I am determined to make it this year and have already purchased plane tickets!
Besides our friends at Moog displaying the awesome Emerson clone, other large format modulars to be seen are Moon Modular with their own booth (look for me there ) and for the first time ever that I know of, Club Of The Knobs (COTK) will be there sharing a both with Avalon Designs and look at what they are bringing!
Yeah, pretty much not open to the general public. It is totally crowded and crazy as it is though so I shudder to think what it would be like if they allowed the place to be constantly packed to capacity!
If you are friendly with a manufacturer or music store that has a booth you may be able to get a visitor badge. Other than that here is an info link: https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2015/attend
It’s a four day show thursday through sunday. Friday and Saturday are the worst, crowds of people and crazy days.
Visitor pass requests have to be submitted by August or September. They do check your ID against your visitor pass so you can’t borrow someone else’s pass. It will be confiscated from you. Backpacks will be searched. You can thank 9/11 for that.
To give you an idea how much stuff is there… picture a convention floor the size of five football fields laid side to side. There’s also the basement and second floor, both the same size. Yamaha usually rents space at the hotel across the convention center. Remember there are traditional instruments not just synths and guitars and studio gear.
Besides the gear, you can see some really good impromptu performances and scheduled concerts. I have seen some really talented kids at those shows.
Just remember that the real customers are the retailers and distributors. If things get too disruptive they have been known to eject visitors. You can’t buy anything and if you have a visitor pass you are not allowed to leave with gear. Sometimes a booth will sell something at the last hour on Sunday (esp a large item that they don’t want to pay the shipping to return it), but the vendor has to escort you to the door.
Just remembered one of my first NAMM shows… wanted a nice gift for my friends who got me the visitor pass so I asked Mom to make a batch of her chocolate chip brownies. Safest thing to take on the plane.
First day of the show and I have to stand in line to get my pass. I have the box of brownies with me in the sunlight for an hour, by the time we are inside they have warmed up and everybody can smell them. When people asked me what is in the box, I firmly replied that they are gifts for my host. If I uttered chocolate chip brownies I knew I would have a mob on my hands…
I enjoyed NAMM several years ago ( I do consulting work for Yamaha) and one of the nice aspects is that you can pick up or sit down and play anything. Lots of fun. Were it open to the public, the instruments would be destroyed in half an hour. Got to meet Dr. Moog, which was a real honor. I declined an autograph, which I think he appreciated, as we chatted for a few brief minutes about his electronic music articles on voltage control. He was as genuine and warm as you hear about.
It’s one of the great conventions, really. I’ve been prepping one of my young students who will perform this year in the Yamaha area. (Yamaha usually rents an entire building next to the convention center proper, so it perhaps slightly less chaotic there).
I think he meant in general. NAMM is reporting that synth manufacturers have double the floor space this year because business is booming. A lot of companies will be showing a lot of new (and retro old) things; the Korg ARP Odyssey will be there, Roland has a new secret Analog/Digital Hybrid showing, Teenage Engineering has a new secret product, Arturia is unveiling what they claim is the most revolutionary Audio Interface ever (supposed to be Wireless or something.) It’s going to be one of the best shows, and I’ll be there… if I can find a place to stay (already got my pass.)