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MaMug's Dan East goes to NAMM and files this report...
First of all, I am impressed by how Apple is always a dominating force at this show with new Cinema displays and Powerbooks EVERYWHERE and at most booths on the floor. Even the press room is a haven for Powerbooks and iBooks from media professionals covering the show. With an entire new generation of Mac-savvy performers, composers and developers coming up, it is really exciting to see how much of a role Apple's products have in the music industry on so many levels.
The #1 ice breaker is wearing my iPod shuffle. It is clearly the topic of all discussion and, I believe, I have the only one at the show at the moment. I'm guarding it carefully!
Apple had a huge presence at their own booth with their theater and demo stage. GarageBand2 was the big buzz of the show with its new notation and 8 track live recording functions. I, myself, did an "unofficial" demo at the booth showing how performers could record their shows live given the new trend of releasing tracks online from concerts and/or selling CDs from the shows.
DigiDesign unveiled its new Venue live console with a big night at House of Blues in Anaheim highlighted by a stellar performance by the always "Apple-friendly" Black Eyed Peas. One of the product manager told me that while the current system is set up for firewire to PC, the gold master will, of course, have complete Mac support -- Not sure if this was a squeeze to the release of the latest v. of Logic, but I can say that Digi has a real hit on its hands with a really excellent sounding and intuitive live application console that does, of course, allow for excellent live recording directly into ProTools.
Digi's little brother under Avid, M-Audio announced their new Black Box offering a huge amount of functionality in a single input device which will be a huge asset to the GarageBand community looking for a full-featured product to get more I/O features and more.
IK Multimedia didn't just have hot products, but they also had hot performers showing off their new (and soon to be released) products. Amplitube2 was demo'd along with a new BASS GUITAR amp version due by the end of Q1/2005. Monster musicians Tim Carmon (Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder -- seen on Tsunami relief concert recently) and Kenneth Crouch (Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton) performed in an impromptu jam session as a huge crowd gathered to bear witness.
Sennheiser has released some new products into their Evolution series of products including their new e830 microphone. Today, their stage hosted hot AAA musicians Janet Robin (Lindsey Buckingham, Meredith Brooks) and Hot AC/AAA recording artist, Garrison Starr to show off their new gear.
It was impressive to see how many pros are using iPods in their studios and to just hang out. Westone released the UM-1 universal earphone on the heels of Shure's release of the E4c at Macworld last week. Future Sonics celebrates their 20th anniversary of their Ear Monitors brand personal monitors at the show with the release of their "Ear Monitors - Elite" gold and platinum editions and "Ear Monitors - Colours" series. (I am wearing my own original white-pearl ears with my iPod shuffle that - oddly enough - go back to the earliest model from FS that just looks cool with the Apple gear now all these years later).
Finally, Gibson is releasing their very limited edition "Paul McCartney Epiphone" today and, to my surprise, it is not a bass guitar but a six string limited edition autographed model. The company plans to only release forty of them in the first run and to add a very limited few hundred after that -- all signed by the man, himself.
Other celebs on hand for NAMM were Stevie Wonder, Michael Anthony (Van Halen), Creed, Carlos Santana, Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Fourplay) and many others. It is always a whiplash fest if you are into star-sightings...
Finally, my "Best of NAMM" would have to go to M-Audio's new Black Box. If you are looking for what may be your one-and-only piece of hardware to use with your Mac -- be that GarageBand, Logic or whatever -- The Black Box offers a huge variety of abilities and features. With both XLR (Mic) and 1/4" inputs, a tuner, metronome and large display and USB support, those are just a very few of what this $299 (RETAIL) item offers. Add to that a wide range of sound libraries, amp emulation, drum machine, digital effects and processing along with its portability and you have one outrageous addition to your music making experience. That said, and like most products of this type, some of the sounds and samples are just there "because they can," so you'll want to have some time to pick and choose. I'll have a more in-depth look at this item coming soon.
That's all for now. The show is the largest -- in terms of both attendance and scope -- that I have seen in recent years with the absence of some of the usual "suspects," but with the addition of some very hot new-comers as well.
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