It’s a pure delight to attend the Winter NAMM Show. You get to bask in the warm Southern California sun, in the middle of winter, next to Disneyland, while your family enjoys a mini-vacation. The annual Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim California puts you at the global crossroads of the music products industry. This year’s event, which took place January 25-28, exceeded all my expectations. The newly-expanded Anaheim Convention Center hosted a dynamic array of 7,000+ brands, special events set to live music, celebrity appearances, dozens of educational sessions tied to today’s trends, and interviews with the world’s top musical innovators, artists, and professionals.
To my pleasant surprise, there were 26 booths side-by-side featuring a host of new MIDI products and applications. Here are some highlights of the new MIDI products presented at this year’s show:
Audiofusion
Audiofusion(TM) software by Audio Fusion Systems, LLC turns your smartphone into a wireless in-ear monitoring (IEM) system. Their core technology, delivering real-time audio over Wi-Fi, gives each musician a complete multichannel monitor mixer and wireless IEM on their iOS device at a fraction of the cost of hardware-based systems. And, since it is a software-based solution, the makers of Audiofusion plan to add lots of great features, such as MIDI-driven controls, in future updates.
Blipblox
The Blipblox is a full-featured synthesizer and beatbox designed for anyone three years old and up. Large, colorful, easy-to-use knobs and buttons, and a synchronized LED light show make playing music fun for youngsters and non-musicians. MIDI input, Audio output, eight unique oscillator schemes, integrated drum machine, a filter, LFOs, envelope generators, and special performance modes (like Sequencer Freeze and Sequencer Off modes) make it ready for professional music production.
Playtime Engineering
1459 18th St., #357
San Francisco, CA 94107
Bome Software
Bome Software presented their MIDI products at NAMM 2018. Bome MIDI Translator Pro, a versatile MIDI translation and MIDI routing software program for Windows and MacOS, and the hardware BomeBox, which embodies the same translation and routing power of the software in a small and robust box. Florian Bomers, CEO of Bome Software, demonstrated an example preset which made an MPE keyboard work with a non-MPE synthesizer.
Bome Software GmbH
1459 18th St., #357
San Francisco, CA 94107
Mukikim Rollup-Pianos and Drums
For the professional pianist on the go the Studio Piano features 61 keys, 127 multiple keyboard tones and rhythms, demo songs, drum kit, record and playback feature with Midi out function and powered with a rechargeable lithium battery. The Studio Drum for the professional drummer with three-dimensional drum pads, multiple instrument tracks, record and playback, built-in speaker and MIDI out function. Includes drumsticks, two foot pedals, and runs off USB or rechargeable lithium battery power.
Mukikim
6812 W Calumet Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53223
(414) 395-7850 | (414) 357-3997
Email: info@mukikim.com
Kilpatrick Audio
Kilpatrick Audio helps musicians explore the world of electronic music creation by combining the best of analog and digital technology in their live performance devices, Eurorack modules, Kilpatrick format modular synthesizers, and limited edition accessories. Nearly all of their products use embedded processors for a modern experience, and most of them employ MIDI for control from computers and other instruments..
Polyend
Polyend showcased three products. Each of them have implemented the MIDI protocol. Polyend Perc Pro is a Drumming Machine that is a Midi operated, one of its kind, state of art robotic tool. Polyend Seq is the ultimate MIDI sequencer. Polyend Poly is a MIDI to CV Converter.
Polyend
Olsztyn, Poland
Jambe
Jambe is an electronic percussion instrument from Sensorpoint that uses an iPad for sound and control.
Sensorpoint, Inc.
1901 Las Plumas STE 10
San Jose, CA 95133
R.C Voice
R.C. Voice from Crimson Technology is a free, real-time voice morphing app for iPhone.
Crimson Technology, Inc.
2-37-2 Ikejiri Setagaya-ku
Tokyo, 154-0001 Japan
Tel : +81-50-3816-7190
SMASHmouse
The Bluetooth or USB-connected SMASHmouse enables mouse control and audio/video playback toolbar functions out of the box. In addition, SMASHmouse will offer consumers additional low-cost software applications that offer page turn, beat machine, MIDI expression, DAW functionalities, and more providing musicians a universal solution for hands-free control.
SMASHmouse USA
3525 Piedmont Center. Building 7, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 931-0677
Synesthesia Pipes
Imagine a device that outperforms any sample playback device and out-horsepowers a laptop for less than the cost of a current smartphone. That’s what Synesthesia built, and they call it Pipes, an all-new hardware audio engine. It includes Effects, MIDI Tweakers, and an onboard sound library, or load your own WAV, AIF, MDA, EXS, SFZ, GIG and NKI files.
Think of Pipes as a powerful touchscreen portable computer devoted solely to high quality audio control and manipulation. Pair Pipes with MIDI controller–keyboards, pads, drum triggers, etc.– and you have a powerful music creation and performance tool. Pipes outperforms any sample playback instrument and even out-horsepowers a laptop. Best of all, Pipes costs less than half of what you’d pay for the latest fancy smartphone.
Synesthesia Corp.
Email: mandala@syntesthesiacorp.co