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Music China 2024 (Set Up and Opening Ceremony)

The MIDI Association

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Music China wrapped up on Sunday, October 13, but we wanted to capture our impressions of the show while they were still fresh.

Wednesday, October 9 was set up day and we had a great booth that was constructed by the Music China (Shanghai Intex) team.

A booth at a busy expo showcases MIDI music technology. People interact with equipment inside a glass enclosure, while others observe. Bright lights and banners fill the spacious, industrial hall. “music CHINA” is visible in the corner.
One side of the booth was the MIDI 2.0 Experience area
A smiling man in casual clothes holds a white electronic keyboard in front of a MIDI display at a modern exhibition hall. The background features booths, signs, and screens. music CHINA is written on the blue floor.
One side of the booth was for MIDI Innovation Award winners.
A modern exhibition booth for MIDI at Music China 2024 with glass walls, computers, and people working and conversing. White MIDI logos and Chinese text are displayed on the front of the booth.
One side focused on the MIDI Initiatives including MIDI In Music Education, Music Accessibility and the MIDI Innovation Awards.
A booth at an expo displays MIDI 2.0 技术信息 (Technology Information) with people seated inside a glass enclosure. A monitor presents details, and music CHINA is visible on the counter.
One side of the booth focused on MIDI 2.0 specifications

The focus of the booth was a four sided structure with glass walls, wooden desks on the outside covered with MIDI branding and a good sized room on the inside where MIDI Association members could hold meetings.

A small, gray mini PC with Intel branding appears to float above an open human hand, with two USB ports and a green power button visible on the front.

Each of the four walls had a large TV screen, an Elgato StreamDeck and a GMKtec Mini PC N97 (a neat little box that is a complete Windows computer in a tiny package).

After the computer was programmed with automated Powerpoint slides, and a Elgato StreamDeck Profile, you could take away the mouse and keyboard and the whole interface for selecting videos was done by the StreamDeck.

The kids from Shanghai Conservatory loved this idea. You can see an example below of the presentations and that all the slides were translated into Chinese.

A computer setup with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor on a desk. Cables and a small device are connected. In the background are white chairs around a table in a glass-walled room. A person’s reflection is visible on the screen.

In the very first booth picture above, you will also notice several young Chinese wearing MIDI T shirts.

Music China arranged for 16 students from Shanghai Conservatory of Music (4 each day) to come and work as volunteer Brand Ambassadors. We also had Brand Ambassadors for the non-Chinese members of The MIDI Zone like Audio Modeling and Amenote. We decided to reuse some of the T shirts from NAMM and so all of our MIDI Association booth team had MIDI T shirts so visitors would know who to talk to.

We cannot tell you how amazing these young students were. They all spoke English well and really knew music production and MIDI, but even more important they were passionate and helpful to everyone, both The MIDI Association team members and Chinese visitors alike.

A young person plays an electronic keyboard while wearing headphones, observed by three others. They are at an indoor event, with music CHINA and MIDI logos visible in the background.
A young woman with black and teal hair smiles while standing in front of a dark background with the words music CHINA visible in the lower right corner. She is wearing a black MIDI t-shirt.

Music China Opening Ceremony

The MIDI Association helped put together the music for the opening ceremony for Music China.

A large group of people in formal attire sit on chairs under a white tent at an outdoor event. There is a red carpet, and some audience members are watching attentively. The background shows buildings with large glass windows.
The crowd awaiting the opening ceremony performance from Brian Hardgroove, Bian Liunian and Kong Hongwei.

Sennheiser supported Brian Hardgroove to come to Music China so with the help of Yitian Zhao, MIDI Association Exec Board Member and Vice President of the Chinese Musical Instrument Association, we connected Brian with some of the best musicians in China and they worked together on a global collaboration between musicians from different countries, who share the universal language of music.

Event flyer for Three Masters: One World at Music China. Text details opening ceremony on October 10, 2024, 9 am, with photos of musicians Bian Liunian, Hardgroove, and Kong Hongwei on the right.

Three Masters : One World

Brian Hardgroove is a record producer, bassist, drummer, and member of the legendary band Public Enemy. His most cherished work is the production of two of China’s premier punk rock bands Demerit and Brain Failure.

Bian Liunian is a musician, composer and musical director of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Closing Ceremony and the CCTV New Year’s Gala, one of the most watched television programs in the world. He is also a judge for The MIDI Innovation Awards.

Kong Hongwei (Golden Buddha) is celebrated as China’s most influential and inspiring jazz musician. 

Together they performed three songs live and they also worked together on a recording of one of Brian’s newest songs “Can You Hear Me” which will be released soon.

MIDI 2.0 Experience Zone

The MIDI 2.0 Experience section of the booth featured the Yamaha Montage, Korg Keystage and Roland A88MKII.

The Montage was connected to Cubase and running MIDI 2.0 on the latest developer release of the Microsoft Open Source driver funded by AMEI, the MIDI Japanese organization.

There was also an excellent movie by Ujie-san showing off the power of MIDI 2.0 hi resolution.

The Korg Keystage showed off the power of Property Exchange’s bi-directional communication and that some parts of MIDI 2.0 can even be implemented on 5 PIN!

MIDI Zone booths and Music X Stage

The MIDI Association booth was the hub of Hall N. Our booth was right next to the Music X Stage where we were abel to do many presentations over the course of 4 days.

The crowd as the MIDI Innovation Awards and Chinese User Choice presentation.
Haim Kairy From Arcana watches as a Chinese person learns to use the Arcana to easily play and strum songs.
Ray Williams from IMSTA discussing the software business in China with the folks from Steinberg.
Exec Board Member Lawrence Levine, CMIA President Wang Shicheng and MIDI Innovation Award judge Bian Liunian at the MIDI Association booth.

As you can clearly see, The MIDI Association had a lot going on at Music China and we have tons more to share in the next few days.

We were inspired by the energy and passion for digital music making we saw at Music China and are already looking forward to next year.