NAMM 2016: The Power of Music

Michael Hepworth

THE POWER OF MUSIC

By Michael Cohan

(Anaheim, CA) 1/25/2016—The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) organization continues to set records each year in their conquest to merge the foundational genres of music with the future expansion of evolving technologies. Mike Adams, president of Moog Music, mentions “the biggest thing is the analog synthesizer, we’re all seeing the change in the market.” Small modular synthesizer brands have popped up and major manufacturers have noticed the upswing and are also focusing on this trend.

Electric guitars are making a comeback along with lots of new electric strings. President Jeff Sutton of Butler Music adds that their integrating more analog into their low-end digital for their demographic, the entry to mid-level player, because our market niche incorporates a percentage of analog and digital products. Even with advances in guitar design and construction, you can still find companies with simplistic innovations and some with extensive complexities from the most basic electric sounds spanning into intricate styles all showcasing their products while creating the power of music.

Many companies of the NAMM membership use this event as their platform for launching new products having spent the year in product development and marketing research. Brian Bell, president of Ernie Ball Inc., states that NAMM is their flagship event and only platform they rely on all year in which they develop deadlines and goals around.

This theme was also felt globally as international attendance rose 20% from last year. Owner Uche Ezeani of De-Saints View International, a distributor and retailer from Nigeria, prefers NAMM instead of going to other shows because we can see all the merchandise in one place, meeting old and new suppliers. Mr. Ezeani feels that coming here is of the utmost importance to see their existing suppliers and build relationships with new suppliers to further expand his business. The company sells to end users and other retailers and connecting with NAMM’s quality products first hand creates De-Saints competitive edge. But it’s not always about the money he says, by meeting old and new friends the show feels like a big school reunion.

The NAMM show begins the new year in music off with a bang, a rock, and a roll. The vibe around the floor and the enthusiasm and intensity of the power of music continues to create the consummate show of all music shows. Visit the NAMM website for more information. https://www.namm.org/