As usual, NAMM 2026 was a blur of activity at The MIDI Association booth.
We hosted 21 events over three days at our booth and participated in many Tec Tracks and A3E sessions as well.
We know this article has a LOT of information in it. But take your time and read through everything. Maybe bookmark it and come back to it a couple of times.
Finally much of the best stuff is at the very end so make sure you see the details of our MIDI In Music Education and Music Accessibility initiatives.
We recorded audio and video or all our sessions and over the course of the next two weeks will be doing articles on each of the events we hosted and participated in.
The MIDI Association Thursday Booth Schedule
Day 1 – MIDI 2.0 Product Day
The first day was focused on MIDI 2.0 products in the market.
The day started with a presentation by Takayuki Tomisawa from Roland, Chair of AMEI’s MIDI 2.0 working group who explained their long cooperative relationship with the MIDI Association.
Florian Bomers introduced the Bome MIDI products—Bome MIDI Translator Pro, Bome Network, and the BomeBox—and demonstrated how they can be used individually or together to enable advanced MIDI routing, processing, and control. Using real-world examples, he showed practical solutions before highlighting what’s new and offering an exclusive look at what’s coming in 2026.
One of our newest members is Metronaut which is headed up by Arshia Cont.
Metronaut is a unique AI-Powered mobile App for amateur musicians! Metronaut allows musicians to Practice and learn thousands of masterpieces while getting feedback and being accompanied by high-quality backing tracks that adapts to them as they practice.
Chosen by Apple as Editor’s Choice for two consecutive years, Metronaut is empowering hundreds of thousands musicians worldwide in 21 languages by helping them to enjoy practicing music.
Arshia Cont is the CEO and Co-founder of the Music Tech Startup Antescofo, behind the mobile Application Metronaut. After completing a PhD in Computer Music in UC San Diego, he served as research scientist between 2008 and 2016 at IRCAM, a center dedicated to fostering music technology and artistic creativity; and head of the MuTant research team at INRIA. In the same period, he acted as the director of Research/Creativity Interfaces in the institute where he founded the Ircam Musical Research Residency program and pushed Ircam Forum to the social network era.
One of the most important announcements about MIDI 2.0 came from Microsoft. We found an excellent article from the European Motion Picture Association.
At NAMM 2026, Microsoft made waves by highlighting a major step forward in music technology: its ongoing Windows MIDI Services initiative — a full-stack integration of MIDI 2.0 support and next-generation MIDI tools into Windows 11.
This represents the most significant update to MIDI on Windows in decades and promises a huge leap for musicians, producers, and developers working in electronic music and digital audio production.
What’s New in Windows MIDI Services
Built-In MIDI 2.0 Support Microsoft has introduced the Windows MIDI Services stack with full support for the MIDI 2.0 standard — offering higher-resolution data messages, bi-directional communication, improved timing, and richer control over musical parameters compared with the decades-old MIDI 1.0 protocol.
Universal USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver Thanks to a collaboration with AMEI (Association of Musical Electronics Industry) and contributions from partners like AmeNote, the new USB MIDI 2.0 class driver enables both MIDI 2.0 devices and compatible MIDI 1.0 devices to communicate efficiently with Windows applications.
Multi-Client & App Interoperability Windows MIDI Services brings multi-client MIDI support, meaning multiple applications can share access to MIDI endpoints simultaneously — a big improvement for workflows involving DAWs, controllers, and monitoring tools.
Developer Tools & SDK Accompanying the core stack is a Windows MIDI Services App SDK and set of tools that make it easier for developers to build next-generation music apps and utilities with enhanced MIDI features. These include utilities for diagnostics, loopback creation, port management, and more.
Why This Matters to Musicians For the first time, Windows users gain an integrated platform that fully embraces the potential of MIDI 2.0, a standard designed to unlock higher expressiveness, finer control resolution, and modern two-way communication between instruments and software.
While initially available via Windows Insider previews and SDK releases, this technology points toward broader availability throughout 2026 as Microsoft rolls out support into production Windows 11 updates.
Whether you’re using advanced controllers, cutting-edge synths, or complex DAW setups, the new Windows MIDI Services stack promises more reliable timing, better device interoperability, and richer creative potential for electronic musicians and producers everywhere.
Learn more about Windows MIDI Services and the MIDI SDK tools on Microsoft’s official GitHub and documentation pages.
European Motion Picture Association
Here is a bit more detail from MIDI Association Exec Board Chair and Microsoft lead MIDI developer, Pete Brown.
As announced at the NAMM Show, assuming all proceeds as planned, Windows MIDI Services will start rolling out at the end of this week to retail supported Windows 11 builds (24h2, 25h2). This will be installed as a KB update, through Windows Update. If you do not have Windows Update enabled (LTS etc.) you likely will not get the new feature.
Pete Brown
Microsoft
StudioLogic SL88 MK2
There are now a number of MIDI controllers on the market that support MIDI 2.0 hi resolution controllers including the StudioLogic SL88 MK2.
At the end of every day we featured performances showing off MIDI 2.0 in action.
This performance featured French Producer Romain Jovian performing on the Erae Touch.
The multitrack recordings of the performances are currently being mixed and synced with the multi camera video feeds controlled by a Roland video switcher.
We are planning on having all the performance up in the next two weeks.
PopuPiano and Party Speaker
New MIDI Association member Popumusic presented their products. On top of doing a presentation, the folks from Popumusic also loaned us lighted keyboards and party speakers for our network display.
The MIDI Association Friday Booth Schedule
Friday focused on MIDI 2.0 specifications and at the end of the day performances from young artists from Smoothloop.
New MIDI 2.0 Transports-BLE, Web MIDI and Transport Remote Management
Members of the Transport working group highlighted the latest progress on MIDI 2.0 transports for Bluetooth, Web MIDI and updates to the Network spec to add remote management capabilities.
SMF2 Container Format
The MIDI Project Container File format is intended to deliver multiple tracks of MIDI data and other media. The set of tracks and media used in the file are enumerated and arranged in a Manifest file in XML format. Media types supported include: ● MIDI Clip Files (for MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0) ● Musical Notation (MusicXML or PDF ) ● Audio Files ● Video Files ● Lyrics: may be in MIDI Clip Files and/or in Musical Notation files. ● Metadata – XML and MIDI Message
DAW Control Profiles
The MIDI Association is working on a modular set of MIDI 2.0 DAW Control Profiles intended to eventually replace Mackie Control with a unified industry standard for all hardware and software.
MIDI 2.0 WG Chair Mike Kent from Amenote, Jochen Troppe from Steinberg and TSB Chair Andrew Mee
The modular approach was taken because of the wide variety of capabilities of DAW controllers from simple start, stop and record buttons to elaborate devices with multiple displays.
Drum Profiles Update
The MIDI Association has worked on two Drum Profiles in 2025.
The Default Drum Note Map Profile specifies 62 Drum/Percussion Sounds mapped to Specified Note Numbers.
This is the common GM based mapping in many Drum Machines and Synthesizers since the 1980s.
This Profile was adopted in the fall of 2025.
The Drum Performance Profile is focused on the more advanced features available in electronic drums kits which have positional sensing for cymbals and drums and complex hihat configurations.
The Drum Performance Profile design is complete and it should be approved in Q1 of 2026.
Just before the 2026 NAMM show, The MIDI Association and AMEi passed the Piano Profile specification.
The Piano Profile standardizes the velocity and pedal curves and the registered controllers used to control a piano’s performance via MIDI.
The model is based on the acoustic piano which is why it was important to have Kawai, Steinway and Yamaha involved in the project.
Kawai Artist David Snyder and Steinway Artist John Beasley performed on a Roland A88 MKII and Synthogy Ivory software that supports the Piano Profile.
During the show, both Roland and Synthogy released updates for support of the Piano Profile.
A88 MKII with Registered Controllers for Volume, Dynamic Range, Curve Offset, Lid Position, Hammer Hardness, Thump Noise, Sound Board Resonance, and String Resonance.
Again we will be posting the performances on the Roland A88 MKII and Synthogy Ivory by David Snyder, John Beasley, Lachi and Ellis Hall when the multitrack recordings have been mixed.
Orchestral Articulation Demo
The MIDI Association showed a working demo of the Orchestral Articulation Profile at NAMM 2026.
This profile will standardize the method for embedding articulations directly into the MIDI 2.0 Note On message.
Once implemented by plugin companies using the MIDI -CI helper library being developed by the 4 plugin format companies ( AU, AAX, CLAP and VST), this will provide composers a standardized way to handle orchestral articulations.
MIDI Association member Audio Impressions has developed a sample library that supports a wide range of different articulations and The MIDI Association helped create a hardware prototype that allows switching the articulations by MIDI 2.0 note attributes.
These performances will also be made available soon.
The MIDI Association Saturday Booth Schedule
2026 MIDI Association Lifetime Achievement Awards Ceremony
As you can see from the picture above, it was literally standing room only for 2026 MIDI Association Lifetime Achievement Awards. All 50 seats in the booth were filled and many people were standing in the aisles to see the presentation.
The MIDI Association honored pioneers whose work helped define MIDI, computer music, and modern music production.
• Chris Adam — Co-founder of C-Lab and Emagic, key architect behind Notator and Logic
• Roy Elkins — Connector of artists, technology, and community across the global music ecosystem
• Greg Hendershott — Founder of Cakewalk, who democratized MIDI sequencing on personal computers
• David Kusek — Founder of Passport Designs and pioneer of computer music and MIDI education
• Gerhard Lengeling — Co-founder of C-Lab and Emagic, creator of Logic and architect of modern DAWs
• Dave Oppenheim — Co-founder of Opcode Systems and pioneer of MIDI sequencing and DAW workflows
• Charlie Steinberg — Founder of Steinberg, visionary behind modern MIDI sequencing and virtual studios
• Emile “Dr. T” Tobenfeld — Algorithmic music innovator who expanded MIDI’s creative boundaries
Chris Halaby, panel moderator and David Oppenheim – together they founded Opcode Systems and launched Vision, one of the first DAWs to include audio. Gerhard Lengling and Chris Adam who were the developers behind C-Lab and EMagic. Denis Labreque (former MIDI Association Exec Board member) accepting for David KusekClyde Sendke, managing director of Steinberg accepting on behalf of Charlie SteinbergPaul McCabe from Roland accept on behalf of Greg Hendershott from CakewalkClyde Sendke from Steinberg (accepting on behalf of Charlie Steinberg), Gerhard Lengling and Chris Adams from EMagic, Roy Elkins from Ensoniq, Sonic Foundry and Broadjam an d Dave Oppenheim from Opcode Vision.Gathering of MIDI Association Lifetime Achievement Award winners and TSB and Exec Board members
If you would like to read about the Lifetime Achievement Award winners, there are articles for every Lifetime Achievement Award winner here.
We had a display of MIDI Innovation Awards all three days of the show.
Then Jean Baptiste Thiebaut from Music Hackspace held a panel with MIDI Innovation Award Judge Lucas Cantor Santiago, 2026 MIDI Innovation Award winners Anthony Dickens from Circle Instruments and Mike Venter from Azoteq talked about their experiences with The MIDI Innovation Awards.
Innovators Meetup with Rock Paper Scissors
Our friends from Rock, Paper Scissors held an Innovators Meetup where a whole group of people got to network and share their ideas on Innovation.
Karrie Keyes, long time monitor engineer for Pearl Jam hosted a panel on Sound Girls.
SoundGirls was established to provide women working in professional audio a community to come to for support and advice, and for empowerment and inspiration.
MIDI In Music Education
One of our major initiatives this year is the MIDI In Music Education curriculum that we are developing with SAE Mexico.
Our goal is to raise awareness about MIDI in education at schools (secondary, college and university, and pro schools), MIDI Musical Instrument manufacturers and Dealers who sell MIDI products.
SAE Mexico, The NAMM MIDI Fund and The MIDI Association SAE Mexico has been selected to create a MIDI In Music Education curriculum in both English and Spanish by the MIDI Association.
SAE Mexico have a unique relationship with Coursera, the massive open online course provider so the curriculum and certification will be available at no charge.
All of the materials created for The MIDI In Music Education curriculum will also be provided under a Creative Common license.
This means that Universities, Schools, Dealers and digital musical instrument manufacturers can include portions of the MIDI Association materials without any concerns about copyrights or licenses by just a simple Creative Commons attribution.
Again, we will be making the videos of the panel available soon.
We think everyone should be able to experience the joy of making music.
We brought together music accessibility experts from all over the world to meet regularly & discuss how to make digital musical instruments more accessible.
For all three days of the show, we hada MASSIG display that featured the Arcana Strum, Connect Through MIDI, Cosmos Dots, a MIDI Blaster and a Drum Beam. This is the same set up we took to Music China, Tokyo Gakki Fair and Music Tectonics.
Tobi Hunke from AbletonDrummer.com and Haim Kairy from Arcana Instruments
The MASSIG display was always busy and we also had a few well known guests.
Lachi from RAMPD and Stevie Wonder at NAMM 2026
Athan Billias from the MIDI Association Executive Board, Tobi Hunke from Ableton Drummer and Connect through MIDI, Haim Kairy from Arcana Instruments, and Lachi from RAMPD held a panel discussion on the latest advances in Music Accessibility.
We closed the show with performances by RAMPD members and a finale with the Ambassador of Soul – Ellis Hall.
Deshaymond Solomon Deshaymond is a blind R&B artist, songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and the visionary founder of Deshaymond Media LLC.
Ivan Estralla, is a Mariachi singer, concert producer, and cultural storyteller dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich traditions of Mexican music.
Indi Robinson is a groundbreaking deaf actress redefining the way music is experienced by blending American Sign Language with expressive artistry.
LACHI Award Winning Artist, CEO RAMPD Lachi is an award-winning recording artist, global renowned disability advocate, Recording Academy National Trustee, who’s produced a GRAMMY-Nominated album. Lachi is the Founder/CEO of the U.N.-recognized organization RAMPD.org—a consultancy group working with music industry giants on disability-inclusive solutions, as well as a global network of music creators and professionals with disabilities and neurodivergence.
Her 2023 peer-reviewed work on accessibility in the recording industry has been published by the Audio Engineering Society. Named a USA Today Woman of the Year and included in Forbes Accessibility 100 list, Lachi’s work amplifying access in the music industry has landed in Billboard, TIME Magazine, Good Morning America and the New York Times.
We can’t wait to share the amazing performances we witnessed during the show so stay tuned here for more details and updates coming in the days ahead.
The MIDI Association Booth on Monday, January 19, 2026
