Music & Sound Retailer December 2018, Vol 35 No 12 by Music & Sound Retailer

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

December 2018 Volume 35, No. 12

VOTE ONLINE

Voting is officially open for the 33rd annual Music & Sound Awards at msretailer.com/vote

Vote Online Now

A record number of people turned out at the polls in November. Let’s hope we get a record turnout of votes for the Music & Sound Retailer’s Music & Sound Awards. Voting is officially open for the 33rd annual Music & Sound Awards at msretailer.com/vote. Hurry, the deadline is January 4. We will not accept votes after this date. As a reminder of who is nominated for awards this year, please see pages 24-41. A total of 30 awards are up for grabs, including Outstanding MI Service Provider, a new category this year. 2018 Rep of the Year

Lifetime Achievement/Hall of Fame

2018 Product of the Year Chauvet Freedom H1 X4 Fender Player Series Peavey MAX Bass Amp Series Dexibell VIVO S9 PRO Stage Piano

Bob Heller, Yamaha

Misha Guiffre, The Music Link

2018 Outstanding Community Service Award D’Addario Yamaha C.F. Martin Peavey

Albert Chauvet, CHAUVET

Jim Hennessey, The Music People

Ikutaro Kakehashi, Roland (posthumous)

Steve Long, Yorkville

2018 Outstanding MI Service Provider NEMC Rain Retail Software Reverb Veritas Instrument Rental

Ana Jaramillo, CHAUVET DJ

Best

Jeremy Payne, The Music People

2018 Manufacturer of the Year D’Addario Fender Yamaha CHAUVET DJ

Acoustic Guitar

Keyboard/Sound Module

Percussion Accessory

Bass Guitar

Amplifier

Wireless System

Guitar Accessory

Speaker

Cabled Microphone

Electric Guitar

Mixer/Console

Lighting Product

Effect Pedal

Multitrack Recorder

DJ Product

Non-Guitar Fretted Instrument

Acoustic Drum Product

Bag/Case

Strings

Electronic Drum Product

Book/Video/Software

Band & Orchestra Product

Cymbals

Accessory Product

of 2018

Voting is officially open for the 33rd annual Music & Sound Awards at msretailer.com/vote.

NAMM PREVIEW ISSUE

NAMM PREVIEW ISSUE NAMM PREVIEW ISSUE NAMM PREVIEW ISSUE

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

The Retailer Speaks With Gibson’s New CEO: P. 44

December 2018 Volume 35, No. 12

THE 2019 NAMM SHOW IS CERTAIN TO PROVIDE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE By Brian Berk No matter the reason, if you’ve never attended a NAMM show before, 2019 is the time to do so. And for those who have attended NAMM shows in Anaheim, Calif., many times in the past, there is yet another opportunity to learn something new that could change the course of your business, NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond told the Music & Sound Retailer. “Education will be a major focus at [The NAMM Show]. There are so many opportunities for dealers,” said Lamond. “The education at The NAMM Show will be unbelievable.” (continued on page 66)

The Nominations Are In By Brian Berk If you’re like me, a year passes in what seems like a few days. Another year is almost over. But in addition to holidays to look forward to, December means the nominations are in for the Music & Sound Awards. Within this magazine, please see the nominations for the 33rd edition of these awards, which will be handed out at The NAMM Show next month and several of which will be also be featured on the ConventionTV@NAMM broadcast. This time around, we added a 30th award for Outstanding MI Service Provider, honoring a company providing tremendous auxiliary services to retailers. NEMC, Rain Retail Software, Reverb and Veritas Instrument Rental are the nominees for this inaugural award. In addition, all of our favorite awards are back, including Lifetime Achievement/Hall of Fame, Product of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year and the Outstanding Community Service Award. (continued on page (continued on 50) page 24)

We Take Full Responsibility for

SUPPORTING MUSIC TEACHERS

Music education is a fundamental principle at Yamaha. So weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve partnered with DonorsChoose.org to support music teachers and help them acquire essential classroom supplies. Our #MusicEssentials program has assisted more than 700 teachers and 163,000 students in U.S. public schools. You can help schools in your area; visit yamaha.com/us/donorschoose to learn more.

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Guitar Center Opens Redesigned Flagship Store

Guitar Center hosted a grand debut of its redesigned flagship Hollywood store location, which encompasses 30,000 square feet on Sunset Boulevard. The remodeled store features a large assortment of musical instruments, a 15-footlong interactive pedal display, a 24-foot-wide snare drum wall, interactive brand displays from manufacturers such as Fender and Gibson, and the retailer’s largest standalone vintage guitar room featuring exclusive and rare vintage instruments. Music memorabilia is also showcased throughout the store, including Eric Clapton’s “Blackie” Fender Stratocaster and other gear from influential artists such as BB King, Slash, Johnny Cash, Eddie Van Halen and St. Vincent. The Hollywood store opened on Nov. 3, nearly 33 years to the day after the location first opened in 1985. “Guitar Center’s $5 million investment into our newly revitalized Hollywood flagship location transforms it into one of the largest musical instrument stores in the world, full of the greatest selection of music instruments, accessories, music memorabilia, state-of-the-art lessons facilities and more,” said Ron Japinga, CEO, Guitar Center. “Exemplifying our deep commitment and investment in the music industry, we are thrilled to unveil our reimagined flagship location to the public. The redesigned Hollywood store represents a renewal of our legacy, which lies at the heart of LA’s music scene and celebrates the rebirth of an icon — the greatest music store on earth.” To honor the grand reopening and renew Guitar Center’s longstanding legacy in support of music and music makers in Los Angeles and everywhere, the company commissioned a bright new mural for the full-block façade of the store. Designed by street artists Amanda Lynn, Scott Marsh and Patrick Griffith, the mural prominently features Jimi Hendrix alongside an up-and-coming artist finding her sound, with a collage of musical instruments that symbolizes bringing the community together in harmony. “Everything about the mural has to do with movement and a lot of color, like in Jimi’s song ‘Bold as Love,’” said Janie Hendrix, president and CEO of Experience and Authentic Hendrix, and the younger sister

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of Jimi Hendrix. “It just really feels not only visually beautiful, but as if you can feel the movement of the colors and can almost hear the sound. I really feel like Jimi’s music and lyrics are interpreted in this artwork.” The second floor of the Hollywood store is dedicated to a state-ofthe-art, eight-room lessons facility. By investing in lessons facilities in all of its stores around the United States, Guitar Center is filling the gap created by the decline of music education in schools and working to give anyone who wants to play the opportunity to realize the benefits of learning and playing music, stated the company.

Music Distributors Association Ceases Operations

Dallas, Texas-based The Music Distributors Association (MDA) announced it is ceasing operations and therefore will cancel its Jan. 22 “Show & Tell” event in Anaheim, Calif. Below is the Nov. 2 email the organization sent. The email read: “The Music Distributors Association is ceasing operations as an organization and has cancelled the Show & Tell event scheduled for January 22, 2019. As the distribution model has changed over the years with the advent of the internet, buying groups and industry consolidation, MDA has worked to remain relevant. But we also recognize that our efforts are no longer financially sustainable. Rather than risk going into the ‘red’ with one last show, we reluctantly bid farewell to our band of business-to-business brothers and sisters and thank you all for your support over the years. It’s been a great ride, and we wish everyone a very successful 2019 NAMM Winter Show!” MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

VOLUME 35 NO.12

THE NEWS MAGAZINE FOR MUSIC PRODUC TS RETAILERS

Features On The Cover The Nominations Are In

Learn every nominee for the Music & Sound Retailer’s 33rd annual Music & Sound Awards. This year we have 30 categories, and you can vote for winners now at msretailer.com/vote.

Now is the Time

If you’ve never attended The NAMM Show before, now is the time to make it to Anaheim next month, explains Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. And we have plenty of the latest information for those who attend regularly as well.

Buzz 5 Latest 16 People 18 Products 6

Columns 42 Special to the Retailer

Chuck Surack, president and owner of Sweetwater Sound, Mynett Music & All Pro Sound, pens an opinion piece describing what he states are the “downsides to manufacturer direct sales.”

44 Five Minutes With

56 Retailer Rebel

Gabriel O’Brien’s third installment of his series on the importance of video offers five tips on how to create great video content.

58 Shine a Light

James “JC” Curleigh joined Gibson Brands Inc. on Nov. 1. In this can’tmiss interview, he talks about his philosophy, goals for the company and much more.

Cordova, Tenn.-based Blues City Music never runs sales and offers flexible hours by appointment, creating a feeling of high-end exclusivity that is exactly what James L. Burke III, owner of Blues City Music, wants for customers visiting his business.

46 MI Spy

60 Veddatorial

52 ‘Hire’ Learning

62 Under the Hood

54 In the Trenches

70 The Final Note

We take a look back at 2018 with all 11 winners of MI Spy articles this month. Find out what these retailers did so well to win over MI Spy’s heart.

Will Mason concludes 2018 by finishing off his discussion regarding how to hire the right people for your team. This month, he discusses “onboarding.”

MI retailers are pulled in many directions regarding donation requests. But you can’t give to every charity you deem worthy. Allen McBroom offers a game plan.

Some manufacturers, jobbers and retailers alike have reached a “tipping” point, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it, explains Dan Vedda.

The QRS-Connect offers a wide range of features that allows musicians to play, practice, record and share their music wherever the road may take them.

Stephen Schmidt, vice president of Casio’s Electronic Musical Instruments Division, is a big fan of ‘70s-era foreign sports cars, and much more.

DECEMBER 2018

OFTEN IMITATED. NEVER DUPLICATED. INTRODUCING

THE PLAYER SERIES JAGUAR

NEW PICKUPS. NEW COLORS. AUTHENTIC TONE.

PLAYER SERIES JAGUAR IN TIDE POOL ©2018 FMIC. FENDER, FENDER in script, JAGUAR and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

EDITORIAL My son Dylan at FAO Schwarz on Nov. 23.

Year-End Thoughts

Another year is coming to a close. These days, they all fly by too quickly. But most importantly, I hope it was a great year for you and your store. I have a lot of memories from 2018 that are sure to stay in my mind for years to come. Here’s a look at some of them. n As is the case every year, the MI industry started the year off right with The NAMM Show in Anaheim, Calif. I have a lot of memories from this year’s event. Two that really stood out in my mind were during the presentation of the Music & Sound awards. One was presenting our Lifetime Achievement/Hall of Fame award to Fender’s Richard McDonald in front of a packed audience. The other was surprising the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir with our Best Electric Guitar award for his D’Angelico signature edition. n Spending three hours at the Summer NAMM show in Nashville in June to present Music & Sound Dealer awards. Speaking of Summer NAMM, the Top 100 event was fantastic. n Attendance at NAMM’s Advocacy Fly-In event in May in Washington, D.C. I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but the event for me is electric. Whether it’s hanging out with retailers and manufacturers alike, meeting celebrities like Bernie Williams and J. Dash, or meeting politicians and seeing where our country’s decisions are made, the Advocacy Fly-In was special this year. n The invitation to appear at several manufacturer events. One was Roland’s tremendous “Totally Drums” event in May in California. I also attended multiple topnotch Yamaha events in New York City, as well as a cool event in Times Square hosted by Guitar Center. I even got to take a ukulele lesson at the GC event. n Debunking (I hope) the theory that electric guitars are dying. Nonsense indeed. n Getting the opportunity to visit some MI retail loca-

tions. Although, I need to visit many more! n Seeing my two-year-old son become interested in music for the first time. OK, he enjoys the lyrically challenged “Baby Shark” the most, a video of which I have seemingly viewed a million times. He does like Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You” also. Now, on to some observations I’ve made late in the year as of the date I’m writing this, as well as a look ahead. n Unemployment is historically low, certainly a tremendous sign, allowing customers to buy products at your stores. Our economy was certainly good in 2018, but cracks may have shown in October, based upon abysmal stock market performance that month. n Tariffs are the great unknown. A last-minute deal can still be struck. If not, once more tariffs are implemented, it’s hard to tell how they will affect our economy. n Although I am not saying it will happen, anecdotally, a recession seems possible in the next couple of years. It’s important to take a look at how a future recession will affect your business. n Despite these headwinds, MI is strong. Interest is high in the products you sell, which is obviously a huge plus. I want to finish by congratulating all of our Music & Sound Award nominees for a job well done this year. A list of nominees appears in this issue. Winners will be announced at The NAMM Show next month. To learn more about the show itself, please check out our other cover story this month. I wish you all happy holidays. We will see you next year for our NAMM issue!

December 2018 Volume 35, No. 12

BRIAN BERK Editor bberk@testa.com ANTHONY VARGAS Associate Editor avargas@testa.com AMANDA MULLEN Assistant Editor amullen@testa.com

GEORGE HINES SKIP MAGGIORA Editorial Advisors

ROBERT L. IRAGGI Advertising Director riraggi@testa.com

JANICE PUPELIS Art Director STEVE THORAKOS Production Manager CIRCULATION circulation@testa.com FRED GUMM Digital Art Director

RICKY PIMENTEL Art/Production Assistant rpimentel@testa.com

DONOVAN BANKHEAD ROBERT CHRISTIE JEFF KYLE JR. MICHELLE LOEB

WILL MASON ALLEN MCBROOM GABRIEL O'BRIEN

ROBIN HAZAN Operations Manager rhazan@testa.com VINCENT P. TESTA President/Publisher TIM SPICER DAN VEDDA LAURA B. WHITMORE Contributors

Editorial and Sales Office: The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Phone: (516) 767-2500 • Fax: (516) 767-9335 • MSREDITOR@TESTA.COM. Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, The Music & Sound Retailer, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York 11050-3779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care and must be accompanied by return postage. Sound & Communications • DJ Times • Sound & Communications Blue Book The Music & Sound Retailer • The DJ Expo • IT/AV Report The Retailer Report • Convention TV @ NAMM • InfoCommTV News VTTV Studios The Music & Sound Retailer (ISSN 0894-1238) (USPS 0941-238) is published 12 times a year for $18 (US), by Retailer Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050-3779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, N.Y. and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Music & Sound Retailer, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767

DECEMBER 2018

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Fender: Women Set the Pace for Aspiring Musicians

Half of all beginner and aspiring musicians in the United States and England are women, according to new research conducted by Fender Musical Instruments Corp. (FMIC) in conjunction with Egg Strategy. Musicians are playing guitar now more than ever, but in new, innovative ways and with artists being able to increasingly create and share their music, according to Fender. The research, titled “Illuminating the State of Today’s Guitar Players,” also revealed five more key insights. Of respondents, 72 percent said they picked up guitar for the first time to gain a life skill or as a means of self-betterment. Players in the U.S. and U.K. cited differences in where they play, with half of respondents in the U.K. listing “playing privately” as their preferred environment, 18 percent more than U.S. players. Respondents had humble aspirations and were not looking for rockstar status, with 61 percent of guitar players simply wanting to learn songs to play by themselves or socially. In most cases, new players were looking to play favorite songs for their friends and family, with 46 percent wanting to make music with others. Of those surveyed, 42 percent said they viewed guitar as part of their identity. Beginning and aspirational guitar players ranked online, videobased tutorials as the “most effective resource to learn guitar,” even over private lessons.

From left to right: Mark Tirabassi, Jim Bickley and Robbie McFarland

On the Attack

Attack Drumheads is now under new ownership, led by industry veterans Jim Bickley, former vice president of Universal Percussion; Robbie McFarland, general manager of Hubbard Music retail stores; and Mark Tirabassi, president of Mavi Inc., who launched a new wholesale company, Cardinal Percussion. In addition to relaunching, rebranding and retooling Attack Drumheads, Cardinal Percussion will wholesale and distribute many of the drumming industry’s most popular brands of accessories. Cardinal Percussion, headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio, features a complete line of Cardinal Percussion-branded small goods. “Between us, Robbie, Mark and I are fortunate to have made many friends in this industry over the years,” said Bickley. “We look forward to renewing those relationships and providing our dealers and their customers excellent, high-value products and an unparalleled level of service.” Added drummer Eric Singer of KISS: “Attack drumheads have been an integral part of my sound for over 20 years. After speaking with Mark [Tirabassi] about the new product designs, concepts and direction of the brand, I can safely say the future of this drumhead brand is on the Attack!”

Heard on the Sidestreet

Lansing, Mich.-based Sidestreet Distributing announced that it is the exclusive U.S. and Canadian distributor for Farida Guitar & Ukulele. An established brand in the U.K. and Asia, Farida is making its first move into the U.S. with its Old Town Series guitars. The latest additions to the Old Town Series are four new slope shoulder dreadnought models. Farida also has a lineup of 00-size guitars, the OT-20 Series, which also feature solid spruce tops (in gloss sunburst or natural finish) and vintage-style appointments. A line of Old Town Series ukuleles will be released shortly.

DECEMBER 2018

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QSC Opens Training Center

QSC opened its Boulder Training Center in Boulder, Colo., providing a hands-on learning environment to deliver QSC ecosystem training to integrators, programmers, consultants and end users. “Training is one of the most effective ways QSC connects with its customers. We have worked hard to create best-in-class training opportunities that are interactive, fun and accessible,” said Patrick Heyn, director of marketing, QSC Systems. “Furthermore, this new training facility is mere footsteps away from our Q-SYS development team, which has allowed us to incorporate Q-SYS product managers and engineers as adjunct professors. This presents a unique opportunity for attendees to learn about Q-SYS straight from the people developing the platform roadmap.” The Boulder Training Center currently offers courses focused on the Q-SYS Platform. However, this facility’s flexible design allows for future training sessions across other QSC products to be rolled out later next year. Each student works on a full Q-SYS workstation, including the latest Q-SYS Core processors and peripherals, along with common third-party devices, allowing students to develop realworld audio, video and control systems. All QSC online and classroom training is offered to students free of charge.

Blue Wins Engineering Emmy

Blue Microphones’ Mix-Fi studio headphones received the 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development. The award honors engineering developments that considerably improve existing methods, or innovations that affect the production of television. “We’re honored to have created the first headphones to ever win an Emmy Award,” said John Maier, CEO of Blue Microphones. “It’s always been our goal at Blue to create products that push the boundaries of technology and design. Winning an Emmy Award highlights the innovation we strive for, and it’s a landmark win for the company.” Mix-Fi is widely adopted by re-recording and production mixers, supervising sound editors, sound designers, musicians and music editors for its unique performance and accuracy.

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Music China Draws 110,000 Attendees

Phil Jones Bass Featured at Berklee

Phil Jones (front row, center) poses with members of the Berklee faculty.

More than 110,000 visitors from 81 countries and regions crossed paths with 2,252 exhibitors during Music China in October, with attendees and exhibitors enjoying increases of 5 percent and 5.4 percent compared to the 2017 show, respectively. “We couldn’t be happier with how the show has gone this year,” said Judy Cheung, deputy general manager of Messe Frankfurt Shanghai Co. Ltd., who presented the show. Outlining which areas of the Shanghai, China show provided the best results, she added: “Our live performance stages have been busier than ever before, and people seem to love the combination of getting business done in an engaging environment. We’re also satisfied with how our stronger focus on music education and culture has been positively received. The fringe event topics have drawn people to learn, share and network more efficiently at the fairground.” The ever-popular outdoor drum circles and children’s musical performances also put smiles on the faces of all in attendance and offered insight into how valuable music can be, not only from a business and trade perspective, but also in terms of enjoyment, togetherness and education, stated Messe Frankfurt. A full house at the NAMM Industry Forum on the first day of the show was another highlight. NAMM Chair Robin Walenta (pictured) was among those who spoke during this event.

Phil Jones Bass (PJB) amplification has been implemented at Berklee College’s Bass Department in each of its practice studios, as well as its performance/recital rooms. Most of the teaching studios will be anchored by PJB’s BG-400 Suitcase Compact Combo with the BG 75 Double 4 and BG-100 Bass Cub rounding out the other spaces. “At PJB we strive for the highest quality, and we are delighted for our bass systems to be included by the Berklee Bass Department, as we consider it to offer the preeminent educational bass curriculum in the world,” said Phil Jones. “Phil Jones Bass systems will add another great tonal flavor in our Bass Department and will assist with allowing our faculty and students to achieve the most productive results from their teaching and rehearsal sessions,” added Steve Bailey, Berklee’s Bass Department chair. Established in 2002, PJB and AIRPULSE Guitar Amps are divisions of Phil Jones American Acoustic Development. PJB is dedicated to using the latest technology in the design of compact bass amps and loudspeakers that achieve highest in fidelity and volume. Phil Jones owns several patents for loudspeaker technology. “The compact, yet powerful, designs complement our teaching and performance rooms where space is at a premium and tone, as always, is important. PJB and Berklee Bass equals Tone 101,” said Sandro Scoccia, assistant chair of the Bass Department.

Mojotone Becomes Exclusive MagSlide Distributor

Mojotone has teamed up with ThixoTek to become the exclusive distributor of MagSlide. The North Carolina-based company is now distributing the MS2, which it states is the world’s first magnesium guitar slide, offering guitars players a lightweight, comfortable and toneful alternative to conventional glass, steel and brass slides. Engineered to provide slide players a better performance, MagSlide’s Comfort Grooves provide more control and allows airflow between the finger and the inside wall of the slide, Mojotone added. Because the MagSlide is lightweight, it can be played on both acoustic and electric guitars with lighter-gauge strings with lower action.

DECEMBER 2018

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User-Friendly New App

Musician’s Friend Inc. launched its next-generation mobile app, available for both iPhones and Android devices at their respective app stores. Available now for free download, the Musician’s Friend mobile app lets end users shop for gear from the palms of their hands. New features of the app include the ability to save searches and add product alerts that will notify customers when new matches arrive or if a product drops in price. Most orders made through the app will qualify for free ground shipping. Additionally, members of the Musician’s Friend Loyalty Program will receive 8-percent back in reward points, free

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ground shipping on all orders, early access to great deals, VIP service from the retailer’s call center and more. Members will also be able to easily manage their Musician’s Friend Loyalty Program rewards through the app. “Our updated mobile app is among the most convenient and sophisticated ways to shop for musical gear available,” said Bob Biles, Musician’s Friend director.

St. Louis Music Purchases H.W. Products

St. Louis Music purchased the assets of H.W. Products Inc., a maker of brass and woodwind cleaners and accessories since 1975. With this purchase, SLM acquired 100-percent ownership of the H.W. brand. “I’ve had the pleasure of doing business with H.W. and the Koregelos family for many years,” said Mark Ragin, president and CEO of St. Louis Music. “I’ve come to know their line as one of great ingenuity and quality and also have great respect for the work Angela [Koreglos] and her late father, George, have put into their company. It’s really an honor that Angela has agreed to pass the torch to SLM. We’re thrilled to offer our broad distributor and dealer base the current H.W. line and look forward to adding additional products to their great offering.” H.W. Products began as a modest repair shop when George Koregelos opened “House of Woodwinds” in 1960. His reputation as a top-class repair technician grew, and he began to see a need for better cleaning and maintenance products, leading him to patent and market products like the popular H.W. Pad Saver and, later, the H.W. Brass Saver. “For me, it’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work in the music industry,” said Angela Koreglos, president of H.W. Products. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

obin Note From R

RG 8 • NAMM.O 1 0 2 R E B L • DECEM DVERTORIA

Attending NAMM Has Been an Integral Part of West Music’s Success Nearly every successful dealer I know wouldn’t dream of missing it. Here’s why I think it matters. For most of us regular people, it is so natural to get distracted about what’s happening each business day, online and elsewhere, that we can lose sight of the importance of having a strategic plan, our roadmap for the future. And I get it, when looking at booking the trip to Southern California, we’re talking about real dollars and real-time commitments with many seemingly more urgent priorities. Here’s why I personally think attending The NAMM Show just might be the most important investment you’ll make in your business all year. Attending is the number one opportunity to work on the most important aspect of business success, yourself! With a combination of passion and opportunity on display, the platform offers the rare chance for you to see a vision of the future, what trends will be coming next, and what new skills and ideas will be necessary to maximize your success. Personally, I credit so much of my career to the educational and networking opportunities I’ve had at NAMM. Our industry has visionary leaders willing to share their knowledge and passion at NAMM U, and the price for all of this incredible knowledge was simply attending (and learning!). My annual pilgrimage to Southern California also reminds me that I wouldn’t be where I am without the incredible support, mentoring, and friendship of so many talented people, and that having been so blessed, we all have a responsibility to give back to the next generation of industry leaders. And giving credit where credit is due, in addition to my retail peers, I believe our exhibiting members are the stars who have taught me the most! Their drive to innovate and compete deserves our admiration and respect, and without them this incredible experience wouldn’t be possible. Where else can you connect with leaders from over 7,000 brands, all in one location, to see first-hand the latest products and have the critical conversations that will allow you to work together as effectively as possible? For West Music, we think of multichannel as much more than just our website and bricks-and-mortar stores. Many retailers today are expanding into the live sound and event technology space and this year’s NAMM Show will welcome more exhibitors and how-to

sessions than ever before, something of great interest to us personally and to many of our peers who are seeking new and profitable opportunities. Our annual family reunion is chance for all of us to give back. Supporting The NAMM Show fuels our associations ‘Circle of Benefits’ business model using trade show revenues to support and advocate for music education, fund new music programs and music-brain research, lobby policy makers to create more music makers of all ages. We’ve had some major legislative and policy victories in the past few years, and, while there is always much more work to be done, school music and arts programs are alive and well in our country thanks in part to these important efforts. And as an industry, I strongly believe that we can and should be more diverse and more inclusive. In my 30 years of attending The NAMM Show, I have witnessed a growing sea change in the positions women hold, and with our new S.W.I.M Fund (Smart Women in Music), we are doing even more to empower and mentor up and coming professionals to reach their full potential. Our diversity pipeline is filled with talented young people who will be leading the industry for decades to come. Those who know me well, know that I’m kind of a “bottom line” person, and the bottom line with attending The NAMM Show is simple. Coming to Anaheim (and bringing as many of your team as possible, to strengthen your bench, and reward and encourage your rising stars) and taking advantage of the incredible educational opportunities along with seeing the flood of new and innovative products will set the stage for your growth and success. Oh, and you’ll likely have a ton of fun, catch up with friends and peers and rediscover the passion that got us all in the business in the first place! With a return on investment like that, how can anyone who is serious about success possibly miss it? Think of the NAMM Show as your “club house”, your “Cheer’s Bar” where everyone knows your name. We’ll see you there! Robin Walenta • NAMM Chair • President/CEO of West Music

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Personally, I credit so much of my career to the educational and networking opportunities I’ve had at NAMM. Our industry has visionary leaders willing to share their knowledge and passion at NAMM U and the price for all of this incredible knowledge was simply attending (and learning!). Robin Walenta • NAMM Chair • President/CEO of West Music

There is still time to plan your trip to The NAMM Show. Learn more at namm.org/attend

PEOPLE

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Gushing About Guzman

Michelle Guzman joined Yamaha Corp. of America (YCA) as director of Studio 60, the company’s in-house creative agency for Yamaha musical instruments and audiovisual products. Guzman reports directly to Matt Searfus, vice president of marketing at YCA. “With more than 20 years of experience in managing leading global advertising and marketing accounts, Michelle has the exact skill set we were looking for,” Searfus said. “She is a proven collaborator with an enviable track record of successful campaigns, and we are excited to have her on our team.” Before joining Yamaha, Guzman was the senior account director of retail and CRM at Spark44, where she was the client lead on Jaguar Land Rover retail marketing campaigns and initiatives. “To set something up for success in any field, you must have the right ingredients: a solid strategy, a strong team and a sense of purpose,” said Guzman. “Everyone at Yamaha shares a passion for their products, and it is inspiring to see this common purpose. I am looking forward to being part of that purpose with my new team.” Guzman graduated from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business with a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Outside of work, she enjoys advocating for Alzheimer’s, traveling, cooking and spending time with her husband and their two children. Guzman is also an avid concert goer and enjoys many genres of music.

Point of Sale + Website + Rentals

"Our year-over-year sales increased by 35% after switching to Rain Retail" ~Jeremy Chapman, Owner, The Acoustic Shoppe

Kudos to Krouse

Elixir Strings named Krista Krouse its global sales leader. Krouse will be responsible for the strategic sales growth of the Elixir Strings business worldwide. She has more than 15 years of sales leadership experience. “I couldn’t be more energized to strengthen and grow the Elixir Strings business as we work closely with our valued distributors, retailers/e-tailers and players. I’m eager to partner with Ute Wana, regional sales leader for EMEA, and other sales associates worldwide in my new role and leverage their strong sales leadership and innovation. Together, we are excited about the future of this strong brand,” said Krouse. Prior to this promotion, Krouse was the Americas sales leader responsible for strategic sales in North and South America, and she also provided oversight to Australia and the Asia Pacific regions. She replaces Lou DiPietro, who was promoted to a divisional sales leadership position with W. L. Gore and Associates Inc., parent company of Elixir Strings.

In Memoriam: Arnold McLerran

The Yorkville Sound family was saddened to announce the passing of friend and colleague, Arnold “Arnie” McLerran. McLerran, a United States Army veteran, was held in high regard by many business associates throughout the southeast during his successful career as a salesman in the music industry. He was currently employed with Yorkville Sound and was known for his intense work ethic. Prior to his many years with Yorkville, McLerran worked with Gibson Guitars cloud-based system and Kustom Amplification. Always engaging and enjoy• POS & Website able in conversation, he was (Integrated Inventory) a long-standing member of Yorkville’s U.S. sales force, • Rent to Own and a tenacious and tireless • Reverb Integration worker. • Product Data Integration “Nobody traveled a terri(Alfred & D’Addario) tory harder than Arnie, and • Class Management nobody was more excited to • Service/Repairs Tracking work a trade show than him. Beloved by his customers • Automated Marketing and by our inside team, Arnie • And more! will truly be missed,” stated Yorkville.

ALL IN ONE

See how it works! rainpos.com/music As seen at

www.rainpos.com/music sales@rainpos.com • (801) 893-3680

COMING NEXT MONTH Our NAMM issue, featuring the latest news, a huge product section and much more!

DECEMBER 2018

V I VO

A Renaissance of tone, touch, and technology.

Come See Us at NAMM Show Booth 9902 for a Demo The VIVO S9 is the most enlightened stage piano ever created. Featuring Dexibellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patented T2L (True to Life) sound engine with robust and expandable onboard sound library. A newly developed, precisely calibrated hammer action keyboard with hybrid wood and ivory-feel keys with after-touch, hands-free assignable motorized draw-faders, and a beautifully designed interface with elegant backlit controls. Step out of the Dark Ages.

BECOME A DEALER TODAY (888) 588-4099 | antonio.ferranti@dexibell.com | dexibell.com 4

DECEMBER 2018

PRODUCT

z z u B

Socket to Me Truss Rod Socket Wrenches are the newest addition to Music Nomad Equipment Care’s tool collection. Two sizes are available to fit most Truss Rod socket sizes: 1/4 inch and 5/16 inch. The product design includes an ergonomic handle that provides comfort and ease while using. The protective rubber bumper prohibits the user from pressing the metal handle into the side of the truss rod opening, thus damaging the guitar finish. To open truss rod covers and other small screw adjustments, there’s a magnetized screwdriver included for convenience. MSRP: $12.99–$14.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Music Nomad Equipment Care, musicnomadcare.com

Transformer … Voices in Disguise

Roland’s VT-4 Voice Transformer is a new effects processor intended for manipulating the human voice. Compact and easy to use, the VT-4 allows the user to connect a microphone and quickly craft unique vocal sounds with performance-oriented controls. Harmony, vocoding, pitch shifting, hard tuning, ambience and other high-quality effects are available, providing everything from subtle augmentation to radical transformation. Battery powered and ready to travel, the VT-4 is a must-have companion for singers, DJs, web broadcasters and all those who use their voice in a creative application, stated the company. The VT-4 features a hands-on interface for instant creative control. Users can manipulate their sound while they sing or speak, constantly altering the effect to suit the track and enhance the vibe of a performance. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: Roland, roland.com

Percussion Discussion

Alfred Music released “Sound Percussion for Individual or Group Instruction,” an addition to its “Sound Innovations” series. Dave Black, one of the biggest-selling percussion authors in the world and composer, clinician and instrumental music teacher Chris Bernotas have teamed up to write this comprehensive resource for teaching percussion. “Sound Percussion” comprises four books: “Snare Drum & Bass Drum,” “Mallet Percussion,” “Timpani” and “Accessory Percussion,” all of which focus on developing skills of intermediate to advanced percussion students. Each book can be used independently to focus on a particular instrument or in any combination with each other as a full-percussion ensemble. With a clear and consistent approach, students will learn the fundamentals necessary to become well-rounded percussionists. Lessons are presented in a fun and interesting way so that all members of the percussion section are engaged, stated the company. A Teacher’s Score is also available. MSRP: $14.99 (Teacher’s Handbook: $49.99) Ship Date: Now Contact: Alfred, alfred.com

Grand Slam

Electro-Harmonix released the Grand Canyon, equipped with 12 effect types plus a fully featured looper capable of recording and overdubbing its effects. The pedal provides up to three seconds of delay time, tap tempo and nine tap divide settings, stereo output, 13 presets, programmable EXP pedal settings and high-quality analog bypass with soft switching. The Grand Canyon’s 13 modes are: Echo, MOD, Multi, Reverse, DMM, Tape, Reverb, Pitch, Shim, Samples/Hold, Drum, Double and Looper. Includes unlimited overdubs, undo/redo, dedicated stop button, loop fade-out, reverse and speed adjust. The pedal also comes with a 9.6VDC/200mA power supply. Street Price: $249 Ship Date: Now Contact: Electro-Harmonix, ehx.com DECEMBER 2018

Best Loud speaker of 2018 Vote for On

e Product

6817-11-15-2018

QSC CP Se ries Compact P owered Loudspeak ers

Best Mixe r/Console of 2018 Vote for On

e Product

QSC TouchMix 30 Pro Version 1.3 ™

Thank you, dealers, for your generous support.

PRODUCT

z z u B

Roll With It

HSA added durable black matte high-pressure laminate (HPL) to its AV rolltop desks’ under-table bracing, complementing its use on the table worksurface, SlideOut Upper Rack Bays, RollBases and rack floors. The Black Matte desk tables provide a less reflective, hard and smooth worksurface that is matched in the new SlideOut Upper Bays on the High Rise Standard Rolltop and other High Rise desks. The Black Matte HPL is used for desk rack floors and the desk RollBases for added toughness, stated the company. It is available in eight colors of real-wood Northern Oak veneers. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: HSA, hsarolltops.com

Boss Tweed

Fender’s Monterey Tweed Bluetooth Speaker is powerful at 120 watts and packed with music-friendly features, including 33-foot-plus Bluetooth range. The Monterey Bluetooth Speaker makes it easy to bring Fender’s classic stage-ready style, performance and sound to an end user’s home, office or dorm room, stated the company. Designed in southern California, with a look inspired by Fender’s classic amplifiers, the Monterey brings its clear sound to streaming music, the company added. The Monterey was given a look inspired by classic ’68 Custom amplifiers. MSRP: $379.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Fender, fender.com

Going Stagg

Stagg 52 Series Pro Drum Hardware comprises both single and double pedals, hi-hat, snare, cymbal (straight and boom) and throne. The 52 Series is stable, durable and laden with features not normally seen at this midrange price point, according to the company. It offers heavyduty pedals with double chain and maximum adjustability, combined with cymbal stands featuring omnidirectional tilters, features that make the series stand out from the rest, along with nice packaging for display, making it a perfect product for stage and audio, the manufacturer added. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: EMD Music, emdmusic.com

Skeleton Crew

Morley released the DJ Ashba Mini Skeleton Wah. Ashba currently plays with Sixx:A.M. and previously played for Guns N’ Roses, Beautiful Creatures and BulletBoys. Based off his signature Morley Skeleton Wah, this new pedal incorporates all of the original features and look, but now in a smaller footprint. Measuring in at 6.85 inches in length, 4.5 inches wide and 2.75 inches in height, it’s perfect for pedalboards, gig bags and crowded stages, stated the company. It is also Electro-Optical, so there is no pot to wear out and get scratchy. The switchless design means you simply step on to activate the Wah and step off to go to bypass. The Wah uses a custom MQ2 Inductor and True Tone buffer circuit to prevent signal loading or “tone suck.” MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: Morley, morleyproducts.com DECEMBER 2018

Thanks for Your Nominations! Best Bass Guitar of 2018 Peavey Cirrus™ Best Electric Guitar of 2018 Peavey HP™2 Best Effect Pedal of 2018 Peavey Trace Elliot® Transit™ A Acoustic Preamp & Effect Pedal Best Amplifier of 2018 Peavey MAX® Bass Amp Series Best Mixer/Console of 2018 Peavey Unity™ DR16 Digital Mixer 2018 Product of the Year Peavey MAX® Bass Amp Series 2018 Outstanding Community Service Award Peavey

Learn more at peavey.com

33RD ANNUAL

PRODUCT

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On the Dime

IK Multimedia introduced the Dimebag Darrell CFH Collection for AmpliTube. This collection features models of the exact gear used by “Dimebag” Darrell Lance Abbott on Pantera’s groundbreaking album, “Cowboys From Hell.” Mac and PC users can enjoy nine new models, including two amps, two cabinets and five stompboxes. The stompboxes are 6-Band EQ; Pre EQ 3; Flanger Doubler; Dime Wah; and Dime Noise Gate. The amplifiers comprise Darrell From Hell 100 and Jazz Amp 120CFH. And the two cabinets are Darrell From Hell 412 and JP Jazz CFH. For the Dimebag Darrell CFH Collection, IK Multimedia used its latest Dynamic Interaction Modeling to deliver the highest level of ultra-realistic sound when modeling Dime’s gear, according to the company. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Contact company Contact: IK Multimedia, ikmultimedia.com/dimebag

I Truly Understand

With the 2nd edition of “Understanding Audio” by Daniel M. Thompson, assistant chair of music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music, recording musicians of all backgrounds can have a better understanding of audio principles and how they might impact their work. This book features more than 100 pages of brand-new information, bringing even greater knowledge to musicians looking to get the most out of their recording projects and studios. Featuring 18 total chapters, the book also comes with various projects at the end of each chapter to assist musicians in applying principles covered throughout the book to their own recording environment. MSRP: $29.99 Ship Date: Now Contact: Hal Leonard, halleonard.com

What’s Old is New Again

Farida Guitar & Ukulele added four new slope-shoulder dreadnought guitars to its Old Town Series. Designed in collaboration with a prominent American vintage instrument dealer, these guitars are inspired by coveted pre-war acoustic guitars but built using modern techniques for easy playability. All four models feature a solid Sitka spruce top with a gloss sunburst finish, as well as vintageinspired appointments like a tortoise plastic pickguard, ivoroid ABS binding and three-on-a-plate open-gear “arrowhead” tuners. These items are built from CITES-free materials, making them ideal for international travel, stated the company. The new models are: OT-62 — laminated mahogany back and sides, 1 11/16-inch nut, 24.7-inch scale length (also available with a Fishman Sonitone active pickup); OT-63 — laminated pau ferro back and sides, 1 11/16-inch nut, 24.7-inch scale length; OT-64 — laminated maple back and sides with sunburst finish, 1 11/16-inch nut, 24.7-inch scale length; and OT-65X — solid mahogany back and sides, 1 3/4-inch nut, extended 25.5-inch scale length. MSRP: Contact company Ship Date: Now Contact: Farida Guitar & Ukulele, faridausa.com

I’ve Got the Power

Yamaha introduced new lines of powered (DZR/DXS-XLF) and passive (CZR/CXS-XLF) loudspeakers and subwoofers. The DZR line of powered speakers, along with the DXS-XLF powered subwoofers, use high-performance components and the latest DSP to provide superior audio quality, stated the company. The digital processing in all powered models is all done at 96kHz. This high speed, combined with the newly developed Advanced FIR-X tuning technology, minimizes latency and phase distortion. The DZR and DXS series are also available with Dante integration. The “D” models incorporate smart system integration with Yamaha consoles and other Dante devices via a 2 in/2 out I/O configuration. The CZR series of passive speakers is ideal for those installations where power amplifiers are used remotely. MSRP: DZR10: $1,725; DZR12: $1,875; DZR15: $2,025; DZR315: $2,400; DXS15XLF: $2,100; DXS18XLF: $2,250 Powered with Dante: DZR10-D: $1,950; DZR12-D: $2,100; DZR15-D: $2,250; DZR315-D: $2,625; DXS15XLF-D: $2,325; DXS18XLF-D: $2,475 Passive Models: CZR10: $1,050 Ship Date: Now Contact: Yamaha, usa.yamaha.com

DECEMBER 2018

WITH A GIFT FROM

FOR A LIMITED TIME, PURCHASE AN i5 MICROPHONE AND GET A FREE CABGRABBER™ MIC CLAMP* The Audix i5 is a versatile dynamic cardioid microphone designed for guitar cabinets, a variety of instruments, and vocals. A great companion to the i5, the CabGrabber tensionfit mic clamp attaches to amps and cabinets, ensuring precise positioning of microphones up to 16 ounces — conveniently packaged in a holiday gift box.

*Offer expires 12/31/18 while supplies last, through authorized US Audix dealers.

Free CabGrabber does not include the CabGrabber XL.

AudixUSA.com | 800.966.8261

THE NOMINATIONS ARE IN

(continued from cover)

Best Acoustic Guitar of 2018

Once seeing the nominees, please select your choices for winners at msretailer.com/ vote. All votes must be cast by Jan. 4. As a reminder, retailer awards will be handed out by the Music & Sound Retailer at 2019â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summer NAMM show. We wish all nominees the best of luck and congratulate them on ensuring 2018 was another fantastic year for MI. Here is the list of nominees:

Fender Malibu Classic in Cosmic Turquoise

C.F. Martin OME Cherry

PRS SE A50E

Taylor Builderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edition K14ce DECEMBER 2018

Best Bass Guitar of 2018

Best Guitar Accessory of 2018 D’Addario Accessories Auto Lock Strap

D’Angelico Premier SS Bass

Let Red Label help shape your music. Fender American Original ‘60s Precision Bass in 3-Color Sunburst

Ibanez SR875

Peavey Cirrus RedLabelStrings.com A portion of sales will benefit Greyhound Rescue

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Fender Jimi Hendrix VooDoo Child Coiled Cable

Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend

Gator Cases Rack Style Guitar Stands

Best Electric Guitar of 2018

Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Angelico Premier Atlantic Solid-Body

Fender Eric Johnson Signature Stratocaster Thinline

PRS John Mayer Silver Sky

Peavey HP2

HeadRush Gigboard

Peavey Trace Elliot Transit A Acoustic Preamp & Effects Pedal

Best Effect Pedal of 2018

Electro-Harmonix Oceans 11 Reverb 26

Fender Marine Layer Reverb

DECEMBER 2018

Best Non-Guitar Fretted Instrument of 2018

Fender Grace VanderWaal Signature Concert Ukulele

Gretsch G9110-L Concert Long-Neck Acoustic/Electric Ukulele

Make better musicians with Sound Percussion A comprehensive resource for individual or group instruction Available for Snare Drum & Bass Drum • Mallet Percussion • Timpani • Accessory Percussion • Teacher’s Score

Kala Wanderer U-Bass

Kanile’a Platinum 2018 Ukulele MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Order Today! (800) 292-6122 | sales @ alfred.com | alfred.com/dealer

Best Strings of 2018

C.F. Martin Authentic Acoustic Strings

Fender Jimi Hendrix VooDoo Child Strings

Kyser G4V Ultramodern Light Guitar Strings

Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Addario Nyltech Ukulele Strings

Best Band & Orchestra Product of 2018

Conn-Selmer Bach Stradivarius Centennial Trombone

Promark Tim Fairbanks Signature Series

John Packer JP2057 Sousaphone

Sabian Center Hammered Triangles

Best Guitar Amplifier of 2018

Fender Mustang GT 2.0 28

Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge

Peavey MAX Bass Amp Series

VOX AC30 OneTwelve DECEMBER 2018

Best Speaker of 2018

Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT/ZLX-15BT

JBL 3 Series

SHINE ON STAGE

PreSonus CDL 12

PREMIUM MUSICAL MERCHANDISE DISTRIBUTION

QSC CP Series Compact Powered Loudspeakers

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

FIND US AT NAMM, HALL D BOOTH 4324

Ma s s i m o Dol ce, S al es Direct or P +1. 312. 2 2 6 .1 705 E massimod@lyonhealy.com

www.lyonh ealycorporation.com

Best Keyboard/Sound Module of 2018

Casio CT-X3000

Dexibell VIVO S9 Stage Piano

IK Multimedia UNO Synth

Yamaha MODX8

John Packer Musical Instruments www.jpmusicalinstruments.com

DECEMBER 2018

Best Mixer/Console of 2018

Allen & Heath SQ-7

QSC TouchMix-30 Pro Firmware v1.3

Peavey UNITY DR16 Digital Mixer

TASCAMÂ MZ-223 Zone Mixer

Award Winning Brands World-Class Service We are dedicated to Music Retailers We are St. Louis Music T: F: E: W:

800-727-4512 314-727-4710 sales@stlouismusic.com www.stlouismusic.com

SLM Marketplace Everything in Accessories

260 Brands 13,000 Products MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Best Acoustic Drum Product of 2018

DW Collectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Series True-Sonic

Ludwig NeuSonic L24023TX and L26223TX

Sonor AQ2

Tama S.L.P. Studio Maple Kit

Best Multitrack Recorder of 2018

Lectrosonics SPDR

M-Audio M-Track 8X4M

Roland R-07

PreSonus Studio 1810 32

DECEMBER 2018

Best Cymbals of 2018

Dream Cymbals 10th Anniversary Cymbal Zildjian A Uptown Ride VISIT US @

NAMM Show Booth #11514

Sabian FRX Frequency Reduced Cymbals

go play

outside

MAUI 5 GO ®

Tama Hat Stack and Meinl HCS 8" Splash Bundle

Combining outstanding sound quality and stunning compact design with the amazing versatility of battery-operated speakers, we’ve created an ultra-portable PA system for you: meet the MAUI 5 GO. Powered by a high-capacity Li-Ion battery, the MAUI 5

ULTRA-PORTABLE

GO allows you to play your music wherever you feel like. And thanks to the optional,

BATTERY-POWERED

quick-swappable battery packs, you can also play for as long as you like. Now nothing can

COLUMN PA SYSTEM

hold you back – so GO play outside!

DESIGNED & ENGINEERED

IN GERMANY

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

LD Systems® is a brand of

SOUND TECHNOLOGY

LIGHT

TECHNOLOGY

STAGE EQUIPMENT

GO PLAY OUTSIDE AT:

LD-SYSTEMS.COM/MAUI5GO

HARDWARE FOR FLIGHTCASES

share the experience at

adamhall.com

Best Electronic Drum Product of 2018 Alesis Nitro Mesh Kit

Best Percussion Accessory of 2018 DrumLite Custom LED Kits

Roland TD-17 KVX

Gon Bops Color Series Fiesta Cajons

PreSonus ATOM

Yamaha DXT 402 Series

Remo Colortone Drumheads

Yamaha HW3 CROSSTOWN Advanced Lightweight Hardware

DECEMBER 2018

Best Wireless System of 2018

Audio-Technica 3000 Series

Sennheiser evolution wireless G4 Galaxy Audio Galaxy Trek

Shure ADX Series Transmitters

“Wireworld makes a great sounding cable that is true and transparent – worthy of a badass guitar player. I highly recommend them .” MARK FARNER FROM GRAND FUNK RAILROAD

Patented design clears the signal path for pure tone Unique Kevlar core provides strength and durability Custom blended insulation controls electrostatic energy

wireworldproaudio.com

Super flexible with high quality construction Silver, nickel and Amphenol switching plugs available MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Best Lighting Product of 2018

Best DJ Product of 2018

Blizzard IRiS IP3 VocoPro LightShow Magic system

Chauvet Freedom H1 X4

Martin RUSH BATTEN 1 HEX Denon DJ SC5000M

ADJ Mega Hex Flat Pak

Join us for the

Pioneer DDJ-1000

as we celebrate leading women in music Friday, January 25 House of blues anaheim music • awards • food • gifts 36

tickets at sherocksawards.com

Rane Seventy-Two DECEMBER 2018

Best Cabled Microphone of 2018 Audix MicroBoom MB5050WHC 50" HyperCardioid Microphone

RØDE VideoMic Me-L

Weightless Limitless Protected and Priceless. Introducing

The PROX ZeroG™ Series Bags Fits small to large controllers

Neumann U 67

Features Reinforced Molded EVA Exterior High Density foam interior Ultra-durability and Lightweight One Year Limited Warranty

sE Electronics sE2300 Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Best Bag/Case of 2018

Dexibell VIVO S1 Backpack Gig Bag

Fender Ukulele Bags

Best Book/Video/Software of 2018

Alfred “Careers Through Music”

Dexibell XMURE iOS Keyboard Arranger App

Gator Cases Transit Lightweight Series Guitar Cases

TKL Vectra IPX Electric Guitar Case

Hal Leonard “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

Steinberg Cubase Pro

On-Stage LED2224 Dual USB Rechargeable Sheet Music Light

Sennheiser Memory Mic

Best Accessory Product of 2018

D’Addario Accessories Auto Lock Strap 38

Fender Jimi Hendrix VooDoo Child Accessory Line

DECEMBER 2018

Best Outstanding MI Service Provider of 2018

QRS-Connect

n g Soo n i m ow Co der N r O e Pr

Hardware, Software & Sensors to Track and Capture Rechargeable Battery - portable

5 Pin MIDI In & out - 2 ins or 2 outs or 1 in & 1 out

Buttons & LEDs - toggle use with indication

USB to MIDI - MIDI to USB Delays, Sync and programing

Bluetooth MIDI and Audio - to and from Bright LED acts as a Flash Metronome, and flashlight

Digital to Audio & Audio to Digital

Built in Mic for scratch tracking General MIDI Sound Module

Tuner & Beat Finder

Audio & mic Ins & Outs

Accelerometer Micro & Type C USB -

Capture, Communicate & Charge

Wi-Fi & Wi-Fi Direct - Direct device log in and auto upload to the QRS-Connect.com cloud

QRS-Connect.com - Cloud Ecosystem for Analytics, Sharing, Archiving & More

Micro SD Slot - Expandable portable storage

Built In speaker - for voice prompts, notifications, & previews

QRS Widgets - Application Specific Functions That Utilize the I/O - Programmable & Assignable

What is QRS-Connect? It â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s three components: QRS-Connect compatible hardware, QRS-Connect.com cloud based ecosystem, and a library of applications, content and widgets. The QRS-Connectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s patent pending technology opens doors, never thought possible. All accessible from any Wi-Fi enabled device. From auto-recording/naming/tagging/ saving/archiving to analytics, account/device/content management to feeds/collaboration/groups/sharing and 3rd party app integration- it does all that plus so much more.

QRS Music Technologies, Inc. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

to pre-order go to: qrsmusic.com/qrs-connect.asp

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2018 Rep of the Year

Misha Guiffre, The Music Link

Bob Heller, Yamaha

Ana Jaramillo, CHAUVET DJ

Jeremy Payne, The Music People

2018 Product of the Year

Chauvet Freedom H1 X4

www.bourns.com/proaudio

Peavey MAX Bass Amp Series

Dexibell VIVO S9 PRO Stage Piano

GET THE

LOW DOWN Major Diatonic in Low Keys! Low F# Low E Low D

W NE

Now available from KMC Music

Fender Player Series DECEMBER 2018

Lifetime Achievement/Hall Of Fame

Albert Chauvet, CHAUVET

Jim Hennessey, The Music People

Ikutaro Kakehashi, Roland (posthumous)

Steve Long, Yorkville

2018 Outstanding Community Service Award

INTRODUCING OUR NEWEST D I G I TA L D U A L C H A N N E L W I R E L E S S

[MAP $219]

Two Channels of Digital High Definition Audio in one receiver chassis 900 MHz band free from TV and FCC regulatory issues Metal receiver chassis with three outputs: XLR, XLR & Mix 1/4” for maximum flexibility

2018 Manufacturer of the Year [MAP $179]

Two discreet channels of wireless packaged in one receiver chassis UHF Frequency operation in FCC approved bands Three outputs: XLR, XLR & Mix 1/4” for maximum flexibility

[MAP $119]

Two discreet channels of wireless packaged in one receiver chassis VHF Frequency operation in FCC approved bands Three outputs: XLR, XLR & Mix 1/4” for maximum flexibility

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

For more information, visit www.cadaudio.com 41

S PEC I AL T O THE R ETAIL ER

THE DOWNSIDES TO MANUFACTURER DIRECT SALES By Chuck Surack, President and Owner of Sweetwater Sound, Mynett Music & All Pro Sound

In recent months, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend among certain manufacturers: selling their products directly to end customers, bypassing the “traditional” rep/dealer chain. I have deep reservations about this trend, not just for its impact on my company, Sweetwater, but also on all retailers, reps, manufacturers, the MI industry and the end customers we serve. This is a practice that we must address now. Most of the 5,000 or so retailers have elected not to create their own private labels to compete with the manufacturers; it is a slap in the face for manufacturers not to offer us the same respect. It fascinates me that manufacturers choose to compete with their own dealers. It’s no secret that sustained success in our industry is built on relationships and loyalty. Those two powerful words reflect strong fundamental values. If having an “Add to Cart” button on your site garners you a few sales, but ultimately strays from those values and damages or destroys relationships and loyalty among your retailers, is it really worth it? Trust matters. I can see where some manufacturers might believe there are benefits to selling direct. But when we take a closer look, those seeming benefits aren’t as large as they appear, and in fact, ultimately will cost the manufacturer. One definite cost will be the loss of support from retailers. One would have to assume that even if they don’t drop the lines that sell direct, retailers will shift their focus to selling brands that don’t sell direct. Manufacturers have said they expect growth of 1 percent to 2 percent using direct sales. But the loss of even a few good retailers in response will eliminate that growth and more, resulting in a net loss. For decades, manufacturers have been building a supply chain of retailers to serve 42

the needs of both the manufacturers and existing and potential end customers. This chain works. The key to its success is that everyone has their area of expertise and can focus on doing that job well. The manufacturer designs and builds high-quality products, often with input and feedback from retailers who are constantly interfacing with end customers. The retailers focus on selling the products, which includes marketing, proactive sales outreach, order fulfillment, after-the-sale support, repair, returns and so much more, all of which leads to a great customer experience. Putting up a website with an “Add to Cart” button is just one tiny part of providing a customer experience. Good retailers know this and work hard to do what manufacturers are not set up to do: deal effectively with end customers. Good retailers are intentional about every aspect of a sale, from confirming the order to getting the item shipped quickly to following up after the sale. Plus, retailers are uniquely qualified to assemble, quote, and sell systems and packages, whereas individual manufacturers cannot adequately service this need at all — and selling direct completely undermines this massive market opportunity. When a manufacturer sells a product direct, the retail part of the equation is obviated, and there is no compelling customer experience. Simply put, manufacturers are not in the retail business. Pretty much every manufacturer we challenge about selling direct says, “It’s such a small part of our business, it doesn’t even matter.” That statement alone proves that the manufacturer has no idea what they’re doing. A good retailer knows that every single customer matters. Every interaction matters. Every experience the customer has can go viral — either positively or negatively. But beyond that, if it doesn’t matter, then why do it at all and risk losing customers and dealers? What can a manufacturer do to drive sales for customers who visit their site or inquire directly? There are many options. For example, use “Buy Now” buttons that link to retailer product pages. Use services such as Omacro to connect to retailers on the web. Keep “Where to Buy” links updated — it’s amazing how many companies don’t do this. Partner with your retailers for better training and marketing. Support dealer initiatives that support your brand and products. Above all, simply communicate with your dealers! Fortunately, most manufacturers understand the situation and have been loyal to the mutual support synergy provided by the retailer chain. They know that they’re manufacturers, not retailers, and they understand the benefits of doing their job to the best of their ability, while allowing retailers to do our job to the best of ours. This proven partnership provides the best experience and support for our end customers, which keeps them coming back to purchase again and again. When a manufacturer chooses to blindly discard this partnership, everyone loses. I can assure you that here at Sweetwater, we are closely monitoring which manufacturers are choosing to go direct and will be making quick decisions about the lines we will be carrying and supporting based on that. I encourage all of the more than 5,000 retailers in our industry to take a close look at which manufacturers are supporting you and which are choosing to compete with you, and to decide who you will support accordingly. Editor’s note: The views expressed by this author are his opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication. The Music & Sound Retailer takes no stance on this topic. DECEMBER 2018

FI V E M INUTE S W ITH

JAMES “JC” CURLEIGH

President and CEO, Gibson Brands Inc.

By Brian Berk James “JC” Curleigh began his role as Gibson Brands Inc. president and CEO on Nov. 1, joined on the Gibson senior team by Cesar Gueikian as chief merchant officer, Kimberly Mattoon as chief financial officer and Christian Schmitz as chief production officer. Curleigh, who served Levi Strauss & Co. as president of the Levi’s brand, expressed incredible excitement when reached for this interview by the Music & Sound Retailer. This enthusiasm and passion comes out in his answers and makes for an excellent interview. Enjoy.

The Music & Sound Retailer: First, congratulations on the new role! Please tell us about yourself, including your family and what stops you have made in your career that prepared you to be CEO of Gibson. James Curleigh: My name is James Curleigh, but most people call me “JC.” I was born in Virginia, and I am a triple citizen of the USA, Canada and the UK. I have been living in San Francisco, where I worked at Levi Strauss and Co., as the president of the Levi’s Brand, and as and executive vice president for the company. Prior to Levi’s, I was the president and CEO of KEEN Footwear, a unique outdoor company based in Portland, Ore., for five years. Before KEEN, I was the president and CEO of Salomon North America, an innovative action sports company, and worked at Salomon in various roles/ brands for more than 12 years. My first “real” job was in specialty (sports) retail with my brothers, where we learned every aspect of specialty retail. Over the past 25 years, I have had the privilege to lead iconic brands, build great teams and drive growth solutions across various industries. On the personal side, I am highly engaged with my family and friends. My wife, Jackie, and I have been together since college, 44

and she actually worked in the music industry, including Sony Music in London. We have three children, and our family loves to play music, surf, ski, travel and explore together.

The Retailer: Please take us back to the moment you were named Gibson CEO. Can you tell us where you were, who said you got the job and who you immediately contacted after about it? Curleigh: Earlier in the year, I heard some “rumblings” about some challenges at Gibson, and then in May those challenges materialized into bankruptcy. As a leader of one of the most iconic brands (Levi’s) and as a passionate musician, I wanted to find a way to connect with Gibson to provide some guidance on “turnaround” situations. Then in June, I actually got a call from Gibson’s new ownership (to be), KKR. After several energizing sessions, it was clear to me that this opportunity was right for me, for the Gibson Brand(s) and for the extended stakeholder base. Our recently appointed chairman, Nat Zilkha, was the one who let me know that my next chapter was going to be with Gibson. The fact that Nat is also a passionate musician made a real difference to my decision, as did the rest of the KKR folks. The Retailer: Please tell us about your leadership style, mantras you live by and the best advice you ever received. Curleigh: My leadership style really depends on the situation, otherwise known as situational leadership! I am not afraid to lead from the front when required, I am known as a collaborator, and I am also comfortable when other (proven) leaders take the lead in their respective areas of experience and expertise. I truly believe in being DECEMBER 2018

Cesar Gueikian

“aggressively patient or patiently aggressive” when it comes to making smart decisions. Some of the best advice I have ever received came from my father, who was a general in the military. He once told me, “Don’t just have a plan B, have two plan A’s.”

The Retailer: Please tell us about your love for the music instrument industr y. What instruments do you play and why did you want to take on the Gibson role? Curleigh: I have always been passionate about music, from multiple angles. I love listening to music, playing music and going to live shows. The opportunity to actually be in the music industry is a great intersection of my personal passion and my professional experience. I play the guitar (mostly acoustic), and I also love to make music by singing, playing the piano and sometimes the drums. The Retailer: You’ve been in the job a ver y short amount of time. What are your first impressions of the job? Take us through what you do on a daily basis thus far. Curleigh: As with any new role, I have been in listening-andlearning mode for the first few weeks as I shape my initial opinions. While there is clearly work to be done to rebuild Gibson and our various brands, I have been very encouraged by the initial support from the music industry at large. This includes support from my own team in Nashville and around the world. The Retailer: Please tell us about the other people who came on with you: Kim Mattoon, Cesar Gueikian and Christian Schmitz. Curleigh: One of the initial challenges for any new CEO is to build the right team, which is typically a balance of internal and external leaders. I have started to build a team who can help me shape the vision and who believes in the future of Gibson (and our brands). Christian will focus on operations synergy, Kim will focus on enterprise synergy, and Cesar will focus on product and marketing synergy. The Retailer: You are at the helm of an iconic company with brands known worldwide. Do you consider that a challenge, opportunity or both, and why? Curleigh: I truly believe that becoming “iconic” is an earned status over time, and that leaders have both an obligation and an opportunity build upon that iconic status. For the past 124 years, Gibson has been synonymous with shaping the sounds of generations and genres of music, hence, we have the opportunity and the obligation to shape future generations and genres of music through Gibson and our extended brands. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

Kim Mattoon

The Retailer: As president of the Levi’s brand, what experiences there do you think will help you as you lead Gibson? Curleigh: Over the past seven years, I was part of leading a team that brought Levi’s back into the “center of culture” with relevant product, compelling marketing and renewed partnerships. We built a blueprint for growth, created an evolved vision and executed on key strategies as a team. All of this will be relevant (with appropriate twists) as I make the transition to Gibson. The Retailer: What is your philosophy regarding music instrument retailers who sell Gibson products? Is there any message you’d like to send to them? Curleigh: First of all, I would like to say “thank you” for sticking with us through this obstacle course, and secondly, know that we are in active listening mode as we determine the best way forward. I am confident we can set better conditions for success in the market for Gibson and all of our brands. The Retailer: Gibson is now backed by an investment firm, KKR. Please tell us what Gibson’s relationship will be with KKR and how this relationship might help Gibson in the future, whether financially or otherwise. Curleigh: KKR are the new (majority) owners of Gibson Brands, and they have a track record of supporting companies to get back to profitable growth. They have provided us with a “fresh start” for both our businesses and our brands to thrive in the future. The Retailer: Have you set forth future goals for Gibson at this stage in your early tenure there? Curleigh: As mentioned, I have been in active listening mode, and my focus has been on determining how to set future conditions for success for our brands, our products, our business, our team and our extended partner base. The Retailer: What can we expect to see from Gibson at The NAMM Show in Januar y? How will your presence differ as opposed to the past? Curleigh: Well for starters, we are actually coming back to NAMM after a one-year hiatus! Additionally, I am confident we will have some clear proof points that we are in listening mode both internally and externally. The Retailer: Anything else you would like to add? Curleigh: I am excited to engage in the music industry, and I look forward to leading Gibson confidently into the future! 45

M I SPY

WINNER’S CIRCLE

Eastside Music Supply

MI Spy Year in Review

Bluegrass Musicians Supply

It was another interesting year for MI Spy, who traveled across the country. This month, we take a special look at all of this year’s winners to see all of the great service they provided. Here’s an in-depth description of the 11 stores MI Spy visited that won the top prize.

Guitar Center

JANUARY Eastside Music Supply 2915 Gallatin Pike Nashville, TN 37216 615.480.7709

Glue Clothing Exchange Sam Ash West Music

Brothers Music National Speaker Empire Guitars

Vic’s Drum Shop Omega Music

Eastside Music Supply opened a year or so ago in the northeast Nashville suburb of Inglewood to little fanfare, but word is getting around. When I stopped in, it was pretty busy, with a couple of rocker dudes trying out electric guitars and others looking at the store’s impressive pedal selection. I already knew that the small shop stocked a lot of new and used electric gear, and I wasn’t expecting to see much in the way of acoustics, which was indeed the case. But what they did have was a sweet selection for such a small store, including a 1952 Gibson SJ (Super Jumbo), a pre-war Gibson L-30 archtop with twin f-holes and a cool 1970s Guild. I was impressed. When I asked the 30-ish guy at the counter if I could check out the SJ, he happily told me to grab it and helped me pull up a stool. The guitar had a great sound and was impeccably set up. Though it was listed for $7,500 on the store’s website, he told me he could go down to $6,000 with the original HSC. I thought this had to be a mistake, so I actually started to consider it — until I remembered my limited MI Spy expense account. I really was looking for a cutaway though, and the Gibson didn’t have one, so I checked out a cream-colored, like-new Breedlove Concert Pursuit acoustic-electric. The counter dude first told me it retailed for $600, then said he’d go to $585 since this was one of the few guitars in the shop without a case and could maybe go even lower if I was really interested. It wasn’t a bad deal, but I demurred for the moment. Overall, with local music venue posters plastered everywhere and the three small display rooms buzzing with enthusiastic shoppers, the vibe was that it’s a musician’s store, seemingly focused on making music first and making money second.

FEBRUARY Bluegrass Musicians Supply 1370 S. High St. Columbus, OH 43207 614.443.3558

High Street is one of Columbus’ main thoroughfares. In the Merion Village section south of Interstate 70, the store occupies one row of pre-war, brick, two-story houses. Once inside, I was waited on by a 20-something-year-old salesman who also said that he plays the guitar professionally. I explained that I was shopping for a 15-year-old boy, so he showed me a used three-quarters-size Corbin Alba acoustic guitar for $139 that would exceed the needs of any beginning student. This model was less than a year old and in excellent condition; new guitars of this model go for around $175 to $200. A key feature of this model, he explained, was its pick guard. This decorative acrylic surface helps prevent damage to the guitar’s body from the hands of an inexperienced learner. “Basically, it helps keep you from scratching the top surface of the guitar when you are playing the strings with a guitar pick,” he said. “I would not get a guitar for a beginner without one.” Nonetheless, pick guards are also popular with more experienced players and can be ordered in finer materials, he added. A kit and carrying bag would add another $30 to the price tag. Nobody knows this about MI Spy, but I am short. I explained that the boy is now three inches taller DECEMBER 2018

than me, so the salesman gave me a look at a full-size “adult” guitar. This was the Jay Turser Dreadnought acoustic guitar. “Assuming he could handle the full size, it would also be an easy-playing first guitar for any student,” he said. He also echoed the sentiment I heard at German Village Music Haus: Go for what will be easiest for the learner. Try to add on too many frills, and you can easily turn a kid off to all kinds of music. This is a store for music aficionados of every stripe, and it functions as much as a “hangout” as a retail establishment. Besides the salesman, the owner was present, as well as several regular customers. One offered up an anecdote as evidence of the importance of musical appreciation. “My little grandson was born premature and with some hearing loss,” he said. “My daughter gave him a keyboard that she had that nobody was using, and he started plunking on it. Now, he’s playing the theme music from ‘Harry Potter’ — something we thought we’d never see.”

MARCH Guitar Center Rockville 12401 Twinbrook Pkwy. Rockville, MD 20852 301.231.6100

I decided I wanted to take a break from D.C. for a moment and get out of the hustle and bustle. So, I drove to one of the three Metro D.C.-area Guitar Center stores. There are other locations in Silver Spring, Md., and Falls Church, Va., but I selected the Rockville/Upper Bethesda branch. There are many other businesses nearby, and the store itself has a sizable parking lot. It is located just minutes from the major road Rockville Pike (which becomes Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda). This was the only major chain store I visited during my D.C. trip. I was there on a Saturday morning. I was greeted while walking into the store, and I noticed that the Live Sound equipment section was more crowded than the guitar section, where there were just a few customers nosing about. A salesman spoke with me about Fender Strats. I asked about the differences between the high-end Squier Classic Vibe and a Standard Strat. He seemed knowledgeable and wasn’t pushy as he explained the answer. He also spoke to me about the range of Strat styles and prices, American versus Mexican production, and more. I checked out specials arrayed on the floor, such as the multiple Yamaha acoustic guitar bundle packs. Overall, there was a wide variety of guitars offered, and the prices ranged from Disney products priced under $75, to Yamahas in the $100 to $250 range, up to specialty guitars stored in a room with a humidifier puffing away. Electric guitars from all of the major and lesser-known brands were there, offered with prices running the gamut from $100-plus to around $2,000. The store was orderly. Overall, this was the most comprehensive music store I saw during my mission. It carried the greatest variety of offerings, there was room to try out equipment and instruments (and you are encouraged to do so), and the staff is helpful. It’s fun to shop here because it’s the proverbial “kid in a candy store” setup. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

APRIL Glue Clothing Exchange 8206 Oak St. New Orleans, LA 70118 504.782.0619

You look at this store’s name and think, why is MI Spy including a clothing shop here? When I strolled past this establishment toward another musical instrument store, I gazed at the display windows and was yanked into its orbit. Along with funky, vintage styles, there was an intriguing array of musical instruments, including guitars, a sitar of some sort, an autoharp, a keyboard and more. They appeared to be more than just props for the mannequins, and there was a sign prominently displayed that read “We Buy GUITARS.” I also noticed that the store sign has a painting of a guitar attached to it. Inside, I saw many more musical instruments. The chill guy at the cash register told me that it was “15 percent off all clothes today.” But, I quickly turned the conversation to the sitar in the front window. (I resisted the temptation to call it the “baby sitar.”) “It has a great sound, but it’s not easy to play. You really have to be dedicated to working on it,” he explained. He went into considerable detail about the instrument, telling me about the manufacturer and how these are now pretty hard to find, but he was hoping someone would enjoy the challenge. “If you want, wait around a while and then I could get it out of the display area and you could try it.” I thanked him, but it sounded like a daunting task. It was late morning when I stopped by, and other customers were checking out clothes for the most part. One woman and her child, who looked to be about six or seven years old, were asking about guitar equipment, and the store owner discussed options with them. He asked the boy, “Are you ready for lessons? Or is your mom ready to have you take lessons?” They laughed, and the kid said he wanted to learn. “OK, I have phone numbers for instructors.” He took hold of a small stack of business cards and began to look through them. “Some of these people also work at the colleges,” he mentioned, referring to Tulane and Loyola. There were a few dozen acoustic guitars hanging from the walls and about as many electrics (most under $269). Some of them looked almost-mint condition. I would call this a “take-a-chance” store. There was an impressive selection, but it was pretty much all vintage. You might not want to walk in with a specific guitar in mind for purchase, but if you are willing to come in and comb through, you might find a cool addition to your collection, or a few accessories. It is also a good place for a new student to look for a starter guitar, or someone to pick up a secondary instrument. The store is located just a block west of the legendary St. Charles Streetcar, in the Carrollton neighborhood uptown, so it is easy to get there. Artsy stores, restaurants, used book shops and other establishments line the street as well. (MI Spy sipped a cup of tea at the nearby Live Oak Café and listened to a folk-blues guitarist.) 47

MAY West Music Co. 4305 44th Ave. Moline, IL 61265 309.764.9300

West Music is a longtime institution in eastern Iowa and western Ill., and this Moline store is one of several West Music locations. A third-generation business, the store handles all types of equipment, from high school band and symphonic instruments to electric professional entertainment gear. As soon as I entered the store, a smiling, long-haired, 40-something guy came over to see if I needed help — but not in an overbearing way by any means. He was friendly, and when I told him I wanted to look at acoustic guitars, he pointed me to the store’s humidity-controlled acoustic room, telling me to help myself and to let him know if I had any questions. Inside the room was another long-haired sales guy who told me to just grab whatever I wanted, making sure I knew how to get the guitars off the wall from the auto-lock hangers. After trying out a Yamaha and a Breedlove, I set my sights on a Martin 000-18 reissue (sans pickup), which was extremely well made and hard to tell apart from an older model. List price was $3,099, and the store’s price was $2,299. A third salesman with less hair then entered the room, and we had a great conversation about guitars in general and Martin in particular. He was extremely knowledgeable and really knew his stuff after decades in music retail. After he went to his desk to do some re-

S E N O THE BARIT KALABRA

N D.C O M

With more than a dozen Kala baritone models available,

search, he said I could get the 000-18, with a sweet wood hardshell case, for an additional 15 percent off the store price if I had cash. No price break for plastic, but a decent price for cash. I told him I’d let him know, and as I left, the entire staff smiled and thanked me for stopping in. I got the impression that everybody in this store loved music and musicians.

JUNE Sam Ash 4402 W. Cactus Road Glendale, AZ 85304 602.863.7746

Located in a shopping mall, Sam Ash at the Cactus Village Shopping Center seemed clean and well organized. Parking was similarly convenient, and the store followed the popular scheme for organization into departments with one major difference. In addition to two large walls dedicated to lighting and DJ gear, the lighting gear sold in the store is brilliantly used throughout the store’s departments to light displays and highlight featured products. Even coming through the door, the creative use of lighting is obvious. The several products on display at the door are washed with color from a prominently placed Chauvet DJ Gigbar marked at just under $450. The bar system provides two LED derbys and washes, an integrated laser effect and LED strobes. It wasn’t set up to do anything distracting, just add color and light up some featured products. An additional large strobe located over the door shot off on occasion to the back of entering customers giving added life to the product display. This particular unit would clearly appeal to DJs and party planners, but other more basic color wash systems were set up in the store, too. One of the most impressive areas of the store is a platform stage area set up for solo performers and bands that Sam Ash hosts at in-store events during the week. As with the rest of the store departments, lighting gear was put to work here, including washes and moving lights set up on trusswork over the stage. Lighting in the stage area, along with smaller setups throughout the store, give potential lighting buyers a good sense of how different lighting systems can be set up and directed. They are also good indicators of what lighting components might be required to meet a buyer’s basic needs. Unfortunately, I was only able to speak briefly with a salesperson about basic lighting setups as he happened to be passing through the lighting area. No one seemed to be stationed in this part of the store for the time I was there. To his credit, the passing salesperson did ask if I was being helped, but he could only talk for a moment as he was helping other customers. While our conversation was brief, the salesperson seemed knowledgeable and friendly. It was easy to find two large walls of lighting products in this Sam Ash store. Products on display included a good mix of fixtures and effects, including the American DJ Stinger II fixture at $230 that combines laser, UV and LED Moonflower effects, as well as the smaller Stinger fixtures at $200. There were also some American DJ moving lights being closed out at attractive prices. I noticed that the department also had more sophisticated moving lights for stage use, like Chauvet’s Intimidator moving spot at $950. Though this wouldn’t be part of the simple stage lighting setup I was shopping for, it did give me a sense that this store knew more about lighting in general and could provide ideas about how to expand a lighting system in the future. The product wall also featured lighting controller options and plenty of accessories, like the American DJ VF400 Fog Machine at $40, which I thought might be interesting to add to a basic lighting setup. Again, there were lots of options on display at this store.

your customers will have plenty of options to choose from!

DECEMBER 2018

Korgs. The woman working there also discussed the Bowie tribute album with me and asked if I wanted to try a drum machine. I scoped out the rest of the store, which stocked a modest variety of acoustic and electric guitars and basses, ukes, drum sets and machines, various accessories, select brass instruments and percussion, and more. The store logo is nifty, and it is emblazoned on T-shirts and guitar picks. In fact, I purchased three guitar

picks for a buck, and the woman proudly handed me a store sticker too. I liked the low-key atmosphere here and the jumbled yet organized display. The store also had the feel of a hangout, and a customer who was there beside me was talking about guitars to the saleswoman.

AUGUST National Speaker 2369 S. Trenton Way, Unit N Denver, CO 80231 303.777.4970

On the southeast side of Denver proper, National Speaker seemed like a logical place to start my trek from Denver International Airport.

JULY Brothers Music 2112 North Charles St. 2nd Floor Baltimore, MD 21218 667.212.5328

The first thing that caught my eye as I entered the Brothers Music shop in the Old Goucher neighborhood was a tribute album, “Baltimore Does Bowie,” with a cartoon rendering of the legendary musician in his Ziggy Stardust persona. That and a wall fully decorated with signs, including a “NO Stairway to Heaven” poster, a refrain made popular in the movie “Wayne’s World.” I could quickly tell that this is a quirky, small musical instrument store, stuffed to the gills with an impressive variety of instruments. Synthesizers, guitars, ukuleles, drums and percussion, and a lot of sheet music are just some of the things you can try and buy at Brothers. The front of the store has spacious windows, so you can see everyone and everything going by on the street (and, if you are on the street, you can look up and admire the wares sold here). It was like walking into someone’s apartment and realizing they were hiding a big store inside. The employee working the counter was very cool, inviting me to try some of the synthesizers and other keyboards displayed. She explained to me that they stocked reproductions of vintage Korg synthesizers and others, particularly because they are less expensive than the originals. “Go ahead, try them,” she encouraged me, and turned on the machines and amplifiers. I really enjoyed playing the Korg Minilogue, and Brothers also stocked Arps and other

MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

The place seemed a bit off the beaten path; let’s call it a “destination” retailer, situated in a business park with a strange mix of businesses around it, from a dialysis service to a café to a tax accountant. But I wasn’t there to evaluate the neighbors. The guy at the counter greeted me immediately with a handshake. Given the standard wall-o-guitars to my left, and no live sound anywhere in sight, I offered my cover story, [that I was a mobile DJ who works smallish gigs]. (I thought I was pretty convincing, too.) He said I needed to talk to another employee. We made some small talk while I waited. National Speaker clearly does a decent business on the repair side of the house, and I could see technicians in the back room performing surgery on speakers of various styles and types. The other employee appeared quickly; I conveyed the cover story again. He asked about my current speakers as he took me around the corner to where the live sound speakers were hiding. National didn’t have a massive amount of stock; the showroom was actually quite compact, but it was well laid-out, tidy and inviting in that “there’s a lot here to discover” sort of way. I told Mike — a pleasant, friendly rocker type of guy — that I currently used a pair of older Peavey self-powered units. He suggested that perhaps the only thing I truly needed to change was to add a decent subwoofer, and skip replacing the top-ends. He offered up a used Mackie SWA1502 that was in surprisingly great shape and was priced at $700, which would be an affordable way to round out my theoretical system. I asked if I was buying new and wanted to replace my top-ends too, what would he suggest? For that, a trio of Yamaha products was his suggestion: A DXS15 sub and a pair of DXR15 tops — all in the general ballpark of $700-ish each. So, a little north of two grand, and I’d be set. I made some notes, thanked him for his time, collected a business card and off I went to the next stop.

SEPTEMBER Empire Guitars 1271 N. Main St., Rear Entrance Providence, RI 02904 877.55.TWANG 401.383.0880

MI Spy has decided that Empire Guitars gets a special award for funkiest entrance in Old Rhody. It also gets an award for Store Most Like a Funky Museum. And these are both tips of the hat. Empire’s entrance is a riot of color. Painted on the front wall are grinning fishies, hearts and guitars, and two sequences that read “E A D G B E.” Musical literacy rules! Seriously, that is a darn good idea. And the store provides three parking spots in front. Inside the store, I was very impressed by how many different guitar effects pedals it stocked. Frankly, I do not think I’d ever seen so many

WE PUT THE “LEI” IN UKULELE. Say aloha to our new Hawaiian-themed ukulele Quick-Change® capos. www.kysermusical.com

big-name brands, as well as little-known and custom-made products. They seemed to be everywhere, neatly displayed in counters, on the floor and on shelves. It also stocks a good variety of electric and acoustic guitars, new and used, as well as basses and other stringed instruments, amps and other equipment.It also displayed a few unusual stringed instruments, such as narrow two-neck one stringer and a sitar. There were two employees. One was chatting with another customer who wanted to sell him used equipment, and then to the next man who strolled in, he announced, “You’re the guy from Google! How are you?” He spoke with me about the plethora of pedals and said, “Some people want to set up lots of effects on their boards, so they like these tiny space-saver ones.” I’m telling you, some were near miniscule, but he knew about them all, it seemed. Then I spoke with the other employee about the sitar guitar, and he was extremely knowledgeable but in a relatable way. “Look at these sympathetic strings, and how the guitar is laid out,” he said, explaining all the parts. “It gets a lot of looks! It was made sometime in the 1980s.” If MI Spy had a wee bit more spare cash, I would have been very tempted. Empire Guitars is not huge, but it is a sizable store with a lot packed inside. It’s on a side street though, so customers have to look for it carefully. But I may not have ever seen so many effects in one store; this was amazing to see.

OCTOBER Omega Music 2035 State St. Granite City, IL 62040 618.709.7787

A few minutes across the river into Illinois and north, the town of Granite City is basically just another aging industrial river town, but with a rather surprisingly artsy downtown area with cool stores, including Omega Music. I walked into the store not expecting much, but I was impressed to be greeted by a well-stocked and thoughtfully arranged selection of nice guitars from brands like EVH and Takamine. A friendly guy in his late 20s welcomed me, and when I asked if they carried complete drum kits, he ushered me into a room where several sets of drums were set up, as well as a kit made by Dixon Drums. I decided to try out the Dixon kit, which was normally $833.95 but on sale for $679.95. I was taken by its good sound and responsiveness, and I was pleasantly surprised when I started asking about the additional cost of cymbals and hardware. The salesman told me that the $679.95 price included not only the drums, but the Dixon hardware and the Sabian hihat, crash and ride cymbals. It was a sweet deal. Since they were on sale, I didn’t expect to have much luck dickering — it already seemed like a great buy — but he said that he might be able to go down a little more if necessary. He wasn’t making a desperation plea but was just doing good

business. It turned out that the store is actually a mom-and-pop shop — indeed, Mom and Pop literally walked in and said “Hey” while their son was giving me the pitch. Overall, Omega Music had a nice sales guy, an aboveaverage selection of good gear for a smaller store, and the overall vibe of a business that’s there to serve the music and the customer first and grab the money second. It was a very enjoyable shopping experience.

For those who salivate over the delights of vintage gear, Vic’s maintains an enormous selection of choice goods that has quite a reputation. Its other claim to fame is the giant choices in all sorts of instruments like congas, bongos, triangles, and add-ons like mallets and other goodies a drummer craves. When I popped in, there were a number of toys to play with on the floor. The first item I was drawn to was a Pearl Session

Studio Select Series 5-Piece Shell Pack. You could instantly hear a nice set of harmonics that would be excellent in a studio or a larger venue. The fact that there was a free added floor tom was some nice icing on the cake, and while I tried several sets on the floor and liked them all, I felt that the birch and African mahogany seemed to guarantee good stage resonance. At $1,500 for this set, it seemed a good choice for the upgrade I was hunting.

Vic’s also offers service for drums and cymbals. Not only that but the prices for cleaning, hourly bench fees, and specialties like cymbal edge crack repair were all readily available on its website and in discussion with the assistants. The possible future needs of a young drummer were brought to my attention and all sorts of maintenance costs were easily figured into the overall long-term costs for her possible career path.

NOVEMBER Vic’s Drum Shop 345 N. Loomis St. Chicago, IL 60607 312.770.1200

Sitting in an area of town growing rapidly is Vic’s Drums. The West Loop is a community that is experiencing great development because of its proximity to downtown Chicago and a number of major entertainment venues like the United Center. The area is saturated with redeveloped industrial spaces, both commercial and residential. As I approached the front door, I was met by helpful assistants almost instantly. Asking about Vic’s had me getting a thorough primer on the various gear that they have available and the services they offer. Everyone working there is a professional drummer, so they know the intricacies of the instruments thoroughly. Reasonable prices for rehearsal spaces and lessons make this a pretty popular venue with a lot of local groups, and the attached recording spaces make Vic’s a great place to get a huge variety of musical things done. There are teaching spaces available. I informed the salesperson I was looking for a drum set that fit my criteria of a new rig. After discussing my situation thoroughly, he felt my needs were going to be in the $1,500-$2,000 range. For our purposes, Vic’s had a wide selection of drums to play with. MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

‘ H IRE’ LEAR NING

How to Hire the Right People for Your Team:

ONBOARDING

By Will Mason

So, you’ve made your decision and offered a job to a candidate. Hopefully, they’ve accepted the position. Ahhhhh, you can relax, right? I have some news for you... You’re not done yet! Onboarding is actually the most important part of the hiring process. If you rest now, you will not get the full benefit of all the work you’ve put in to this point. You have to press on to see this through to the end. So, what the heck is onboarding anyway? onboarding (on·board·ing) noun 1 : the act or process of orienting and training a new employee. — Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary Probably exactly what you thought … just making sure! Every company has some sort of onboarding process. At the very minimum, each company will have a new employee fill out some legal paperwork for payroll and tax purposes. That’s not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about introducing them to your culture, your values, and making sure that they are fired up to join your team and get to work on helping your company reach its goals. Oh, and you have to train them to do their job too… The onboarding process is when new hires decide how much of what you said during the interview process was pure nonsense. You read that right! You don’t want your new hire thinking things like: “Oh yeah, during the interview process they talked all about caring for their employees, but now that I’m hired, no one seems interested in getting to know me.” “When they were interviewing me, they talked about how important it was to keep things clean around the studio, but now that I’m being trained, I don’t see anyone else doing that.” “In the interview process, they talked about how much they valued work/life balance, but now that I’ve been hired, they have me scheduled for 60 hours a week.” Any incongruity will immediately begin to erode the trust between employee and manager (this goes both ways, by the way). However, the other side of the coin is that the more congruity a new hire experiences, the more trust you can build with them. If the selection process is like the sales department for the cable company, the onboarding process and everything that happens afterward is the customer service. You want to have great customer service. Great companies treat their employees like they treat their customers. That’s how they retain them and develop them into amazing leaders who will serve in their roles for the long haul. So, what does it take to make your onboarding great? Clear, organized and well-thought-out training plans for each position Don’t just assume someone can watch another person do the job and figure it out for themselves. Remember, not everyone learns the same way. Some people can listen, some need to read, some need to do. Create a training plan that can be adapted to individual needs and don’t be surprised if you have to change course. 52

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Intentional time spent with other team members to get to know one another on an appropriately personal level A meal to welcome a new team member goes a long way. It is also important to inform the existing team adequately so there is clarity on what this new addition will mean for them.

new hire feel ignored. Give them feedback, positive when appropriate and negative when appropriate. Just don’t ignore them, because the same study found that “customers suffer when they are served by disengaged employees and consequently flee in droves.” None of us wants that!

OK, there you go. With the six articles I wrote on a bi-monthly basis this year, you now have a roadmap from start to finish for hiring the best possible new team member. It’s up to you to go out and do it! Change is hard, but if you want different results, you have to be

willing to deal with the pain of making the change. In the end, it’s worth it. It’s worth it to you, your team members and your customers to get this right. So, go out and do it! Thanks for reading. If you want to start a discussion online, tweet @goodwill314 with #hirelearning.

Plenty of attention spent on the “givens” of your culture More than you think! You can’t bank on your new hire just “getting it.” What you value and how you behave as an organization requires overcommunication. Early and frequent discussions about goals Ultimately, you want your new employees to produce results that lead you toward your goals. How can they do that if no one tells them what the goals are and points them in the right direction? Consistent two-way feedback during training and beyond We use a survey for all of our new hires after 30 days to find out from them how we did on our onboarding process. This has provided so much valuable insight into the perspective of new additions to the team. It is equally important to provide the new hire with regular feedback so they know how they are doing, where they need to focus on continuing to learn their role and what they can improve. A Gallup poll in 2009 found that employees who receive little to no feedback from superiors are 40 times as likely to be actively disengaged with their work when compared to employees who receive regular positive feedback. Even employees who received predominantly negative feedback were 20 times as likely to be actively engaged in their work when compared to those who received little to no feedback. The conclusion here: The worst thing you can do is make your MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

I N T H E T RENCHE S

CAN YOU SPARE A DIME? By Allen McBroom

One of the never-ending things independent music store owners deal with is folks coming in off the street, calling on the phone, or sending letters looking for donations of money or products for various fundraisers. Even if we wanted to donate to every request, the reality of business life requires us to make some choices, and sometimes those choices include the word “no.” Over the years, I’ve noticed these requests tend to fall into one of three categories:

A Mass mail-out requests from large organizations known to us. These are usually valid, wellknown charitable organizations that are using mass mail to ask for donations from every business address they can find. This is where you would find the American Cancer Society and similar groups. These requests will be B almost exclusively Requests from for a monetary local or regional donation. organizations you are at least marginally familiar with that have a connection to some of the folks in the store, C or to folks you Requests from know locally. These organizations or can be churches, people you aren’t civic clubs, school familiar with. These organizations, could be groups with food banks or the names very similar local animal shelter to nationally recogorganization. These nized groups, or a requests tend to child wanting you be for money or to sponsor them to products. be in a talent show or beauty pageant. These requests also tend to be solely monetary in nature. These requests usually require more validation of charitable status than the other two groups.

I think we’ve all been hit up by requests from these three groups, and our willingness to contribute probably depends on which of the three categories describes them best. Our ability to contribute probably depends on how sales have been this month, or, if we’re smart, how much we’ve budgeted for donations this quarter. While I consider myself to be pretty altruistic in my daily life, when it comes to passing out business bucks to others, my sense of self-interest does creep in. Sending donations to the groups in category A makes me feel good, but it doesn’t usually benefit the business in any direct way. Contributing to groups in category C can be time consuming, since they need to be vetted for validity, and again, those donated dollars usually don’t benefit the business except in some very marginal way. This leaves us with mostly the groups in category B. Let’s say your store does service on church audio systems, and now you’re being hit up for a contribution to the churchbuilding fund or a product donation for the youth choir auction. If you work in a lot of churches, this can turn into a sizeable sum in donations. Same with donations to schools. If you work on only one school, you might feel obligated to contribute when the PTA comes calling. If you work on 25 or 30 schools during the span of a year, your interest in making a donation for each request may be dulled somewhat. You probably can’t afford to have one group listing you as a sponsor when you’ve just turned down three other requests. If one group feels slighted, maybe they won’t be calling you the next time their audio system has problems. Each donation request should get an answer, but how do you do it without saying “yes” to one and “no” to others? Here are three approaches to consider. First, select a limited number of charities, by name, to support each year. Pick groups that are unique in your community, and you get bonus points if the group is universally acceptable to your community. Animal shelter organizations and food banks are usually limited in number and always in need of support, so it’s unlikely anyone will object to your business publicly supporting those groups. The local park organization is another possible choice. Using your imagiDECEMBER 2018

nation, you can dream up all sorts of ways to contribute and help support these community groups without draining your resources. A canned food drive for the food bank, a free restring for 10 pounds of puppy food, etc., is a great way to offer support and get the community involved. The good public relations that comes from local media coverage doesn’t hurt. The bonus is that the beneficiary group usually arranges PR announcements and newspaper photos. When other groups come looking for contributions, the easy way to say “no” is to explain that so many groups come by seeking support, the store has had to limit its donations and the groups for this year have already been selected. Thank them for giving you the chance to be involved. Have a “support application” on hand if they ask how they can be one of your groups next year. Second, host large community events at your store for the benefit of whatever charity you’ve decided to support. If you have an active local Red Cross or American Heart Society chapter, they may jump on the chance to be the featured beneficiary at your next event. You can offer to donate a percentage of a weekend’s proceeds to the local heart society chapter, and maybe they’ll set up and offer blood pressure screenings (or something similar) in the store. “Have a heart, buy a guitar” may not be a catchy slogan for the front windows, but it might work inside for one weekend. Third, take the donationmaking decision completely out of your hands by establishing a foundation to handle donations and other support. If you read the Music and Sound Retailer on a regular basis, you’ll frequently see references to independent store foundations supporting one cause or another. I’ve just about exceeded what I know about foundations in those two sentences, but I know all requests for support can be channeled to the foundation for MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

consideration. Having a foundation lets you offer local support while taking your store out of the direct decision-making process. This helps avoid hard feelings when someone asks for $500 to support their parish pinochle tournament, and they

end up disappointed by your lack of enthusiasm. There are a lot of ways a store can scratch its philanthropic itch. It’s certainly not necessary that the store benefit from any contributions made, but mutually beneficial arrangements between a

donor store and recipient make the donations more palatable for the donor, and they may help establish long-lasting relationships with a group that already has a wide base of support in your community — which may just happen to also be your primary market.

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FIVE TIPS FOR CREATING A GREAT VIDEO By Gabriel O’Brien

1 2 3 4 5

Have a plan Don’t write a script Don’t try to say it all at once Pay attention to lighting Shoot some B-roll

I know, I’ve been writing a lot about video lately. This is the third part in this series (which began in the August 2018 issue and continued in the November 2018 issue), and then I’ll take a break to focus on other topics for a bit. But before that happens, I wanted to give you some tools to empower you to make some great video content for your store. Hopefully these columns have helped demystify the idea of making videos, and this will serve as a sort of primer to get you started.

Have a plan.

I use the term “plan” pretty loosely here, as is evidenced by much of my own content, because I think focusing too much on making sure everything is perfect can easily become the thing that overwhelms you and gets in the way of finishing anything. While engaging in any creative enterprise is enjoyable, the end product you deliver and hopefully reap some sales from is what matters most here. While you shouldn’t get bogged down trying to plan every detail, it’s helpful to have the most basic guidelines established. Even if all you do is jot down a few lines describing your goals, that’s a better place to start than not considering them. My advice is to consider who the audience for the video is and what the end goal is. Are you trying to give an in-depth product review, introduce potential customers to a service or just create some excitement about what’s new in your store? Jot down the goal, then bullet point a couple of ideas highlighting how you’re going to show that. For every bullet point you create, think of it as a new shot in your video. Try to arrange them in a logical order, so you have a beginning, middle and end. 56

2 Don’t write a script.

I know this sounds counterintuitive, given that I just said to have a plan. What I don’t advocate is writing an entire script of long lines you have to remember or read. Reading or memorizing lines, unless you have lots of on-camera experience, will result in a stiff on-screen presence, like a bad cable TV commercial advertising a car dealership. What you want to do is simply take each shot, each thing you want to talk about, and give yourself what some call “talking points.” These are simply bullet points containing the “McNuggets,” or the most simplified version, of what you’re trying to say. A couple of words reminding yourself to hit on a particular point is fine. These are a guidebook, a tool to reference when it’s time to talk.

Don’t try to say it all at once.

Long-winded sentences featuring you talking to a camera are how you drag the pace of a video way down. Take a breath, glance at your talking points, and try to hit each one in one to two short and sweet sentences. Give yourself a couple takes each and allow yourself to say things in a natural and conversational way. Trying to remember all the specs of a guitar and rattle them off in one long, unbroken shot will result in long, uninteresting moments in your video, which can cause viewers to navigate away. The same holds true for trying to show any kind of technical process in one shot. It’s difficult to keep a camera moving and in focus zooming in and out, and that can result in suboptimal footage, as can simply leaving the camera on a tripod and showing one long, wide DECEMBER 2018

shot. Here’s an example. Were I shooting a video on how to plug in and turn on a guitar amp, I’d have a quick shot to establish the scene and tell folks what you’re doing. Once you start explaining the “how-to” parts, you want to have closer shots illustrating plugging a cable into the jack of the guitar, plugging the other end into the jack on the amp, then cutting back to the wide shot to say, “Here’s a pro tip: Leave the amp turned off until the guitar is plugged in or you may hear a loud, unpleasant popping sound.”

4 Pay attention to lighting. When possible, use natural light like a window. When it’s not possible, remember that harsh overhead lighting, like what’s found in most stores, can cause you to appear to have dark circles under your eyes or your products to not appear as attractive as you’d like. There are a wide variety of inexpensive LED photo lights you can purchase, and I highly recommend even the cheapest of those. If you really want to be a pro, take a mic stand and raise it into a “T” shape, then drape a thin piece of white fabric across the boom arm and shine the light through it. This is called diffusion, and it makes the lighting less harsh, which can drastically improve your video. There are plenty of YouTube videos on lighting that I’m happy to recommend to anyone who’s interested.

Shoot some B-roll.

B-roll is something you’ve seen a million times and have never thought about. You’re watching a TV show, and the protagonist arrives at a new location. To illustrate that, you’re shown a car turning into the parking lot, the key being disengaged from the ignition, the person stepping out of the car and the outside of the building. It’s over in a flash, and you didn’t think about it. When you watch a beer or restaurant commercial and they show close-up footage of food and drinks, that’s B-roll. That amp video I was talking about earlier? Find some fun angles to shoot it MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

from, highlight the area in your store where it is, show the lights turning on as it powers up and your hand adjusting the knobs and settings. You may want these shots to use later while you discuss an action, or just to highlight the amp. Sometimes you find a problem in your main footage and need something to cut away to. I usually spend one to two minutes

shooting B-roll footage of any key things I can find, including the inside and outside of a building I’m in. It’s just nice to have around when you need it. Again, there are loads of best practices on using it and editing it in that I’m happy to share. Suffice it to say, shoot some B-roll, and you’ll be glad you did. Take these tips and try to

make a short one-minute video showing a product or service you offer. You don’t have to be a combo store to do this. Show your students how to clean a trumpet, put together a flute or just show off one of your grand pianos. If you want some further tips, inspiration or have specific questions I can answer, write to me at gabriel@upperhandstudios.com.

SHINE A LIGHT

FLYING HIGH By Michelle Loeb Blues City Music is not your typical musical instrument store. The 2,200-square-foot space offers a one-of-a-kind custom product offering and the privacy and equipment necessary to try out the gear in conditions that practically replicate the real-world experience. Blues City Music never runs sales and offers flexible hours by appointment, creating a feeling of high-end exclusivity that is exactly what James L. Burke III, owner of Blues City Music, wants for customers visiting his business. “When you walk into my shop, you realize this is not the norm. It is an experience, not a simple retail shop. I don’t do three-for-one sales, starter kits, special deals, etc.,” said Burke. “I stock all boutique, high-end items with non-negotiable prices and no trades, and customers who spend that much money don’t waste time. They know what they want before they come, and many buy off of our online web store. That’s the way I like it, but I’m certainly prepared to spend as much time as needed to help that customer determine what he or she needs.” Part of what gives Burke the flexibility to maintain such a high-standard and niche

DECEMBER 2018

us instructors that said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste your time. If you want to do something, do it.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; He died two weeks later,â&#x20AC;? said Burke. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That inspired me to open my shop.â&#x20AC;? Given the somewhat unpredictable hours that come with being a FedEx pilot, and the fact that Burke is the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sole employee, Blues City Music is

tors and two shock sensors in my shop, and I can manage all the above, plus the alarm, from my phone, even if I was at the pool on a layover in Singapore,â&#x20AC;? Burke said. The benefits of having that erratic schedule outweigh the downsides for Burke, since (continued on page 69)

not the type of store you can pass on the street and decide to walk into. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really window shop here because we have doublesided blackout shades and custom bars on the windows for security when we are closed. I have 15 cameras, 17 motion detectors, five smoke detec-

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clientele is the fact that, at the moment, Blues City Music is a passion project for him rather than a full-time job, since his main source of income is his job as a Boeing 777 Captain/Check Airman for FedEx Express. Being a performing and recording artist who has played guitar since 1967, Burke decided to share his love of music and appreciation for high-end gear via an online shop that he opened in 2005. The business developed further, with Burke operating out of the back of various recording studios and a local music shop in Memphis. Eventually, in June 2016, he opened his own brick-and-mortar storefront on one of the busiest streets in Tennessee â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a move that was motivated by some important words of wisdom Burke received from a sick coworker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of our FedEx pilots ended up with an acute case of cancer, and he wrote a letter to MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

lane with us as we marvel at how weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve grown together. As Joseph Campbell said,

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V E D D AT O R I A L

PO IN

P I T

I P

G N

Many companies in our industry — manufacturers, jobbers and retailers — are teetering around a tipping point. Oh, there are certainly successful, well-oiled operations that won’t see what I’m talking about. I’m also not talking about high-profile financial difficulties. Instead, I’m concerned that there are many companies teetering, even when you ignore the really large ones. I think if you scratch the surface a bit, you’ll see some evidence of the difficulties, at least in some companies you know. It’s almost a given that there are a lot of retailers living sales day to sales day. We’ve seen a lot of stores close (five in my market over the last couple of years, not counting sales to a new owner), and I know owners locally who would instantly bail if they could find a buyer or a way to liquidate with enough cash to pay off their debts. I would guess that this pattern exists in many markets nationwide. But that is just retailers, and retail is dead, right? Online will step up and fill the gap. I suppose there is a scenario where this could happen, but I don’t think that would bode well for the health of our industry. We’re an ecosystem, and ignoring the unique contribution of brickand-mortar retail is at least foolish, if not perilous. First, the statistics don’t support the “everyone buys online” viewpoint. (The total of online sales is projected to reach only 12.9 percent of all retail sales by 2020. And yes, the growth is slowing.) At their best, stores provide an entry point for new players, a community nexus for music, and a service station for consumer warranty and repair needs. Anyone think end users will be just tickled to rely on online service when they have a problem? However, I will agree that fewer retailers will not immediately tank our industry. I’m actually far more concerned about the supply side of our industry, because problems there generally mean problems for everyone. For example, even without tariffs, our supply lines aren’t keeping up with demand. I cannot place all my orders in any given week without hitting out-of-stocks, usually from several sources. Certainly, everyone is playing it close to 60

By Dan Vedda

the vest and not overstocking inventory. But that’s just another form of paycheckto-paycheck living. It’s fine until something goes wrong, but there’s no safety net, especially since replenishment for our import products is a months-long timeline. (And yes, it gets more expensive if tariffs or currency fluctuations are in play.) More troubling, my supplier contacts tell me that many of their outages come from smaller companies in the industry. Some, I am told, have not shipped in weeks or months, despite orders in house. Often, these companies provide staple products like parts or accessories rather than big-ticket instruments or other proprietary lines. There is a chance that the jobber could be out of product because he/she can’t pay his/her bills and a shipment is cut off. I get how this could happen — but that’s no comfort, because troubled jobbers are another example of the cracks in our foundation. However, I have seen situations where the product in question is out across several sources. Frustrated salespeople grouse to me how much they’re losing in commission because these outages are systemic. So why are we seeing this? We still have many supply companies that are small, often smaller than the jobbers and retailers that are their customers. They have the same potential for problems like cashflow or owner burnout and succession issues. The screws tighten if they do business with a large chain or Amazon, where payment delay on a $20,000 order can be crippling. I think “We can’t buy stuff to make more stuff until ___________ pays for the stuff we sent them” happens more often than we realize. When the pressure is on, some people step up and some people curl up. Certainly, we’ve seen some retailers just stop trying and blame their difficulties on the internet, unfair competition, failed school levies or other issues. What troubles me at the moment is that I’m seeing this sort of withdrawal from some supply companies I deal with. I talk to reps who are more focused on the commissions lost than anything else. Sure, the corporate culture they live in may be oppressive as well, but some fail to return calls in a timely fashion. (I had one that never called back at all, and I can’t get anything but voicemail out of them.) They have so many backorders in play that they never call when the goods arrive, because they can sell them faster to new callers than trying to recapture old orders. Worst of all, there’s no hustle from a lot of companies. I’ve been taking repairs home over the weekend to complete them faster and bring in the cash. Then I call suppliers and find that “all the salespeople are at lunch” or hit a voicemail wall, or (this time of year) find that they’re closed for inventory. We can’t live like that anymore, folks. We can’t close early, respond slowly, and stick to our habits and procedures from the 1980s. I believe we can get past this, but not until we stop curling up. We need to put in the sweat equity on both the retail and wholesale sides. We need to partner with humans we can talk to, from the manufacturers to the end users. Finally, we have to stop expecting a savior if we just wait it out. Don’t wait for a hero — be a hero. If you have a comment, feel free to share it on facebook.com/veddatorial, and as always, post an inquiry if there’s another topic you’d like to see covered here. (Please post to the page rather than PM, so others can see the dialogue). DECEMBER 2018

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U N DER T H E HOOD

QRS MUSIC TECHNOLOGIES’ QRS-CONNECT By Anthony Vargas

The QRS-Connect offers several features that allow musicians to play, practice, record and share their music wherever the road may take them. Thanks to a suite of supported apps and widgets, this pocket-sized device functions as an all-in-one tool for aspiring and experienced musicians who are looking to hone their skills, track their progress and stay connected to other players. According to Thomas Dolan, president and CEO of QRS Music Technologies, “Musicians, believe it or not, are very similar to athletes in their passion. But we felt that a simple means of tracking and capturing all you do musically, similar to an athlete’s activity tracker but for music, did not exist in a convenient form factor. So, we set out to create this new way for musicians to record, track, compare and analyze their musical activity, progress, performances and goals. In addition to being a simple, no-fuss way for musicians to record, archive, share and comment on all of their musical activities, it will deliver analytics and connect them to the community.” The QRS-Connect supports all types of instruments. It offers an array of connectivity options, including USB-C, USB audio and MIDI,

Bluetooth audio and MIDI, 2x5-pin MIDI, three-pin audio in/headphone jack, digital audio input, WiFi, speaker and sound chip, plus a built-in mic and audio output. “It works with all instruments, with or without cables,” Dolan said. “MIDI in all forms and analog in all forms.” The device automatically records, saves and uploads; the musician just needs to connect an instrument to the device and play. “In its simplest form, the QRS-Connect is by default recording, so you only need to set it down, plug in a MIDI cable and/or, depending on the quality of the audio you are looking for, an audio cable,” Dolan described. “Audio is captured as a flac (free lossless audio codec) and/or converted to mp3. MIDI and, depending on the output, future HD MIDI can also be captured.” QRS-Connect can be used to link musicians to the QRS-Connect.com cloud service, which offers an online ecosystem for musicians to access analytics, share and archive their recorded files, and interact with other users. “The ecosystem is essentially an agnostic music-data aggregator, so, regardless of brand or instrument, the QRS-Connect will capture, then it will auto-tag, sort, analyze and store [files] locally on the QRS-Connect and in the QRS-Connect. com cloud,” Dolan explained. “The sorting and tagging will be available in the form of a calendar and list. Content will be color-coded by tag, and there will be ways to sort by data types, from number of notes, duration, key, to MIDI variable, making it very easy to find what you’re looking for. The cloud will also add up your time spent on different tasks and compare to what you did previously or to others via leaderboards and performance scores.” The QRS-Connect.com cloud service is available to all users, regardless of the brand of instrument they play. “We envision that most manufacturers will be creating some form of cloud, or are in the process of doing so. But ours will be truly agnostic, so if the artist plays a Kawai one day and a Steinway the next, or a guitar then a flute, they only need to go to one place to see their data,” Dolan said. “We plan to have a very open system where we share with everyone who shares with us.” The QRS-Connect can interface with users’ mobile devices, allowing access to a host of widgets and apps with an array of functionalities. These include a Metronome Flash LED with playlist capability, a MIDI Sound Module, Tuner Pitch Detection, and a Sound Check Assistant that allows users to test line levels for PA systems, among many more. QRS plans to support the QRS-Connect by adding more widgets and apps developed by the company, as well as third parties, going forward. With all of this functionality, QRS expects the QRS-Connect to serve as an important learning and teaching tool for musicians of all experience levels. “Our vision for beginners is mostly to give them and their teachers the ability to track how much they are practicing,

Nate Tschetter

DECEMBER 2018

what they are practicing, score their practice, present them with leaderboards and enable them to link into third-party apps such as Piano Marvel for more detailed course learning,” Dolan said. “Our vision for more experienced musicians is a bit different. Not only will we capture their work and score it, but we’ll also add unique security profiles to their creations and performances to tag and positively ID the music performance as theirs.” According to Dolan, the QRSConnect has received a warm reception among dealers and partners. “Once they get their arms around it, it’s a constant flow of ideas on how it can best be used for their particular situation,” he shared. “Over time, each dealer will find the use case that works for each particular customer and frame their sale to that use case. So, the piano dealer could sell it as an add-on to their digitals or to legacy customers, the music teacher could require their students to use it, composers may want the seamless-capture, save and tag features. But all users will get the tracking functionality by default, which will be the fivesecond product message [dealers can use to sell the product].” QRS also has ambitious plans to promote the QRS-Connect to users and the company’s network of dealers and is actively seeking feedback on the product from early adaptors. “We have taken the unusual step — at least unusual to QRS — of rolling out our advertising early on a product that is not yet shipping or fully feature filled,” Dolan explained. “We feel there will be a learning curve associated with its capabilities, and early and often exposure will build awareness and feedback. We are partnering with several developers, artists, teachers, students, professors and retailers for first releases, development and feedback. And we will be producing a family of videos of use cases.” Dolan continued, “Our initial kickoff will be in conjunction with our existing key piano dealers and software partners and their teacher-student bases. Of course,

this gives us the advantage of initial, reliable, trusted feedback before a major blast.” He also described some dealer incentives and promotions the company plans to roll out as the product ships. “A [point-of-purchase display] will be available showing how it works. Dealer unlock will

be available for floor models. The product is off the shelf — there is no work on the dealer’s part. Its packaging and presentation is similar to a cell phone.” In addition to the continuing development of apps and widgets, QRS plans to support the QRSConnect with more product re-

leases in the future. “We envision adding a family of accessories that, when wirelessly connected, [will capture] data relative to its use,” Dolan said. The QRS-Connect will be available for an MSRP of $595. According to QRS, it is expected to be released in Q1 2019.

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Ad Index

Company

ADAM HALL...............................33 ALFRED PUBLISHING..............27 AMAHI UKULELES...................57 AUDIX CORPORATION.............23 BOURNS PRO AUDIO................40 CAD AUDIO.................................41 CHAUVET LIGHTING................43 CHEM-PAK..................................67 CHESBRO MUSIC.......................51

(continued from cover) A second theme at next month’s show will be opportunity, noted Lamond. “Opportunity for everybody to find their own potential,” he said. “I’m really proud of the things we are doing to give more opportunities to women [for example]. Smart Women in Music and She Rocks are great examples. We are giving more scholarships than ever before to young women to come to the show that are business majors. I think we all have an opportunity

DEXIBELL...................................17

speaker setups and learn how to use them, what to install and more,” said Lamond.

More than 115,000 people attended The 2018 NAMM Show, an attendance figure that would rival most any industry. Based upon attendee feedback, Lamond stated NAMM this year is placing a large emphasis on the quality of the attendance over the quantity of attendance. “This is an indus-

“We’ve made a lot of changes over the course of this year, including signage, traffic routing and perimeters,” he said. “We will have a much more efficient system of moving people around the campus. We had to see how everyone chose to move around last year and where all the choke points were with the new hall [ACC North]. We have worked all those out. It will be much easier for people to move around compared to last year.

try show. That’s what separates it from a lot of the other things out there,” he said. “We are taking a very focused look at the curated attendance. We are making sure it is really being focused on the industry. We are doing that by looking at badge allotments by companies and the partners we have, like AES and ESTA. The quality of attendance is way more important than quantity. If we wanted more people, we could just open it up [to the public]. But we don’t think that would be good for the show. The retailers want to have access to the things they want to see without having to pass through a huge crowd to get to where they want to be. That’s something that has come up often in our surveys. And exhibitors want to see a broad segment of the industry, including dealers, buyers, bloggers, public relations, mainstream media, specific media and they want to see key influencers like Stevie Wonder or [Dave Natale], the engineer for the Rolling Stones. We are putting together a broad [attendance] mix, but it’s a curated mix.” As for the people who do walk through The NAMM Show doors, expect better traffic flows and signage, Lamond asserted.

We learned a lot and made a lot of changes.” Another large emphasis will be security, which is always a concern for any trade show operator. But this topic really hit home last year, due to domestic and international tragedies alike. Unfortunately, these tragedies have not stopped. But NAMM has a thorough, detailed game plan in an effort to keep everyone who attends The NAMM Show safe. “Everyone got home safely last year, and that is our continued goal,” relayed Lamond. “We will do everything in our power to make sure it stays that way. … There are really smart people involved in this. Whether it’s Homeland Security, the FBI, state police or fire departments, I am such a dedicated fan of the dedicated people in that field. Everything that happens, they learn from. We get the benefits from their best practices. We are lucky enough to work with these professionals at all levels. They are our guide in how to keep our event safe. We work with the very best people in the country to make sure The NAMM Show stays safe. They will be guiding us every step of the way.”

Quality Over Quantity

EPIPHONE............................... C-III FARIDA GUITAR & UKULELE.................................67 FENDER.......................................7 GALAXY AUDIO........................5 HAL LEONARD..........................9 HOSHINO.....................................63 JOHN PACKER............................30 KALA BRAND MUSIC CO........48 KYSER MUSICAL PRODUCTS...............................50 LEE OSKAR PRODUCTIONS....40 LYON & HEALY..........................29 MALONEY STAGEGEAR COVERS....................................53 MANHASSET SPECIALTY COMPANY................................8 NAMM.................................... 14-15 NEW SENSOR.............................55 ODYSSEY INNOVATIVE DESIGNS...................................49 PEAVEY.......................................21 PRO X...........................................37 QRS MUSIC TECHNOLOGIES.. 39 QSC AUDIO.................................19 RAIN RETAIL SOFTWARE........16 SHE ROCKS AWARDS...............36 TECH 21.......................................11 THE CAVANAUGH COMPANY................................25 TMP / THE MUSIC PEOPLE!.....59 TRUSST........................................24 U.S. BAND & ORCHESTRA SUPPLIES.................................31 VOCOPRO....................................13 WD MUSIC PRODUCTS............10 WIREWORLD..............................35 YAMAHA...................................C-II YORKVILLE............................. C-IV While every care is taken to ensure that these listings are accurate and complete, The Music & Sound Retailer does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors.

to create more opportunity and access. I’m particularly proud of the fact there will be more room for young people to find their place in MI. I think the industry will benefit for years — if not decades — by us as an industry making it more welcome for everyone. That will be a big emphasis [at the upcoming show].” It’s hard to top the addition of ACC North, which added 200,000 square feet to The NAMM Show floor at the 2018 version of the event. But The 2019 NAMM Show will have plenty of new wrinkles as well. It all starts with pro audio and event technology, an area of MI enjoying robust growth. To help facilitate that growth, NAMM will host the Loudspeaker System Showcase, which will take place in the Arena inside the Anaheim Convention Center. “We will have rigs all set up,” noted Lamond. “Throughout the entire show, there will be demos on these rigs; how to use them, highlighted equipment from companies and more.” As for who needs these products, it could be a school looking for a new PA system or a house of worship or a major festival or tour. “The Arena will be where you go to find the most innovative

DECEMBER 2018

Breakfast of Champions

Many NAMM favorites will return next month, including the Breakfast of Champions on Jan. 24, when Lamond himself hosts a standing-room-only discussion about one or multiple hot-button industry topics. This is often added to an interview with a celebrity guest. Of course, Lamond can’t reveal who the special guest will be next month, but he did offer up details on what will be discussed during the popular session that commences before

ers and Opportunities.” Led by Daniel Burrus, futurist and innovation expert, this session will reveal the current and future trends guaranteed to shape the music products industry. Saturday, Jan. 26’s breakfast session, titled “How to Win in the Age of Disruption,” features Scott Stratten, president of UnMarketing and best-selling business author, who will share strategies and stories from the eye of the disruption hurricane, drawing from not only his retail experi-

24, Jan. 25 and Jan. 26 at The NAMM Show. This includes the Grand Plaza, which will be active all three nights. A celebration of the NAMM Foundation will take place Thursday night and will be one of the events on this stage. The John Lennon Educational Bus celebration will take place Saturday night at the Grand Plaza. Following on a highly successful move to right outside the Anaheim Convention Center in January, Yamaha’s All-Star Con-

their business, especially in an age where many other parts of the business have become hyper competitive.” The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) will also have its presence felt at The NAMM Show. “This may be new for several retailers, but you can go and learn about rigging, lighting, electrical, safety and everything else related to putting on a concert or other live events,” Lamond said.

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the trade floor opens. Next month’s theme will be “Be Originals,” focusing on people who think differently than others, and the impact they have had on MI. Breakfast of Champions will not be the only show highlight. The education sessions will actually commence the day before The NAMM Show opens on Jan. 23, with the “Retail Innovation Summit,” hosted by Bob Phibbs, known as the Retail Doctor. “[The Summit] used to focus on sales and specific parts of retail,” stated Lamond. “But we’ve now broadened that out, where it deserves the title of Innovation Summit. It will have everything related to retail — sales, marketing, tech, finance. Zach Phillips [NAMM’s director of professional development] has done a tremendous job and gives a lot of dealers a reason to come to Anaheim a day early. It’s an all-day deep dive into the issues of retail. I would highly encourage any retailer who is concerned about the future to be at the Innovation Summit.” Following up on the Breakfast of Champions, the breakfast sessions will continue on Friday, Jan. 25 with “Transforming the Music Industry: Trends, Game-ChangMUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

ence but also from what made him who he is today: a guy in the music business who got his start managing bands — and “survived to tell the tale.” And on Sunday, Jan. 27, the “Best in Show,” a roundup of the biggest products, services and technologies displayed on the exhibit floor, returns. All breakfast sessions will commence with an 8 a.m. first-come, first-served breakfast, followed by presentations from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. All will take place at the Hilton Anaheim Hotel, Level 2, Pacific Ballrooms. In addition to the breakfast sessions, plenty of education sessions will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center throughout the show day from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the NAMM Idea Center, Level 1 Lobby (between Halls B and C). To see all NAMM University sessions, visit NAMM’s website at namm.org/nammu.

That’s Entertainment

It wouldn’t be a NAMM Show without entertainment. Once again, there will be plenty of performances and activities to choose from on the nights of Jan.

cert will return to the same location on Jan. 25. Performers at this event have yet to be announced, but Yamaha’s concerts are always a talk of the show, and last January, featured Melissa Etheridge, Michael McDonald and more. And over at the House of Blues Anaheim on Jan. 25, She Rocks will host its seventh-annual event, honoring Macy Gray, Lisa Loeb, Nita Strauss and more. As is always the case, this is just a small sampling of live events. Check back in our January issue for more on this topic, and view our ConventionTV@ NAMM broadcast.

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AES and ESTA Return

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) will also return for a second year at The NAMM Show to provide 165 educational sessions that are grouped into six different training academies. “I see more and more MI dealers involved in this event,” said Lamond. “I have spoken to have a lot of retailers recently. I ask how the year has been going. Some are saying their brightest spots [on a sales basis] are installs and live sound. Installs and live sound are becoming real profitable parts of 67

“For retailers, it is a huge blue ocean of opportunity for a profitable business. But the key is, you have to do it right. You can’t mess with it. You can’t do it halfway. If you want to get involved in this area, these sessions are fantastic. Many of the sessions are certifications and many have government support to ensure they are up to date with the most recent safety practices. We are providing for free all the information to make sure retailers take on these tasks safely. This is especially

Baltimore tourism for 15 years. I remember going to public relations shows and recalled that was how I learned the industry. I realized there are resources out there for those trying to run an independent music store. It was a moment of clarity for me. I said, Hey, maybe we can do this.” At the time Larry Noto started running the store in 2015, he acknowledged he didn’t know the difference between a Strat and a Tele. “But I went to education sessions and met with vendors

time before attending the show. “I was initially there as support staff to help buyers identify cool products.” Today, the president of the Michigan-based retailer believes that The NAMM Show’s educational sessions are among the top five reasons for his company’s success. “It may even be in the top three,” said Edwards. “Once I opened my eyes to all the various [educational] sessions, it really helped me a great deal. It’s phenomenal what

sion with NAMM’s president and CEO, we asked Lamond to look back at the state of MI thus far this year, and to look ahead. Not everything was perfect for the MI industry in 2018, he responded. But when we look back on 2018, it will definitely be considered a positive year for the industry. “There will probably be years in the future where we wish it will be 2018 again,” he said. “This was not a bad year by any means. But yet, at the same time, some instrument [sales] were up,

great for combo dealers who are looking to grow.”

at NAMM,” he said. “I learned about the ukulele craze. We had three ukuleles in the store at the time and now we have 40.” Larry Noto added attending The NAMM Show has been a game-changer for him. He has met other store owners at The NAMM Show, some of whom he still emails to ask questions. He also was introduced to store design at the trade show. That paid off in a big way, as Music Land won the NAMM Top 100 “Best Store Turnaround” award, presented at Summer NAMM. “I didn’t know anything about store design, and then I’m standing on a stage receiving an award for it. It’s unbelievable,” said Larry Noto. Although attending The NAMM Show for more years than Larry Noto, Marshall Music President Jimmy Edwards initially did not attend because he considered it a luxury or a perk to do so. But now he goes every year. In fact, the operator of seven stores will have six associates at next month’s show. Initially, when he did start attending the show, he thought traveling to southern California was a fun thing to do; not a development possibility. “I wasn’t even aware of the learning opportunities NAMM offers,” Edwards said of his

NAMM has done to create these great educational opportunities at the show. The NAMM Show has always been an opportunity for networking, but the educational sessions are really out of this world. “Having somewhat limited training opportunities internally, I saw NAMM as an opportunity to grow,” he added. “I can start to use big words [laughs]. I can start to talk about things going on in the industry.” Edwards noted there have been several practical ideas he has learned at The NAMM Show that he has successfully used at his business. He acknowledged not every idea will always work, but the ideas that have worked have benefitted the bottom line significantly. “I think it’s also critical at The NAMM Show to see and talk to people that are doing things better than you,” Edwards concluded. “It’s nice to pat yourself on the back if you are doing well. But I’m humble, and it’s nice to know what we need to do better and strive to get there.”

while others weren’t. Generally, not every segment goes up or down at the same time. It’s a moving bank of elevators.” One place of particular strength can be found in the accessories market, noted Lamond. “We seen a growth curve over the last 10 years,” he said. “It’s very important to point out, because it is a measure of music making itself. The more you play, the more you use accessories like strings and sticks. We’ve seen sales of accessories go up over the last 10 years, but sales were up more significantly in 2018. That’s a big positive. People are placing value on music making. 2018 will be viewed as a good year for most of the industry.” Of course, this doesn’t mean everything is great moving forward. The economy appeared more shaky as we entered the end of the year, and tariffs, if enacted, are certainly an unknown for retailers. But Lamond is optimistic looking forward. “There certainly are economic shifts and things that will affect the larger economy,” he responded. “But when we look at our world, we can look to music education in our country. I was talking to a school district in Cincinnati. Thanks to the new education bill

On the Fence?

Still deciding whether to attend The NAMM Show or not? Leaving the store and the expense of traveling are always obstacles. To get more information on why it makes sense to attend, we spoke to two independent MI retailers who initially did not attend The NAMM Show. Bel Air, Md.-based Joe Noto’s Music Land was founded in 1971. Joe Noto owned and ran the store morning, noon and night until his unfortunate passing in 2015. He rarely attended The NAMM Show for the simple reason that he never left the store, said son Larry Noto. “He wouldn’t even leave the store to go to lunch,” said Larry Noto, “let alone go to California.” According to Larry Noto, who was a marketing executive at the time of his father’s passing, there was no succession plan at the time, but the family wanted to keep the store running. “A rep who is a good friend of ours started telling me about NAMM,” Larry Noto told the Retailer. “He told me there is a trade show where you meet with vendors, and [it] has educational sessions. My background was in

State of the Industry

We couldn’t let Lamond go without asking about the state of MI. So, to finish our discus-

DECEMBER 2018

that NAMM and its members were a really big part of, hundreds of thousands of new dollars are being spent on musical instruments in the school district this fall. I like where we are at with music education and the fundamental driver of our business, which is getting young kids starting to play music. My mantra is more to start and

fewer to quit.” As far as tariffs, Lamond said plenty of things have been thrown at MI in the past, and it could have an effect on business. But as long as MI focuses on serving its customers, retailers can thrive. “We do need to monitor changes and adapt quickly,” he said. “We may need to change

our tactics and strategies. Adapt, adapt, adapt. I can’t be tied up in headlines. The real job is taking care of your customers. Tariffs, politics and debt will play out.” Lamond concluded that if he were still working at Skip’s Music, which he served in the past, he certainly would be cautious, however. “I would think about be-

ing prudent and put some savings aside and prepare for what might come next,” he concluded. “I am cautious by nature and would look at every penny of expense. I would want to look at every fixed cost and be very prepared. Then, if nothing goes wrong, great. But if something goes wrong, you are ready and prepared for the storm.”

People come into the store for an experience, but they want to buy quickly and easily.” However, for those who do come into the store, Burke has more than 60 amps, 40 guitars, and more than 30 pedals out in the shop at any one time. His stock is a pretty even mix between “the black and chrome and the crazy custom colors,” said Burke, who noted that his customers feel more comfortable spending money in this current economy. He won’t stock any company or product he doesn’t believe in and has made a name for himself with one-of-a-kind offerings. “Custom shop stuff is my specialty,” he said. “I have things no one else can get.” Burke calls his store “a 2,200-square-foot man cave”

with couches, a coffee table, a 2,000-watt LP turntable system where he plays old records and a 4K smart TV system with Pandora, YouTube, Netflix and more. Along the walls are photos that Burke has taken during the course of his many FedEx flights around the world. “Shanghai, Hong Kong, Cologne, Paris, you name it,” he said. There are private demo rooms with soundproof doors and what Burke calls “the finest live bandstand in Memphis, where a customer can see what his or her purchase will sound like in a band setting. This is a real store where playing artists, gigging artists and everyone else can come. “Bottom line,” he continued, “Def Leppard could practice in my shop, and no one would complain about the noise — so you can play

as long and as loud as you’d like.” Outside of his niche, Burke also carves out a piece of Blues City Music for the next generation of players, donating guitars to local schools and offering band and orchestral rentals for young players in the community. “It keeps them off the streets and gets them into music,” he said. Though his business model may stray outside the norm, it seems to be working for him, as Burke reports a year-to-year sales increase of close to 300 percent this year. “We don’t fit a normal MI store. I’m not an out-of-work guitar player selling everything from starter packs up. The business is making money on its own, and it does really well. I can mold it immediately as I see it,” he concluded. “Life is too short. Turn it up! We do.”

The Retailer: Who do you admire most outside of the music industr y and why? Schmidt: My wife, Antonina, because she supports me in every facet of my life and lets me be who I am.

in Lawrenceville, N.J., and love it because it is such a serene, peaceful area with working farms, open space and suburbia mixed together for when I want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. And it’s equally spaced between NYC and Philadelphia so that when I want to experience the rush of city life, I can.

SHINE A LIGHT: FLYING HIGH

(continued from page 59) working as a pilot for FedEx has allowed him to experience music retail from a fully global perspective. He has visited music stores in Tokyo, Hong Kong and China, and hopes to do the same in Europe. “It gives you an idea of what buyers are looking at in the rest of the world,” said Burke. “I get to see the business models and demonstrations around the world in a way that big-box companies have no clue about.” Besides, his customers mostly make use of Blues City Music’s “killer” web store. “It’s fast, easy and simple, and encrypted. It’s also easier to use than most of the large online resellers,” said Burke. “If you already know what you want, you just get it online, so ecommerce has helped a lot. If you’re not in ecommerce today, you’re done.

THE FINAL NOTE: STEPHEN SCHMIDT

(continued from page 70) The Retailer: What’s the most fun thing you saw/did at a NAMM Show? Schmidt: A few years ago, I celebrated my 50th birthday during NAMM and spent the time with a very dear friend in the music business. I can’t disclose the details, but suffice it to say, we had a great time, which involved a great group of NAMM members and attendees. It was like spending a milestone event with family.

The Retailer: If you had to select three people, past or present, to have dinner with, who would they be and what would you ask them? Schmidt: 1. My grandfather, William Schmidt. What was it like in the world growing up in the late 1800s and seeing the evolution of the machine age? 2. George Washington. I would ask him if politics have changed from his time; and 3. Steve Jobs. What was his next idea so I could invest MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER

in it before it becomes a hit?

The Retailer: Tell us about your most memorable experience with an MI retailer. Schmidt: Since I work with so many MI retailers, it is only fair to recollect my first childhood memor y of my Garden City, N.Y., MI store (closed many years) and the awe at seeing all the shiny instruments hanging on the wall, and going around the store and shyly picking up the drumsticks and hitting the drums, going to the piano and running my finger across the keys. Just something that was a thrill to a young child. The Retailer: What is the best thing about the MI industr y? Schmidt: Simply… the music and the people that create, produce and distribute it.

The Retailer: What technology could change MI down the road? Schmidt: I believe the internet or its evolution will continue to change the world and, in turn, MI. The Retailer: If you weren’t in the music industr y, what would you be doing and why? Schmidt: I would be doing something that made me feel that I was contributing to the enrichment of people’s lives in some small way. The Retailer: Tell us about your hometown and why you enjoy living there. Schmidt: I currently live

The Retailer: What is your most prized possession(s) and why? Schmidt: I really do not have a prized possession, but in fact, regard everything I possess with gratefulness. The Retailer: What’s your favorite book and why? Schmidt: I have read too many books in my life, on varied subjects, to name a favorite book. But I do make a point to read regularly (now electronically), because I feel it stimulates my mind and keeps me engaged. 69

THE FINAL NOTE

STEPHEN SCHMIDT

Vice President, Casio’s Electronic Musical Instruments Division

By Brian Berk The Music & Sound Retailer: Who was your greatest influence or mentor and why? Stephen Schmidt: My father, William Schmidt, was my greatest influence. I come from a family of five boys. Being No. 4, I relished my time with him and paid close attention to his guidance. He was an engineer with a firm based out of New York City and taught me many of the values I hold today, including hard work, persistence, belief in the good of man (woman) and to enjoy your life. Unfortunately, he passed early in my life, but his values still guide me today.

part of their lives. I also enjoy reading about the latest technology and trying to understand the development process of new gadgets, and for mental relaxation, I enjoy tending to my lawn and garden.

The Retailer: What was the best advice you ever received? Schmidt: I learned from a number of people and through my own experience that complacency is unacceptable, and the only regret one can have is from not trying to improve every day.

The Retailer: If you could see any musician, alive or deceased, play a concert for one night, who would it be and why? Schmidt: Seriously, such a tough question — again, not easy to have just one answer — but maybe because it is so current in the entertainment news, I would love to see Freddie Mercury and the Queen of my youth playing music from the 1973–1974 era.

The Retailer: What was your first experience with a musical instrument? Schmidt: The violin in third grade. I remember the first concert we played in assembly, lined up with 10 other children, playing an out-of-tune, squeaky version of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” I can remember thinking how wonderful it sounded and how proud I was to play for the school. That memory stays with me today. The Retailer: What instrument do you most enjoying playing? Schmidt: Unfortunately, I did not keep up with lessons or continue to practice a musical instrument, so I am not really a musician. But once in a while, I fool around (privately) with the piano, of course. The Retailer: Tell us something about yourself that others do not know or would be surprised to learn. Schmidt: I am a big fan of ‘70s era foreign sports cars. I have owned a number of Fiats and Triumphs and continue to tinker with a Fiat today… much to my wife’s chagrin. The Retailer: What’s your favorite activity to do when you’re not at work? Schmidt: I have so many favorite activities, it’s hard to narrow it down to one. Some are just being with my wife and children and being 70

The Retailer: What is the best concert you’ve ever been to? Schmidt: That is a hard question, as I have been to so many and seen so many great performers, but one of the most memorable, because of his death about a year after seeing them/him, was Little Feat with Lowell George, 1978 Fox Theater in Atlanta.

The Retailer: What musician are you hoping to see play in the near future? Schmidt: Actually going to see David Sanborn with special guest and Casio artist Steve Weingart in Miami. The Retailer: What song was most memorable for you throughout your childhood and what do you remember about it the most? Schmidt: I do not have one, but two: Neil Young’s “Sugar Mountain,” and that was memorable because, even today, it brings back the fond days of an early romance, and Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” which was in a loose way a guide to life and my search to make something of myself. The Retailer: What songs are on your smartphone/iPod, etc. right now? Schmidt: I have a wide variety of music on my iPad and iPod because I share them with my wife, but I would say that the majority of the songs are a good deal of southern and classic rock, jazz and pop. (continued on page 69) DECEMBER 2018