NAMM 2017: 2nd Annual DJ Social

The Annual DJ Social had its second year within the Hilton Hotel. They featured open decks with many talented DJs scratching and mixing throughout the night. Many prizes were given away including: slip mats, a workstation table, T-shirts, and more!

Some of the highlights of the floor were DJ lazyboy and Dj tech ripping up the ones and twos.



See a recap video of the event:

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NAMM 2017: Teenage Engineering & Roli with Lavine Linarez

Music By Anyone

 

Photo by Lavine Linarez

Attending NAMM can be overwhelming and disorienting to anyone that has never attended. Like many trade shows there are so many vendors trying to pull people in and showcase their products. The most compelling ideas manifested from the exhibitors wanting to engage people with no musical background such as Teenage Engineering and Roli. Both displayed stand alone single components that anyone could pick up and begin using right away. However, both approached the users experience in very different ways.

Photo by Lavine Linarez

Photo by Lavine Linarez

Teenage Engineering’s collaboration with Magnus Lidström of Sonic Charge, to create pocket operator PO-32 Tonic for synthetic beats that works with Microtonic software. Magnus says “The goal with PO-32 was to squeeze… perfectly optimized recreations of the oscillators, filters and envelopes from the original Microtonic.” Each pocket operator is about the size and look of a pocket calculator ranging in price of $49-59 and the most expensive at $139 (bundled with Microtonic). To help keep the price low on the nits, the developers have left the cases and screen protectors off the unit. What you receive is a small bare bones board with LCD screen and buttons. However, they do offer silicone cases for $29. What makes the small operator so compelling is one can simply pick any up and tap away on the buttons and create a beat or rhythm. The operators can be synchronized together through a line in and line out. Sounds can be created and downloaded directly to the unit from the Microtonic software. Even for the novice, it can feel easy to start on a simple beat and move from it to something more complex.

Photo by Lavine Linarez

Photo by Lavine Linarez

Roli was exciting because it focused on making modular boxes that any person, whether musically inclined or not, could use. Even when no computer is available, the Noise app can be downloaded for free to an iPhone or iPad. Roli seems to want to create a community of musicians as well. On Noise.fm, songs and ideas can be uploaded and shared with others. Roli also offers a chance to not only create music by offering a free app, but offers the purchase of developer kits for Blocks. At $179.95, the price on one block is low enough to take the chance on one unit but once the Live and Loop blocks are added ($79.95 each), the price can get high. However, Roli blocks can also be used as a midi controller for many programs such as Ableton Live. With all Roli has to offer, free software, musical community. Modeler and versatile units that are compact and portable, developer tools, the price begins to look so bad.

When it comes to pushing ones musical creativity, Teenage Engineering and Roli presented products that are easily accessible to a variety of people.

By Lavine Linarez

Photo by Lavine Linarez

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Lavine Linarez was given her first camera at the age of 13 beginning her love of photo and art. She later graduated from CalArts with a Fine Art and Photography degree. Now a business owner, she specializes in event photography and special effects makeup. She is influenced by Joel-Peter Witkin, Anton Corijn, Skinny Puppy and all things weird. 

Instagram: @zanlinez

facebook.com/lavine.linarez

avant-gardesalon.com

Mr. Gadget - Red Hot & Purple

NAMM 2017: Booth 5000 The Modular Synth Collective

The collective of modular synthesizer enthusiasts resided primarily in Booth 5000 and they were, once again, on the second floor near the opening entrance of the NAMM Show instead of downstairs with a rise in popularity. There were many other modulars to see throughout the show, but most of them remained here, in booth 5000.

We'll give you a more in-depth look of some new innovations from this synth wizards. For now, here is a video walk-through:

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NAMM 2017: Sparkular

Sparkular is a safe option for indoor visual effects! It's the only indoor fountain display machine and it can shoot up to 90 second blast intervals from 1 to 5 meters in height! You can adjust the volume of the fountain, the effect, and can even have custom DMX control.

Fake Feathers - Bumba ft. Tay Coliee

Joe Perry & NAMM TEC Awards Winners Announced

Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT THE 32^nd ANNUAL NAMM TEC AWARDS

PRESTIGIOUS LES PAUL AWARD PRESENTED TO AEROSMITH’S JOE PERRY WHO JAMS LIVE WITH BANDMATES

JOHNNY DEPP & ALICE COOPER

AEROSMITH PRODUCER & ENGINEER JACK DOUGLAS INDUCTED INTO

NAMM TEC HALL OF FAME

Comedian Sinbad returned as host

Presenters included Johnny Depp, Lita Ford, The Foo Fighters’ Rami Jaffee & Jessy Green, Om’Mas, Jerry Harrison, Geoff Emerick, Jeff Greenberg (Village Recorder), Eric Boulanger

Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM

Anaheim, Calif., (Jan. 21, 2017) – Winners in 31 technical and creative achievement categories were announced at the 32^nd Annual NAMM TEC AWARDS, presented annually by the NAMM Foundation and held January 21 in Anaheim, CA. The annual event celebrates the best in professional audio and sound production and is held during The NAMM Show, the world’s leading global music industry trade event. Comedian Sinbad returned to host for the third time.

  

Four companies – AVID, iZotope, Sennheiser and Solid State Logic – scored several Outstanding Technical Achievement awards, each taking home two statues each. AVID’s Pro Tools Dock and Pro Tools 12.3 picked up in Workstation Technology and Audio Apps & Hardware categories; iZotope in a new designation: Audio Education Technology, for the company’s Pro Audio Essentials and the Ozone 7 Advanced in the category of Signal Processing Software; Sennheiser in Wireless and Headphone/Earpiece Technology categories for the Wireless G3 A-1 Band and the HD 25 Plus and finally Solid State Logic for Large and Small Console Technology categories for the System T and the Sigma Delta. Outstanding Technical Achievement honors were chosen in 23 categories.

“Game of Thrones” returned for its second win in a year for Outstanding Creative Achievement in the Television Sound Production category. Following a posthumous recent birthday milestone, David Bowie’s Blackstar EP won in two categories – Record Production Album & Single respectively. Several Star Wars-themed projects beat out the competition as well: Star Wars: The Force Awakens from Lucasfilm won for Film Sound Production while Star Wars: Battlefront won for Interactive Entertainment Sound Production. Outstanding Creative Achievement honors were chosen in eight categories.

Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM

Joe Perry, one of music’s most significant artists and executives, received the evening’s highest honor, the Les Paul Award, presented to remarkably-distinguished and accomplished individuals from the music industry. Hollywood Vampires bandmate and actor Johnny Depp presented Perry with the award, then joined Perry, Brad Whitford, and Alice Cooper on stage for a live performance.

Perry dedicated the award to his manager Howard Kaufman, who recently passed away. News is forthcoming related to Perry’s upcoming sixth solo album. Learn more here.

Keeping it in the family, famed Aerosmith engineer and producer Jack Douglas also became the newest inductee to the NAMM TEC Awards Hall of Fame. Douglas engineered and produced many multi-platinum associated for many of Aerosmith’s most iconic releases and is affectionately dubbed "the sixth member” of the band.

Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAMM

See the complete list of awards: