The data was compiled over four months from a team of people. “We get asked who would spend hundreds of hours to create something like this [website]? As leaders within our growing community, no niche is too small if it makes equipment care easier,” relayed Rognlien. In addition to the new product and website, MusicNomad is also celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2020. We asked Rognlien to recall some highlights from the company’s first decade in business. “We have been blessed with many opportunities from an amazing industry,” he responded. “We have incredible relationships with our dealer and musician community. We went from not knowing one person in the industry when we started with our small lineup of guitar and drum cleaners to now having more than 70 products sold in 1,000 USA dealers, plus distribution into 40 countries. I think some of the highlights are when we get recognition for our hard work, innovation and premium quality. We have won NAMM’s Best In Show Award twice. Also, the incredible acceptance by the musician, instrument makers and tech community. For example, many of this year’s Grammy winners use our products to maintain their gear. We know our brand is the go-to for many of the top touring techs around the globe. Another highlight is we ship products to many of the top instrument makers to use on their new guitars, ukuleles, drumshells, etc., before they ship them out. Just being around 10 years gets me excited to see what the next 10 years will bring for MusicNomad and our growing community.” JUNE 2020
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(continued from page 25) people may or may not be cheap. But they get a lot more cheap when they are ignorant of the marketplace and the value proposition. It is our job to teach the value proposition.” Sheridan concluded that, if you successfully implement the above 10 practices, you will become the “thought leadership leader of your space.”
COVID-19 Small Business Relief: Independent Contractors and Gig Workers
Hosted by Mary Luehrsen, NAMM’s director of public affairs and government relations, this session featured Andy Tompkins, NAMM’s director of marketing and communications, as well as an introduction
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by NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond. “We will get through this,” said Lamond of COVID-19. “That is the one thing I have seen going through 120 years of recorded history at NAMM. No matter what happened, our industry persevered and got through it. We have always pushed through and have generally come through it better than ever before to a new growth we have never anticipated. You have to have faith that will happen again. … You also have to have faith in music. In 5,000 years of recorded human history, people have made music. No matter what happens, that will not change. ... I do believe we have a great future ahead.”
Regarding some information for retailers, Luehrsen pointed out the following: • The U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of Labor announced two new refundable tax credits that offer relief to employees, small and midsize businesses, and the selfemployed under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. • How will these credits help freelancers who can’t work due to their own illness or because they have to care for a family member who is ill or a child whose school is closed because of the coronavirus? In a nutshell, the IRS will take your tax profit (based on your 2020 income), prorate it
for 10 days (the equivalent of two 40-hour sick pay periods), and make that amount exempt from both income tax and selfemployment tax. This ensures that self-employed individuals will get the same benefits as those who are employed. Regarding eviction, many states suspended all such proceedings, and the federal government instructed the Department of Housing and Urban Development to do the same. NAMM also encouraged retailers to apply for paycheck protection programs (PPP) and/or Economic Injur y Disaster Loan (EIDL) pandemic relief loans, which are available to sole proprietors, contractors and gig workers. JUNE 2020
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“Contact your state or local unemployment office and apply for enhanced unemployment benefits,” said Luehrsen. “This is the bridge support that will get us to more robust participation in concerts, theater events and other things that knit us together and make us have an exciting life in our communities.”
Music, Scott Mandeville of Tim’s Music, Richard Schiemer of Brighton Music Center, and Crystal Morris and Paul Ferrier of Gator Co.
more worried about my mental state. I felt lucky we have such an unbelievable group that makes up Gator and Levy’s, and believe we made the right
All panelists were asked about their reflections on how they had to change their businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have had to make decisions fast and not look in the rear-view mirror,” said Morris. “[We are] a family business; a family industry. Everyone we work with, we love as friends and family. .. It was the most sleepless nights I have ever had. We did react quickly once we saw California and New York shut down.” When it came to layoffs, Gator Co. first looked to see which employees qualified for the EFMLA (Emergency Family Medical Leave Act), because it is the highest payment — up to $200 per day — employees can receive. “We also looked at [who] our key players absolutely necessary to have an operation [were]. And I was personally highly involved in the legislation, and once I saw $600 per week was available, plus what the state offers in unemployment, I thought it was [at least] something people could live on. We also took a lot of employees from five-day weeks to four-day weeks and key leadership, including myself, took pay reductions.” Morris reached out to every employee Gator Co. laid off. “The amount of understanding blew me away,” Morris said. “I had many tears in my eyes as I was reading text messages saying, ‘We can’t wait to get back.’ ‘We understand.’ ‘We know this is hard.’ I felt like people were
decisions to be back as soon as possible.” “I went through three stages quickly. The first was, ‘I hope this does not affect us too badly,’” said Syllaba. “Then, when things really starting hitting the fan, it was ‘Holy s---, this is really serious.’ But then, very quickly, the entire team changed to, ‘We are in this. It is serious, it is fast. Let’s roll up our shirt sleeves and get to work.’ It is very important to move quickly, make decisions and hope 80 percent of them are for the good, based on the limited information you have. It is much better than moving slowly and not making any decisions.” Jordan Kitt’s Music also had to furlough some employees. “Luckily, the unemployment benefits right now are so good that we had a similar response [that Gator had]. [Our employees] understood we had to make the decision. … The most important thing is to make the hard decisions right now to protect the business and conserve cash so that there is still a business to rehire people.” Jordan Kitt’s operates four stores in Maryland and Virginia. One of the first things the company did was contact its landlords to negotiate lower rent. “We tried to make deals with them. We have had some fairly good success with that,” said Syllaba. “The other thing was low-hanging fruit. There were expenses that were not that big but you can cut in five
NAMM COVID-19 Small Business Relief Part III
This session, moderated by Luehrsen, featured Tristann Rieck of Brass Bell Music Store, Chris Syllaba of Jordan Kitt’s
Ad Index
Company
Pg
AMAHI UKULELES...................39 C.F. MARTIN & CO.....................9 CE DISTRIBUTION....................37 EBAY....................................... C-III FENDER.......................................7 FENDER.......................................11 JOHN PACKER............................12 KYSER MUSICAL PRODUCTS.21 MANHASSET SPECIALTY COMPANY................................3 NAMM....................................14-15 ODYSSEY INNOVATIVE DESIGNS....................................25 OMG MUSIC................................6 PRS GUITARS.............................19 REMO...........................................35 SYNCHRONY FINANCIAL.......C-II TASCAM......................................5 VOCOPRO....................................13 YORKVILLE...........................C-IV
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minutes. The next thing we did was apply for aid.” Rieck noted that not only were sales good in early March at Milwaukee-based Brass Bell, they were above normal. But the retailer knew it would not last. Wisconsin’s governor later instituted a stay-at-home order, but deliveries were allowed. “We took our school services team and transferred them to delivery services,” said Rieck. “… We have been doing everything our community needs. We have been doing a lot of rentals for folks who didn’t get their instruments out of schools, didn’t have access to them or just want to try a new instrument.” Brass Bell also placed a specific emphasis on reconnecting with its laid-off staff. The retailer implemented Zoom parties where business was not discussed. Instead, recipes and hobbies were most talked about. “That was a huge turn for me,” recalled Rieck. “It was when I really realized [the team] is in it and are ready to work. That motivated me and pushed me through those next steps we needed to do.” Brighton Music Center got notice from the state of Pennsylvania it needed to close on March 12. It closed its doors then, but the staff was retained. Instead of doing inventory in June as is normally the case, the Pittsburghbased retailer commenced taking inventory right away. Schiemer expected the COVID-19 closure to last two weeks, but then the stay-at-home order came later the first week. “That was really our ‘a-ha’ moment,” he said. “At that point, I locked the doors, and it was one of the saddest moments I experienced. [I wasn’t so much] worried for me. I was worried for our employees. This is the one job they have. This is their one form of income. They are family to me. “We have get-togethers,” Schiemer added. “We use Google Meet to talk about what’s going and what people are doing and how everything is going. I check in with people every other day or so to make sure everyone is OK and if they need anything. … My business partner and I have been manning the two stores, answering phones and delivering stuff as we can. This
is going to sound very strange. This is terrible. This is awful. … [But] this has given me a chance to pause. Almost hit a reset [button]. It is a chance to look at the business to see things we are doing really well, focus on that, and also see things we don’t do really well, try to figure out ways to do things better and help schools
more. It is also helped me spend time with my children. I have a senior in high school and a couple of college children I get to spend time with. Now that we have a plan for payroll and I have that weight lifted, it has been refreshing in a way get back into my life and [rediscover] my love for this business.”
Mandeville of Californiabased Tim’s Music called the need for layoffs at the store “treacherous.” However, he explained to these employees that he was saving the future of the business so that he could hire them back once things improve. Tim’s Music also hosts Zoom
meetings it calls “Laughs and Giggles.” “We talk about our dogs, what we cook and what we plan to plant in the garden,” said Mandeville. “… We need to be that beacon of light for our employees and our community. The community really does count on us as a position of leadership in the music industry.”
in bands. “But the guy is a big Marine, so I said, ‘OK, I will give you an hour,’” Nettesheim joked. “On the way to the VA in Milwaukee, I stopped at [Brookfield, Wis.] Cream City Music (Nettesheim had worked with Cream City to get lesson leads previously). I saw Joe Gallenberger, the founder of Cream City Music. His dad had recently passed of complications attributed to the trauma of wars. He said, ‘I love what you are doing, so here are two acoustic guitars for you to give away to vets. I still have a photo of that [moment] (see page 44). I remember saying someone had to take the picture because it was a really important moment. “A few days later, a nurse called us and said you guys have to come back,” continued Nettesheim. “They want you to teach them some chords. I was told how the mood of both gentlemen [who had received the guitars] had really gone up and their appetites were better. Upon returning back to my studio, I was sitting with Dan and said, ‘Maybe we should make a nonprofit. I don’t know how, but I do know I am good at not making money.” Nettesheim went to his computer and Googled “Guitars for Vets,” and there was not one return worldwide. Shortly after, a slogan, “The Healing Power of Music in the Hands of Heroes,” followed. Guitars 4 Vets now has provided more than 4,000 guitars and 40,000 lessons to veterans. It costs only $200 to enroll a veteran in the Guitars 4 Vets program, which pays for the guitar and accessories. Guitars 4 Vets now counts more than 110 chapters in 40 states, thanks to the work of more than 500 volunteers. Guitars 4 Vets also has a strong team on its board of directors, including Pete Ruzicka, who served the Army and Air Force for 24 years combined; Bernard
“Bud” Bobber, senior lecturer in the Music Department, Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; MI retailer Ben Kraft of Kraft Music Ltd.; and major general Stephen R. Layfield, whose key staff assignments include serving as the operations officer for V Corps, deputy chief of staff for operations and intelligence for Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, and operational duty on the Joint Staff. Guitar 4 Vets features an even bigger list of music-industry ambassadors. On this list are Tommy Emmanuel, Tony Polecastro, Willy Porter, Sonny Moorman, Breck Philip, Dan Cord, Halestorm, Stiched Up Heart, Tavis Stanley and Ernie C. “I am so honored to be involved with G4V,” said Emmanuel. “The guitar is a friend to us always. Ready whenever we are, never impatient, never asking too much. Pick one up, and the relationship will be there forever. Together, we can help so many vets get the joy back in their lives through the power of music.” Guitars 4 Vets supporters also include Earl Slick and Scott Ian of Anthrax. “I think [Guitars 4 Vets is] great, especially after I learned more about it when I was initially approached. I didn’t really understand what it was, and then I got educated on it and found out, even therapeutically, what it means for these guys just to pick up a guitar and learn how to even play a chord, and what it could mean for their psyche,” said Ian. “It’s something I totally believe in, because I truly believe music, as cheesy as it sounds, it is really a common bond through everyone on this planet, every culture, everywhere on this planet. Everybody has music, something that comes from their culture, whatever it may be. But
I think music is something that is generally, universally loved on this planet and brings joy to most people. So, if there’s any way I could help bring happiness and certainly help veterans with guitars, it’s obviously a no-brainer.”
SALUTE TO SERVICE
(continued from page 26) and I said I better call this guy, because I was being unprofessional,” Nettesheim relayed. “I called and he said he didn’t hear back from me, so he signed up with another guitar instructor. I told him the person he would be taking lessons from would be good. But he asked me how I taught. I asked what he wanted to learn, and he said ‘Take it Easy’ by The Eagles. I said, ‘That’s great. That deals with basic open chords and is a catchy song. It is fun to play.’ Van Buskirk responded, ‘Do you think this guy would be upset if I came to you for lessons?’ I said, ‘No, I have sent him people before who are a better fit.’” Van Buskirk came in for a lesson about a week later, and he and Nettesheim got along extremely well. “He said to me, ‘Just so you know, I have a disability called PTSD,’” remembered Nettesheim. “He had served in the Vietnam War, first Marine recon in 1968 and 1969 in an area called Da Nang. He would share his stories with me, and in the meantime, he was learning how to play the instrument. It really helped him a lot. Once you get that stuff off your chest, you are able to learn.” Van Buskirk told Nettesheim that when he couldn’t sleep at night and when he was having nightmares or felt depressed, he would turn to the guitar and start strumming to “ground” him and feel “in the moment.” “That’s a big deal when you are dealing with trauma,” said Nettesheim. “You need something to bring you back. The guitar would do that for him.” Van Buskirk was so impressed at how playing the guitar helped him that he asked Nettesheim to come to the local Wisconsin Veterans Affairs location and play for those in spinal rehab. Nettesheim initially expressed how busy he was at the time, including playing MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
Lives Saved
Above all, what’s most important to Nettesheim is how important playing guitar is for veterans dealing with PTSD and their outlook on life. “The most common phrase I hear is ‘It saved my life,’” said Nettesheim. “I always tell them, ‘You saved your life.’ At the end of the day, the person has to want to live. We are throwing them a life preserver. These folks are struggling. All they need is that one thing to live for. A little oxygen on the spark of the flame. It can also get them to see their therapists and get the medicine they need. “We are not music therapists,” he continued. “When we hire someone to work for us, we use an acronym PAGE. P stands for patience, A for acceptance, G is gratitude and E is empathy. Those are the most important things you need to have. And the guitar is the catalyst for positive interaction.” Nettesheim recalls a veteran who had served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He had a lot of rage. The vet told Nettesheim he did not want to take guitar lessons, but his therapist thought he should. Nettesheim saw the vet had a short fuse, so he decided to start with one chord, an E minor. “It is an easy chord to play,” said Nettesheim. “I find it a passionate chord. Some say it is sad, and some say it is romantic, but it gets things moving. He played the chord and played it well. He [later] told me he [wanted to] tell me what he thought of the program. I thought he was going to read me the riot act. But he started to shake, his lips started 43
G4V accepts its first instrument donation from Cream City Music's Joe Gallenberger (right) in 2007.
to quiver and tears started rolling down his face. He strummed the chord again and looked up at me and said, ‘This is the first time I felt peace.’ He ended up playing the guitar really well. He would even sing in the hallways. It is one of the greatest transformations I have ever seen.” Guitars 4 Vets could not be successful without MI manufacturers’ and retailers’ help. Nettesheim was quick to mention Yamaha, which donates a number of guitars to Guitars 4 Vets each year. Yamaha has supported Guitars 4 Vets for approximately seven years. “Yamaha’s [partnerships and alliances manager] David Jewell has been instrumental,” said Nettesheim. “In fact, in 2019, in honor of us setting up our 100th chapter, Yamaha donated 100 guitars. Ben Kraft of Kraft Guitars also donated 100 guitars every year for the past four years.”
Guitars 4 Vets Omaha chapter
44
G4V gifts its first set of donated guitars to veterans.
Gibson and its Epiphone brand also provided plenty of assistance. Gibson CEO J.C. Curleigh’s father served in the military, and he loved what Guitars 4 Vets has been doing, explained Nettesheim. “Dendy Jarrett now runs the Gibson foundation, called Gibson Gives. I met him at The NAMM Show [this year],” said Nettesheim. “Meeting people at NAMM is so important for us. We would not be anywhere without NAMM. Dendy loved our idea. Gibson gave us 14 olive-drab-colored custom shop Les Paul guitars so we could give them away to vets. You want to talk about making somebody’s life? Give them a $7,800 guitar. They also gave us 36 Epiphone Masterbilt acoustics and 19,000 sets of strings.” Many other companies and retailers have also stepped up to the plate to help Guitars 4 Vets’ cause, including Alfred Music,
Kyser, Reverb, Hal Leonard, Cordoba, TKL, D’Addario, Dunlop, Dean Zelinsky, Heid Music, Hix Bros. Music, Levy’s Leathers and WD Music Products. Like all others, COVID-19 presented a new challenge for Guitars 4 Vets, as it had to cease in-person lessons. Nevertheless, the organization remains committed to its mission and is ramping up its efforts to use technology to virtually deliver guitar lessons to veterans. “We’d like you to help us with these digital efforts by accepting a ‘challenge’ to record a brief video guitar lesson that we can post on our social media sites,” the organization stated in a June email. “G4V’s campaign, called ‘Band Together,’ will ask professional and amateur guitar players around the world to either record a short guitar lesson to share with our veterans or donate money to help G4V resume it’s in-person pro-
gramming when social distancing guidelines are lifted.” Of course, all politicians have big issues on their plate these days. However, during normal times, one problem still remains regarding the MI industry in general, and it certainly applies to Guitars 4 Vets: There remains a disconnect in terms of politicians understanding the benefits of music making, or at least an unwillingness for the government to fund music programs despite their demonstrable positive benefits. The power of politicians promoting music-making, and specifically the benefits of vets playing music, is something that could perhaps lift charities like Guitars 4 Vets even higher into the stratosphere. “I don’t think politicians have a nefarious plan regarding music. But I think they fully understand its positive impact,” said Nettesheim. “They believe it would make people happier to talk about the sourcing of additional equipment for high-school football teams as opposed tp musical instruments for school bands and orchestras.” Nettesheim stressed there are exceptions to this rule, however. U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) was responsible for Guitars 4 Vets getting its 501 (c) (3) non-profit status approved. “I went to the head of the [Department of Veterans Affairs] and got an endorsement,” Nettesheim said. “And I knew [Feingold]. He said he would take care of it. After three or four months, he did.” More information on Guitars 4 Vets, including how to donate and start a chapter, can be found at guitars4vets.org. JUNE 2020
MI SPY
(continued from page 31)
Homestead Pickin’ Parlor
www.homesteadpickinparlor.com
Some musical instrument store websites are flashy, some are a bit drab, and some are in that great in-between. Your MI Spy thinks that Homestead Pickin’ Parlor is in that third category, with its laid-back, kind of understated homepage done in light, natural colors. The store’s logo shows a hand decked out with a variety of fingerpicks making the “OK” sign, and a photo depicting guitars and banjos hanging on wall is placed front and center on the homepage. That’s a great way to welcome string instrument enthusiasts to the page. Homestead has been serving
the folk music and bluegrass communities since 1979, with instrument sales, lessons, jams and other events. It sells a variety of new and used instruments. For instance, its banjos range in price from just under $500 to over $4,000. Click on the photo of each instrument, and you’ll be sent to a page that lists the MSRP and product specs (and as the site says, if you phone the store, you’ll get the “HPPARP,” or the “Homestead Pickin’ Parlor Actual Retail Price,” which I guess means they’re open to haggling). The store’s acoustic guitar selection is not huge, but it stocks some beautiful models. It also sells mandolins, ukuleles and other instruments.
Homestead also sells a variety of accessories, but if you click on the photos of guitar straps, strings or other items, you don’t get specifics — just an enlargement of the photos, not prices and brands. The store should make this section of the website more informative. One thing that is particularly interesting about the website and Homestead in general is the number of music lessons and instructors it has. It goes way beyond the typical guitar, violin and bass lessons: It also offers lessons in accordion, banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, pedal steel, harmonica, voice resophonic guitar and even music theory. Several instruc-
tors work with Homestead, and you can read their credentials by clicking on their names. In addition, Homestead has jams and workshops that you can explore on the website (and eventually in person). Overall, the website is easy to get around, and works well, but would be bolstered by more information in the accessories and books sections.
about NAMM. The setup, the meetings, the dinners, talking with and seeing old friends. The whole week is a perk of being in this industr y, and ever y year I come away from it feeling more inspired.
The Retailer: What is the best thing about the MI industr y? Meikle: I like the fact you can have two CEOs sitting having a meeting, one is wearing an Italian suit, the other has a ponytail and is wearing a biker jacket, and it’s totally normal.
Meikle: I’m not that good at it, but I love cooking and I love food. Being a successful chef sounds appealing.
Editor’s Note: Check back in the July issue as MI Spy reviews four more Minneapolis MI store websites and determines a winner among all nine stores.
THE FINAL NOTE
(continued from page 46) Meikle: John Lennon. Not only for his music, but I sometimes wonder what he would have made of the modern world, politics, the internet, etc. I feel his opinion might be one we could do with from time to time.
The Retailer: What musician are you hoping to see play in the near future? Meikle: I was going to see Michael Kiwanuka last month, but it was canceled and rescheduled for September, so I’m looking forward to that. The Retailer: What song was most memorable for you throughout your childhood, and what do you remember about it the most? Meikle: The first single I bought was “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO. I wore that record out. I love everything about it, especially when the instrumental kicks in toward the end. The Retailer: What are your favorite songs on your smartphone/iPod? Meikle: I have so many, but any songs from The Beatles’ “Revolver” album or Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” always seem to be perfect for the moment. The Retailer: What’s the most fun thing you saw/did at a NAMM Show? Meikle: I love ever ything MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
The Retailer: If you had to select three people, past or present, to have dinner with, who would they be and what would you ask them? Meikle: Nelson Mandela: I’d ask him how he survived and never lost faith in what he believed in. Marvin Gaye: I’d ask him how he had the vision to make “What’s Going On” and how a pop star could make an amazing, socially aware album in which every word can still resonate today and every day since it was made. Winston Churchill: I’d ask him how you make the hardest decisions in your life with clarity and confidence, where the belief comes from and the strength to stand by them. The Retailer: Tell us about your most memorable experience with an MI retailer (without naming them). Meikle: Ha … I once gave a buyer my business card, and as we started talking, he scrunched it up in his hand and pushed it across the desk. Ha-ha … I guess I made a good impression.
The Retailer: Who do you admire most outside of the music industr y and why? Meikle: There are a lot of truly committed people in this industry; genuine people who are passionate about education and bettering society. I love that, and it’s probably not something you’ll readily see in many other industries. The Retailer: What technology could change MI down the road? Meikle: I think the internet will continue to bring convenience to the industry, and the lockdown due to the coronavirus may have accelerated that, with more online music lessons and options of how to shop and collect your purchases. Business technology will no doubt improve service levels, and I’m sure developments in manufacturing will continue to help us make betterquality products. The Retailer: If you weren’t in the music industr y, what would you be doing and why?
The Retailer: Tell us about your hometown and why you enjoy living there. Meikle: My hometown is Durham in the North East of England, and although I spend a lot of time away, it’s always been my home, because family and friends are there. It’s a small, historic university city with a 900-yearold Norman cathedral and caste perched on two hills in the center of town. Stunning little place with great people. The Retailer: What are your most prized possession(s) and why? Meikle: I’m not really into possessions. I don’t collect or hoard anything and travel pretty light. I have a couple guitars I always play, which are an Alvarez and a Yairi. And apart from that, my focus is family. The Retailer: What’s your favorite book and why? Meikle: I don’t have a favorite, but for sure, some children’s books bring back great memories with the kids. Other than that, I enjoy business and marketing reads, and some biographies. 45
THE FINAL NOTE
CHRIS MEIKLE
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SALES AND MARKETING, ST. LOUIS MUSIC By Brian Berk The Music & Sound Retailer: Who was your greatest influence or mentor and why? Chris Meikle: I’ve never really had one mentor, but of course, many people have influenced me. I can be influenced by anything that catches the imagination, a comment or attitude, or witnessing creativity, kindness or a moment of brilliance. I think being open to influence is really important. With regards to my career, I guess my father was a huge influence. He taught me to work hard and face the music. The Retailer: What was the best advice you ever received? Meikle: I’ve heard a lot over the years, but one I love is something Mr. Yairi [Kazuo Yairi, former master luthier, Alvarez, and former owner and president of the Yairi Guitar Co.] told me: “Perfection is a journey, not a destination.” This is great advice for business, product development, life, anything. He was a strong and calm person and knew that commitment and dedication were the best vehicles for achievement.
"I like the fact [in MI] you can have two CEOs sitting having a meeting, one is wearing an Italian suit, the other has a ponytail and is wearing a biker jacket, and it’s totally normal."
The Retailer: What was your first experience with a musical instrument? Meikle: My three uncles were in a band called Arbre in the UK in the 1970s. They were signed to a record label and released a couple of albums, so music was always part of family parties since I can remember. Without doubt, banging on an acoustic guitar is my earliest memory. The Retailer: What instrument do you most enjoy playing? Meikle: Acoustic guitar, but I always wish I could play piano too. The Retailer: Tell us something about yourself that others do not know or would be surprised to learn. Meikle: When I was 18, I left my home in the North East of England and flew to the Arctic Circle. I lived there for three months and experienced life with Inuit Indians. The trip spurred me to continue traveling and see the world. I returned home when I was 21 after traveling through North America, Australasia and parts of Asia. I didn’t realize it then, but those experiences shaped my outlook forever, and I’m really pleased I did it. The Retailer: What’s your favorite activity to do when you’re not at work? Meikle: I have two daughters. They are like best friends, and hanging out with them is fantastic. Other than that, I play guitar and write. The Retailer: What is the best concert you’ve ever been to? Meikle: I saw U2 in 1989 on the “Love Comes to Town” tour in a small, outdoor athletics park in Wellington, New Zealand. It was a summer evening, and the crowd was so into it. On top of that, B.B. King was the support act. It was a truly amazing night. The Retailer: If you could see any musician, alive or deceased, play a concert for one night, who would it be and why? (continued on page 45)
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JUNE 2020
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