The Score Magazine March 2024 issue! | Page 9

highonscore . com association , we are not just a trade show but some more . As for me NAMM , we are continuously evolving where the industry is . We are at a time now where technology and innovation are moving faster than ever and we have to move faster than ever . The evolution of NAMM – we have always evolved with our members and now we need to evolve ahead . Our companies and people creating music , and trading music now are thinking of selling their music in the first quarter of the year by doing business on this floor , but we are thinking ahead , in terms of decades , right ? We are thinking of the innovations of new research of consumer behaviour with AI . We have looked at and collected data to know where the industry is going . We need to be like an evolution agent for our members . We are really stretching ourselves to not just understand where our members are , but also on where our members are going . It is a lot of work , but it is super fun ( laughs ).
The NAMM Show is known for showcasing cutting-edge music technology . What trends or innovations can we anticipate being prominent this year ?
As far as technology innovations what we have seen this year , it is right in line with the incredible boom of live sound business . After the pandemic , there is a complete rush towards touring , and the technology to keep up with that is incredible . Some of the live onstage plugins , technology , and live sound , amplified stadiums where every seat gets the same listening experience , the amount of digital technology that has been injected into live sound and lighting . We are very excited to see innovations happening in lighting as well . I was kind of surprised not to see many AI-based products but I think that ’ s because we are too early in that kind of technology and where we are going . There is a lot of talk of course about how AI would go in the future .
As the global music community gathers , how has the show adapted to the changing landscape of the music industry , especially considering recent challenges ?
I ’ m so glad you have asked about the global industry because we recognise that we represent the world . Over 35 % of our membership is from international companies . We also recognise the type of connections that empower our industry with the various industries in the NAMM show and do their business . We are so globally interconnected . We rely on distribution , we rely on partnerships , we rely on all that . But , what we specifically did was , we made sure that all the partners from 124 countries that do come for business this year will not feel they are not attending a US-based show but part of their show . We held receptions for each country from Latin America , Europe to UK , Canada , Australia and Japan and made them feel welcomed . We did this in a culturally relevant way . We traveled the world last September and October to understand individual cultures and my team was amazed . The theme of our show was about industry insights this year and we did it globally .
The NAMM Show is a hub for networking and collaboration . How does the event foster connections within the industry , and what opportunities does it provide for professionals and enthusiasts ?
We have done a couple of things here . We recognise that NAMM is a career accelerator , first of fall . Professionally , NAMM gives a platform for showcasing products . Our education offerings are specifically targeted to make sure to develop resources and knowledge for people in industry across . We also have a really strong commitment towards individual members which is a new membership category . We recognised an individual working for a company and the title of the company at the NAMM show . But we know now today , and actually for a long time , a lot of people are independent in our industry . You might produce a little here , play a little here , have an endorsement deal here , and that ’ s okay because we want to make sure that people working on musical products have a path . So , now we have 3000 individuals participating in the NAMM show who work in the industry , or traditionally have a badge representing a company , but now it is what they individually create or contribute to the industry . That individual spirit willing to
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