Machina Bristronica 2025
2025-09-27 11:00 - 2025-09-28 19:00 UTC
Machina Bristronica 2025: Festival Overview

Name & Theme: “The Festival of Knobs, Buttons & Discussions” is a two-day celebration of electronic music culture—from synth hardware to software, performances to hands-on innovation. It’s a space for live acts, panel talks, masterclasses, DIY workshops, and interactive showcases of over 150 global brands.

Dates & Location: Set for 27–28 September 2025, the festival takes place in the heart of Bristol, UK.

Event Format & Highlights
Machina Bristronica unfolds across multiple dynamic spaces:

Warehouse Rooms & Outdoor Spaces: Spread over four warehouse rooms plus an outdoor stage.

Day‑time Activities:

Live performances by electronic musicians

Panel talks featuring experts and innovators

Masterclasses and DIY modular workshops

Music production and performance training

DJ sets

Special showcase: Escher Music Connection

Hours:

Saturday, 27 September: 11:00–22:00 (followed by an official afterparty, running 22:30–03:00; requires a separate ticket, 18+ only)

Sunday, 28 September: 11:00–19:00

Afterparty Details

The official afterparty brings live electronics, including headline acts such as:

The Exaltics (Dutch electro) and Verbos Electronics (Berlin‑style techno)

Delay Grounds (UK bass/techno)

Movement81 from Swansea (Eurorack modular performance)

MISSTERSPOON kicking things off with a dub‑techno ritual

Venue includes a low‑ceiling concrete bunker (Back Room) and an open‑air chillout area with beanbags and seating (Front Room). Also features DJ sets by Sticks.

Admission requires a separate ticket from the main festival pass, and attendees must be 18 or older.

Community Engagement & Tickets

Tickets On Sale: Festival tickets are available now, and due to past demand (“sold out well in advance”), early purchase is advised.

Exhibitor Opportunities: Individuals or brands are invited to exhibit their instruments, modular gear, or software creations—from DIY “chonkie kick drum” circuits to spectral granular synth engines. Applications are open for new and upcoming makers.

News Updates: Keep an eye on updates like lineups for the “Data Stage,” “Discussion Stage,” afterparty announcements, and exhibitor details.

** In summary**
Machina Bristronica 2025 promises a deep dive into electronic music culture, blending performances, community learning, maker showcases, and after-hours synth revelry—set in a vibrant Bristol backdrop. Whether you’re an enthusiast, creator, or just curious, it’s a compelling two-day gathering to explore and engage.

ADCx Gather 2025
2025-09-26 11:00 - 18:00 UTC
The ADC Team is pleased to announce the return of ADCx Gather 2025. ADCx Gather is an online version of our ADCx in-person one-day conference meet-ups. Programming for ADCx uses a shorter 18 min. talk format allowing for the presentation of a variety of topics for all audiences.
The ADCx Gather one-day online event is free and open to everyone in the audio developer community (registration required). ADCx Gather is hosted in Gather.Town, a browser-based virtual online platform that allows attendees to interact and collaborate in real-time.
ADCx Gather takes place on the 26th of September, 2025 starting at 11:00 UTC

2025 MIDI Innovation Awards Show
2025-09-25 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Andrew Huang is a musician, video creator, and bestselling author.
Despite being partially deaf, Andrew has been prolific, with hundreds of songs in his discography and an eclectic mix of other projects: He has composed for Blue Man Group, scored commercials for brands like Volvo and Google, created some of the ringtones that ship with Samsung phones, and developed a sound installation under the mentorship of Metric’s Emily Haines.
Besides composing and producing, he’s also spearheaded the creation of numerous music-making tools such as Ghost, Flip Sampler, and Transit, which won the 2025 Sound On Sound award for Best Software Plugin. His online music production course has been taken by tens of thousands of students, many of whom have gone on to work in the industry.
Andrew is best known for his YouTube channel, through which he’s inspired and educated millions of people with creative videos about all aspects of the music-making process. Most notably, his show 4 Producers 1 Sample has featured appearances from guests as wide-ranging as Hiatus Kaiyote, Son Lux, Daedelus, Flux Pavillion, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, AJR, Jamie Lidell, and Virtual Riot.
In 2024, Simon & Schuster published Andrew’s first book, Make Your Own Rules, in which he writes about his journey while extracting both practical and philosophical takeaways for anyone interested in honing their creative practice or pursuing it as a career.
Photo By Philip Bowser – This work was provided to me by my co-worker., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148203819

Make Music Day 2025
2025-06-21
#MakeMusicWithMIDI on June 21 Make Music Day
June 21 is both the longest day of the year and International Make Music Day.
We are asking everyone to help us create a worldwide day of celebration of making music with MIDI by:

Creating some music with MIDI
Uploading it to your social media channels with the hashtag -#MakeMusicWithMIDI

Be creative and share your passion for making music with MIDI to the whole world!

Music Accessibility Webinar June 5th 10 AM Pacific
2025-06-05 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The MIDI Association Youtube Channel
Date: Youtube Premier On Saturday June 10, 2025 at 10 am Pacific

The Music Accessibility Special Interest Group will host a Youtube Premier on June 5th at 10 am Pacific time. The primary focus is on discussing advancements in making music creation more accessible for individuals with disabilities, along with updates and demonstrations from various organizations involved in this initiative.
Participants
• Haim Kairy – Arcana
• Mike @ AmeNote
• Tim Yates
• Jay Pocknell
• Leon (rwxMusic)
Agenda Overview
• Introduction and updates from MASSIG
• Presentation by Tim Yates from Drake Music on the Sony Hackathon
• Jay Pocknell from RNIB discussing accessibility in music technology
• Haim Kairy’s presentation on collaboration with Better Maker
• Discussion on Arkana Strum, an accessible music instrument
• Insights from Mike @ AmeNote on MIDI 2.0 and accessibility
• Q&A session
Chapters
1. Introduction by Haim Kairy (00:00:23)
Haim Kairy welcomes everyone to the MIDI accessibility webinar hosted by the Music Accessibility Standards Special Interest Group.
2. Agenda Overview (00:01:15)
Haim outlines the agenda, introducing speakers and topics such as the Massey Group, Tim Yates’ Sony hackathon, and Jay Pocknell’s discussion on accessibility in music notation.
3. Tim Yates on Sony Hackathon (00:18:20)
Tim Yates from Drake Music discusses the Sony hackathon, focusing on accessibility and collaboration between various groups to develop accessible instruments.
4. Jay Pocknell on Accessibility Developments (00:29:03)
Jay Pocknell shares highlights of accessibility developments in music technology and accessible music notation, including insights from the Audio Developer Conference.
5. BetterMaker Collaboration (00:30:02)
Haim discusses a collaboration with BetterMaker to create accessible audio gear, demonstrating voice control and feedback features for visually impaired users.
6. Arkana Strum Presentation (00:42:50)
Haim showcases the Arkana Strum, an accessible instrument for individuals with disabilities, detailing its features and the journey from concept to implementation.
7. MIDI Association Updates (01:00:13)
Mike from the MIDI Association discusses MIDI 2.0 and its impact on accessibility, including bidirectional connections and new profiles for accessibility features.
8. Q&A Session (01:06:21)
The session opens up for questions from the audience, discussing topics like the physicality of music creation and barriers to accessibility.
9. Closing Remarks and Resources (01:13:04)
Haim concludes the webinar, providing resources for further engagement with the Music Accessibility Standards Special Interest Group.
MASSIG Introduction and Updates
• Haim Kairy introduced the webinar, highlighting MASSIG’s role in advocating for music accessibility.
• Discussed biweekly and now weekly meetings, collaborations with musicians, producers, technologists, educators, and engineers.
• Highlighted the initiative to create demos and standards for accessible music tools.
Sony Hackathon Overview by Tim Yates
• Tim Yates shared insights on the Sony Hackathon held in the UK, focusing on accessible music instruments.
• The event involved six teams led by Para Orchestra musicians, supported by Sony engineers and academics.
• Emphasized the importance of co-design in developing accessible solutions.
• Highlighted ongoing projects and collaborations resulting from the Hackathon.
Accessibility Developments by Jay Pocknell
• Jay Pocknell discussed recent accessibility advancements in mainstream music technology and music notation.
• Shared video clips and demos featuring voice and Braille technologies.
Better Maker Collaboration
• Haim Kairy detailed a collaboration with Better Maker to create accessible audio gear.
• Discussed developing voice control and feedback for Better Maker hardware using MIDI and AI speech recognition.
• Highlighted the successful demo tested by Stevie Wonder.
Arkana Strum Presentation
• Haim Kairy presented the Arkana Strum, an accessible music instrument designed for individuals with disabilities.
• Discussed the development process, accessibility features, and the impact on music education.
• Emphasized the goal of creating an inclusive instrument for various abilities.
MIDI 2.0 and Accessibility by Mike @ AmeNote
• Mike discussed advancements in MIDI 2.0, emphasizing bidirectional connections and discoverability of accessibility features.
• Shared ongoing efforts to develop MIDI specifications aimed at increasing accessibility in music.
Q&A Session
• Addressed questions about the physical and non-physical aspects of music creation.
• Discussed the role of technology in overcoming barriers to music creation and the importance of accessibility in both hardware and software.
Links and Resources
• MIDI Association – MASSIG
• Drake Music
The webinar emphasized collaboration across various sectors to enhance accessibility in music creation, with several projects and future initiatives highlighted to continue this important work.

MIDI and Music Education: Expanding Access and Engagement Worldwide
2025-05-31 10:00 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | The MIDI Association Youtube Channel
Event: MIDI In Music Education Working Group Presentation and Webinar

The MIDI Association will host an education-focused webinar, bringing together music educators, industry leaders, and students to discuss new initiatives and expand engagement with MIDI in education globally.

Featured Participants

Dr. Lee Whitmore – Focusrite Group, MIDI Association Executive Board Member

Jennifer Amaya – Riverside City College, Coyle School of the Arts

Isaac De La Mora – SAE Institute Mexico

Athan Billias – The MIDI Association

Agenda Highlights

Introduction of the new MIDI Association charitable programs

Launch of a MIDI education materials grant program

Showcase of music education efforts at Riverside City College

Call to action for deeper involvement in the Association’s working groups

Webinar Chapters and Key Moments

1. Introduction by Dr. Lee Whitmore (00:00:03)

Dr. Whitmore welcomed attendees and introduced the goals of the meeting, emphasizing the importance of industry-educator collaboration.

2. Webinar Agenda Overview (00:01:12)

The agenda focused on new MIDI education programs and projects like Riverside City College’s music tech initiatives.

3. Launch of New Education Materials (00:02:58)

New MIDI education resources were announced, developed in collaboration with SAE Institute Mexico, aiming to increase accessibility and inclusivity.

4. Curriculum Development with Isaac De La Mora (00:04:30)

Isaac De La Mora shared progress on a bilingual (English and Spanish) MIDI curriculum tailored for Latin American educators.

5. A Global Distribution Platform (00:05:32)

The MIDI Association is partnering with Coursera to distribute these educational resources globally, reinforcing the importance of multilingual support.

6. Educator Engagement and Bilingual Access (00:08:16)

Flexible integration into existing curriculums was discussed, alongside strategies to reach educators and students in Latin America.

7. Riverside City College’s NAMM Involvement (00:11:15)

Jennifer Amaya highlighted student participation in the NAMM Show and their upcoming associate’s degree in music industry studies.

8. Student Roles and Real-World Experience (00:16:56)

Students took hands-on roles at NAMM, including booth management and performance—providing invaluable industry exposure.

9. Event Challenges and Coordination (00:18:40)

Jennifer described challenges in logistics and coordination with Yamaha and other partners—valuable learning moments for students.

10. Reflections and Future Planning (00:22:46)

Looking ahead, the group discussed ideas for MIDI-related competitions and further integration of student engagement in future events.

11. Global Perspective with Athan Billias (00:26:38)

Athan shared the MIDI Association’s mission to democratize music education through global partnerships and open-access resources.

12. Call to Action (00:27:10)

Dr. Whitmore and Athan closed the webinar with a call for broader involvement in MIDI’s educational working groups and outreach projects.

Get Involved

Educators, developers, and institutions are invited to contribute to MIDI’s educational mission. Whether through curriculum design, language translation, or local outreach, your participation can help broaden the reach of music technology education around the world.

Visit: MIDI In Music Education Special Interest Group to learn more and join the MIDI in Education community.

The Power of MIDI in Music Education
2025-05-24 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The MIDI Association Youtube Channel
SAE Mexico has been selected to begin work on The MIDI Association’s MIDI In Music Education curriculum by the NAMM Foundation.
They will provide the curriculum materials in both English and Spanish and have a unique relationship with Coursera, the massive open online course provider.
All of the materials created for The MIDI In Music Education curriculum will be given away under a Creative Common license. This means anyone is free to take the materials, modify and adapt them for whatever purpose that is needed. Universities can include portions in their already existing materials without any concerns about copyrights or licenses.

MASSIG Webinar
2025-05-17 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The MIDI Association Youtube Channel
Join Host Haim Kairy from Arcana Instruments, Jay Pocknell from Sound Without Sight, Tim Yates from Drake Music and others as they discuss the latest developments on music accessibility.
Articles from The MIDI Association on Music Accessibility

Super Booth 2025
2025-05-08 09:00 - 2025-05-10 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Super Booth, The Fez, Berlin, Germany
The idea of Superbooth has a history of over 20 years. It all started as a part of the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, when a handful of friends and like-minded nerds created their very own and special spot for synth enthusiasts. This common space presented a collection of small and passionate manufacturers of exotic hardware and electronic music instruments- the (original) SuperBooth.

Able Assembly at Berklee College of Music
2025-04-11 09:00 - 2025-04-12 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Berklee College of Music, 1140 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
Registration is now open.
The conference registration fee is $125 and includes:
If You Attend In Person:

Sessions at Berklee College of Music in Boston
An opening reception on April 11
Lunch on April 12 and April 13
Access to recorded sessions and supporting materials after the event has concluded
Admission to the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education’s (BIAAE) Digital Learning Series, 12 monthly webinars and workshops with hands-on teaching strategies that will be offered from May 2025 through April 2026; and
The opportunity to earn 18 professional development points(Opens in a new window).

If You Attend Online:

Livestream access to keynotes and some workshop sessions
Access to exclusive curated pre-recorded sessions and supporting materials by luminaries in the field
Day-ending synthesis discussions with opportunities to engage with the presenters
Admission to the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education’s (BIAAE) Digital Learning Series, 12 monthly webinars and workshops with hands-on teaching strategies that will be offered from May 2025 through April 2026; and
The opportunity to earn 18 professional development points(Opens in a new window).

Schedule
Full schedules and session information are posted. You can access it with the drop-down menu.
Accessibility
Synchronous sessions will be live-captioned and American sign language–interpreted. Asynchronous sessions will be captioned.
Registration is now open.

Craig Anderton Master Classes for Moog Foundation
2025-03-22 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
The Bob Moog Foundation is excited to announce two masterclasses by lauded music technologist, author, and musician Craig Anderton.
“How to Mix for Maximum Emotional Impact” will be presented at UNC-Asheville in the Laurel Forum room on Wednesday, March 19th, from 7 pm to 9 pm. The event is open to students and the public and is free of charge.
“Synthesizer and Sampler Secrets: A Moogseum Masterclass” will be presented at the Moogseum in downtown Asheville on Saturday, March 22nd, from 10 am to noon. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased HERE.
Craig Anderton has worked on chart-topping productions, toured the US and Europe, played at Carnegie Hall, and given hugely popular seminars (in 38 states, 10 countries, and 3 languages). He’s written over 50 books on technology and the arts, and over 1,000 articles for Sound on Sound, Guitar Player, inSync, The MIDI Association, Mix, CraigAnderton.org, and several international publications. He co-founded Electronic Musician magazine, started the first rich media web destination for musicians in 1995 on AOL, and has also consulted for leading companies like Steinberg, Ableton, Roland, Waves, Acoustica, IK Multimedia, Microsoft, Gibson, Peavey, Alesis, ASI Audio, Sensaphonics, Akai Professional, PreSonus, Native Instruments, Cakewalk, Avid, and more. The masterclasses distill his decades of experience into an enjoyable, engaging, and often surprising educational experience.
We are thrilled to bring Craig Anderton to Asheville to present two masterclasses to our local music and technology community. Craig is deeply respected as a luminary in his field, and is an icon to those who have been inspired by his body of work over the past several decades. We are fortunate to host someone of such distinction.
How to Mix for Maximum Emotional Impact– Wednesday, March 19th, 7 pm – 9 pm UNC-Asheville’s Laurel Forum room || Free and open to students and the public
This provocative masterclass goes beyond improving sound quality, by presenting tips and techniques that enhance the soul of a mix — and captivate the listener’s heart.
Drawing on decades of production, engineering, and musical expertise, Anderton reveals the secrets of maximizing a mix’s emotional elements. Participants will find out how to avoid technology’s pitfalls and take advantage of its opportunities in their music projects. This must-see presentation explores studio techniques from a new, inspiring, and sometimes mind-blowing perspective.
Synthesizer and Sampler Secrets: A Moogseum Masterclass – Saturday, March 22nd, 10 am – Noon at the Moogseum || $25/per person, space is limited
This masterclass delivers insider tips and techniques on programming, recording, and mixing with synthesizers and samplers. From how to add warmth to virtual instruments, to integrating synths and samplers in productions, to controversial topics like oversampling — and much more — this fascinating exploration of today’s instruments is essential for modern musicians and producers. There’s even an informative preview of MIDI 2.0’s potential impact.
Here’s your chance to find out how to get more than you thought possible out of today’s keyboards and virtual instruments.
Purchase your ticket here: https://bit.ly/AndertonMoogseumMasterclass

IASIG/IGDA Town Hall
2025-03-21 12:15 - 13:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Moscone Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
31st Annual IASIG Town Hall
Session Title: 31st Annual IASIG Town Hall- Day/Time: Friday, March 21st, 12:15 pm, Duration: 60-Minute Special Event

Tom Poole (Director, JUCE / ADC)
Dave Berol (Audio / Voice Director, Surfaceink Product Design & Development)
Pat Scandalis (CEO/CTO, moForte Inc)
Athan Billias (MIDI Association Executive Board, MIDI2Marketing)
Steve Horowitz (Audio Director, IASIG/GAI)

Location: Room 3024, West Hall
Date: Friday, March 21
Time: 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass, Summits Pass, Expo Pass, Audio Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass – Get your pass now!
Track:Special Event
Format: Special Event

Want to improve game audio workflow or the professional audio tools available to you? Join fellow game audio educators, sound designers, composers, audio programmers, and other audio professionals at the Interactive Audio Special Interest Group (IASIG) Town Hall. Get an update on current IASIG efforts, and share your own ideas, suggestions, and recommendations for improving the state of the art in audio for interactive media. If you do audio, come and be heard. The IASIG works as a Special Interest Group in both The MIDI Association and the International Game Developers Association representing Game Audio Developers in those organizations.

https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/31st-annual-iasig-town-hall/911429

IASIG/IGDA Party at Game Developers Conference
2025-03-20 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Game Developers Conference, 747 Howard St, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
IGDA is hosting a party at Game Developers Conference 2025 and The MIDI Association and IASIG are participating. The event will be at the Children’s Creativity Museum, 221 Fourth Street right next to GDC.
The event is open to IGDA members.

IASIG/IGDA Roundtable Talk
2025-03-19 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Moscone Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
Developing Deeper Player Engagement and Emotional Connection Through Sound and Design Roundtable (Presented by the IGDA)
Wednesday: IASIG/IGDA Roundtable Talk, (Wed 2-3pm Room 301 South Hall)
The IASIG is dedicated to the art and technology of sound in games. Sound is a large part of what makes games fun and memorable. Why do certain pieces of music trigger strong memories and emotions? Why are organizations like the SF Symphony and others performing game music in the concert hall? Why does that one sound effect keep playing in your head? And what is it about the sound of a warp pipe that gets you excited for the adventure to come?
Hosted by the Interactive Audio Special Interest Group, this engaging roundtable discussion will focus on bringing together folks from all parts of the development community. This roundtable brings together composers, sound designers, game designers, Narrative Designers, animators, programmers, producers, and anyone else involved with game production and design.
Classical California’s Jennifer Miller Hammel (Host/Curator/Producer of Arcade) and SF Conservatory’s Steve Horowitz (ED, SFCM’s TAC program) will open up the floor for you to discuss the latest in sound and design with a focus on how great moments from game audio history can inform future game production.
How can the satisfying crunch of snow under a boot keep you moving forward? How can iterative design enhance player retention? How can adaptive audio add to the players sense of immersion? Let’s come together to develop a deeper understanding of each other’s art, process and pipeline.
Developing Deeper Player Engagement and Emotional Connection Through Sound and Design Roundtable

Interactive Audio SIG Networking Meet Up At GDC
2025-03-18 17:00 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Moscone Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103, United States
IASIG is an organization in partnership with the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) and the MIDI Association (TMA) that brings together experts to share their knowledge and help improve the state of the art in audio for games, websites, VR content, and other interactive mediums. Our members share tips and techniques, study trends, and create reports and recommendations that game developers, tool makers, and platform owners use to create better products.

Bob Moog Foundation Winter 2025 Raffle
2025-02-17 - 2025-03-10
The Bob Moog Foundation is excited to announce its lead raffle for 2025, featuring a fully restored Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer signed by Tom Oberheim, Marcus Ryle, and Michel Doidic.
Ryle and Doidic were the principal designers of the Matrix-12. This Matrix-12, valued at $20,000, has a unique provenance having been owned by Doug Curtis, inventor of the legendary Curtis chips. It was donated to the Bob Moog Foundation by Curtis’s widow, Mary Curtis.
This year, 2025, marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Matrix-12, which continues to be one of the most respected and sought-after analog polyphonic synthesizers in the world today. The raffle begins Monday, February 17, 2025 at 7:00 am (EST) and ends Monday, March 10, 2024 at 11:59 pm (EST).
Tickets for the raffle are $25 each, 5 for $100, 12 for $200, and 35 for $500.
Participants who purchase five or more tickets will be invited to an exclusive Zoom call with Marcus Ryle, to be held in early April.
The raffle is open internationally.
Please read the rules and regulations before purchasing tickets.
Proceeds from the raffle benefit the three hallmark projects of the Bob Moog Foundation:
Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, which has inspired over 35,000 elementary school students about the science of sound;
The vast and growing Bob Moog Foundation Archives, which includes over 15,000 historical items;
The Moogseum, located in downtown Asheville, NC. The Moogseum continues to navigate the financial aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has resulted in a $65,000 loss of income since late September.
https://bobmoogfoundation.myshopify.com/products/2025-winter-raffle-signed-oberheim-matrix-12-synthesizer?

Digital Accordion Jam
2025-01-25 16:30 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
For the first time at NAMM 2025, witness a unique collaboration between Sergey Antonovich, an innovative engineer who designed cutting-edge digital musical instruments, and Vladimir Butusov, a professional accordionist committed to popularizing the accordion in modern music. Together, they will present a live demonstration of two original instruments that were selected as finalists for the prestigious MIDI Innovation Awards 2024:

The Partymaker: Accordion Synthesizer – A hybrid instrument combining the timeless charm of an acoustic accordion with advanced electronic synthesizer features, including built-in auto-accompaniment, which offers accordionists a unique opportunity to perform as a full band.
The Digital Flex Accordion – The world’s smallest full-featured electronic accordion with built-in auto-accompaniment, designed for ultimate portability while maintaining the capabilities of a traditional instrument.

These instruments are not just prototypes but represent a bold step into the future of electronic and hybrid musical devices, leveraging state-of-the-art MIDI technology. Sergey and Vladimir will perform an engaging set of high-energy compositions, demonstrating the versatility of these cutting-edge creations and their potential to revolutionize modern music.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to experience the possibilities of MIDI innovation and see a duet that bridges engineering and artistry.

How MIDI Is Driving Global Content Creation and Collaboration
2025-01-25 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Hilton Anaheim; 4th Floor, Hilton Huntington Room
As a global standard, MIDI continues to drive innovation in products, technologies and instruments, elevating artistic creativity to new heights.

Join this special A3E and MIDI Association session for an in-depth, tactical exploration of how they are leading a global collaboration among musicians from diverse cultures, united by the universal language of music, and presented by world-class musicians.

Innovators Meetup with Rock Paper Scissors
2025-01-25 11:30 - 12:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
Meet all the musical instrument, software and app innovators at NAMM! Everyone gets the mic in this networking session. Give your 30-second introduction, connect faces to names around the room, then break to network one on one. Leave with connections to collaborators, customers, allies, and friends.

Led by seasoned facilitators Dmitri Vietze (Rock Paper Scissors) and Shayli Ankenbruck (Music Tectonics).
Meet them at Rock Paper Scissors booth 10701 (Hall A) to find out about all the ways they connect and support music innovators.

MIDI Innovation Awards Winners 2024
2025-01-25 11:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
Join us to celebrate the winners of the 2024 MIDI Innovation Awards.
Our MIA winners have participated in Synth Fest UK 2024, Music China 2024, ADC 2024 and now join NAMM 2025 to show off their products.
The MIDI Innovation winners will be featured in Booth 10504 for all three days of the 2024 NAMM show thanks to our partnership with NAMM.
Join Jean Baptiste Thibeaut from Music Hackspace and Martin Keary (host of the 2024 MIDI Innovation Awards Show) as they introduce the winners of the 2024 MIDI Innovation Awards.
2024 MIDI Innovation Award Winners

Artistic/Visual Project or Installation- Particle Shrine
Software Prototypes/Non-Commercial Products- Audio Modeling UniHub MIDI
Commercial Software Products- Midinous
Hardware Prototypes/Non-Commercial products-GEP Contraption
Commercial Hardware Products- Arcana Strum

2024 MIDI Innovation Award Judges

Michele Darling
Mark Isham
Bian Liunian
Moldover
Jeff Rona
Michael Strickland

MIDI Association Open Meeting
2025-01-25 10:00 - 10:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
For many years starting even before the formal foundation of The MIDI Association in 1985, The MIDI Association would hold annual meetings at NAMM. Since 2021, we have had those internal meetings during December to elect our new Executive Board and Technical Standards Boards.
Please join us as we introduce the new MIDI Association Executive and Technical Standards Boards, review the previous year’s progress and take a look at what we want to accomplish in 2025.
After some quick presentations, members of The MIDI Association will be available for questions from the press, developers and people who create music and art with MIDI.

Digitaize - Transforming strings with the power of MIDI
2025-01-24 17:30 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
Nick Coleman, Product Specialist at Digitaize by C.Bechstein Digital is going to showcase this game changing innovation and highlight some of the unique creative possibilities that it enables.
The Digitaize Module and sensor seamlessly integrate with the acoustic instrument, achieving an aesthetically harmonious symbiosis with its acoustic body. The focus is on a non-invasive design, which in no way impairs either the playing feel or the sound of the instrument. To achieve this, any contact with the body of the instrument was avoided and care was taken to minimise the contact surface with the instrument. The Digitaize module sits exactly between the fingerboard and the bridge and looks like a natural extension of the fingerboard. The module is connected magnetically with a link that forms the bridge between the module and the sensor.
This system can be easily mounted on any string instrument (4 or 5-stringed violin, viola, or cello). The module has two built-in microphones (a contact microphone for the vibration and an air microphone for the sound), a gyroscope, and an accelerometer to detect the movement of the instrument, as well as a haptic sensor to detect the finger position.
Experience the next level of instrument augmentation in a fun and engaging way.

MIDI In Music Education and SAE Mexico
2025-01-24 16:30 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
SAE Mexico has been selected to begin work on The MIDI Association’s MIDI In Music Education curriculum by the NAMM Foundation.
They will provide the curriculum materials in both English and Spanish and have a unique relationship with Coursera, the massive open online course provider.
All of the materials created for The MIDI In Music Education curriculum will be given away under a Creative Common license. This means anyone is free to take the materials, modify and adapt them for whatever purpose that is needed. Universities can include portions in their already existing materials without any concerns about copyrights or licenses.
Join members of the MIDI In Music Education SIG as they explain the details of the curriculum and share the first few lessons.
Professor Jennifer Amaya- Associate Professor of Audio & Music Technology at Riverside City College Coil School for the Arts
Carlos Barraza – Academic Director of SAE
Athan Billias- MIDI Association Executive Board
Roberto de la Peña- Audio Program Director SAE Mexico
Keith Mason- Coordinator of Music Technology at Belmont University
Steve Horowitz-Executive Director Of Technology And Applied Composition at San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Lee Whitmore- Vice President B2B & Education, Americas at Focusrite Group, Chair MIDI In Music Education SIG

MIDI 2.0 Drum Profiles
2025-01-24 15:30 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
The MIDI Association has made significant progress this year in developing some Profiles focused on electronic drums and drum machines.
The Default Drum Map Profile defines a MIDI-CI Profile for a default mapping of specific drums to specific Note Numbers. The note map used in this Profile was established by many products in the 1980s as a commonly used set of note assignments for drum sounds and that was later standardized in General MIDI.
Many drum machines, grooveboxes, keyboard workstations, portable keyboards, digital pianos, and software synthesizers (many of which do NOT support the full GM specification) have drum kits that utilize this drum kit mapping because of the vast quantity of MIDI data available that will play properly with these drum maps.
Electronic Drums are one of the most successful categories of MIDI instruments.
Most electronic drums from different manufacturers share a common set of features (standard MIDI messages including velocity, pan,etc.) as well as more drum specific features (choking of cymbals, positional sensing of cymbals and drums, etc). However, the MIDI messages used to control these features have not been standardized and mainly rely on manufacturer specific SysEx. A MIDI-CI Profile would define far greater interoperability, unifying the industry behind a common set of MIDI messages.
Steve Fisher- Director – Drums Product Development Medeli
Ben Israel- Research and Content Design Manager -Yamaha
Mike Kent- Chair of MIDI 2.0 WG/MIDI Association Executive Board.Drum Profile Chair Co Founder Amenote,
Mike Snyder -Innovation Manager, Electronic Instruments at Avedis Zildjian Company
Ikuo Kakehashi- Founder of BAC Audio a team of master electronic instrument engineers who worked on Zildjian’s new ALCHEM-E series electronic drum kits,

MIDI 2.0 Piano Profile Progress Report
2025-01-24 14:30 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
At NAMM 2024, we showed off a working prototype of the MIDI 2.0 Piano Profile connecting a Roland A-88MKII controller keyboard to Synthogy’s Ivory plugin via Apple Logic running in standalone mode.
This year we focused on two other important parts of the Piano Profile- DAW Plugin support and implementation guidelines with accompanying Audio and MIDI files.
The MIDI Association member companies that develop plugin formats – Apple (Audio Units), Avid (AAX), Bitwig (CLAP) and Steinberg (VST) are creating open source software to help plugins handle MIDI 2.0 without requiring a plugin company to have either a SysEx ID or even in depth knowledge of MIDI. 2.0.
The MIDI Association DAW working group is creating open source software that will look at MIDI 2.0 messages from external devices, extract the information the plugin needs to support Profiles like the Orchestral Articulation, MPE and Piano profiles and translate those MIDI messages into the native plug formats that plugins already understand.
AMEI (the Japanese MIDI Standards body) has also worked to create audio samples and MIDI files for use in testing and validating that a device accurately supports the velocity and pedal curves of the Piano profile. These will be included along with an implementation guideline in the final Profile specification.
Mike Kent- Amenote, Chair of MIDI 2.0 WG/MIDI Association Executive Board
Dave Starkey- Chair Piano Profile WG, MIDI Association Technical Standards Board
Gary Girouard- Music Technology at Steinway & Sons
Francisco J. Rodriguez- Software Manager at Young Chang R&D Institute (Kurzweil)
Kohtaro Ilimura- KAWAI Musical Instruments Technology Planning Group – UX Design

Plugin Formats Open Source Support for MIDI 2.0
2025-01-24 13:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
The MIDI Association member companies that develop plugin formats – Apple (Audio Units), Avid (AAX), Bitwig (CLAP) and Steinberg (VST) are working together to develop open-source software that will enable plugin developers to quickly and easily interface with external MIDI gear without the need for any in depth knowledge of MIDI 2.0 or MIDI-CI. Another MIDI Association member supporting this effort is JUCE – the most widely used framework for audio application and plug-in development.
The MIDI Association DAW working group is creating open source software that will look at MIDI 2.0 messages from external devices, extract the information the plugin needs to support Profiles like the Orchestral Articulation, MPE and Piano profiles and translate those MIDI messages into the native plug formats that plugins already understand.
By utilizing this open source software, plugin companies can start supporting MIDI 2.0 external devices with minimal development costs.
Before Super Booth in May of 2024, The MIDI Association hosted the first meeting of the DAW working group at the Native Instruments office in Berlin, where the companies agreed to work together to develop open-source software available under a permissive MIT license to bridge the gap between external MIDI Devices, Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), and plugins. That cooperative project is ongoing in the MIDI Association’s DAW Working Group.
The DAW Working Group is also working on a DAW Control Profile which would supersede proprietary control protocols like Mackie Control and Logic control with a true industry standard for controlling DAWs via external hardware and software.
The MIDI Association will report on the weekly meetings of the DAW Working Group at Music China 2024, ADC 2024, and NAMM Show 2025.

Build Your Own Audio and MIDI Plug-ins Using JUCE
2025-01-24 13:00 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
JUCE is the most widely used framework for audio and MIDI application and plug-in development. It is an open source C++ codebase that can be used to create standalone software on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, as well as VST, VST3, AU, AUv3, AAX and LV2 plug-ins.

Senior JUCE developer Anthony Nicholls will show you how you can use JUCE to create your own, unique, audio and MIDI plug-ins that you can make available to other people.

DAW Control Profile-Replacing Mackie Control
2025-01-24 11:30 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
The DAW Working Group is working on a DAW Control Profile which would supersede proprietary control protocols like Mackie Control and Logic Control with a true industry standard for controlling DAWs via external hardware and software.
With MIDI 2.0 support already beginning to appear in Digital Audio Workstations, plugin developers are benefitting from the work being done by the MIDI Association member companies that develop those plugin formats – Apple (Audio Units), Avid (AAX), Bitwig (CLAP) and Steinberg (VST).
Mike Kent- Amenote, Chair of MIDI 2.0 WG/MIDI Association Executive Board
Andrew Mee- Yamaha, Chair of Developer Support WG/MIDI Association Technical Standards Board
Dice Naito- FSK Audio

Latest MIDI 2.0 Developments in Apple, Google, Linux and Microsoft Operating Systems
2025-01-24 10:30 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
The MIDI Association and its members will provide updates on the latest developments in the major operating systems.
Microsoft announced updates to both MIDI and Audio at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2024 including better APIs which support MIDI, including MIDI 2.0 and full support for low-latency, high-channel-count audio, using standards already accepted by the industry.
Apple, Google and Linux are all continuing their MIDI 2.0 updates to support new MIDI Association specifications.
If you are a developer of MIDI products, this is a presentation you won’t want to to miss.

Riverside City College MIDI Jam
2025-01-23 17:30 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Anaheim Convention Center | Front of Hall A | The MIDI Association Booth 10302, 800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA, 92802, United States
For several years now the Audio & Music Technology program at Riverside City College has helped The MIDI Association by providing students with the opportunity to attend the NAMM show and staff The MIDI Association booth. This year, at the request of the students, we are stepping up our game.
A few weeks prior to the NAMM Show, MIDI Association members donated multiple MIDI instruments and devices to Riverside City College. With the help of student Music Industry Club leaders and Professor Jennifer Amaya, students were assigned to learn these instruments and come up with various ways to perform on them – as soloists, in small ensembles, and in a large ensemble format.
Special thanks to Artiphon, Caedence, Jamstik, Playtime Engineering, Robkoo and others for their donations to the all-MIDI jam.
Come see what this group of talented young music production students have been inspired to create with MIDI.
