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GAMA Looks to the Future
Although 2020 has been perhaps the most challenging year for many in MI, there have been opportunities, especially when it comes to stay-at-home guitarists who have more time (and perhaps more money) available. With this in mind, how does the future look? The Retailer reached out to Skip Beltz, president of the Guitar & Accessories Manufacturers Association (GAMA), and Glen McCarthy, GAMA board member and executive director, Teaching Guitar Workshops (TGW), to learn more. We started by asking about the changing landscape regarding guitar end users, with the pandemic triggering an influx of new players of all ages. Beltz responded that GAMA ser ves its members as best as it can with the resources it has. “Thankfully, NAMM contributes to help our GAMA cause, and that is mainly our Skip Beltz Teaching Guitar Workshops,” said Beltz. “Outside of TGW, we tr y to be ambassadors to the music industr y by helping to connect MI people to each other through our communications and ongoing efforts to bring other great organizations that help guitar players to light and do what we can together. This recent time has been hard for all of us in the MI industr y, and we have tried to overcome the changes in our environments and provide solutions like the rest of the industr y has.” Looking to programs GAMA will offer in 2021, Beltz first recalled the association’s successful programs this year. “We offered our TGW classes this year virtually, and it was a glowing success,” he said. “We plan to transition into next year with similar and improved plans in case we can’t have in-person classes next year. We are lucky to have smart, enthusiastic industr y veterans on our board [of directors] that are ver y resourceful. We overcame this year with a great solution and like many, will continue with our eyes open to opportunities and changes that will keep us evolving.” Added McCarthy, “TGW is developing sites for the summer of 2021. Although nothing is certain, we are scheduling and plan to hold live and in-person classes. The energy that is in a classroom cannot be replicated in a Zoom meeting. TGW found the virtual classes implemented in summer 2020 were successful, and that format will continue. It is a good option for teachers that prefer to not be in a classroom. Whether live or virtual, taking a TGW gives resources for teachers to start a guitar program and/or expand an established program.” More information about Teaching Guitar Workshops (TGW) can be found at guitaredunet.org/about-2. Despite difficult times, GAMA’s main goals will not change significantly. “Our main goal is to bring together and grow the guitar community by promoting greater access to learning and playing guitar,” stated Beltz. “We want to ser ve the guitar community and be a resource. We also want to create a space where, for a short time, we can talk together about our main objective, and that is helping guitar players.” With most trade shows not taking place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be difficult for trade groups to get the word out. However, Beltz said word-of-mouth is working, as are inter views in trade publications like the Music & Sound Retailer, as well as making sure the latest information can be found at its discoverMUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
Glen McCarthy
guitar.com and guitaredunet.org websites. We concluded the inter view by looking for ward. Is GAMA optimistic for what we hope is a post-COVID 19 era? “Yes, we are,” Beltz relayed. “As with any other issue, we have to be resilient and force positive change. The MI industr y recognized ways to operate in spite of this pandemic. It opened up opportunities that we may not other wise have gotten a platform to, and with such quickness. We turned to technology to help spread music, live music, online. It was already happening, and it became a main way of music expression through this time. [It’s] an opportunity. Make the most of it.”
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