vintage counterparts . If you ’ re a vintage fan , they ’ ve even added a “ vintage ” knob that adds a variable drift to the oscillators and LFOs , recreating an aged synth whose calibration has drifted slightly over the years . On the digital control side of the synth they ’ ve added aftertouch and velocity control for added finessing . Oberheim included all the presets for each one of the classic synths as well as a plethora of modern presets that will make the OB-X8 an instant studio staple .
Taking an entirely modern approach to synthesis was newcomer Groove Synthesis with a uniquely-designed Advanced Wavetable Synth . This unit is the first time I ’ ve seen a hardware unit that could faithfully recreate the complex sounds of advanced software synthesis . The brains behind Groove Synthesis are former developers for familiar brands like Avid and Sequential . This piece of hardware is a very future-focused synth designed for anyone who is interested in being on the cutting edge .
On the pro audio side of NAMM , without big players like Avid or Universal Audio coming out , the immersive audio companies were definitely in the forefront . There is a new frontier in audio and everyone is trying to get their stakes in . Sony ’ s new 360 Reality Audio takes an entirely new approach to the immersive audio concept . Rather than attempting to fill a box-shaped room with sound , Sony has envisioned a perfect sphere in which the listener is the centre point . The professional mixing software used to create these mixes , 360 WalkMix Creator , has a spherical space in which you can place sonic objects around the listener . Throughout NAMM , Sony had top industry professionals demonstrating how they worked within the new immersive environment to create and finalize content . While the software does not yet output to the ADM WAV files that are fast becoming a standard with Apple and other immersive listening streamers , it does have its own unique format consisting of a multichannel wave and a paired metadata file that is already being accepted by major streamers like Amazon Music and Deezer . Dolby had a massive presence at NAMM and the most exciting of which was its proof-of-concept vehicles for immersive audio . They had two Teslas as an interactive display , though they very clearly stated there was no official affiliation . The vehicles were outfitted with full Dolby Atmos listening systems and I patiently waited in line to try out the system for myself . Having worked in many Dolby-certified studios , I was blown away at how accurately the sounds were represented in such a difficult and complex space as a car . As a mix engineer who has been uncertain about the future of immersive audio , this demonstration is a huge reassurance that there is a growing market . Atmos systems are already being delivered in a few luxury cars and I have no doubt that they will become standard in all new vehicles in a short period of time with a potential for retrofit installations in current vehicles . With spatial audio becoming standard for consumption , it is important to have standards in creation . Dolby doubled down on its push to dominate the immersive audio market by showing off a beta version of the new Dolby Mastering Suite that is planned for release later this summer . The new Mastering suite allows engineers to import their ADM files , sequence , trim , crossfade , and apply equalization and limiting all in an easy-to-use clip-based environment . Having an established workflow for mastering immersive audio files will definitely be a game changer for my workflow .
Another standout booth in the pro audio hall was a unique Canadian company called Flock Audio , which offers digitallycontrolled analog patch bays for the modern studio workflow . With easy-to-use DB25 connectivity and controllability through either an iPad or desktop app , the patchbay allows engineers to quickly recall or reroute entire mixes instantaneously . As the industry moves more into hybrid analog and digital systems , a device like this will most definitely become a staple in future studios .
Although many people attending NAMM were looking for their favourite major brands , there wasn ’ t a single attendee that I spoke with that didn ’ t find something amazing and unexpected . To me , having the convention halls cleared of the big shiny attention-hoarders really created an atmosphere where amazing products that may have otherwise gone unnoticed were able to shine and open the doors to innovation and creativity on another level . I ’ m sure that we will see the return of the majors next year after the success of this event , but I am happy that I got to attend in a year when the indies shone the brightest .
BEST IN SHOW
For many MI retailers , the Best in Show panel discussion is a must-attend event on their schedule . Held on the last morning of the show , it acts as a cheat sheet for which products and companies can ’ t be missed . Here ’ s is a quick rundown of what the panelists named as their Best in Show selections this year :
Category : Best Add-Ons and Accessories
• No Nuts Percussion Cymbal Sleeves
• Taylor GS Mini / Travel Guitar Essentials Pack
• Positive Grid Spark Mini
• Gator Frameworks Stream Stand Series
• GripOPhone Lyres
• Gator Frameworks Elite Series Guitar Hanging Stand
Category : Gotta Stock It
• Yamaha AG01 Streaming Loopback Audio USB Microphone
• Cordoba Stage Guitar
• Guild Surfliner Guitar
• On-Stage WS3500 Production Station
• Protec Mute and Modular Mute Bags
• Line 6 Catalyst Guitar Amps
Category : Companies to Watch
• Maple Leaf Strings
• St . Louis Music
• Groove Synthesis
• Hoshino USA
• Proel
• Extertis ( American Music & Sound , The Music People / On-Stage , KMC / Davitt & Hanser , etc .)
Category : Best in Show
• Wiseman Cases ’ Wooden Band Instrument Cases
• Sela Harmony Hand Pan / Singing Bowls
• Oberheim OB-X8 Analog Synthesizer
• Yamaha FSC-TA Brown Sunburst TransAcoustic Guitar
• Hal Leonard Modern Band Method
• Focusrite Vocaster One & Vocaster Two
CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE 25