2015 NAMM Show – Optimism Translates Into Investment
"Trying to assess and sum up the collective experience of the global industry is difficult at best, but it sure seemed to me that the vast majority of those who…
MMR Industry Record
2015 Music Products Industry Archive
Search and browse MMR’s music products industry reporting timeline, connecting companies, people, products, NAMM coverage and market developments across the digital archive.
1,210 matching published stories
Effects: DigiTech – Revamped, Re-focused, and Ready to Make History. Again.
In an issue where we turn the spotlight towards stompbox effects pedals, it made sense to check in with one of the organizations synonymous with such product, DigiTech.Recently appointed market…
Inventory Management: Effective Inventory Control Leads to Increased Profits
No matter the industry or the size of your store, inventory control is often an enormous struggle for retailers. If you are under-stocked, you may lose sales, but if you…
In Ten Years You’ll Be Glad You Did
We spent our early years in business just trying to stay alive and find our footing. If you’ve started a business from scratch, you know what I’m talking about. These…
35 Years of Jupiter
KHS was founded in 1930, and fifty years later, Jupiter Band Instruments was born. It has been 35 years since Jupiter Band Instruments’ initial inception, and really the only thing…
Brian Ball Steps Into the Role he Was Born For
In life, few people get to live their “ultimate dream job,” but Brian Ball can now count himself as one of the lucky ones. Company CEO Sterling Ball recently announced,…
Full Compass Names Grabel-Komar as Vice President of Sales
Full Compass Systems has announced that Michelle Grabel-Komar has accepted the leadership role of vice president of sales, and will be overseeing the company’s vertical sales channels. Grabel-Komar will take…
Bourns Guitar Potentiometer
Bourns, Inc. expanded its professional audio market product portfolio with a new guitar potentiometer that features a latching-push switch. The new potentiometer, Model PDB185-GTR, provides an innovative approach to facilitate operating active…
Congressman Royce Meets with Yamaha
U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) met with Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) senior management on a number of common-interest topics, including west coast port labor negotiations and the re-authorization of…
SABIAN to Sell Direct to Retail in the U.S.
SABIAN has announced that effective immediately, sales and distribution of SABIAN cymbals and accessories in the U.S. will be handled exclusively by SABIAN Ltd.SABIAN president and CEO Andy Zildjian comments:…
Orange Promotes Deacon and Appoints Mills
Orange Amplification has announced the promotion of James Deacon to European sales manager and the appointment of Marcus Mills to UK sales executive. These new promotions and appointments will further…
Kala To Feature Aquila Strings On All Models
Beginning January 2015 Kala Brand Music Co™ will include Aquila™ strings on all ukuleles in the company’s Makala™ and Ukadelic™ series. Aquila strings have been standard on the company’s Kala…
Deering Day Proclaimed In San Diego
March 3rd, 2015 has officially been declared Deering Banjo Company Day throughout San Diego County. Bill Horn, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and all of the County Board of…
Zildjian Presents 2014 Dealer Awards
Avedis Zildjian Company presented their 2014 “Outstanding Dealer Award” to three top Zildjian dealers at the recent 2015 Winter NAMM show. American Musical Supply, Cascio Interstate Music, and Sweetwater Sound…
Legator Music Inc. Appoints Ferro as Vice President
Legator Musical Inc. has announced the appointment of Mr. Jose Ferro as the company's new vice president.“Mr. Ferro has an extensive well-known background in the wholesale, retail, and global market sales…
Trade Regrets: Lennie DiMuzio
On Sunday, March 8, MMR received the following from NAMM's Dan Del Fiorentino:Our dear friend, Lennie DiMuzio, passed away yesterday. Already our industry seems a bit different. Lennie showcased what is most…
The IP Academy is Back and Free!
NAMM members have the unique opportunity to participate in a free two-day Intellectual Property (IP) Academy on April 8 and 9, 2015, at the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) of…
AM&S Names Fryrear Social Media & Promotions Manager
American Music and Sound (AM&S), has announced the new hire of Kristyn Fryrear as the social media & promotions manager, effective immediately.Fryrear comes to AM&S with seven years experience, multiple…
GC Opens New Store in Illinois
Guitar Center opened its 264th location in Champaign, Illinois, on February 26. Guitar Center’s latest store, a state-of-the-art musical instrument and technology center covering over 8,000 square feet, is the…
PRS Announces Opening of ‘West Street East’ and Start of Factory Tours
PRS Guitars has announced the opening of its new “West Street East” Museum Room and retail store and the commencement of free public tours of the Stevensville, Maryland manufacturing facility.When…
Casio Celebrates 'Music in Our Schools Month'
Music offers inspiration, creativity, and expression for students of every level. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of ‘Music in Our Schools Month,’ which was designated by The National Association…
CHAUVET DJ Works Magic with Penn Jillette
As the taller half of the superstar Las Vegas magic team of Penn & Teller, Penn Jillette is a master of illusion, but there was nothing chimerical about the magical…
Blackburn College Revamps Auditorium with Danley
Located in the rural Illinois town of Carlinville, Blackburn College serves six hundred undergraduates. Its unique work program keeps costs low and campus community involvement high by employing students in…
JHS Honored with Milestone Award
NAMM has honored John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd. in Leeds with the Milestone Award for 50 years of service in the music products industry. The award recognizes retailers and…
Join NAMM’s Music Education Advocacy Efforts on Capitol Hill
NAMM members will take the nation’s capital by storm, May 18-21, 2015, making the case that all children deserve comprehensive school music education programs. Leaders of the music product industry,…
World-record Attempt at Musikmesse 2015: 1,000 Drummers Wanted
Musikmesse in Frankfurt will be the venue for a unique spectacle on April 18, 2015: the organisers plan to bring together 1,000 drummers and break the record for the world’s…
Trade Regrets: Richard O’Donnell
Richard O’Donnell passed away on January 15, 2015.O’Donnell was vice president of Yamaha Corporation of America at a very historic time in the company’s growth and development during the 1970s.…
Trade Regrets: Fritz Kollitz
On February 12th, NAMM’s Dan Del Fiorentino sent the following regarding the passing of Fritz Kollitz, founder of Fritz Kollitz Fine Tone Woods:Without a doubt, one of my favorite components…
Trade Regrets: DW Caffey
We recently received the following message from NAMM’s Dan Del Fiorentino:At the time of DW Caffey's NAMM Oral History interview in 2012, he had been tuning pianos for just over…
Trade Regrets: Bill Tregoe
Bill Tregoe passed away on February 25th. Throughout his 35-year career as a sales rep for CG Conn and later King Musical Instruments, Tregoe drove an estimated 1,300,000-plus miles.
Trade Regrets: Bob See
Bob See founded See Factor, a pioneering and innovative pro-lighting and pro-sound service. See’s career began when Bill Graham opened up the Fillmore East in the late 1960s. Bob cut…
JHS & LEWITT sponsor ‘International Producer Of The Year Award’
The Music Producers Guild hosted their 7th Annual Awards ceremony at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London. With a host of industry stalwarts, grammy-award winning producers, and engineers in attendance,…
Playground Sessions and Yamaha Music Interactive Enter Partnership
Playground Sessions™ and Yamaha Music Interactive, Inc. have partnered to offer Playground’s piano and keyboard learning software on Yamaha’s popular MusicSoft™ platform using Playground's Play To Learn™ technology. Co-created by the music producer, composer, and…
Ashly Audio Appoints Sound Directions as Exclusive UK Distributor
Ashly Audio announced the appointment of Sound Directions, Ltd. as its exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom. Sound Directions caters to consultants and A/V integrators with peerless systems knowledge and a…
On-Stage Honors the Outstanding Dealers of 2014
On-Stage announced its Outstanding AIMM Dealers of 2014 during a reception held at Winter NAMM. This year’s recipients included Robert M. Sides Family Music Centers, West Music, Dietze Music, Paige’s…
Kimberly Freeman Partners with Blackstar Amplification
Blackstar Amplification has announced a new partnership with Kimberly Freeman, the front-woman of rock duo One-Eyed Doll. Freeman has chosen the HT Metal 100 Series Amps as her go–to for…
Brent Fitz now using Vater Drumsticks
Brent Fitz is now using the Vater MV-10 Model Drumstick. His first public performance with theVater MV-10 was on Conan on February 5th. A quick backstory on how Fitz ends up in a…
Casio Donates Keyboards to Notes for Notes
Casio America, Inc is proud to announce it will be donating digital pianos and synthesizers to six new Notes for Notes® Recording Studios at Boys & Girls Clubs and after-school…
Yamaha Appoints Gutwein as Pro Audio & Combo District Manager
Yamaha has announced the appointment of Frank Gutwein as district manager for the company’s Pro Audio & Combo Division. His territory includes Northern California, Northern Nevada, Utah and Colorado. He…
On-Stage honors Kraft Music
On-Stage presented its third annual Dealer of the Year award at the 2015 Winter NAMM Show. Established in 2012, The Dealer of the Year award is presented to On-Stage dealers…