NAMM 2013 is here and despite an uncharacteristically rainy day here in Los Angeles, I headed down to the convention center.
Of course since this is my blog, this will not be a comprehensive summary of the NAMM convention, but rather just a view through my narrow lens of interest. In other words, I first hightailed it downstairs to Hall E where the dregs of the convention hock their wares. I hung out at the Analogue Haven booth most of the day but did make a couple disoriented loops through the whole convention. Come along, here’s what I saw…
The most surprising offering this year is the revival of the Buchla Music Easel or Electric Music Box as it is alternately known. I have lusted over this piece of ’70s gear for many years.
At $3995 it’s cheaper than a small Buchla 200e system (such as the Skylab which is about $15K). I’m not sure I can resist this. I sense an ebay purge coming up in my near future to fund a purchase of one of these.
Meanwhile, the Eurorack modular synthesizer world continues to explode. In an earlier post featuring my briefcase modular I mentioned my friend Stephen who helped me build my custom ribbon controller. He has been prototyping modules and has a couple modules on display at NAMM which will be available at Analogue Haven. His company is Noise Engineering and his first module, the Ataraxic Translatron is amazing. It is an oscillator that uses the same technology that made the Atari 2600 sounds (but is not slaved to the video clock!).
I’ll post more about this module soon. Here is Stephen showing as much enthusiasm as his programming allows.
Tiptop Audio had a bunch of new modules on display as well:
Digital Hits which uses CopperLan technology to communicate with the computer
Trigger Riot which looks like a trigger cousin of the Z8000 sequencer
and Circadian Rhythm which looks bonkers and awesome
Make Noise also had their new wares on display:
The RxMx (pronounced “Rix Mix”) is a strangely animated mixer design with a lot of stereo options. Tony is working with Grant Richter on this.
The MMG, which is like one channel of the QMMG but with more options.
And development continues on the waveguide oscillator known as “??????” or the “Mystery Module”
Also on display were flat black Rene sequencers and pressure points. Tony says this is how he originally wanted them to look but there was a mistake in the manufacture of the original runs, which were glossy. I think the flat black looks better.
4MS was showing some new stuff as well:
Here’s Dan from 4MS dialing in some alien signals
Pittsburgh Modular had their new housings on display:
Snazzy FX had some new goodies – I’m digging the newer faceplates:
And over at the Moog booth…Bernie Worrell!!
And the Anniversary Moog Voyager. I thought it was an odd choice to have my friend Stephen’s face printed on the gold faceplate, but hey, what do I know?
Analog water is warmer
Stylophone 2013! This is not your grandad’s stylo…this is pretty cool, actually. It comes with a stylus but you can use your fingers as well.
The union jack model:
And to wrap up, some odds & ends:
That insane bowed string keyboard that’s been making the rounds on the interwebs
I was digging this silverburst Hofner bass copy
A passionate conversation about shift registers (not kidding)
Hanging out with Tony of Make Noise and Tomio of Tiptop Audio
Rasta Tele, mon
Evil Knievel’s clarinet
And I can’t even tell you how many ukuleles I saw today. More than I thought existed in the universe. And only at NAMM would one witness this spectacle
Thank you Gur from Tiptop Audio for the pass! See you all next year!
ps – Special thanks to the woman dressed like Pocahontas who saved me from standing in the 2 hour long line outside and advised me to take my printout to the the Hilton basement to get my badge. They could have made that a little clearer with some sort of signage.
PYRAPHONIC 