MI Pro 179

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FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 179 | APRIL 2015

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24 MI PIONEERS This month, we take a look back at the life and career of Rotosound founder and strings pioneer James How

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL • FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS NO. 179 • APRIL 2015 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

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Musikmesse 2015 With the MI industry set to descend upon Frankfurt for the annual Messe extravaganza, we’ve provided a complete ‘what not to miss’ guide for this year’s show...

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

THE SALES MAN P11

PAGE

18

RETAIL PROFILE P49 MYSTERY SHOPPER P50

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IN THIS ISSUE

REGULARS: Analysis 6 • MIA 8 • Colin Rees 11 • Birketts 12 • Mystery shopper 50 • New Gear 53 • Backline 56 EDITORIAL COMMENT

No. 179 • April 2015 18

THE MAIN

FEATURE Musikmesse 2015 Check out our comprehensive guide to this year’s Frankfurt extravaganza.

14

22

26

DJ Yoda

Craigie Zildjian

Duncan Bieny, aka DJ Yoda, talks gear, retail and the current state of the hip-hop DJ scene in the UK

7KH ˉ UPČ V &(2 WHOOV XV about the percussion giant’s heritage and what it has in store for the future

RETAIL

FEATURES

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

46 Retail advisory

12 Birketts

38 Amps

Ukuleles and their apprent rise in popularity are under discussion by our board of retailers this month

24 MI Pioneers

Cordelia von Gymnich We speak to Musikmesse’s Cordelia von Gymnich about what we can expect from Messe 2015

board

50 Mystery shopper Birmingham sets the scene for our man of mystery’s visit this month WKH ˉ UVW LQ D WZR SDUW special feature

54 New gear

We present some of the most eye-catching new products currently doing the rounds

An extended piece on cartel activity James How, founder of Rotosound and strings pioneer, is the focus of this month’s feature

31 MIRC 2015

More updates on this year’s MIRC, including exhibitor details and conference line-up

32 Drums and percussion

We speak to the market’s top sellers DQG VXSSOLHUV WR ˉ QG out how the market is performing

Our Retail Essentials feature includes products from Ampeg, Carlsbro, Hughes and Kettner, Orange, Engl and Vox

Show time IT’S hard to believe three months have already passed since NAMM. Just as the plethora of new products and distribution agreements appear to be settling, the industry is readying itself for the second big expo of the year. And Messe 2015 certainly looks set to be an interesting and, some might say, pivotal outing for the show. For many, LA has always provided a more suitable setting for bringing QHZ SURGXFWV WR PDUNHW WKDQ )UDQNIXUW EHLQJ WKH ˉ UVW HYHQW RQ WKH calendar and all. Historically, this hasn’t posed an issue when it comes to attracting visitors and exhibitors just a few months later. For many it provides a great platform to give said products their European debut and introduce them to a new audience. However, in recent years, purse strings across the board have been tightened, presenting some with an ‘either, or’ conundrum. That’s not to suggest the show has cause for concern on the visitor/exhibitor numbers front. Even when faced with a global recession, Messe has consistently attracted healthy numbers on all fronts. In recent years, Musikmesse has also added to its offering in various ways; extending its public opening hours being one of its most notable initiatives. But this year, it has gone even further in its attempts to maintain, and indeed, increase footfall. Among the new elements is a B2B meeting area, along with a greater number of workshops and education and live events than ever before. Some of these steps may well have been taken regardless, but it is now, arguably, more vital than ever for the Frankfurt show to differentiate itself as much as possible from Winter NAMM. Certainly, expanding its offering each year seems to be a smart move, with exhibitors looking for more bang for their buck. And with the initiatives on offer this year, it seems Messe is taking measured steps to ensure regular attendees have reasons to keep coming back, whilst also growing its offering to attract newcomers. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing how these changes pan out and the impact they will have on visitor and exhibitor numbers. See you at the show.

Daniel Gumble Editor dgumble@nbmedia.com

Follow us on Twitter @MIProfessional

ANALYSIS

Education hub /DVW PRQWKČ V 0XVLF (GXFDWLRQ ([SR VDZ D VLJQLˉFDQW LQFUHDVH RQ ODVW \HDUČ V DWWHQGDQFH UHLQIRUFLQJ WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI HGXFDWLRQ WR RXU LQGXVWU\ Ronnie Dungan ZHQW DORQJ WR ˉQG RXW KRZ WKH HYHQW EXLOW XSRQ ODVW \HDUČ V RXWLQJ DQG ZKDW WKH 8.Č V PLQLVWHU IRU VFKRRO UHIRUP KDG WR VD\ DERXW WKH IXWXUH RI WKH VHFWRUȨ THEY MAY not be the most militant bunch, judging by the rather smooth ride they gave the representative of the Tory administration, that has been making life so GLIË‹FXOW IRU WKRVH LQYROYHG LQ PXVLF VHUYLFHV up and down the country, but music teachers, educators, call them what you will, certainly seem to get behind the Music Education Expo. Luckily for Nick Gibb, minister for school reform, who was at the Barbican to‌explain (apologise even?) how committed the Tories are to the music programmes they have been so keen to slash, they’re all too nice to say what they really want to him. Likewise, shadow minister for education, Kevin Brennan, replete with ill-advised musical tie and general middle-aged groover persona, said nothing very different in outlining Labour’s policy. The party’s continued problem. He too got away with blue murder. Just a different shade of it. Neither told the assembled music educators anything they didn’t already know about existing music education policy. Both effectively placing it at the mercy of their continued austerity policies. Pay off the wars, keep the bankers happy, then your child might get some cello lessons. See if you can guess which one said this: “A strong and rigorous music education policy is as important a part of being a rounded, educated, individual as science, art, history.â€? And this: “In my view there has been a dimunition in the emphasis on music and the creative arts and teachers feel it. We want to restore it at the centre of education policy. Music and the expressive arts are a key part of our future education policy.â€? The Tory the former, Labour the latter. Neither got anyone up on their feet. Not

even to throw something. But, lack of political convictions aside, it was a great start to the event and a real coup for organiser Rhinegold to get both on the podium as part of its extensive programme of speakers. And that, in combination with a growing exhibitor list of 130 that features the likes of Korg, Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Kawai Steinway, Dawsons and more, is what brings the teachers and educators along. Rhinegold managing director, Ciaran Morton, has already earmarked a move to

“A strong and rigorous music education policy is as important a part of being a rounded, educated, individual as science or history.� the Olympia 2 for next year’s event, such is its success. “A bigger space obviously allows us to expand,� Morton explained. “And we can increase things such as musical theatre where there is a huge amount of crossover with music teachers and arts teachers expected to put on shows in school. So it’s a natural extension. “We have a lot of schools here and they don’t just want access to products, they want CPD [continuing professional development].� Which is where the 50 seminars, workshops and debates come into it. Last year’s event attracted 2,164 visitors, and this year’s is expected to hit 2,500, with some 1,700 of those thought to have attended both days.

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

08 MIPRO

The MIA is the trade body for the UK musical instrument industry, servicing and representing the interests of manufacturers, importers, publishers, retailers and supporting businesses.

The Music Industries Association and Cover Notes insurance working together for you MIA chief, Paul McManus, tells us about the work being done by Cover Notes and how it can help protect your business…

ciation and Cove r Notes

Why &RYHU 1RWHV ?

THE MIA has partnered with the Cover Notes team for many years. They offer a unique service for both shops and distributors – they really do. You just have to look at the tick list chart in this article and ask yourself ‘Does my insurance company really offer me this level of cover?’ For most of us, insurance is boring, that is unless: • Your premises burned down this morning. • You (have) just damaged the instrument you are working on. • The tutor working for you

drops the piano lid on a SXSLOȢV ˋ QJHUV The above examples are sometimes covered under a standard policy, but often will not be. The Cover Notes Team has for 20 years been UHˋ QLQJ DQG H[WHQGLQJ the cover available under its contract, and those of its clients who are MIA Members enjoy even more EHQHˋ WV 7KHVH DGGLWLRQDO

EHQHˋ WV IRU 0,$ PHPEHUV can include the following: • Reduced excesses - if you have to claim, it will cost you less. • Cover for items being worked upon - this is not covered under most insurance policies. • Discounted Professional Indemnity insurance - to enable you to tender for larger contracts. ȩ )UHH ˌ RRG FKHFN ȟ insurers are increasingly restricting cover and they have their own postcode systems. This check is particularly appropriate for

those thinking of moving premises. The Cover Notes policy started life as a cover for retailers but now takes in musical instrument retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, installers, piano tuners, teaching schools, repair workshops RU DOOLHG WUDGHV VSHFLˋ F WR the Music Industry. For any further info on Cover Notes, contact: 0121-327-1977 www.covernotes.co.uk info@covernotes. co.uk

Special Feature

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Damage to Prop erty Being Wor Upon - £2,500 ked limit any one claim Professional

Indemnity Insu rance available

As Insurance Brok available to MIA ers we deal with several insur Members whic h we have nego ers and covers do vary The abo tiat d

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The Cover Notes team has been working in partnership with the MIA for several years, providing a number of key services for retailers and distributors alike

ANOTHER NEW SERVICE... COVER NOTES PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY ( PI ) COVER What is PI Cover? Professional indemnity insurance, often referred to as professional liability or PI insurance, covers legal costs and expenses incurred in the defence of a business, as well as any costs that may be awarded, if the business is alleged to have provided inadequate advice, services or designs that causes its customers or clients to lose money.

Why might you need PI Cover? To be able to tender for work with larger organisations and local authorities. Frankly we see the risk of musical instrument retailers providing poor advice as very low. However the sort of organisations asking for this cover move with glacial speed and love the

rulebook so the course of least resistance is to give them what they are asking for, rather than arguing the toss. What can we offer to MIA members? Given our above comments we have had agreement from a major insurer that the risk of loss is indeed low and we can now arrange a separate policy with Hiscox

for this cover at reduced rates. MIA Members will EHQHˋ W IURP VXEVWDQWLDO discounts. For example: For Turnovers up to £1m Annual premium is £265.00 including tax. Summary Premiums for this type of cover have historically have been charged at circa £1,000 per annum and

many MI retailers have been understandably reluctant to spend this sort of money to tender for contracts. For MIA members in particular, this is now much more reasonably charged. Should you require any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact the team on: 0121-327-1977 or renewal@covernotes. co.uk

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APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 11

THE SALES MAN

COLIN REES is a veteran sales trainer and business consultant with many decades’ worth of expertise in the bicycle retail sector.

7KH QHW SURˉW NLOOHU Why discounts are continuing to cause damage to dealerships

MOST PROFESSIONAL sales people at the top of their game detest the attitude of a customer who asks for a discount – and rightly so. They don’t ask in Sainsbury’s, so why do they ask a retail shop owner? The answer is simple. They think they can get it. By shops continuing to give discounts for the out-moded reason of thinking they will lose the sale to a competitor. It is certainly the case that some business will be lost if a shop stops giving discounts overnight. What has to be considered is how PXFK QHW SURˉW GRHV WKDW DFWXDOO\ UHSUHVHQW" ,QYDULDEO\ , ˉQG RZQHUV WKLQN LQ WHUPV RI JURVV SURˉW QRW QHW SURˉW DIWHU DOO WKH FRVWV are taken out. So, at the end of the day, a discount could represent a loss. If that is the case, then saying no to a discount request, which ends in the customer going to a competitor, will effectively damage the competitor. Being realistic, the entire industry is unlikely to follow the suggestion of stopping discounts all at once. So what can we do to mitigate the effect? Taking it from the top, what can we do to limit what we think we have to give away? First, do you have a policy? And do all your staff know what it is? The best route is only to give discounting responsibility to one person, the manager. That centres the activity and reduces the overall amount you are giving away. Next is ban percentages. They are terribly

COLIN REES

6DOHV WUDLQHU DQG EXVLQHVV FRQVXOWDQW

damaging and give away more than is necessary. Decide what your discount is, say ˉYH SHU FHQW PD[LPXP DQG SHUKDSV SXW WKLV on the counter. If you were the customer, would you take it if the manager did that? Psychologically, that action is negative but makes people realise what a discount is. We have to get it out of his mind it is just something you ‘knock off’. It is an actual wad of cash, so show him.

“At the end of the day, a discount could represent a loss for your business.� Next, ban giving anyone free goods. Again, it is psychologically bad to condition someone to think they can get free goods. You may decide to institute the principle of not ever giving a discount unless you get something back. “I could give you something off if you buy two, sir?� Lastly, before even considering a discount, create barriers in the customer’s mind so he has to ask you more than once. Statements such as “we would only consider a discount for a bigger sum product, sir.� Constructing these statements is a science. You must not give the indication you are willing to pass anything over, except when you get more from them. The key to top this is staff training, as only that way do you have a chance of changing attitudes. &ROLQUHHV #JPDLO FRP ZZZ FROLQUHHV ZRUGSUHVV FRP

12 MIPRO

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

LEGAL MATTERS

RAFAEL RUIZ, PARTNER, BIRKETTS

Cartel offences under the Competition Act – what not to do with competitors Partner at legal specialist Birketts, Rafael Ruiz, continues his focus on legal matters in the MI industry. This month, he delves into the world of cartels and the Competition Act, providing some key insights into different types of cartel activity and the subsequent punishments that can ensue as a result... IN A SERIES of recent articles, I explained some of the rules of competition law that relate to arrangements between manufacturers/suppliers and their customers. In this article, the focus is on arrangements between one or more manufacturers, suppliers, or dealers, who are competitors operating at the same level of the supply chain. The same provisions of the Competition Act apply, which state that any agreement, decision or concerted practice between

Ȣ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR ˉQHV RI XS WR WHQ SHU FHQW RI JOREDO WXUQRYHU SDUWLHV HQJDJLQJ LQ FDUWHO DFWLYLW\ ULVN GDPDJHV FODLPV IURP WKLUG SDUWLHV ZKR KDYH VXIIHUHG ORVV DV D UHVXOW ČŁ or amongst undertakings or associations of undertakings, which has as its object or effect the restriction, distortion or prevention of competition within the UK and which affects trade within the UK, are prohibited. Equivalent provisions apply under EU law, where the arrangements affect competition and trade in more than one EU member state, but this article focusses on arrangements only affecting the UK. When such agreements exist between competitors, the behaviour

they lead to is commonly known as ‘cartel behaviour’, which is often viewed by competition authorities, as the most serious breach of competition law. The most common (but not the only) types of cartel activity are: • Fixing of prices • Sharing markets • Limiting supply or production • Bid rigging A common feature of all of the above is the sharing of certain types of commercially sensitive information. There are exemptions for certain R&D agreements and specialisation agreements, and some other arrangements of the type often put in place by trade associations (such as standardisation agreements, joint advertising, common terms and conditions etc), but great care needs to be taken to ensure that the requirements of the exemptions are met. In addition, the prohibition is unlikely to apply where the combined market share of parties concerned is less than ten per cent unless the activity concerned LV SULFH Ë‹[LQJ PDUNHW VKDULQJ RU limiting of production or supply. ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR Ë‹QHV RI XS WR ten per cent of global turnover, parties engaging in cartel activity risk damages claims from third parties who have suffered loss as a result of the cartel activity (such as customers who have overpaid and competitors who have been kept out of the market), and criminal sanctions and GLUHFWRUV GLVTXDOLË‹FDWLRQ RUGHUV IRU individuals involved. Any individual who agrees with one or more persons to make or implement, or to cause to be made or implemented,

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MIPRO 13

LEGAL MATTERS

,W LV YLWDO WKDW EXVLQHVVHV NQRZ H[DFWO\ arrangements between at least two ZKDW FRQVWLWXWHV FDUWHO DFWLYLW\ undertakings (at the same level in the supply chain) for any of the cartel activities listed above, is liable to a prison term of up to ˋYH \HDUV DQG RU D ˋQH ,Q $SULO 2014 the law was changed, with a view to making prosecutions easier to bring by removing the requirement for the individual to have acted dishonestly. There is a range of criminal offences for individuals who fail to cooperate with investigations. Given that cartel activity is normally carried out in secret, the competition authorities have a range of tools available to them to help discover unlawful cartel behaviour. These include VLJQLˋFDQW SRZHUV RI LQYHVWLJDWLRQ (often used in what are known as GDZQ UDLGV LPPXQLW\ IURP ˋQHV IRU WKH ˋUVW PHPEHU RI D FDUWHO WR whistle blow on other members of WKH FDUWHO OHQLHQF\ DJDLQVW ˋQHV IRU members of a cartel who cooperate with the authorities investigations; and rewards of up to £100,000 for individuals who give information ZKLFK OHDGV WR D ˋQH EHLQJ LPSRVHG or a criminal prosecution. So what can we conclude from this? That all businesses who have any involvement with their competitors, even if only at the level of social contact between former work colleagues who now work for competitors, need to have up to date policies in place (and

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enforced) so that all directors and relevant employees know: • not to enter into any arrangements (or concerted practices) with any competitor(s), ZLWKRXW ˋUVW WDNLQJ DGYLFH RQ LWV lawfulness; • what kinds of information they should not be discussing with competitors (and what to do if someone tries to tell them that information about a competitor); • who to speak to if they suspect a colleague or the business is participating in cartel activity; and • what to do in the event that the competition authorities carry out an investigation without prior notice at a business or home premises. The risks of failing to do so are too high. For more info, contact Rafael Ruiz on 01245 211288 or rafael-ruiz@birketts. co.uk. This article provides a summary and is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Readers should take legal advice before applying the information in this article to VSHFLˋF LVVXHV 1HLWKHU %LUNHWWV LLP or the author, accept any liability for any reliance placed on the contents of this article.

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14 MIPRO

INTERVIEW: CORDELIA VON GYMNICH

Making Musik This month sees the annual Musikmesse trade show return to the Messe )UDQNIXUW ([KLELWLRQ &HQWUH IURP $SULO WK WK 7R ˉQG RXW PRUH about this year’s show, Daniel Gumble spoke to Vice President Consumer Goods and Entertainment, Cordelia von Gymnich, to see how the event has coped with the global recession and what’s in store for visitors and exhibitors‌ With the MI industry still feeling the effects of the global UHFHVVLRQ KRZ GLIˋFXOW KDV it been to keep exhibitor and visitor numbers steady? It is not only the effects of the global recession that are affecting the sector, but also other factors, such as changing leisure habits in this digital age, and a general trend towards an acceleration in the pace of life, which have tended to distract from music making. Naturally, the challenges facing the industry are also challenges for us as a fair and exhibition company. We go to great lengths to counteract the impact of these developments, for example, with new special services for exhibitors and visitors, as well as via targeted and effective marketing. How have you set about attracting new exhibitors and visitors to the show in these challenging times? And what can they expect from this year’s show? We understand that there will be a number of new features. Musikmesse 2015 scores with a set of new offerings and conceptual developments. We aim to help exhibitors reach individual visitor target groups DV HIˋFLHQWO\ DV SRVVLEOH VR WKH\ FDQ JDLQ PD[LPXP EHQHˋW IURP the fair. A special B2B area for manufacturers, retailers and distributors is a step in this direction. This new area gives participants the chance to hold a series of business discussions in a peaceful atmosphere on all four days of the fair – with no loud product demonstrations. Additionally, the B2B area will have a stylish catering area and be located in the immediate vicinity of the Tulip Club, the VIP lounge for the sector’s top buyers. Another measure to

“Musikmesse 2015 scores with a set of new offerings and conceptual developments.�

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MIPRO 15

INTERVIEW: CORDELIA VON GYMNICH

strengthen Musikmesse as a business platform for the musical instrument sector is this year’s Musikmesse Insider customer programme, with H[FOXVLYH EHQHË‹WV IRU UHWDLOHUV It includes free admission to the fair, unrestricted access to the B2B area, VIP admission to the Business Centre of our cooperation partner, GEWA-music, and many other extras to make time spent at the fair even more pleasant and HIË‹FLHQW +RZHYHU PDNLQJ GLUHFW contact with consumers is also becoming more important for many H[KLELWRUV $QG WKLV LV UHËŒHFWHG E\ the concept of Musikmesse 2015. 7KXV IRU WKH Ë‹UVW WLPH WKLV \HDUȢV fair will open its doors to private visitors for two whole days and, thanks to the even greater event factor, be an even more powerful magnet for all music lovers. You’ve increased the number of workshops and live events this year. What can you tell us about these and what do you hope to achieve from these interactive elements? :H DLP QRW RQO\ WR SURYLGH D Ë‹UVW class business platform but also to generate and promote enthusiasm for active music making. After all, the more pleasure music gives people, the better the auguries for the whole sector. Even the youngest visitors have the chance to embark on a journey of musical GLVFRYHU\ DQG PDNH WKHLU Ë‹UVW tentative attempts to play a variety of instruments at the Music4Kids participatory exhibition. This year, the exhibition is also aimed at older children and young people, as well as families and visitors with prior musical knowledge, with numerous interactive musical activities and workshops. Musikmesse 2015 also offers a

variety of new entertainment activities. For example, everyone is invited to immerse themselves in 45 years of rock history at the ‘In the Eye of the Rock’n’Roll +XUULFDQHȢ H[KLELWLRQ $QG IRU WKH attempt on the Drums4Peace world record, we want to attract 1,000 drummers to play a groove together and, by taking part, support FKDULWDEOH SURMHFWV +LJKOLJKWV RI this kind make visiting the fair even more interesting and multifaceted. Moreover, they attract more attention from the media for the fair and, therefore, for the sector. Naturally, there will also be an extensive programme of concerts, live events, autograph sessions, awards ceremonies, etc., on a variety of stages and at exhibitors’ stands throughout the fair. In other words, we have put WRJHWKHU D Ë‹UVW FODVV SDFNDJH for musicians and music lovers of all age groups and degrees of professionalism –

The crowds were out in force at last year’s event

Ȣ)RU WKH ˉUVW WLPH WKLV year’s fair will open its doors to private visitors for two whole days.â€?

and trade visitors are also sure to be attracted by many of the events. With Music China and NAMM 0XVLNPHVVH 5XVVLD QRZ ˋQGLQJ a more substantial international audience, why should retailers and exhibitors continue to keep coming back to Frankfurt? We are very pleased to say that last year’s events under the Musikmesse brand attracted over 150,000 visitors to Frankfurt, Shanghai and Moscow, whereby each event has its own mission and individual exhibitor and visitor structure. Music China is the biggest business platform for the musical instrument VHFWRU LQ WKH $VLD 3DFLˋF UHJLRQ and of great international importance as a sourcing platform. NAMM Musikmesse Russia gives manufacturers, retailers and distributors an opportunity to expand their businesses in Russia, the Baltic States and the CIS countries. Musikmesse in Frankfurt is characterised by its unparalleled

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MIPRO 17

INTERVIEW: CORDELIA VON GYMNICH

internationality in the heart of Europe. It offers exhibitors the chance to reach visitors from 120 countries. In turn, visitors can choose from new products being shown by manufacturers from over 50 countries. Thus, Musikmesse is and will continue to be the most important trade fair for the sector. How would you say the market has changed since last year? Germany appears to be in better shape than much of Europe. Germany’s economy has certainly developed well. Unfortunately, the positive climate of consumption has not reached the MI business in full. One of the main reasons for this is that the German market is not immune to the fundamental challenges facing the sector. For example, the time spent at school in Germany has been reduced and, therefore, the curriculum concentrated into a shorter period. In the case of young students, this has impacted on their willingness to learn a musical instrument. Developments in the rest of Europe with regard to economic growth and the MI business are very heterogeneous. However, we see particularly good chances and potential for growth in the sector in East Europe. Is this likely to have an effect on international exhibitor and visitor numbers? Predictions as to the number of

Musikmesse visitors can view new products by manufacturers from 120 different countries

“As in the past, the fair itself will be an important economic barometer showing likely business trends for the coming year.”

YLVLWRUV DUH GLIˋFXOW WR PDNH HYHQ just a few weeks before the fair. What we can say, however, is that we are on course for a similarly high level of internationality on the exhibitor side, as in previous years. Can you see any signs of improvement on the horizon for the European MI market? Shortly before Musikmesse opens its doors, we notice an air of cautious optimism for 2015 among companies in the sector. However, we cannot make any economic forecasts at present and, as in the past, the fair itself will be an important economic barometer showing likely business trends for the coming year. In this connection, we will do some extensive market research during the fair and publish the results as an orientation aid for the sector. How vital is it to keep adding new features and giving exhibitors and visitors new reasons to attend? The needs of companies and trade visitors are subject to a constant process of change. To do justice to such developments, it is necessary to adjust and supplement the concept of the fair continuously. For this reason, we conduct an ongoing dialogue with manufacturers, trade associations and retailers to ensure we are always aware of their individual interests. On this basis, we decide

where we can best emphasise the strengths of the event and exploit its potential to the full and, if necessary, make any improvements and additions required. Naturally, visitors are also pleased to see new items on the programme and fresh ideas at Musikmesse. What impact has the longer opening hours for the public had on the show? And how are you planning to balance the trade and public elements of the show? An important effect of the longer hours of opening for private visitors has been that it is now much easier to organise group visits for students and trainees. We noticed a great demand for this in the past – and, this year, we are able to better cater for it. Naturally, an event such as Musikmesse must satisfy a very broad spectrum of participant needs and targets. And, of course, due account must always be taken of pros and cons for every proposal for change, which our exhibitors are also not slow in telling us about. As organisers, we also have to continue developing the B2B and B2C sides independently of each other, and WR LQFUHDVH WKH VLJQLˋFDQFH RI WKH fair for both consumer and business expectations. This year, with the creation of more business quality and the longer period of opening to private visitors, we have taken an important step forward in this direction.

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Musik halle

From April 15th-18th, the international MI community will once again descend upon the Messe Frankfurt Exhibition Centre for the annual Musikmesse expo. As ever, the event will see exhibitors from across the globe shine a spotlight on their newest products and innovations, so we’re providing a comprehensive guide to what’s on offer at this year’s show‌ Tanglewood Guitars - Hall 3.1, #C76 Tanglewood Guitars will once DJDLQ EH ËŒ\LQJ WKH ËŒDJ IRU %ULWDLQ at Musikmesse 2015. New ranges IRU SUHYLHZ SULRU WR D SKDVHG ODXQFK ZLOO LQFOXGH WKH 6XQGDQFH Delta Historic series, an all-new 0DKRJDQ\ UDQJH RI WUDGLWLRQDOO\ VW\OHG JXLWDUV WKH (YROXWLRQ 'HOX[H VHULHV ZKLFK ZLOO EULQJ VRPH QHZ ZRRG FRPELQDWLRQV WR D ZKROH QHZ SULFH SRLQW WKH (YROXWLRQ Viscount series, a new Jumbo range LQ $UFWLF :KLWH 3LDQR %ODFN DQG 7UDQVSDUHQW 2UDQJH WKH DOO QHZ 1DVKYLOOH 9 VHULHV ZKLFK ZLOO VHH LWV 8. ODXQFK LQ $SULO DQG D ZKROH QHZ HQWU\ OHYHO VHULHV 'LVFRYHU\ E\ 7DQJOHZRRG LQ D UDQJH RI PRGHOV and timbers to suit all tastes. ([LVWLQJ OLQHV ZLOO DOVR IHDWXUH QHZ PRGHO ODXQFKHV LQFOXGLQJ WKH -DYD VHULHV DQG WKH UHFHQWO\ H[SDQGHG 5RDGVWHU VHULHV ZLWK DQ HQWLUHO\ QHZ FRPELQDWLRQ RI PRGHOV As Tanglewood guitars are now

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INTERVIEW

Turn of the Jedi

Famed predominantly for his creative work behind the decks, Duncan Beiny, better known as DJ Yoda, is one of WKH PRVW UHVSHFWHG KLS KRS '-V DQG SURGXFHUV RI WKH SDVW \HDUV 7KLV PRQWK KH UHOHDVHV KLV ˉUVW HYHU DOEXP with a live band under the name Breakfast of Champions. Daniel Gumble FDXJKW XS ZLWK KLP WR ˉQG RXW PRUH about his latest venture and the current state of the hip-hop DJ scene‌ CARTOON SOUNDTRACKS, country and western, cuts from the 1930s; unlikely source material for the discerning hip-hop DJ and producer, you might say. Yet this splicing of impossibly diverse genres has been the bedrock of Duncan Beiney’s - a.k.a. DJ Yoda – career for nigh on two decades. A turntablist of traditional stock, the London-born DJ has carved himself a reputation as one of the genre’s most talented exponents on account of his eclectic ‘cut and SDVWHȢ WHFKQLTXH DV H[HPSOLË‹HG by his audio visual DJ sets and his How to Cut & Paste mix tapes, not to mention his acclaimed 2012 studio album Chop Suey. His latest project sees him embark on a typically unique outing, incorporating a live band IRU WKH Ë‹UVW WLPH LQ KLV FDUHHU Dubbed Breakfast of Champions, the collective was born out of a government-funded scheme that aims to bring local artists together. “It came about through a venue in Manchester called Band on the Wall,â€? he explains. “They have an annual artistic residency, which is government-funded, whereby they pick an artist and get them to put together an interesting project of some kind. So, they got in touch with me and asked what I could do. I thought, I’m always trying to do something new and something I’ve never done before is put together a band. “They then put out adverts asking ‘who wants to be in a band with DJ Yoda?’, and there were hundreds of applicants, so I had to whittle them down and get rid of the nut jobs! I kind of treated

it like putting together a DJ set; I wanted someone who can play country and western; someone that can play reggae; someone that’s a hip-hop style drummer. “Then, we had this week-long residency in Manchester where we all met each other and began rehearsing and recording. Luckily LW DOO Ë‹WWHG WRJHWKHU ČĽ With only six days to create HQRXJK PDWHULDO WR Ë‹OO D KHDGOLQH slot, was there ever a contingency plan in the event that any of the

“The decision [to make a record] came after the gig. I thought we’d get the week out of the way, see how that goes, and see if I’m happy with the music. Because it went so well, we thought we’d try it once more in London. We planned a gig at the Jazz CafĂŠ, which sold out, and again we smashed it, so we decided to go record the album.â€? Released under the Breakfast of Champions moniker, the album combined the regular hallmarks of DJ Yoda’s oeuvre

“We had no material on Monday, and by Saturday we had a whole show’s worth of stuff to play!â€? musicians involved experienced a clash of personalities, or artistic differences? “Not really, we had a show at the end of that week, so the pressure was really on. It was down to luck that when we got together we were all on the same page. We had no material on Monday, and by Saturday, we sold out the venue, and had a whole show’s worth of stuff to play. I love working under WKDW NLQG RI SUHVVXUH , Ë‹QG ,ȢP much more productive when I’m given a deadline. No one is sitting DURXQG Ë‹GGOLQJ ZLWK WKHLU SKRQHV because the pressure is on.â€? Having successfully negotiated the residency in Manchester, the band began toying with the idea of taking their material into the studio to record an album.

with a live element previously unheard in his back catalogue. So, does he think this could spell the beginning of a new, band-orientated sound? “I think I will [work with a band again]. I’m not really sure what happens next. All I know is that as each year comes and goes I try to do something different. I try to do anything except tread water. As soon as I start doing that I get ERUHG DQG ,ȢYH GHË‹QLWHO\ IRXQG that collaborations are an amazing way to keep things interesting, especially when you’re in the game of producing hip-hop and DJing. It’s very much a solo activity, so

any chance I get to interact with other humans is a bonus!� Since hip-hop’s heyday back in the 1980s, the genre has evolved VLJQLˋFDQWO\ ZLWK WHFKQRORJLFDO advances transforming DJ and production practices almost beyond recognition. In some cases, this has sparked creative innovation and groundbreaking invention, in others, merely a halfhearted slump towards a speeding bandwagon. DJ Yoda, meanwhile, has been clearing a path all of his own, combing the old with the new and just about everything in between. But what does he make of the current state of affairs? “It’s virtually dead, although there are a few glimmers of light RXW WKHUH 2QH WKLQJ , ˋQG UHDOO\ weird is that I’ve never really been into the name ‘DJ Yoda’. But weirdly I feel like the name has got this new relevance, whereby Yoda was the last of the Jedis and it feels a bit like that now! I’m the only DJ that turns up to clubs actually with turntables instead of just a laptop or CDJs. I’m the last person out there scratching using these principles of old hip-hop, whereby I work with samples.� So where and when did things start to change for the genre? And, more importantly, why? “I think hip-hop really changed around 2000. People stopped sampling so much, maybe because all that kind of jazz-funk fusion had dried up. Instead of moving on to sample other stuff, I think hip-hop producers got on to the idea that if they don’t sample they keep more of the publishing. So, people started making beats out of

shitty synths with no soul. That’s the way I thought about it, anyway. Technology changed things, too. People found that you don’t necessarily need to by 12â€? records. “Personally, I’ve always thought you don’t need to just sample jazzfunk. You can sample anything; country and western; kids music; stuff from the ‘30s. It just depends how open a mind you’ve got about your source material.â€? It goes without saying the same technological advances that have transformed the DJ scene, have also impacted upon its audience. The way that music is consumed and enjoyed these days is vastly different to how people listened to it when DJ Yoda was making his Ë‹UVW VWHSV LQ WKH LQGXVWU\ “I think that a lot of music has become quite throwaway, because it’s so easy to download stuff for IUHH DQG ËŒLFN WKURXJK PXVLF VR quickly. People treasure an album a lot less than they used to, and WKDWȢV Ë‹QH LWȢV QRW VRPHWKLQJ WKDW really bothers me – I’m as guilty as anyone else in that respect. But the music that really moves me is that stuff that does have soul and has WKDW ËŒDYRXULQJ IURP RWKHU HUDV “In 2015, hip-hop’s got good again. There’s a lot of stuff coming out now that I really love, so I think there is a revival in that sound. I really like The Mouse 2XWË‹W DQG -RH\ %DGD LV DPD]LQJ As with his approach to creating music, DJ Yoda has tried to maintain a balance of old and

new; staying true to his old school sensibilities, whilst embracing the latest and most innovative gear. “I try to keep at the forefront of DJ technology because it interests me. I’m always thinking about what this new stuff can do, and how it can add to my show. The ultimate set-up is pretty simple – two turntables, a mixer and a laptop. That’s the same set-up for my audiovisual shows, which helps keep things simple. I tend to use Pioneer mixers, especially now Pioneer is doing stuff with Serato, which is a DJ programme I use.

The retail landscape has also FKDQJHG VLJQLË‹FDQWO\ IURP WKDW which played a pivotal role in DJ Yoda’s development. Ȥ:KHQ , Ë‹UVW VWDUWHG RXW WKHUH was no Internet, and I didn’t have any friends that were into that kind of thing, so I had no one to ask what I should buy or who to buy from. There weren’t really any shops like that either. I think , ERXJKW P\ Ë‹UVW PL[HU IURP DQ electrical shop, just because it said ‘scratchmaster’ or something on it. It took until I made friends that had the same interests when

“I try to keep at the forefront of technology. I’m always thinking about what this stuff can do and how it can add to my show.â€? “The Technic turntables were there from day one, although I have just retired them because Pioneer has brought out turntables that are more or less the same, with a Pioneer logo on them. But what’s amazing is that the Technic turntables I bought back in the HDUO\ ČĄ V DUH VWLOO DEVROXWHO\ Ë‹QH “I think I’m in quite a unique situation because I‘m probably making music in quite an old school way, but using very modern equipment. I can’t think of many other people doing it that way. I pretty much do everything in Ableton Live now, and make music the same way, but it’s just quicker and can be done more neatly.â€?

I was a bit older – around the early/mid-‘90s – for me to start thinking about what gear I should be getting, and which sampler I should be using. That information wasn’t very easy to come by. “Coming from a DJ’s perspective, rather than a producer’s, it was more about the music that was coming out, and going to record shops every weekend, waiting for promos to arrive. The gear almost came second early on. I was messing around a little bit, but the ˋUVW PL[HV , GLG ZHUH GRQH RQ D four-track cassette recorder. Even DV IDU EDFN DV ZKHQ P\ ˋUVW PL[ CDs started coming out, like How to Cut and Paste, these were all

done on a cassette recorder. It was the simplest way of doing it. Ȥ5HFRUG VKRSV GHË‹QLWHO\ SOD\HG an important part. I was there most weekends hanging out with other DJs chatting and listening to records. I think that sense of community has been lost for a while now. I used to spend Saturday afternoons in Soho with rappers and DJs, but when I do buy music now I buy it online. There is no reason to hangout in a record shop all day, because it’s cheaper and easier to do it other ways. “But also, social habits have changed. People now connect on Twitter in the way they used to in a record shop, so I’m not sitting around moaning about the changes. Things are just different.â€? It is ultimately DJ Yoda’s unique ability to fuse styles and genres to create a distinct sound and aesthetic that underpins his continued relevance in a rapidly changing world. Whereas many others have come and gone during the course of his career, he has remained one of the genre’s most UHYHUHG Ë‹JXUHV EXFNLQJ WUHQGV and defying expectations at every juncture. And while it’s pointless trying to predict what form his next project will take, you can guarantee he’ll be looking to take it in ever experimental-directions. “The main thing for me is to keep things interesting and I’ll just come up with something new,â€? he concludes. “And who knows what that’ll be?â€?

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MI Pioneers: James How

A revolutionary exponent of the string manufacturing business, Rotosound founder James How produced strings for some of the biggest names from the world of rock and pop. Here, we take a look back over some of the landmark moments from throughout his career and celebrate his sizeable contribution to the MI industry‌

FROM ITS beginnings as a small, family-run business, Rotosound has gone on to become one of the most renowned brands on the string market. Founded by James How in 1958, and later passed on to his son Jason, the Rotosound approach to string manufacturing has always been based on the same traditional approach to craftsmanship, with both father and son boasting not only a deep understanding of the market, but also an expert degree of engineering acumen. Indeed, both have hand-built virtually every machine that helps produce its range of products from the company’s manufacturing facility. As such, the company’s products have been in constant demand from some of the biggest names in rock and pop, with the likes of The Who, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix, to name but a few, among its starstudded line-up of loyal artists. However, it is for its meticulously designed and crafted products that the Rotosound name is most famed. $QG ZLWK WKH ˋ UP UHPDLQLQJ WUXH to its production sensibilities, the high regard with which the brand

is held by music professionals the world over looks set to continue for generations to come. 1950s Rotosound founder James How’s story begins with, of all things, the Zither. Inspired by the Anton Karaspenned soundtrack to the 1952

“The Rotosound approach has always been based on a traditional approach to craftsmanship.� ˋ OP The Third Man, which featured the largely unknown instrument, How set about tracking down one of his own. Over the next few years he would develop a talent for the Zither, and amass a substantial collection of the instruments along the way. An engineer of some repute, he soon decided to combine both his technical and musical prowess to begin manufacturing Zither strings.

Before long, he designed his very own winding machine, which required the assistance of two others to turn a handle at each end, which produced a single string. It didn’t take long for How to identify that a new machine could be created that would produce strings in greater quantities for a range of musical instruments. Following a period of yet further development, operating under the name Orchestral and Jazz Strings, How employed six members staff, including his brother Ronald and VLVWHU -RDQ $PRQJ WKH Ë‹ UPȢV Ë‹ UVW clients were The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the London Symphony Orchestra. 1960s %\ WKH V +RZ KDG GLYHUVLË‹ HG the business with the production of bass and guitar strings. Almost LPPHGLDWHO\ WKH Ë‹ UP EHJDQ to attract some of the biggest names in rock ‘n’ roll, working in collaboration with several artists to ensure they received a product WR VSHFLË‹ FDOO\ PHHW WKHLU GHPDQGV 2QH RI WKH Ë‹ UVW PXVLFLDQV WR ZRUN

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with the brand was The Who bassist, John Entwistle, who helped WKH ˋ UP GHYHORS LWV 6ZLQJ %DVV VWULQJV 2WKHU DUWLVWV DIˋ OLDWHG ZLWK the brand during this time included Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix. The decade also saw the business change its name to the more memorable Rotosound. The change in name was shortly followed by the opening of a Denmark Street showroom, with the company expanding into the world of distribution. With the aim of drawing attention to some of the DGGLWLRQDO SURGXFWV WKDW WKH ˋ UP was now handling, the showroom featured several of its distributed lines, such as Triumph amps and PA systems, Pro Mark drumsicks, and the Rotosound Rhythm Light. Meanwhile, keen to grow Rotosound’s own product range, How created the prototype Rotosound Fuzz pedal. 1970s/80s The decade in which punk took the UK music scene by storm, Rotosound found favour with

$ERYH 7KH ˉ UPČ V 6ZLQJ %DVV UDQJH ZDV GHYHORSHG LQ FRQMXQFWLRQ with The Who bassist John Entwistle

several of the genre’s leading exponents in the ‘70s, counting The Sex Pistols, The Buzzcocks and The Jam among its many endorsers. At the same time, Rotosound was DOVR Ë‹ QGLQJ DQ DXGLHQFH DFURVV WKH pond. The company employed the distribution services of New YorkEDVHG Ë‹ UP 0HLVHO 0XVLF ZKLFK successfully made Rotosound the top-selling bass string brand in the US. Back in the UK, the company’s production facility was running 24/7 in order to meet growing demand. At the turn of the decade, How developed the RS55 Solo Bass string – a ‘pressurewound’ string engineered to deliver a smooth, optimised feel. 1990s/00s As the century drew to a close, Rotosound raised the bar once again with the introduction of its Spacer range. The ‘black anodised bass string’ was bright and roundwound, featuring ‘undercover wraps’ made from piano wire. The ‘90s also saw a new line of guitar strings introduced in the form of the Roto range. Made from nickel, the range has since become the brand’s most successful line of guitar strings. In 1994, James How sadly passed away, with his two sons, Martyn and Jason, taking over the company, along with Kathy How (production) and John Doughty (managing director). Towards the end of the ‘90s, Jason began designing, refurbishing and building a new set of manufacturing machines, which produce around 90 per cent of the Ë‹ UPȢV VWULQJV WRGD\ By the mid ‘00s, the new machines precipitated an increase in production and an increase in exports. As a result, Jason called upon the services of Zach Frederick WR UXQ WKH Ë‹ UPȢV H[SRUW EXVLQHVV In 2009, a host of new string lines were introduced. Among these were the black and clear coated Nexus range and the more traditional British Steels and Pure Nickels. It goes without saying that constant innovation and improvement remains at the heart of everything bearing the Rotosound name, and it is the combination of business nous, engineering skills and a passion for music that lies at the heart of its success. And with a growing URVWHU RI KLJK SURË‹ OH SOD\HUV FRQWLQXLQJ WR ËŒ RFN WR WKH EUDQG its prominence in the world of MI shows no sign of slowing.

26 MIPRO

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

INTERVIEW: CRAIGIE ZILDJIAN

Family values

As the oldest family-run business in the US, Zildjian is a company steeped in tradition, with generation after generation ensuring it has remained at the fore of the percussion market. Daniel Gumble spoke to CEO Craigie =LOGMLDQ WR ˉQG RXW KRZ WKH ˉUP KDV KHOG LWV SRVLWLRQ DV D PDUNHW OHDGHU EHLQJ UHFRJQLVHG DW WKLV \HDUČ V 6KH 5RFNV Awards and what can be done to bring greater diversity to the MI market‌ THERE AREN’T many brands around today that can boast a heritage like that of percussion specialist Zildjian. Founded some 392 years ago in 1623, the company is the oldest family-run business in the US. Passed down from JHQHUDWLRQ WR JHQHUDWLRQ WKH Ë‹UP is currently under the stewardship of CEO Craigie Zildjian, who, has not only steered the business WKURXJK WKH GLIË‹FXOWLHV RI WKH global recession, but also brought unprecedented growth to the brand. An early adopter of the Internet, but also with the nous to capitalise RQ WKH EHQHË‹WV RI KLJK VWUHHW UHWDLO Zildjian has been able to cater for both trading platforms. Ȥ,W FHUWDLQO\ ZDV D GLIË‹FXOW WLPH (the 2008 economic crisis). We call it The Great Recession, as we haven’t seen anything like that

“We try to create an experience for the musician, and a compelling reason to visit a store.� since The Great Depression. My grandfather relocated the company here to America, months before The Great Depression, in 1921. I really thought of how my grandfather was unstoppable. He kept his head down and said ‘we are going to make it’. “I think with business, it’s all about adapting. Adapt or die. Naturally, we make a high-end product, which is what we’re known for. But, we do put systems in place, IRU LQVWDQFH ZH DUH ,62 FHUWLˋHG – no other percussion company can say that, I believe. Quality is really what lies at the heart of the brand, and a desire for continuous improvement. And that’s not just for the product alone, but also how we bring products to market. “More and more business is moving online. In the early days we thought ‘we have some very expensive cymbals and no one is going to order them online because they will want to go and hear it.’ But people are ordering more and more

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INTERVIEW: CRAIGIE ZILDJIAN

online, and now you can hear the general sound of the cymbal on the website, so they feel comfortable enough to buy online. “The market’s still dynamic WKRXJK RXU LQGXVWU\ LV VWLOO Ë‹QGLQJ the balance between the traditional bricks and mortar stores we all grew up with, and the arrival of companies like Amazon. We do business with some of the big online guys, but at the same time, we have unique programmes for bricks and mortar retailers. We certainly have an interest in supporting the people in those stores who can give a customer a great experience DV WKH\ DUH WU\LQJ WR Ë‹QG WKHLU sound. That personal component is important. We are trying to create an experience for the musician, and a compelling reason to visit a store.â€? Another key feature of the company’s success has been the family-run nature of the business. According to Zildjian, the responsibility of each generation to WDNH WKH Ë‹UP IRUZDUG KDV SOD\HG D VLJQLË‹FDQW UROH LQ LWV ORQJHYLW\ “The family wants to pass things down from generation to generation. That’s certainly a goal. And that’s been critical to the company’s success. I call it stewardship. This is our brand; we cherish our brand.â€? So, in what has always been a particularly male-dominated industry, was it preordained that she would end up working for the family business? “No, it wasn’t. Growing up it was quite different. I never imagined I would go into the family business. It was really just a thing that was reserved for male members of the family. It was only when my grandfather asked me to join the family business in 1976, and I joined as personnel manager.â€? Despite having learned how to play music as a child – guitar and piano – it wasn’t until joining the company that Zildjian truly got to grips with drums and percussion. “I was never really encouraged to play drums. I remember being very little and people saying that girls don’t play drums - those are masculine instruments. So I took up piano and guitar. It was only when I joined the company that I thought I had to take drum lessons in order to understand the instrument.â€? To this day, some areas of the market have struggled to grasp the concept of women working in the MI trade, so how did it feel to be entering such a male-dominated sphere in the mid-1970s? Ȥ,W GLG IHHO VWUDQJH DW Ë‹UVW :HȢUH talking about 1976. People warned

me ‘if you go out into the factory you might hear some swearing’. I don’t want to paint too negative a picture, though. I was certainly embraced by the company.� Zildjian now believes that attitudes are beginning to change towards females in the industry,

“The market is still dynamic; the industry LV ˉQGLQJ D EDODQFH EHWZHHQ SK\VLFDO VWRUHV DQG WKH ZHE ČŁ particularly at retail level. “There are more women than there used to be. I think with retail, you see a lot of mom and pop stores, where a musician opens a shop after his playing career is over; his wife might manage the books and then they’re able to bring their daughter into the business. I think that’s one of the ways that more women are getting into the industry now. Earlier this year, Zildjian received the Excellence Award at the annual

She Rocks Awards, which took place at Winter NAMM 2015. The event celebrates the work of women throughout the MI industry, from musicians through to industry professionals across the board. Perhaps more events like this could go someway to help shine a spotlight on the achievements of those outside of the male mold? “There are more women out there in the industry than maybe we are aware of, and it [the She Rocks Awards] was trying to highlight that, and I really enjoyed being a part of that. I think more events like this could make a difference.� She Rocks Awards aside, the January NAMM show also saw the company introduce a number of new products, which it will be showcasing in Frankfurt for this month’s Musikmesse. “We will be taking some of the products launched at NAMM to Messe. We have a couple of new distribution partners to announce this year, in addition to the new products. We are also developing a new website.� Another crucial area of the market

for Zildjian is the education sector. A board member at both Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, not to mention a former English Literature teacher before joining the company, she LV RI WKH ˋUP RSLQLRQ WKDW PXVLF should be a core component of a child’s education. “NAMM used to have a saying that was ‘music makes you smarter’. I think that’s true; it helps you learn to improvise and there’s the link with maths and so forth, but it also brings people together. Learning an instrument also teaches discipline, creativity and how to be a part of a team. All of those skills are very transferable to the business world and to life in general. “I have my bias and I’d say there’s never enough music in education, but it’s something that suppliers, manufacturers, all of us, are FRQVWDQWO\ ˋJKWLQJ IRU :H GR KDYH government programmes that can be cut. A town may have to cut taxes somewhere and for some reason they always go to the arts. “We have clubs which help children at risk of getting involved with gangs or taking other dangerous paths. And it’s not just DW VFKRRO 0XVLF FDQ EH EHQHˋFLDO WR people with Alzheimer’s disease or autism. There is music therapy for so many conditions.� 7KH ˋUP LV QRZ WU\LQJ WR FRQQHFW with the sector by helping those PDNLQJ WKHLU ˋUVW PXVLFDO VWHSV whilst also offering its staff the opportunity to get a more hands-on experience with its products. “We’ve always had a strong involvement with the education sector, but going forward we are trying to get more involved at a grass roots level, as opposed to just universities. Also, to honour my grandfather, we created the Avedis Zildjian scholarship programme. “We are one of the few percussion companies that has members of staff that deal exclusively with our education work, so they will go out and visit around 100 education shows each year. It’s certainly a big deal for us.� By engaging with the education community at all levels and PDLQWDLQLQJ D ˌH[LEOH DSSURDFK WR both bricks and mortar and online retail, Zildjian has not only been able to navigate the company through one of the most decidedly GLIˋFXOW SHULRGV LQ LWV QHDU \HDU history, she has also maintained its status as a market-leading brand. And with more new products and announcements expected later in the year, it looks like another strong year in store.

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PRO AUDIO

PRO AUDIO COLUMN Adam Savage, Editor, Audio Media International

N

o, you haven’t accidentally picked up a copy of MI Pro from four years ago, and I am in fact supposed to be here, for I’ve been asked by your esteemed editor to deliver a monthly update on what’s been going on in the pro audio world. Why’s that, then? Well, even the bagpipe merchants and tin whistle specialists among you know how important it can be to have at least a few basic mics and mixers on your stock list, and there’s no denying the obvious crossover between our two markets. So, from now on I’ll be bringing you a selection of the latest news

“From now on I’ll be bringing you a selection of the latest news and views from the other side of the studio glass.� and views from the other side of the studio glass, and a whole lot more besides. I know what some of you are thinking, and don’t worry, I won’t bombard you with unnecessarily nerdy info on the technical elements of the latest largescale line array systems, or ˋOO WKHVH pages with needlessly complex audio geekery; instead I’ll stick to the stuff that I believe may matter to

the average MI retailer. So, to start off with, we’ve got a story on the introduction of the Abbey Road Institute, an undeniably exciting new educational initiative for those seeking a career in music production or sound engineering; a new partnership between the Yorkshire retailer Production Room and Tegeler Audio Manufaktur of Germany; and the launch of a Focusrite competition that is sure to capture the attention of a few of your customers. And before I go, why not drop me a line if you know of anything audio-related that could be a good ˋW IRU WKLV VHFWLRQ DQG PD\EH I’ll bump into a few of you in Frankfurt?

Abbey Road opening educational institute International initiative consists of a 12-month course, taking place in locations across the UK, Germany and Australia. ABBEY ROAD Studios has made LWV Ë‹UVW IRUD\ LQWR HGXFDWLRQ ZLWK the launch of Abbey Road Institute. The international initiative, taking place at locations across the UK, Germany and Australia, consists of a 12-month Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering, and is aimed at students aged 18 and over. The curriculum, developed by audio education specialists in conjunction with Abbey Road engineers, promises a unique mix of theoretical and practical modules designed to KHOS SDUWLFLSDQWV WDNH WKHLU Ë‹UVW steps toward a career in audio

engineering and production. The course also covers other areas of the music industry, including studio management and music business administration. The course will be taught by TXDOLË‹HG OHFWXUHUV DQG UHFRJQLVHG music industry experts. Ȥ$EEH\ 5RDG ,QVWLWXWH EHQHË‹WV from the studio’s 80 years of audio expertise, distilling some of our knowledge into a curriculum of classroom learning and practical studio experience. I’m delighted that the Institute will nurture and inspire a new generation of audio professionals,â€? said Peter Cobbin, senior director of engineering at

Production Room takes on Tegeler Yorkshire retailer now offers exclusive supply of the Berlin-based studio hardware brand into the country. PRODUCTION Room and Tegeler Audio Manufaktur have announced a strategic partnership, giving the Yorkshire retailer exclusive supply of the studio hardware brand in the UK. 7KH Ë‹UVW VKLSPHQW RI 7HJHOHUȢV Crème Bus Compressor/Mastering Equalizer and Classic Equalizer EQP-1 has already arrived at Production Room’s showroom LQ /HHGV DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH Ë‹UPȢV director Paul Germain.

Ȥ:H DUH H[FLWHG WR FRQË‹UP RXU partnership with Tegeler Audio,â€? Germain commented. “Over the coming year our team led by commercial audio director Richard Powell will be working closely with the Berlin-based manufacturer to launch the Tegeler Audio range into the UK market. Michael Krusch, CEO and head of development at Tegeler Audio, added: “We are proud to be part of the Production Room Family.â€?

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

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PRO AUDIO

“The curriculum promises a unique mix of theoretical and practical modules.�

Abbey Road. The London Institute will be housed in the north London studio complex, and will provide students with access to brand new purpose-built classroom and studio facilities. Those taking part will also get the opportunity to use Abbey Road’s recording spaces, control rooms and equipment. /XFD %DUDVVL D TXDOLˋHG DXGLR

engineer with 12 years experience in audio education will head up Abbey Road Institute, London, and added: �Synonymous with excellence in recorded music for more than 80 years, Abbey Road’s success is largely due to its staff and their knowledge. Now we will be able to share some of this expertise in a course which will SURYLGH ˋUVW FODVV YRFDWLRQDO

training for people interested in a career in the music industry.� Additional Abbey Road Institutes will launch in Berlin, Munich, Melbourne and Sydney for September 2015 intake, with more locations to be announced shortly. The Abbey Road Institute is now accepting applications for a limited number of places for the September intake at all locations.

COMPETITION • COMPETITION • COMPETITION • COMPETITION • COMPETITION • COMPETITION • COMPETITION • COMPETITION

Win a world-class mix with Focusrite 3DUW RI WKH ˉUPČ V WK DQQLYHUVDU\ FHOHEUDWLRQV Č? RSHQ WR QHZ ,6$ DQG 5HG FXVWRPHUV TO CELEBRATE 30 years since the original company was founded, Focusrite is running an exclusive competition with renowned mix engineer Damian Taylor. From now until September, those buying a Focusrite ISA or Red 1 500 product who register their product and use it on a track could win an opportunity to have their song mixed by Taylor. Based out of his Golden Ratio

studio in MontrÊal, Canada, the engineer has worked with Arcade Fire, The Killers, Bjork, The Prodigy and many other leading artists. All entrants have to do is to upload an mp3 rough mix of a track made with the ISA or Red 1 500 before September 13th. Taylor will choose the winner – and start on the mix as soon as possible DIWHU WKH VRXUFH ˋOHV DUH VXSSOLHG

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Wednesday, June 17th 2015 • Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire CONFERENCE SPEAKER LINE-UP COMPLETE; NEW EXHIBITORS CONFIRMED WITH TWO months to go until the main event, MI Pro is delighted to reveal the full conference line-up for this year’s MIRC, along with a raft of new exhibitors. Last month, we announced that Yamaha including Line 6 and Barnes & Mullins presenting Peavey would be exhibiting at the show as Key Partner and Premium Platinum Partner, respectively. Since then, the exhibitor list has expanded with several new partners looking to utilise the MIRC platform to connect with retailers and buyers from the education sector and showcase their latest products. Among those added to the bill is Casio, which, as a Premium Platinum Partner, will be speaking to both new and existing customers. “Casio are proud to be continuing support for MIRC,” said Daniel Mason, B2C senior marketing manager at Casio. “The conference and expo provide the industry with an extremely valuable opportunity to see existing and new customers, and present the latest range of products. Recent years have shown MIRC to be a valuable addition to

KEY PARTNERS

the MI calendar, with informative and progressive conference presenters, as well as providing a venue, which enables delegates and sponsors to share valuable ideas on improving business.” Meanwhile, Rosetti will present a variety of new products from its roster of distributed brands. A Platinum Partner at MIRC 2015,

“Topping the bill as keynote speaker at the conference is PMT co-owner, Simon Gilson.” WKH ˋ UP ZLOO GLVSOD\ D UDIW RI QHZ items from its guitar and brass and woodwind brands. It will also announce several new additions to its Adam Black range. Elsewhere, Korg will be capitalising on the expo to showcase its Takamine range of guitars in its capacity as Platinum Partner. Building on the success of last year’s Showcase platform for start-

PREMIUM PLATINUM SPONSORS

ups and SMEs, Alfred Music, Joyo DQG 5HG &KLOOL $XGLR KDYH FRQˋ UPHG their participation. CONFERENCE It is with great pleasure that we can also reveal the complete conference speaker line-up for MIRC 2015. Topping the bill as keynote speaker for the event is PMT co-owner, Simon Gilson, who will be offering some unique insights into how his company has grown to become the high street giant it is today. “It’s a great honour to be asked to speak to one’s peers on their specialist subject,” he said. Ȥ$V , NQRZ QRWKLQJ DERXW ˋ VKLQJ or golf, I’ll have to stick to speaking about the industry! I hope to bring some fun, as well as some thought provoking insights into the realities of retail in the times we live in.” Also speaking this year is Carl West, supply chain director at market research institute GfK. With more than 16 years’ experience in software and hardware sales as a vendor and in distribution, West boasts a wide-ranging knowledge across several digital

PLATINUM SPONSORS

markets and brings with him a great understanding of Channel; Distribution, Public Sector/ Corporate Channel; and the internal dynamics of the Retail and Vertical Reseller channels. Returning to MIRC is Kerching Retail managing director, Corin Birchall. Birchall made his MIRC debut last year, providing dealers with some unique insights into how to improve their layout, display and product demo skills. This year, he will build on his 2014 address by offering more key advice on how retailers can improve their offering. Completing the line up is director of digital at Mimram Media, Stuart O’Brien. He will be providing vital advice on how dealers can make the most of their digital content to grow their business and boost sales. “I’m delighted to be part of MIRC 2015,” O’Brien said. “Having served as head of digital at New Bay Media for several years and developing many of its websites, including MI Pro, I’m looking forward to connecting with the MI community and demonstrating how retailers can grow their businesses online.”

SHOWCASE

Registration is quick and simple and is now open at http://www.mirc-expo.com/dealer-registration For sponsorship enquiries, please contact Karma Bertelsen on 020 7226 7246 or kbertelsen@nbmedia.com

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32 MIPRO

SPECIAL FOCUS: AMPLIFICATION

Inside the box

:LWK WKH DPSOLˉFDWLRQ PDUNHW QR ORQJHU GRPLQDWHG E\ WKH VDPH EODFN ER[ JLDQWV RI \HVWHU\HDU ZH VSHDN ZLWK VRPH RI WKH PDUNHWČ V NH\ UHWDLOHUV DERXW KRZ WKH VHFWRU LV SHUIRUPLQJ FXUUHQW WUHQGV DQG ZKDW FDQ EH GRQH WR DWWUDFW QHZ FXVWRPHUVȨ

DOUG CLUNIE Coda Music

NEIL DRUMMOND Owner, Hertford Guitar Studio THE AMPLIFICATION market has been fairly slow for us over the last few years. I believe this is connected to a quiet electric guitar market. Acoustic guitars seem to be more in fashion at the moment. Having said that, I have noticed a slight upturn in the electric market over the last six months, and I expect this will affect amps. It’s a fashion thing. I’ve seen it move up and down many times since the mid 90s and its connected to who’s currently big on the scene. At the moment it’s Ed Sheeran and Ryan Adams. Pro-level and USA import amps are greatly affected by this factor. Our customers would generally prefer to buy second hand, as it’s cheaper and they all seem to be experts on eBay. eBay seems to set the value of these amps and new products are perceived as overpriced. Our defence against eBay is that we have an excellent

amp technician and can offer some guarantees on used and vintage gear. Budget and beginner amps seem unaffected, and those customers would still prefer to buy from a shop. Big amps have slowed to a standstill. 100W stacks seem to be an anachronism these days, with most of our players preferring smaller amps. Players seem more interested in hand wired over PCB, which is an increasing trend in our shop. An amp I could sell all day long would be a hand-wired, blackface Princeton type model. New customers are important, but again this is largely connected to fashion. As a music school/ instrument retailer, we see that almost all kids want to learn electric guitar, and most adults choose acoustic. We try and instill in our students that it’s not one or the other; a player should be SURˋFLHQW LQ ERWK 3DUHQWV DOVR

perceive that acoustic guitar is a bit more ‘serious’ and want their children to make the switch as soon as possible. Although, exam boards like the RGT are helping improve this situation. Winning over the singer/ songwriters could help attract new customers. We need to change the perception that it’s ok to go to an open mic night with bad sound, no fold-back monitors and plug straight into the desk! Acoustic guitar amps offer a great solution and would improve any player’s performance.

PERFORMANCE IN the DPSOLË‹FDWLRQ PDUNHW LV VSOLW &HUWDLQ brands at the lower and middle end of the market are selling well, though reliability can be a problem. Other more established brand sales DUH FRPSOHWHO\ ËŒDW DQG KDYHQȢW shown any signs of growth for years. I would say that for one manufacturer, the problem is that they haven’t really brought anything new to the market in years, and what they have done is sub-standard and lacking any sort of wow factor. A heritage brand should build on its heritage with one eye on the past, and one on the future. Modernise the good things rather than trying to mimic trends that have already passed their sell by date. The top end is strong, with a huge amount of choice and options. Entry-level amps are still selling well. The ÂŁ300-ÂŁ1,000 market is steady and is dominated by Fender here at Coda. As well, the top and boutique end of the market has seen a growth in sales. The trend for us is for smaller, lower wattage valve combos, heads and cabs with a great basic sound. High-powered heads, big cabs and large heavy combos are extremely GLIË‹FXOW WR VHOO DQG YLUWXDOO\ impossible to use in most venues. Modelling isn’t terribly popular these days unless its on an entrylevel amp. The trend is more towards a great basic sound that you can add to, rather than four channels, lots of knobs and over complication, it’s more tone driven than feature driven. It is crucial to attract new customers whether they be beginners, people re-entering the market or those thinking about trading up/down, or just changing their gear around. Magazine advertising still has its place in selling products. But it has become much less important than it was a few years ago.

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SPECIAL FOCUS: AMPLIFICATION LEE ANDERTON 0DQDJLQJ 3DUWQHU Andertons Music WE HAD a really strong year for backline in 2014, with sales being up just over 20 per cent in 2013. Average backline order values KDYH GURSSHG E\ ˋYH VL[ SHU FHQW meaning we have to shift more physical units to make up the sales numbers. Tough climates give us an opportunity to offer better deals to our customers. So, perversely, it’s been a pretty good period for us. Mainstream trends have been for smaller, lighter and better value products. The top end of the market is heavily dominated by the small output and niche manufacturers, much of which is imported into the UK by one or two dealers per brand. Having the right exclusive brands makes a massive difference to sales. The biggest backline challenge is that the days of just

CLIVE BEASLEY Director, Music Bros

are selling thousands of highend units and supporting a mini industry of add on products, a lot of which don’t go through retail. I have customers now that tour with a guitar and a USB stick and just hire a Kemper at each gig. So talk to your customers and listen to what they’re saying. As for retailers, gaining new customers is the same as it’s always been – decide what you do and then better your competitors at it. By a country mile, the biggest problem in backline is reliability.

“The biggest backline challenge is that the days of just two or three amp manufacturers dominating the scene appear to be over.� two or three amp manufacturers dominating the scene appear to be over. Just stocking amps from M, F (and more recently B) just isn’t enough anymore. We now have eight brands with more than ˋYH SHU FHQW RI RXU EDFNOLQH VKDUH and about a dozen more that sell enough to warrant stocking. That means we’re stocking a full line from around 20 backline brands now, and that in itself is a huge space challenge. I suspect there DUH DW OHDVW DQRWKHU IRXU RU ˋYH brands that we could stock/sell, but just don’t have the space to. It’s always important to attract new customers. In the current climate it’s all about market share, as there simply aren’t a lot of new customers coming in to the system. We have to win customers from other retailers as part of our sales strategy. Some of that will be done by promoting brands that are either partially, or entirely exclusive to us. Brands have to understand what customers want. They can’t just keep making the same old thing and expect customers to keep buying it. Look at brands like Kemper and Axe FX - both

The tube amp sector is the most unreliable part of our business. I believe the unreliability is down to two main factors: 1) Manufacturers are so desperate to make their products cheaper all the time that FRPSRQHQW TXDOLW\ LV VDFULˋFHG and some of the products we offer have unsustainable failure rates. 2) All manufacturers are EHQHˋWLQJ IURP D ELJ LQFUHDVH LQ online sales. Customers can now purchase products they might previously have had to drive hundreds of miles to try. The downside of this is that amps are travelling hundreds of miles now via courier – from distributor to retailer, then retailer to customer. The packaging is simply not up to the journey (largely due to the way the couriers treat the products). Two or three dollars extra spent on better boxes, corners, etc. would go a long way in reducing the damage/fault rates incurred in transit. Improving reliability saves pounds and improves customer satisfaction rates. It’s essential we make some positive changes on this front.

AMP SALES have held up consistently over the past 12 months. With stiff competition between brands for retail space; quality, features, and value for money keeps improving. With advances in technology, consumer choice has never been better. Low budget branded amps have all but disappeared from our VKRS ˌRRU 7KH\ KDYH HIIHFWLYHO\ become obsolete to us in light of the affordability of entry-level models in heritage names. In our experience, people will usually pay a little extra for better quality. We have seen the decline of a couple of well-established brands where attention has slipped from keeping up to date with the competition and a lack of protection of reasonable margins. The majority of our sales comprise of feature packed practice amps, multi-purpose and battery SRZHUHG DPSV 6PDOO KL ˋ VW\OH amps, which double up as media players, such as the Yamaha THR range, have also been very popular. When it comes to stage and performance amps, classic marques RI YDOYH FRPERV DUH GHˋQLWHO\ WKH preferred choice. As for bass amps, lightweight and compact seems to be the only way at present. High quality micro rigs have also been very popular. It’s absolutely crucial to attract new customers. Reliability seems to be excellent across the board these days, which means that each purchase should be a long lasting one. Customers are much better informed thanks to the wealth of online reviews and social media material. It is vital to keep up to speed with current releases and WUHQGV WR HQVXUH WKDW WKH VKRS ˌRRU UHˌHFWV ZKDW LV LQ GHPDQG /RRNLQJ around Music Bros., there are very few models that were available in the same form just two or three years ago. As a small, independent business it is vital for us to deal with brands that offer consistent price and margin protection. Understandably, this is a very WULFN\ ˌXFWXDWLQJ DUHD &HUWDLQ brands are better than others, here. There are two premium brands, one electric, one acoustic, distributed by the same company, which we have had good success with over several years. However, over the last 12 months we have observed the erosion of prices to the point

where we are seriously considering dropping both brands. This is a real shame as they are excellent products. Having discussed the issue on several occasions with the distributor, there is no sign of any improvement to come. In terms of retailers, in addition to having the right product at the right price, display and point of sale information is important. Clear and concise overviews of each product help navigate the wealth of options available. It is vital that sales staff are

“As a small, independent business, it is absolutely vital for us to deal with brands that offer both consistent price and margin protection.�

familiar with each product in order to identify suitable options to suit customer needs, and to demonstrate them well. We are planning a few workshops in conjunction with some of our suppliers later in the year. On the few occasions we have done this in the past the events have proved to be popular and have helped to attract new customers. Finally, social media is a very useful tool in marketing business and products. We regularly obtain direct sales through posts made. We have found it a vital platform to assist in expanding our customer base and raise awareness. It will be very interesting to see what happens over the next 12 months with some of the exciting developments in the pipeline by a couple of our major brands.

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5HWDLO SURˉ OH P49 Mystery shopper P50 New gear P54

307 H[SDQGV LQWR 1HZFDVWOH The company’s co-owner, Simon Gilson, speaks to MI Pro about its new store and what it means for the area MI RETAIL giant PMT (Professional Music Technology) has announced a new store located on Newcastle’s Dean Street, having taken over the premises previously owned by Sounds Live. The company has purchased everything but the Sounds Live Newcastle Ltd name and is promising to bring something new to the area. Speaking to MI Pro, PMT co-owner, Simon Gilson, explained: “We are always on the look out for opportunities and are always ready to act when they present themselves. All our major growth spurts have been based around acquiring businesses in various states of stress and applying our model to them. The directors of Sounds Live made an approach on

February 27th and a deal was done and concluded within seven days.� On the future of Sounds Live Newcastle Ltd, Gilson told us that he believes the company’s directors will wind the company up. “The main purpose of the sale was to

as far as I am concerned, Sounds Live Newcastle Ltd is solvent and from the numbers I have seen was WUDGLQJ SURˋ WDEO\ +RZHYHU WDONLQJ to John Taylor, personally, I fully understand his and his co-founders’ wishes to enjoy the fruits of thier

“All our major growth spurts have been based around acquiring businesses in various states of stress and applying our model to them.� facilitate the retirement of the founders. We have NOT purchased the company but have purchased most of it’s tangible assets and all the IP, including the website, all urls, databases and phone numbers. I would like to make it clear that,

labours and retire.� As a result of the acquisition, PMT has stated that it will try to include as many of the existing members of staff as possible. “These situations are bound to cause some amount of stress and uncertainty

and we act as quickly as possible to include and retain people. As it is, we will need to recruit in addition to the existing team to reach the numbers needed to run the store. “After nearly 25 years of opening stores all over the country, we always try and add something more than a music shop. Our stores offer the very best selection of musical instruments possible with staff that know what they are for and how to use them fully. We always aim to be at the very centre of a town or city’s music community and we are looking forward to taking the PMT way of doing things further North.� PMT has yet to announce an opening date for the store but has suggested that it will be “weeks, not months� before it opens for business.

FIVE SECOND FACTS

The magic numbers in MI that caught our eye this month...

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Cheltenham piano shop closes The specialist piano store has closed its doors following the retirement of four of its key members of staff THE CHELTENHAM Piano Centre, also known as Musical Instruments Cheltenham, closed on Saturday, 28th March 2015. The announcement of its closure came about as a result of four of the store’s key members, Keith Beckingham, Gordon Taylor, John Beckingham and Lyndon Donington, wishing to retire. Cheltenham Piano Centre was opened in 1965 by Horace Matthews and Reg Heard, and was later taken over by the WMC piano manufacturing group. After WMC ceased operations in 2003, the store became independently owned by Keith and John Beckingham, Taylor and Donington. “It is very sad to be closing the shop in its 50th trading year,” commented Keith Buckingham. “However, despite our best efforts over the past three years, we have EHHQ XQDEOH WR ˋQG VRPHRQH

to take it over. Although, with VWRFNV QRZ DOPRVW DW ]HUR DQG WKH oldsters like me being pensioned off, perhaps someone will come along to whom we can pass the baton! Local reaction to our closure among the musical fraternity has

“It is very sad to be closing the business in what is its 50th trading year.”

been quite moving. We have been attracting considerable publicity in the local press and on BBC 5DGLR *ORXFHVWHUVKLUH FRQˋUPLQJ the need for this type of business here in the centre of the wealthy Cotswolds.”

THE

SECRET DEALER

Why the decline in music education in schools is damaging our industry… IN THIS media driven world, it seems like our planet is riven with crises: signs of a new cold war, Islamic State, terrorism on our streets, revolution in Ukraine, the UK economy. All very serious and all worthy of the consideration of great statesmen. However, the crisis that will have an effect on your standard of living is that of music in the UK education system. Of course, I’m not suggesting that this is of the same magnitude as global issues that adversely affect the lives of millions worldwide. But this isn’t just about music as an academic subject. It’s about the potential loss of music as a glue that contributes to holding schools together and achieving their academic targets and, consequently, the loss in

broader society. About a year ago, I penned some notes for this column about the serious decline of music in schools. Has anything improved? There are no signs from

“If the educational music system collapses, so does most of the music industry.” the government that they will be doing anything to redress this. Worse still, we now have the spectre of LEA Music Services/Hubs that are actually being shut down completely - a precedent that will no doubt precipitate more closures or VLJQLˋFDQW GRZQVL]LQJV If the educational music

system collapses, so does most of the music industry. Your music industry. Unbelievably, I recently heard a dealer say that ‘Yes it was an important issue and he would raise it next time a local school called’. There wasn’t any mention of any other action forthcoming. Yes, there are still some purely reactive businesses out there. Astonishing. I thought the last of those had been culled in the aftermath of 2007/8. So what can you do? 1) Stop thinking that someone else will solve the problem 2) Join the MIA and/or any of the bodies that are

lobbying the government (ISM, MU, Music Mark etc). Your support is invaluable. 3) Work with your local Hub 4) Work with your local schools 5) Work with your local teachers 6) Work with your local ensembles and encourage collaboration with schools (and vice versa) 7) Use the local media to raise awareness 8) Badger your local MP There are myriad ways to help. Most cost nothing and most UDLVH \RXU SURˋOH LQ a positive way. This could be one of the most cost effective elements of your marketing strategy for this year. If we all join in with this we can make a difference.

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

38 MIPRO MI PRO

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

AMPEG BA-115 15” BASS COMBO

Packed with a host of professional features, this bass combo has been engineered to deliver 150W of power

T

he BA-115 Bass Combo from Ampeg has been designed to deliver 150W of classic tone, along with a wide range of performancedriven features in a professional design that is particularly well suited to use on the live stage. The BA-115 features a true 60-degree sound reinforcement monitor angle, which has been specially engineered to provide users with optimised clarity in a diverse array of applications. The combo’s backlit, front-facing panel is designed to provide bass players with, quick easy access to its feature set, including Ampeg’s all-new Bass Scrambler overdrive, in addition to other Ampeg tone shaping controls and professional features, such as a balanced direct out and an effects send/return. Furthermore, the ruggedly portable BA-115 comes complete with an all-steel amp chassis as standard, as well as impact-resistant metal corners. In essence, the Ampeg BA-115 has been designed to equip musicians with the ˌ H[LELOLW\ DQG tone needed for all manner of professional applications.

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: £374 Power: 150W RMS power Tweeter: 1” HF Shaping: Ampeg Ultra Hi/ Lo tone shaping Preamp: Legacy Ampeg preamp with 3-band EQ Flexibility: True 60° sound reinforcement monitor angle; dedicated XLR balanced line out; independent effects send and return; HF mute defeats horn for a rounder, more vintage tone; -15dB input pad for active basses or additional level control; aux input for playing along with smartphone or iPod; headphone out for silent solo practice Rugged portabilty: Roadworthy braced cabinet construction; protective all-steel amp chassis; impact-resistant black metal corners; durable double-thick Ampeg Classic black Tolex; lightweight, portable design (45.0 lbs / 20.4 kg)

Contacts ALSO IN THE RANGE: BA-108 BA-110 BA-112 BA-210

£108.00 £166.00 £249.00 £458.00

Address: Polar Audio, Unit 1, 17 Albert Drive, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9TN Telephone: 01444 259645 Web: www.polaraudio.co.uk

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MIPRO 39

MI PRO

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

CARLSBRO VAC 15 CLASSIC

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arlsbro’s newest addition to its range of DPSOLË‹ HUV LV WKH limited edition VAC 15 Greenback Classic vintage tube amp. Designed to represent &DUOVEURȢV KHULWDJH DV D %ULWLVK JXLWDU DPS PDQXIDFWXUHU WKH OLPLWHG edition VAC 15 Classic is a Class A, all-valve-driven 15W guitar combo. Classic tones are produced E\ WKH ČĽ &HOHVWLRQ * 0 *UHHQEDFN ZKLFK UHSODFHV WKH XVXDO ČĽ VSHDNHU LQ WKH standard VAC 15. Vintage tonality is produced from a FRPELQDWLRQ RI WKH *UHHQEDFN DQG WKH WKUHH $; SUHDPSV DQG WZR (/ SRZHU VWDJH WXEHV $Q HQODUJHG FDELQHW IURP WKH standard unit accommodates WKH ELJJHU VSHDNHU DQG WKH DPSOLË‹ HU $V ZHOO WKH DPSOLË‹ HU DOVR IHDWXUHV HQKDQFHG KHDY\ GXW\ LQSXW and output power supply transformers. 7KH FRQWURO VHW LV FRPSUHKHQVLYH DV RQH would expect from a SUHPLXP YDOYH DPSOLË‹ HU 7KH FRQWURO SDQHO IHDWXUHV include a spring reverb, a EULJKW VZLWFK RQ WKH LQSXW D WKUHH EDQG (4 DQG DQ effects loop. 7KH ORRN RI WKH XQLW KDV been specially designed to represent its classic LQWHQWLRQV EXW ZLWK WKH incorporation of a modern, contemporary twist. $ 3LDQR EODFN Ë‹ QLVK RQ WKH IURQW EDIËŒ H DQG contemporary grey/silver IUHW FORWK Ë‹ QLVK FRPELQHG ZLWK WKH OHDWKHU DQG FKURPH HIIHFW KDQGOH Ë‹ QLVK JLYH WKH unit its unique styling. Ȥ,Q RXU RSLQLRQ DQ\WKLQJ FRPSDUDEOH LQ WHUPV RI ERWK sound and quality, will set \RX EDFN DW OHDVW WZLFH WKH SULFH ČĽ VD\V WKH FRPSDQ\

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: £328.90 Model type: Combo $PSOLˉ HU W\SH All Valve Class A 3RZHU 15W 6SHDNHU Celestion G12 M Greenback Valves: 3 x 12AX7 & 2 x EL84 &RQWUROV Spring Reverb, Bright Switch, three-band EQ, Effects Loop

Contacts Address: Carlsbro, Unit 11, Torc:MK, Chippenham Drive, Milton Keynes, MK10 0BZ Telephone: 01908 281072 Web: www.carlsbro.com Email: info@carlsbro.com

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APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 41

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RETAIL ESSENTIALS

HUGHES & KETTNER GM36H GRANDMEISTER The GrandMeister is suitable for a variety of applications, from live performance and home use to studio recording

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LNH WKH Ë‹ UPȢV 7XEH0HLVWHU VHULHV *UDQG0HLVWHU FRPHV DV VWDQGDUG ZLWK D EXLOW LQ 3RZHU 6RDN DOORZLQJ XVHUV WR VWHS GRZQ WKH RXWSXW IURP : WR RU HYHQ Č&#x; PDNLQJ LW VXLWDEOH IRU VLOHQW UHFRUGLQJ 7KH LQWHJUDWHG 5HG %R[ ', RXWSXW PDNHV UHFRUGLQJ RU PL[LQJ IRU OLYH SHUIRUPDQFH VLPSOH ZLWK LWV QDWXUDO YRLFLQJ HPXODWLQJ D FDE DQG PLFURSKRQH VHWXS :LWK IRXU DQDORJXH DOO WXEH FKDQQHOV RIIHULQJ HYHU\WKLQJ IURP MD]] WR KDUG URFN VRXQGV XVHUV FDQ DFFHVV HYHU\ DPS WRQH RI WKH ODVW \HDUV DW WKH WRXFK RI D GLDO )XUWKHUPRUH WKH *UDQG0HLVWHU IHDWXUHV VHYHUDO EXLOW LQ HIIHFWV VXFK DV UHYHUE GLJLWDO GHOD\ DQG D FKRLFH RI FKRUXV ËŒ DQJHU SKDVHU RU WUHPROR DV ZHOO DV D VZLWFKDEOH 6HULHV ); /RRS DOORZLQJ XVHUV WR DGG WKHLU RZQ RXWERDUG HIIHFWV :KDWȢV PRUH WKDQNV WR *UDQG0HLVWHUȢV 6PDUW 5RWDU\ &RQWUROV XVHUV FDQ VWRUH XS WR WRQDO SUHVHWV XVLQJ 0,', (DFK FRQWURO LV OLQNHG WR D VHULHV RI UHVLVWRUV DQG FDQ UHPHPEHU HDFK SRVLWLRQ RI HDFK GLDO ZKHQ VWRUHG 7KHUHIRUH WKHUHȢV QR QHHG WR KDYH IRXU JDLQ FRQWUROV RU IRXU VHWV RI (4V $QG E\ VLPSO\ SUHVVLQJ ); $FFHVV WKH WRQH FRQWUROV DOVR ZRUN DV HIIHFWV FRQWUROV 7KLV NHHSV WKH XVHU LQWHUIDFH FOHDU DQG IRFXVHG RQ WKH XVHUȢV WRQH 8VHUV FDQ DOVR FRQWURO *UDQG0HLVWHU YLD L3DG RU WDEOHW LQ UHDO WLPH DQG DVVLJQ DQG GRZQORDG WRQHV DW WKH WRXFK RI D EXWWRQ 7KH L3DG DSS LV DYDLODEOH IRU IUHH DQG ZRUNV ZLWK DQ\ 0,', LQWHUIDFH IRU L3DG $ WKLUG SDUW\ $QGURLG DSS LV DOVR DYDLODEOH :KHWKHU RQ VWDJH DW KRPH RU LQ WKH VWXGLR *UDQG0HLVWHU LV GHVLJQHG WR GHOLYHU FODVVLF RSWLPLVHG WXEH WRQHV

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: ÂŁ1129 Colour: Four Power: 36W (Power Soak to 18, 5, 1, and 0 Watts) Reverb: Switchable Reverb Effects loop: Switchable Serial FX loop MIDI: Yes Tubes: 3 x 12AX7, 4 x EL84 Dimensions: 171 x 446 x 152 mm Weight: 7.7 kg Accessories: FSM-432 MIDI Pedal Board - ÂŁ169; TM212 2x12 Cabinet ÂŁ539

REVIEWS:

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Contacts Address: John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd, Salem House, Parkinson Approach, Garforth, Leeds LS25 2HR, United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 113 2865 381 Web: www.jhs.co.uk

WEDNESDAY 17th JUNE 2015 Whittlebury Hall, Whittlebury, Towcester Northamptonshire NN12 8QH

mi retail conference & expo 2015

Can you afford NOT to be there? e reat. Th lly g n e e “It’s b especia s a w e nc ers confere of the speak ll good; a g really n i h t e m y. had so e to sa l i h w h t .” wor it at all t l u a f t ns I can’ & Mulli rnes ary, Ba e l C n a i Br

“It’s been an year for M other su cces conf IRC. sful eren A n o ther ce an grea for t t he ex d lots of f p o o o t Tom after Harro ward fall ld, Au s.” “We’ve had a re dio-T

ally great show. It’s great to have all our dealers in one place at one time.”

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Paul Brewis, Carlsbro

KEY PARTNERS

PREMIUM PLATINUM SPONSORS

SPEAKERS Corin Birchall

Stuart O’Brien

Carl West

Simon Gilson

MD of retail and marketing consultancy group Kerching Retail

Director of Digital, Mimram Media

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SHOWCASE

For more information or to discuss partnership packages contact kbertelsen@nbmedia.com or dcarter@nbmedia.com or call us: 0207 2267246

Supply chain director of international market research institute GFK

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Registration is quick and simple and is now open at http://www.mirc-expo.com/dealer-registration

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 43

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RETAIL ESSENTIALS

ORANGE ROCKERVERB 100MKIII 7KH FRPSDQ\Č V QHZ : KHDG ZLOO EH RIˉ FLDOO\ ODXQFKHG LQ )UDQNIXUW DW WKH 0XVLNPHVVH H[KLELWLRQ

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elebrating its 10th anniversary last year, the Rockerverb Series from Orange $PSOLË‹ FDWLRQ KDV EHHQ designed to demonstrate that ‘a workhorse amp can be a master of all trades’. The original Rockerverb was 2UDQJHȢV Ë‹ UVW HYHU ČĄKLJK JDLQȢ DPSOLË‹ HU ERDVWLQJ D unique voice that quickly found favour with a number of heavy rock artists. However, engineered to offer musicians optimum versatility and reliability, the series has since become a mainstay for artists both on the road and in the studio. New for Spring 2015 and launched at the Frankfurt Musikmesse exhibition, the Rockerverb 100 MKIII head aims to combine more than a decade of user feedback with a number of new features and overall improvements. ,Q D Ë‹ UVW IRU WKH 2UDQJH Rockerverb Series, the MKIII includes selectable output power options to manipulate headroom and volume, with the 100W version switching down to 70, 50 or 30W. The MKIII also features the same foot-switchable attenuator that has been popular with users of the company’s Thunderverb and Dual Dark Series amps. Meanwhile, the Clean channel has been re-voiced on the new MKIII for what the company describes as a more ‘chimey’ response. The clean side also promises greater headroom than that seen in previous models, whilst retaining the character of a non-master volume design. Furthermore, the valve driven spring reverb now offers musicians a more extensive range with a brighter trail.

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: ÂŁ1,499 Output options: The 100W version can switch down to 70, 50 or 30W Foot-switchable attenuator: Yes Power: 100W

Contacts Address: Orange, 108 Ripon Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2JA, United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 8905 2828 Email: info@omec.com

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

44 MIPRO MI PRO

RETAIL ESSENTIALS

ENGL E651 ARTIST EDITION

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t began in 1996 when the Engl Ritchie Blackmore Signature amp was released, which, to this day is one of the most successful amps in the Engl catalogue. In collaboration with Doug Aldrich, Engl built a special amp in 2005, based on the E650. The concept was clear: simple handling with maximum performance. Some alterations were made, including a change to the EL34 tubes and, after some coming and going between Germany and the USA, the Ë‹ QDO YHUVLRQ LQ WHUPV RI sound and dynamics was designed. The amp can now be found sitting in the Los Angeles Engl showroom and is still in use for studio sessions. Just one year later in 2006, an amp with the same IHDWXUHV ZDV KDQGHG RYHU to Gary Moore who used it as a studio amp until his unfortunate passing. Within a short time, word JRW RXW DERXW WKLV YHUVLRQ and artists such as Jimmy 3DJH .HQ +DPPHU 9LYLHQ Campbell, Paul Stanley and Scott Gorham put in their orders. Page still keeps his in the studio. You can also hear the amp LQ DFWLRQ OLYH RQ VWDJH ZLWK Paul Stanley (Kiss), Scott Gorham (Black Star Riders) and Ken Hammer (Pretty Maids) among its users. After \HDUV PDNLQJ ZDYHV EHKLQG the scenes, the company has Ë‹ QDOO\ XQOHDVKHG WKH DPS WR the public.

FACTS & FIGURES Front Panel: Clean and Lead channel feat. separate Gain controls (both can be played in Hi or Lo Gain mode and deliver four different gain stages), Bright switch, three-band EQ, Shape switch (remote controllable via footswitch), Lead Presence control, Lead Volume control, Hi/Low Gain switch, Channel switch, Master A/B (remote controllable via footswitch), 100 Watts (4 x ECC 83 preamp tubes, 4 x EL34 power amp tubes) Rear Panel: S.A.C port for the Z-9 foot switch or 3 x 1/4“ stereo jacks for connecting the Z-4, Noise Gate (Threshold control, remote controllable via footswitch), FX loop (parallel to serial adjustable, remote controllable via footswitch), Speaker Outs (1 x 4, 1 x 8, 2 x 8, 1 x 16, 2 x 16 Ohms) Dimensions & Weight: 71 x 27 x 27 cm, 20 kg

Contacts Address: Engl, Mettestr. 25 44803, Bochum, Germany Telephone: 0049 234 976570 Web: http://www.engl-amps.com Email: info@engldistribution.com

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VOX VALVETRONIX

VT20+ CLASSIC SPECIAL EDITION The VT20+ Classic combines the advanced technology of a modeling amp with the classic Vox look

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ox’s line of Valvetronix modeling amps boasts a collection of 33 distinct models, from vintage amps to the latest high-gain and boutique units. Despite its small size, the VT20+ Classic is designed to deliver a sonic punch that exceeds the expectations of its power rating. Available for a limited time only, the VT20+ is available in the classic Vox aesthetic, complete with the traditional diamond grill. Based on a 12AX7 vacuum tube, the Valve Reactor circuit at the heart of every VT+ Series amp aims to reproduce the tonal character of a real tubepowered amp. One of the key advances from previous Valvetronix models, says the ˋ UP LV WKH HQKDQFHG VHQVH of power generated by the VT+ Series. The power amp section has the potential to exceed the wattage value indicated by the model name – as indicated by the shaded section of the Power Level knob.

FACTS & FIGURES RRP: ÂŁ149 Number of Amp Models: 33 Number of Effects: 25 Number of Programs: Preset: 99 User: 8 (2 banks x 4 channels) Input/Output Jacks: Top panel: INPUT jack (Âźâ€? Mono) PHONES jack (Âźâ€?Stereo) AUX IN jack (1/8â€?Stereo) Rear panel: FOOT SW jack Power Amp Output: 0D[LPXP : 506 # ġ Speaker: Vox original; 8 inch, 4 ohms

Contacts Address: Korg UK, 1 Harrison Close, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8PA Telephone: 01908 304600

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

46 MIPRO

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Q

Recent reports indicate that ukuleles are experiencing a dramatic rise in popularity. Have you found this to be true and, if so, what have you been doing to exploit this particular trend?

Dave Bamford Symphony Music

Alex Marten Red Dog Music

LIKE WITH anything that LV RQ WUHQG ZH work hard to ensure that we FDSLWDOLVH RQ LW DV PXFK DV SRVVLEOH :H KDYH WKHUHIRUH increased our ukulele selection and continue to feature it in our marketing. As a general music VWRUH ZH DUH FDUHIXO QRW WR LQGLVFULPLQDWHO\ JLYH PRUH DQG PRUH ZDOO VSDFH WR ZKDW LV VWLOO D QLFKH SURGXFW WKH WUHQG PD\ VXEVLGH DW VRPH SRLQW DQG ZH must continue to nurture all

ALL TOO often we are reminded that the ukulele FRQWLQXHV WR LQˌ LFW SDLQ DQG VXIIHULQJ RQ SHRSOH DOO RYHU WKH world. Hardly a day goes by without D XNXOHOH SHUIRUPDQFH WDNLQJ SODFH VRPHZKHUH LQGLVFULPLQDWHO\ DIIHFWLQJ LQQRFHQW SHRSOH ZKR MXVW KDSSHQHG WR EH LQ WKH ZURQJ SODFH at the wrong time. Countering this scourge is in the interest of all musical instrument retailers. $V D UHVSRQVLEOH UHWDLOHU ZH KDYH

dealt with the threat head-on by FRQYHQLQJ D GLVDVWHU FRPPLWWHH to identify means by which we can SURWHFW RXU FRPPXQLW\ DJDLQVW WKLV PHQDFH DQG E\ VHWWLQJ XS VXSSRUW JURXSV IRU WKRVH DIIHFWHG DQG WKHLU unfortunate families. 'HVSLWH WKH WKUHDW ZH PXVW QRW IRUJHW WKDW WKH UHDO YLFWLPV DUH WKH XNXOHOH SOD\HUV WKHPVHOYHV RIWHQ KDYLQJ EHHQ GXSHG LQWR XNXOHOH XVDJH YLD VR FDOOHG ȤJDWHZD\ LQVWUXPHQWV ȼ VXFK DV WKH ND]RR DQG WKH HJJ PDUDFDV $V VXFK ZH maintain healthy stocks of the instruments in order to satisfy WKH GHVSHUDWH XUJHV RI WKRVH OHVV IRUWXQDWH WKDQ RXUVHOYHV

“There is no sign of demand waning and it has been steadily increasing in recent years.� DVSHFWV RI RXU EXVLQHVV 7KDW VDLG WKHUH LV QR VLJQ \HW RI GHPDQG ZDQLQJ DQG LW has been steadily increasing RYHU WKH SDVW WKUHH RU IRXU \HDUV 6R DV LW VWDQGV ZH intend to continue to work RQ SURPRWLQJ WKH XNXOHOH DQG KDYLQJ D QLFH VHOHFWLRQ RI SURGXFW DYDLODEOH IRU ERWK QHZ and existing customers.

Adrian Bamford Neath Music WE’VE SEEN a PDVVLYH XSVXUJH LQ ukulele sales. We QRZ FDUU\ VHYHUDO PRGHOV LQ VWRFN DW YDULRXV SULFHV ,WȢV EL]DUUH RQO\ D IHZ \HDUV DJR ZH were asked by one songwriting FXVWRPHU WR SXW KLV QHZ ukulele in an oblong box so that no one would know what KHȢG ERXJKW 1RZ HYHU\RQH LQ WKH VKRS KDV OHDUQHG D IHZ chords and can tune a uke SUHWW\ PXFK E\ HDU There are offshoot sales RSSRUWXQLWLHV VXFK DV VWDQGV WXQHUV VWULQJV JLJ EDJV DQG WKH DVVLVWHG SXUFKDVH VFKHPH IRU VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ QRZ DSSOLHV as many local schools are teaching the instrument. There are ukulele clubs SRSSLQJ XS HYHU\ZKHUH DQG ZH IRUJH UHODWLRQVKLSV ZLWK DOO RI WKHP RIIHULQJ D GLVFRXQW WR members. We re-string a lot of guitars these days and charge IRU LW 8NXOHOHV DUH DOVR D SULPH FDQGLGDWH IRU WKLV VHUYLFH The great thing about ukes LV WKDW ZHȢUH JDLQLQJ IUHVK FXVWRPHUV ZLWK WKH PDMRULW\ RI VDOHV 3HRSOH ZKRȢYH QHYHU GUHDPHG RI SOD\LQJ DQ LQVWUXPHQW DUH WDNLQJ LW XS DQG LW VSDQV HYHU\ DJH JURXS

OUR PANEL OF RETAIL ADVISORS...

Alex Marten Red Dog Music

Mark Hedge

Cookes Band Instruments

Nick Durant Allegro Music

Chris Jones Coda Music

Dave Passera

Wembley Drum Center

Andy Bushell

Make Some Noise

Adam Masters South City Music

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 47

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Mike Podesta Cranes Music

The ukulele market has seen an upsurge in sales over the past few years, according to retailers

Chris Jones Coda Music

Mark Hedge Cookes Band Instruments

Ȣ7KHUH LV D GHˉ QLWH willing for an end-user to invest more money in the purchase.”

Richard Thompson Sheehan’s

Adrian Bamford Neath Music

HERE AT Cookes, we have recently seen a steady increase in ukulele VDOHV 7KHUH LV DOVR D GHˋ QLWH willing for an end-user to invest more money in the purchase. Other uke products, such as tuners, cases or strings are also available for the buyer. Obviously, to keep our offer in line with customer needs we have increased our range and stock holding to be suitable for any budding uke players… /RQJ PD\ LW FRQWLQXH

Roy Chudobskyi Nevada Music

WE HAVE experienced an increase in the sale of ukuleles over the last couple of years. This is mainly due to the fact that many schools are now offering lessons to children, and ukuleles are relatively inexpensive to buy. A great way to exploit this trend is to make sure that the relevant music teachers are aware that you keep a decent range of ukuleles in stock. As well, you could recommend a clip on tuner, chord book or any other uke-based accessories to players, and you will VHH WKH VDOHV ˌ RRG LQ

Rupert Bradbury JG Windows

Simon Gilson PMT

OUR UKULELE sales have been on the rise for some years now and show no sign of diminishing. We have a dedicated folk instrument section in both our stores and they are both well stocked with ukuleles to suit every budget. Customers are upgrading and the mix of sales is interesting, with repeat business for concert tenor and Baritone ukes, as these players progress with the instrument, and experiment. We are involved with local ukulele clubs and are also working with the ‘men in sheds’ project, which purchases ukuleles and then “pimps them up” cosmetically. We are going to hold a concert with them ZKHQ WKH\ DUH ˋ QLVKHG 7KLV event will be posted on social media and hopefully will in turn encourage more people to take up playing. Beginner and seasoned guitarist who are looking for a new tone, have also embraced ukuleles. I see no let up in the popularity of the ukulele in the coming future.

NEXT MONTH If you have a question that you would like to pose to the MI Pro Retail Advisory Board then please contact Daniel Gumble by email on DGumble@ nbmedia.com or via telephone on 01992 535646.

Dave Bamford Symphony Music

Mike Podesta Cranes Music

LOOKING FOR NEW STAFF? ADVERTISE YOUR JOB IN THE INDUSTRY’S MOST RESPECTED TRADE MONTHLY FOR EVERYONE ISSUE 166 MARCH 2014 2014 FOR EVERYONE IN IN THE THE MI MI BUSINESS BUSINESS || ISSUE 172 || SEPTEMBER

FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 173 | OCTOBER 2014

To make a booking, please contact Karma.Bertelsen@intentmedia.co.uk or call +44 (0) 207 226 7246

FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 171 | AUGUST 2014

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RETAIL PROFILE

St Giles Music, Northampton With a seemingly thriving music scene, Northampton appears to be as good a place as any to set up shop for an 0, UHWDLOHU 7R ˉQG RXW LI WKLV LV WKH FDVH Ronnie Dungan caught up with St Giles Music’s Simon Job to see how the business has connected with the local community and embraced the Internet to remain competitive‌ PHIL JOB had always worked in music. He began his career in MI with Minns Music in Truro throughout the seventies and has stayed within the industry ever since. It was inevitable that he would own his own shop. As such, in 1988 St Giles Music was opened in Northampton town centre. Current store manager and owner, Simon Job was a youngster when his dad opened the store and had a couple of different jobs before eventually joining the family business just over 15 years ago. And while it might be the case that Northampton’s most famous rock and roller is still razor cheeked goth idol Pete Murphy of Bauhaus, Northampton seems to be a pretty decent spot for an MI retailer. “We are very lucky to have a big music scene in Northampton, both within the pubs and with our Music Service – NMPAT,â€? explains Job. “Our customers are coming from all sides, mums and dads, local musicians, music students, and experienced players. We are lucky to have a great

social environment with open mic nights, and lots of live music in pubs. There are music festivals for local musicians, as well as some of the more well known. “We have a PMT here, and a couple of guitar shops. As well as being our competition, they offer something different, so there’s a variety to our town. Which is great, of course, but the trick is how you connect with the local scene. We make good use of the local music services, and have a teaching set up next door, offering lessons on most instruments. “We regularly attend conferences with a stall and also advertise in practice books, offering discounts to music pupils.� It goes without saying that you have to have an online offering these days, and St Giles has been selling through its site for a

Address: St. Giles Music, 16 St Giles Terrace, Northampton, NN1 2BN

“Keeping on top of pricing is a must, but we aren’t trying to be the cheapest. That doesn’t help anyone.�

Telephone: 01604 250905 Fax: 01604 234864 info@stgilesmusic.co.uk www.stgilesmusic.co.uk

number of years now. “The website is a fantastic advert for the shop. Although our online business is not a big SHUFHQWDJH ZH ˋQG D ORW RI SHRSOH ˋQG XV DQG WKHQ come into the shop to purchase. Keeping on top of pricing is a must, but we aren’t trying to be the cheapest. That doesn’t help anyone. As a small, family business we pride ourselves on our service level – before and after sales.� Range is also important, especially when you’re competing locally with the likes of PMT. “We try to keep as much as possible - digital pianos, keyboards, violins, brass and woodwind, guitars and amps, ukuleles, and more. “We keep a fair bit of Yamaha mostly because

they make a big range of most instruments. Guitars we are doing well with are Admira, Adam Black and Tanglewood. Kawai are making some really nice digital pianos and the Stentor and Hidersine violins are popular.� Dealing with the increased demands of big brands is not so easy for the smaller store. With stocking commitments and stipulations that are often easier for the bigger stores to adhere, Job appreciates the importance of having those brands in-store or face losing customers. “In the last couple of \HDUV LW KDV EHFRPH GLIˋFXOW for smaller shops like ours to keep up with the stocking commitments of some of the larger suppliers. I think it is important to have good quality brands in stock, but maybe these authorised dealerships need to be more ‘small shop’ friendly.� Indeed, there is no shortage of alternative quality brands out there and Job says he will be looking at new guitar and amp ranges this year to see what ˋWV LQ

50 MIPRO

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BRUM AND BASS

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MIPRO 51

APRIL 2015 ::: 0, 352 &2 8.

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PAGE 54 MACKIE recently launched its new portable FreePlay personal PA system

GEAR MIPRO 53

new

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

COMMENT

RHYS TROAKE, STAFF WRITER rtroake@nbmedia.com

Fast learners

PAGE 55 THE Electro 5 Series keyboard from Nord offers plenty RI ËŠH[LELOLW\ IRU performing musicians

PAGE 55 FRET-KING has lifted the lid on a range of limited edition Trev Wilkinson designed guitars

LAST MONTH, Learn To Play Day had its most successful year yet. With over 12,000 customers taking part in the free taster lessons offered at the 129 venues that took part, it is an event any member of the MIA should be taking part in. Having visited some of the participating London VWRUHV RQ WKH GD\ LW ZDV JUHDW WR VHH VKRS ˊRRUV packed with customers taking a keen interest in the free lessons. Taking up one of the lessons Fender was offering at The Southbank Centre, I dabbled with an electric guitar and was reminded of how enjoyable it is to learn a new instrument. Seeing others also enjoy the experience, it allowed me to see how the event gets customers into stores. Similar scenes were in evidence at Yamaha Music London, with some making purchases they mightn’t have made otherwise. Holding this event in your store allows the general public to come in and get a feel for an instrument that is right for them, and also makes them realise there’s no need to worry about how much or how little you know about an instrument before setting foot inside the shop. However, with the best will in the world, it’s not all about the feel good factor of simply giving away free lessons and showing people the power of PXVLF 7KH IDFWV VKRZ WKDW UHWDLOHUV FDQ EHQHˉW IURP National Learn To Play Day in a very real, tangible way. More than 800 people visited Absolute Music on the Sunday; Spider Music sold three drum kits the following day; and one particular retailer estimates WKDW LWV 6DWXUGD\ VDOHV ˉJXUHV H[FHHGHG LWV WDUJHW E\ a cool £50,000. Figures not to be sniffed at, I’m sure you’ll agree. Any MIA member yet to take part in a Learn To Play Day must consider it next year. You’ll see more new visitors come through the doors, and you could end up with a number of new, long-term customers.

“One retailer estimates that its Saturday sales exceeded target by ÂŁ50,000.â€?

MARCH 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

54 MIPRO

PRODUCTS

NEW GEAR 1

2

1. Mackie FreePlay Personal PA

RRP: £399 Mackie has launched its new portable, battery powered PA system, the FreePlay Personal PA. SPECIFICATIONS: The FreePlay allin-one portable PA system features a high-output 8� woofer for optimum bass response. FreePlay allows users to connect microphones; line or instrument level sources, and features an easy-to-use 4-channel digital mixer to control levels, EQ, and more. The portable PA also includes a wireless control using the FreePlay Connect app. The app allows users to control the FreePlay PA from any smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth capable device. The Mackie FreePlay Personal PA is available now at RRP £399. www.polaraudio.co.uk

5

2. Ampeg SCR-DI Bass Pedal

RRP: £207.49 The Ampeg SCR-DI combines a preamp EQ pedal with an overdrive stomp box in a rugged design, built to deliver Ampeg tone in any situation. SPECIFICATIONS: The SCR-DI is an Ampeg preamp designed to provide a wide choice of authentic tones. The EQ section features a threeband EQ with Ultra-Hi, and Ultra-Lo FLUFXLWV IRU ˊH[LEOH WRQH VKDSLQJ 7KH EQ section is foot-switchable, making it suitable for switching between tones during a live performance. The pedal also features the new Bass Scrambler overdrive circuit, VSHFLˉFDOO\ WDLORUHG WR GHOLYHU WUXH SVT grit, grind and sag. The overdrive section is also foot-switchable, so players can add overdrive if needed. www.polaraudio.co.uk

6

3. PreSonus Notion 5

4. Tanglewood TPE SF DLX

RRP: ÂŁ129 Hal Leonard has announced the new PreSonus Notion 5 music notation software package.

RRP: ÂŁ599.95 Tanglewood Guitars has released its latest Cutaway Super Folk guitar, the TPE SF DLX.

SPECIFICATIONS: The software, suitable for both Mac and Windows, is designed to offer composers and musicians a quicker, optimised product in an affordable package. The boxed edition of the Notion 5 is now available at RRP ÂŁ129 from Hal Leonard MGB. Site licenses are also available, allowing Notion 5 to be downloaded on up to 100 machines, making it suitable for schools. Priced at ÂŁ40 per seat, a Notion 5 site license aims to offer best possible value for music educators looking to kit out their computers with notation software. www.halleonard.com

SPECIFICATIONS: The brand new Cutaway Super Folk guitar from Tanglewood comes complete with a solid AA Engelmann spruce top, along with tiger stripe mahogany EDFN DQG VLGHV DQG FRPHV ˉQLVKHG LQ a natural gloss. The TPE SF DLX guitar from Tanglewood also features a slim PDKRJDQ\ QHFN DQG LV ˉWWHG ZLWK D’Addario EPX16 strings. Elsewhere, the guitar boasts open die-cast machine heads, along with the new Fishman Ink EQ system. The new guitar is now available at a recommended retail price of £599.95. www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk

MARCH 201X WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

MIPRO 55

PRODUCTS

3

4

5. Vintage Paul Brett Gemini Baritone guitar

6. Fret-King Limited edition guitar range

RRP: £399 The latest addition to the Paul Brett range of acoustic guitars - the Gemini Baritone VGE800N - combines Brett’s years of experience with optimised build quality.

RRP: ÂŁ1,699 Hand-built by Trev Wilkinson and luthier, Mike Smith, this limited edition run features models from the Fret-King Green Label Series with Fishman Fluence systems.

SPECIFICATIONS: Presented in DQ DXWKHQWLF DQWLTXH ˉ QLVK ZLWK ivory-effect rosette and binding with a vintage white scratch plate, the Gemini features the USA-made Fishman Matrix VT1 pickup system. The instrument comes complete with a padded Gemini carry bag. “The Gemini really is two guitars in one,� commented Brett. “With heavy gauge strings you can get some truly sonorous baritone sounds. Alternatively, users can string it with normal gauge strings and use it in standard tuning.� www.jhs.co.uk

SPECIFICATIONS: As well as countering problems associated with conventional pickups, Fluence offers two distinct voicings based on classic pickups. The single width model can go from single-coil sparkle, to an overwound ‘Texas’ tone, while the double width pickups alternate between PAF and high-gain modern tones. The Green Label Corona 70 comes with two Fluence Modern Humbucker Pickups at an RRP of ÂŁ1,699. The Green Label Corona 60 comes with three Fluence Single Width Pickups at RRP ÂŁ1,699. www.jhs.co.uk

7

7. Nord Electro 5 Series

RRP: From £1,649 The Nord Electro 5 series is designed to offer optimised performance and ˊ H[LELOLW\ IRU SHUIRUPLQJ PXVLFLDQV SPECIFICATIONS: Featuring 1GB of Piano Sample memory, the Series 5 aims to allow players to bring more acoustic and electric piano sounds to the stage. The Electro 5 Orange Section features a new Principal Pipe Organ mode, classic Tone Wheel simulation and Rotary Speaker simulation of a vintage 122 unit from theNord C2D Combo Organ. A dedicated Sample Synth Section is included, featuring expanded memory for the Nord Sample Library and additional controls for attack, decay/release and dynamics.It also FRPHV ZLWK D UHˉ QHG (IIHFWV VHFWLRQ www.soundtech.co.uk

8

8. Pioneer HRM-7 monitor headphones RRP: ÂŁ169 Pioneer has released the HMR-7 monitor headphones, designed to provide optimum sound and comfort during studio sessions. SPECICATIONS: The HMR-7 headphones are designed to deliver an accurate, neutral sound to dance music producers. The headphones feature a newly developed HD driver unit for a neutral, high-res sound, while dual DLUËŠ RZ FKDPEHUV DQG D GDPSLQJ structure, enhance the bass response. The fully enclosed ear pads deliver sound isolation and clear audio separation, while the freely adjustable headband and memory foam ear pads, with velour covers, are designed to make the HRM-7s easy to wear over long studio sessions. www.pioneerdj.com

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

56 MIPRO

A MONTH IN THE WORLD OF MI

BACKLINE

Jägermeister performs its latest Ice Cold Gig inside an igloo, we take a photographic look at this year’s Music Education Expo and Paul McManus is the subject of our Musical History Tour...

Cold as ice Last time out it was a moving iceberg. This time, inside Jägermeister has taken its latest Ice Cold Gig The an igloo in Lapland with the band TesseracT. gh throu put bands sees series Gig Cold Ice brand’s s. their paces in a variety of suitably chilly venue Watch this space to see where they go next‌

WE COULD ORDER IT IN‌

UNCELLO

Don’t get caught out by that enquiry for something really specialist‌ The Uncello was created for the chamber opera Plasm Over Ocean in 1977, premiered by the Dashuki Music Theatre at the World Trade Centre. The instrument was built out of rock maple with standard cello strings and bridge, and a glass bowl as a resonator. It was tuned with harpsichord pegs at the top of its high arc, and the tailpiece was

manufactured out of plexiglas. The entire instrument, except for the arc, was bolted together and could be taken apart for travel and storage. The Uncello was still quiet, and for public performances of WKH RSHUD LW ZDV DPSOLˉ HG ZLWK a contact microphone that was placed on the bridge. The sound was very reedy, more like a gamba than a cello,

with a strange resonance. Not to be confused with Limoncello, which is an Italian after-dinner digestivo, which can make you attempt to nick D SOD\EXV DQG ˉ JKW VHFXULW\ personnel after drinking a bottle of it. Er‌apparently. More fun than an Uncello, certainly, better margins too. In fact, stock Limoncello, you’ll sell more.

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

>> SEND US STUFF

MIPRO 57

THIS STUFF DOESN’T come out of thin air, you know. We make most of it up, to be honest. But we would like our lovely readers to get involved. Email: dgumble@nbmedia.com

Roll up, roll up to discover the musical chops of those in and around the industry. Dodgy H[SHULPHQWV LQ MD]] IXQN IXVLRQ" %ULHI ˊ LUWDWLRQV with the outer reaches of the chart? They’re all out there...

Music Education Expo

Paul McManus, MIA chief executive

Last month saw the Music Education Expo take place at London’s Barbican. The event was choc full of education professionals, politicians manufacturers and distributors, reinforcing the importance of the music education sector to the industry. Check out some of our snaps from day one of the show below…

What do you play? Bass guitar (a Rickenbacker just to polarise opinions!) $Q\ PXVLFDO TXDOLˉ FDWLRQV to speak of? Years of winging it, does that count? Any good? Good ‘meat and potatoes’ player (i.e not a slap man!) Preferred musical style? Anything with a groove (and a nice riff). Prog right through to soul. What bands have you been in? Apart from originals school band, years and years of covers bands. Are you gigging right now? Yep, in two bands doing pubs right through to weddings. Have you ever troubled the charts at all? Absolutely not!

What has been your greatest musical success? Getting a job in MI and being able to start playing again after too many years out of bands Best/biggest gig ever played? Believe it or not, playing to 5,000 teenagers a couple of years ago at the South of England Scoutabout Festival. Ever played with anyone else in the industry? Goodness no, they will all be far better than me. I did help out Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake) at LIMS a few years ago when he needed a bass player at really short notice (thanks Gavin Mortimer!). Worst gig ever played? Interesting one in Crawley last Christmas when we were greeted by the security man who assured us that because WKH ˉ JKW KDSSHQHG WKH previous night, we would “probably” be OK!

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI - PRO.CO.UK

58 MIPRO

FORWARD FEATURES

UPCOMING The features you need to look out for in the May and June issues of MI Pro

FEATURES LIST

Also on the way... June 2015 MIRC 2015 June is our dedicated MIRC issue, providing a comprehensive guide to this year’s show.

SENNHEISER ONCE AGAIN, MI Pro celebrates the work and career of one of the musical instrument LQGXVWU\Č V PRVW LQËŠ XHQWLDO QDPHV 7KLV PRQWK we look at the MI and pro audio specialist, Sennheiser.

DRUMS AND PERCUSSION Our Retail Essentials feature focuses on the drums and percussion market.

MI PRO RETAIL ESSENTIALS: MICS OUR MAY Retail Essentials focus zeroes in on the world of microphones. In typical fashion, we will be looking at models of all shapes, sizes and price ranges, from established classics to recently launched lines.

For more information and to get involved with this special feature, please contact Karma Bertelsen on kbertelsen@nbmedia.com or 020 7226 7246.

The international monthly magazine for music instrument professionals and everyone in the MI business MI Pro has a monthly circulation of well over 6,000. It is distributed in the UK and internationally to MI retailers, industry professionals and carefully selected pro audio executives and resellers.

Editor Daniel Gumble dgumble@nbmedia.com

Head of Design and Production Kelly Sambridge ksambridge@nbmedia.com

Staff Writer Rhys Troake rtroake@nbmedia.com

Production Executive James Marinos jmarinos@nbmedia.com

Account Manager Karma Bertelsen kbertelsen@nbmedia.com

Commercial Director Darrell Carter dcarter@nbmedia.com

Copyright Š 2015 NewBay Media Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, NP12 2YA

Marketing & Circulation Curwood CMS mipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS UK: ÂŁ50 Europe: ÂŁ60 Rest of World: ÂŁ90 Enquiries: mipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com Telephone: 01580 883 848 Charges cover 12 issues MI PRO is published 12 times a year

MIPRO is a member of the PPA Š NewBay Media 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of MiPro are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, NP12 2YA

ISSN 1750-4198 Enquiries to: MI Pro, NewBay Media, Saxon House 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA. Tel: 01992 535646 (Editorial) Tel: 01992 535647 (Advertising) Fax: 01992 535648

Open & Closed The new agship studio headphones

ATH-R70x PROFESSIONAL OPEN-BACK REFERENCE HEADPHONES ATH-M70x PROFESSIONAL MONITOR HEADPHONES Audio-Technica introduces the new leaders in studio headphones: ATH-M70x and ATH-R70x. Both models offer extremely accurate audio reproduction along with the comfort, durability and convenient features that are bound to make them studio mainstays. So whether you prefer the sound isolation of the M70x or the spacious sound of the R70x, deciding on your next pair of studio headphones is an open and closed case.

www.audio-technica.com

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