The 2020 NAMM Show To Feature New Synth Showcase, More


The next NAMM Show is coming up soon (January 16 – 19, 2020), and organizers have announced new synth-related features of the annual music-industry convention.

NEW in 2020: Synth Showcase. A centrally-located Synth Showcase area is planned at the front of the largest exhibit hall, featuring dozens of electronic music brands, including:

2020 NAMM Show Synth Showcase location map

Alex4 Brands (Berlin-based synth distributor)
ASM (Ashun Sound Machines’ Hydrasynth)
Bitwig
Intellijel
Korg USA
KV331 Audio Synthmaster
Mellotron
Noisebug (California-based synth retailer / distributor)
Nonlinear Labs
Pittsburgh Modular
Playtime Engineering (BlipBlox)
Qu-Bit Electronix
Roland
Roland Virtual Sonics (Roland Cloud)
Sonicware
STG Soundlabs
UVI Sounds and Software
Verbos Electronics
Waldorf Synthesizers

NAMM Show organizers are organizing this inaugural Synth Showcase as the “centerpiece of a dynamic analog and digital synth neighborhood.” Several other themed neighborhoods / showcases will highlight boutique guitars, loudspeakers / line array systems, music-related software, and even a “Lounge 88” for piano conoisseurs.

There’s a lot more information about the Synth Showcase at The 2020 NAMM Show, and about how to exhibit or attend, at this link.

‘Tools For Synthesis’ Exhibit. The new Synth Showcase area will also include a collaboration with the Museum of Making Music, with elements from their new collection, “Music From the Sound Up: Tools For Synthesis,” which opened a few weeks ago at the NAMM headquarters in Carlsbad, CA.

Part of this hands-on exhibition will make its way to the Synth Showcase at NAMM. The installation will “give synthesis a humanistic spin” through approachable and intuitive metaphors.

Synth Education Sessions. In addition to the “Music From the Sound Up” display, there are many other synth- and electronic music-related educational offerings presentations and panel discussions throughout the show:

  • NAMM U hosts learning sessions during the show for music retailers, working artists and industry professionals.
  • The NAMM Show’s TEC Tracks sessions and the annual TEC Awards show feature music legends and thought leaders in sessions for sound, studio and stage pros.
  • A3E* host workshops and future-looking talks on the future of audio, music-making and music technology during the NAMM Show. A3E sessions are open to NAMM exhibitors and attendees as well.

See you there? We’re working with The NAMM Show this year, to encourage more Synthtopia readers to attend The NAMM Show on January 16–19, 2020.

The show is open to NAMM members, and also to general attendees who are “professionals in the music, sound or entertainment technology products industry.”

More information about the event is available on the NAMM Show website and Facebook page. Use promo code SYNTH20 for a special badge rate.

Learn more and register at namm.org/synthtopia .

(*Advanced Audio Applications Exchange)

10 thoughts on “The 2020 NAMM Show To Feature New Synth Showcase, More

  1. Do you feel that with the rise of more and more synth-related shows, NAMM is just no longer the same draw to companies as compared to years ago. No Akai, Behringer, Yamaha or Moog to say the least. I supposed Arturia, Dubreq, Synthstrom Audible and PioneerDJ, etc. will still turn up somehow =)

    1. It may be easy to forget that synths are only one aspect of NAMM. This special synth promotion is probably just to ride the current trend of popularity. Your point is still good, I’m just trying to add some context.

  2. NAMM is irrelevant for synths. More and more drop off every year. A simple Youtube introduction by a respected channel has more return on investment than NAMM. The synth-specific shows are much better. Many may not know but NAMM is very expensive versus the other synth shows. It’ll cost a minimum of about $15k just for a 20×10 space. They charge you $750 for an electrical box, $100 for chairs (or charge you to have union folks bring in you own).
    You can travel three to Germany and show up to Superbooth for $4k and meet better (more specific) dealers and customers. Or you can show up to Synthplex for $1.5k. NAMM is a dinosaur, and there’s so many non-synth related people that waste your time it’s exhausting.

    1. NAMM will always be relevant, because that’s where the buyers are. For ANY company, connecting with 1 major buyer will more than pay for NAMM. It also gets 100 times the traffic of a Knobcon or SynthPlex.

      NAMM is probably irrelevant for manufacturers that do the bulk of their business via the Internet, and for companies that are ready to sell in ‘NAMM scale’ volumes.

      Events like Knobcon, SynthPlex and Superbooth are more and more important for the synth niche, mainly because they’re tailored to synth fans. And for mom and pop Eurorack manufacturers, they’re a big deal.

      For major synth manufacturers, though, the synth-only events are most important because they offer additional times throughout the year that are good for introducing new gear and getting it in front of the media and influencers.

    2. Yeah, it’s relevant. It’s a trade show.

      Retail buyers that shape the profits for a year in a bigger way than BoBeats(no offense to Bo) _currently_ does will be there.

      Though I do agree that “influencers” are important to the end-users and the market.

      Anyway, NAMM is not the same as a promotional conference like Synthplex, which is geared toward end users/enthusiasts.

  3. So this is a really good idea. NAMM is to put retailers and distributors in contact with manufacturers and make deals. Retailers (aka buyers) see the new products coming out soon, evaluate them, and negotiate contracts. Not everyone is a winner. There’s also journalists covering new products and booths have to have astute marketers and preferable at least one tech guy. Obviously though general members of the public able to get a pass under some auspice have been coming to get sneak previews of the absolute coolest new things. This is a distraction to booths. Yes the badges are color coded to avoid this but those of us clever enough have always been able to wrangle a Buyer badge assuring the utmost personal attention, which abused the system and infuriated sellers.

    With this new system strict public and journalist marketing tables can be placed in a happy public area available to all, leaving the more serious marketing and deal tables free to engage in serious talk.

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