Music Trades back issues from February 2008:
Should we be imitating other industries?(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Feb 01, 2008; ... I RAN ACROSS YOUR comments on music education, and I wanted to offer my opinion for what it is worth. I own a music instruction business that has been successful for over ten years. I started my business in response to a perceived void in the music instrument industry. The point being, ...
Parking lot promotional tactics.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Feb 01, 2008; ... YESTERDAY ONE OF MY employees brought in a flyer that someone had placed on the windshield of his car in our parking lot. Imagine my surprise to find it was a Guitar Center "In-Store Use Only" flyer. Several of the items from Fender, Martin, Roland, and Yamaha were offered in a ...
The global Top 225.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Feb 01, 2008; ... Your December issue, featuring the Top 225 and sales data on the top markets around the world, was one of your best ever. From the articles on China to the sales and demographics by country, the information ...
Forget the economy.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Feb 01, 2008; ... Great editorial in your current December issue on the economy. I only hope a large percentage of your subscribers read it and follow your advice! Neil Lilien Meisel Music Springfield, NJ In our December ...
Retail sales surge in November, defying expectations.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2008 ... Retail sales surged in November, trouncing estimates, after steep discounting on holiday merchandise such as electronics, clothes, and home-related goods gave merchants a solid start to this year's holiday shopping season. The U.S. Commerce Department said total sales rose 1.2 percent in ...
Online retail spending up 33 percent.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2008 ... comScore, Inc. has reported that holiday season e-commerce spending for the first 41 days of the November--December 2007 holiday season was over $20 billion, a 19-percent gain over the corresponding days last year. "Green Monday," a term recently ...
But not all economic news is good ...(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2008 ... December saw two large national retailers announce liquidation proceedings. Computer store CompUSA has hired Gordon Brothers to liquidate inventory at its remaining 103 store fronts. (Gordon Brothers was also the firm that liquidated MARS Music.) Founded in 1984, the company peaked in 2000 ...
And mall vacancies are on the rise.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2008 ... U.S. Strip mall vacancies inched up in the third quarter, hitting a five-year high of 7.4%. The vacancy rate has spurred concerns of weakening consumer spending, particularly in house-wares. The vacancy rate is higher on both coasts ...
New market report cites deep record label woes.(Industry Briefings)
Feb 01, 2008 ... In a period of lackluster sales, illegal downloading isn't the only factor affecting the depressed music industry. Disgruntled consumers have contributed significantly to the decline in retail music sales, according to market research conducted by Mintel. Retail music sales, valued at ...
The music industry's "X" factor.(EDITORIAL)
Feb 01, 2008; ... From a distance of 30 feet, a fine Stradivarius and a cheap Chinese violin are visually indistinguishable to all but the most sharp-eyed experts. And despite all of today's digital audio wizardry, there is also no way to accurately differentiate the two instruments through sonic analysis ....
NAMM attendees can enter to win visit from revamped John Lennon bus.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A BRAND NEW JOHN LENNON Educational Tour Bus, dedicated to providing students with free hands-on opportunities to make music and produce video projects, will be unveiled to the music products industry at winter NAMM. This non-profit mobile pro audio and HD ...
Lineup announced for NAMM VandoJam.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... VANDOREN HAS announced its lineup for the annual VandoJam at NAMM. Back by popular demand from last year's jam is west coast star Eric Marienthal. Besides being a highly successful recording artist on his own, Marienthal is a member of the legendary Chick Corea Electrik Band. He is also a ...
Endorsing artists to highlight NAMM show: Conn-Selmer.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... CONN-SELMER ENDORSING artists from a full range of musical genres will make appearances at the company's booth, #4800, at the winter NAMM show in Anaheim. Both scheduled and unscheduled visits are expected from trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, clarinet, flute, and saxophone artists, ...
Michael Andrew to perform at NAMM: PianoDisc.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... PIANODISC WILL SPONSOR a NAMM show appearance by singer Michael Andrew and The Atomic Big Band. Andrew and company will perform on the Convention Center stage on Thursday afternoon, immediately following the NAMM Show Tribute that begins at 5 P.M. Among Michael Andrew's long ...
Roland's 5th Annual Worship Summit.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... ROLAND WILL HOST the 5th Annual Worship Arts Summit on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at the winter NAMM show. This musical celebration has become a highly anticipated event and will be offered at three times: 11:00 A.M., 12:30 P.M. and 2:30 P.M. The 11:00 A.M. and 12:30 P.M ....
Artists headline NAMM exhibition: Dean Markley.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... DEAN MARKLEY BOOTH 5710 at the Anaheim NAMM show will rock nonstop with appearances by a wide range of Markley endorsing artists. Markley Signature String Series artists Nick Catanese and George Lynch will be demo-ing at the booth. Also scheduled to appear during show are Dick and Jimmy ...
Guitar Center CEO to address guitar makers.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MARTY ALBERTSON, CEO of Guitar Center, will be the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Guitar and Accessories Manufacturers Association. Topics covered will include a state-of-the-industry report and strategies for ...
Tote bag giveaway for dealers at NAMM: Mel Bay Publications.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MEL BAY PUBLICATIONS, Inc., will give away a limited number of body-conforming nylon messenger tote bags at NAMM booth 3304. Featuring an adjustable shoulder strap, organizer, and mobile phone holder, these Mel Bay messenger bags will be available to dealers only. One per ...
New features to debut at NAMM: Moses, Inc.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... AT WINTER NAMM Moses, Inc., manufacturers of carbon graphite neck and stringed instrument products, will introduce extensive standard and custom inlay choices, stunning new neck finishes, and unique fiber-optic technology now optional on all neck models. Moses Carbon Graphite is ...
M-Audio debuts evolution line of digital pianos at winter NAMM.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... M-AUDIO, BEST KNOWN for its broad line of computer music products, will be offering dealers a first look at a new line of "Evolution" digital console pianos at winter NAMM 2008 (booth 6007). The M-Audio Evolution line combines digital piano excellence with computer compatibility to define ...
Official NAMM exhibitor list.(NAMM 2008 PREVIEW)
Feb 01, 2008 ... <Pre> Official NAMM Exhibitor List Compiled by NAMM as of December 7, 2007 3L International5825 65 Amps 1652 A & S Case, 6288 A Brown Soun1280 A+D ...
New leadership at Steinway & Sons: Kurrer and Losby bring global perspective and enthusiasm to famed piano maker.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)(Company overview)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OVER THE PAST TWO decades, Steinway & Sons has compiled an enviable record of growth and consistent profitability in a global piano market characterized by contracting unit volumes and excess production capacity. The newly installed leadership team of ...
LP to distribute factory metal.(FLASH)
Feb 01, 2008 ... FACTORY METAL PERCUSSION has made LP/Kaman Music exclusive worldwide distributor for the new Street FX. To meet increased production demands, FMP has partnered with Wolfe Industries, a premier metal shop based in southern California. "The Street FX product line matches high ...
N-Tune debuts at NAMM with unique new guitar tuner.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... IN 2003 TWO INDUSTRY PROS got together to play music and came away with the inspiration for a new company--N-Tune--and a debut product--the patented N-Tune Onboard Chromatic Tuner. N-Tune is the brainchild of guitarists Seth Demsey and Tom Lorimor, who got together for a jam session and ...
Gretsch Phil Collins kit fetches $240K at auction.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... HARD CORE PHIL COLLINS fans created a bidding frenzy at the recent David Foster Foundation gala, ultimately raising $240,000 to aid children requiring organ transplants. To assist the Foundation, Gretsch Drums donated a custom, autographed Phil Collins drum set for the auction, and ...
Fender's GuitarMania supports community programs.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... FROM JIMI HENDRIX'S famed hand-painted Stratocaster guitar, which he later burned and smashed at the Monterey Pop Festival, to "Rocky," the psychedelic Strat painted by George Harrison, the Fender Stratocaster has long been a canvas of individual expression for artists and musicians alike ....
Family business marks 25th anniversary: Players Music Accessories.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... IN 2008 PLAYERS MUSIC Accessories celebrates 25 years as a family-owned business manufacturing a complete line of premium band, orchestra, guitar, and percussion instrument cleaning and maintenance products. Since 1983 the company has been a leader in private labeling, sublimation ...
D'Addario acquires PureSound snare manufacturer.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... D'ADDARIO & COMPANY has acquired PureSound Percussion just as PureSound celebrated its tenth anniversary in the manufacture of premium aftermarket snare wires. Distributors, dealers, and drummers view PureSound as a leading supplier of snares for vintage, classic, and new snare drums, ...
Community marks 40 years in loudspeaker innovation.(FLASH)(Company overview)
Feb 01, 2008 ... COMMUNITY PROFESSIONAL Loudspeakers celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2008. Founded four decades ago by Bruce Howze, Community has grown to become a worldwide leader in the manufacture of professional loudspeakers. From its early days, Community established its reputation as an ...
Ludwig sticks star in new "Rock Band" video game.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... LUDWIG IN-GAME DRUMS and a pair of Ludwig-brand drum sticks are featured in "Rock Band," the hotly anticipated video game from Harmonix Music Systems and MTV. With 58 tracks from five decades, the game allows drummers, along with guitar and vocal tracks, to play along with the greats of ...
DOD founder Johnson launches XP Audio Inc.: Forge bass amps and Motion Sound speakers, first products to debut at NAMM.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS AN ASPIRING ROCK 'N' ROLL guitarist in the '70s, John Johnson spent hours listening to the opening chord of the Beatle's Hard Day's Night, wondering how they got that memorable vibrato effect. In 1974 the quest for the "perfect" guitar tone led him to ...
Conn-Selmer consolidates woodwind production at expanded Elkhart facility.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... CONN-SELMER, INC., has announced plans to transform its Elkhart South manufacturing facility into a "Center for Excellence" for woodwind manufacturing. "The level of skill and expertise at this facility continues to improve through its utilization of modern manufacturing ...
ICON Digital and Power Group ink strategic partnership.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... PROFESSIONAL AUDIO manufacturer ICON Digital Corporation has formed a partnership with Toronto-based distributor Power Group, Ltd., to offer ICON's products to dealers across the United States and Canada. This strategic relationship will allow Power Group to expand its inventory of pro ...
Music sales secures distribution rights: MMO Music Group.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MMO MUSIC GROUP, INC., has inked a deal with Bob Wise of Music Sales for distribution of Music Minus One editions within the U.K. and most of the E.U. The deal comes in the wake of the Hal Leonard deal secured with Australia and New Zealand, as well ...
Founder celebrates 40th anniversary: Benedetto Guitars.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MASTER LUTHIER Robert Benedetto is celebrating his 40th anniversary in 2008 with a limited run of 40 "40th Anniversary" models handmade at the company's Savannah, Georgia factory. In addition, Benedetto will handcraft a unique 40th anniversary guitar to debut at a special jazz guitar ...
Lofgren plays Spector on tour.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... RENOWNED ELECTRIC guitarist Nils Lofgren, now on Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's "Magic" tour, is playing a Spector ARC6 guitar built the in the Spector USA Custom shop near Woodstock, New York. The instrument features a ...
Putting instruments in the hands of kids: Stentor.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... U.K. -- BASED STENTOR MUSIC Co. Ltd. is working to support young musicians with a number of projects to let children experience string playing first hand. Stentor has loaned instruments to the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Have a-Go sessions offered after its family concerts ...
Ranked #1 in retailers' survey: Tanglewood Guitar Co.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... IN A RECENT SURVEY of the U.K.'s leading major and independent m.i. retailers, Tanglewood Guitar Company U.K. earned the ranking of #1 selling acoustic guitar brand in the under 500 [pounds sterling] ($1,000 USD) category and #5 in the over 500 [pounds sterling] category. This confirms ...
SLM to offer new prices, products, and staff for 2008.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... ST. LOUIS MUSIC has made a number of changes leading into what promises to be an exciting year of growth. These changes include 20 new salespeople ready ...
RS Berkeley: new Virtuoso Series saxophones further expand the palette of this full-line supplier of woodwinds, brasswinds, and orchestral strings.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... FOR SEVERAL YEARS RS Berkeley Inc. has been quietly earning the respect of music educators and players ranging from beginning students to seasoned pros. In recent months, however, its reputation has begun to grow at an accelerated rate--and into a high-end market with which the brand ...
Mapex to distribute Vic Firth & Remo.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... AS OF JANUARY 2008, Mapex USA will distribute Vic Firth sticks and mallets and Remo drum heads. Mapex, which has enjoyed a significant gain in market share over the last three years, sees this move as an ideal opportunity to extend its growth. "We are very excited to team up ...
JT Musical launches: dealers direct website.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)(Website overview)
Feb 01, 2008 ... JT MUSICAL, INC., IS debuting its "Dealers Order Direct" website ordering system for independent m.i. dealers just in time for late January post-NAMM show operation. Dealers will be able to access JT Musical's website (www.jtmusical.com) and order products ranging from Tesla replacement ...
Leveraging Disney's marketing muscle to move music products: with a licensing agreement for Hannah Montana Guitars, U.S. Music hopes to drive store traffic with the "most pre-sold product in industry history.".(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... DISNEY'S HANNAH MONTANA character is an enormous cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of a generation of teenagers. For the uninitiated (or those who don't have children in the 8-to-16 year-old-age bracket) the storyline of the Hannah series revolves around the adventures ...
KMC image gallery enhances retail promos.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... A NEWLY CREATED "Image Gallery" on the KMC website makes it easy for authorized dealers to access 13,000 images and logos for the broad range of KMC product lines. The launch of this site, in conjunction with KMCOnline and the Kaman Dealer Network reinforces KMC's strategy to provide ...
Education award for support of music: Roland.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... ROLAND CORPORATION U.S. was recently awarded the The Leonard MacKain Friend of Education Award by Southern California's Brea Olinda Unified School District. This award is presented annually to those who make continuing and outstanding contributions to public education. Roland ...
Publicly traded industry firms.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... <Pre> PUBLICLY TRADED INDUSTRY FIRMS Price as of P/E Dec. 26, 2007Ratio Apple Computer Inc. $198.99 50.66 Avid Technology $28.97 n/a (Divisions: ...
Yamaha completes acquisition of Bosendorfer piano: will maintain Vienna production and unique piano designs, but will reassess global sales & marketing.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... YAMAHA FINALIZED ITS acquisition of Bosendorfer, the famed Vienna-based piano maker, from Bawag Bank, on December 20, 2007. The final price will be determined by an audit of B6sendorfer assets and operations. However, estimates place it at approximately $21.0 million. The purchase brings ...
Ad campaign features top Nevada retailer: Music Wizard Group.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MUSIC WIZARD GROUP, a leading provider of music gaming software and musical education tools, will feature Sparks Music and Learning Center in its new 2008 marketing and advertising campaign. Mike Manning, owner of Sparks Music and Learning Center in of Sparks, Nevada, will be featured in ...
MIAC sets 2008 convention schedule.(FOREFRONT: NEWS * ANALYSIS * INFORMED OPINION)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MIAC 2008 & PAL Show, Canada's music, pro audio, and lighting trade show, will be held at the Toronto International Centre, August 24-25, for its 37th annual event. MIAC 2008 & PAL Show will feature free admission for members, free parking and a strong selection of ...
Guitar Showcase opens Roland "store within a store": San Jose retailer draws on Silicon Valley technology to create cutting-edge display.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... GUITAR SHOWCASE, in conjunction with Roland Corporation U.S., has announced the opening of Roland Showcase, a "store-within-a-store" concept that is a first for the music products industry in the U.S. Drawing on the technology of Silicon Valley giants Apple and Intel to create music while ...
Musician's Friend top sellers.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MUSICIAN'S FRIEND, the industry's leading direct-response retailer has revealed its top selling products for the fourth quarter. BEST SELLERS UNDER $50 * Nova 12-pair Hickory Drumsticks $26.49-$27.99 * Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal $39.00 * Rogue ...
Woodwind & Brasswind to sponsor "Chicago".(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... THE WOODWIND & BRASSW1ND, now a division of Guitar Center, has become the "Official Sponsor of the band Chicago." The announcement comes on the heels of a recent visit by the legendary group to Woodwind & Brasswind's South Bend, Indiana, corporate headquarters and coincides with the ...
Sales force grows with business: Sweetwater.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... SWEETWATER, THE FOURTH-largest music instrument and pro audio retailer in the world, has hired ten new employees, four full-time and six part-time. This brings the total of Sweetwater employees to 296, up from 257 at the beginning of 2007. Sales Engineer A.J. Petersen is from ...
Mike Portnoy checks in with fans: Funky Munky Music.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MIKE PORTNOY, drummer extraordinaire and skin pounder for Dream Theater, recently appeared at Funky Munky Music in Shawnee, Kansas. Portnoy stopped by to sign autographs, take pictures with fans, and answer questions on the afternoon preceding a Dream Theater ...
Lightfoot named sales and marketing manager: Pender's Music Company.(RETAILER UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE RETAIL FRONT LINES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... PENDER'S MUSIC Company in Denton, Texas, has named Becky Lightfoot to the position of sales and marketing manager. Lightfoot, who comes to Pender's from Art's Music Shop in Alabama, recently earned her master's degree in business administration. ...
Map pricing policies? Do they build profits? Do they help independents. Too High? Too Low? Unenforced? Retailers discuss.(RETAIL Q&A)
Feb 01, 2008 ... FEW TOPICS in the music products industry generate as much heat as minimum advertised pricing--or MAP. The Music Trades conferred with three independent retailers to learn whether MAP is helping them get where they want to go. Participants in this month's "roundtable" include: Mike Henry ...
"Don't call it a sale!" How Danny Saliba's Dallas Steinway Hall mounts highly effective selling events without reducing prices.(SHORT TAKE)
Feb 01, 2008 ... At Steinway & Sons' 2007 annual meeting in Anaheim, Steinway Senior Vice President Frank Mazurco presented a special one-time award to Dallas Steinway Hall. The award recognized the business, which was recently expanded to three stores, for the impressive number of promotions it held--42 ...
Redefining "resourceful": renaissance man John Pearse has made living life to the fullest an art as well as a successful, long-lived business.(CAREER PATH)
Feb 01, 2008 ... MUSICIAN. INVENTOR. Educator. Author. Entrepreneur. Silversmith. Film maker. Record producer. Television star. Movie actor. World traveler. Oenophile. Chef. Fly fisherman. Raconteur. Survivor. One of the industry's true originals, instrument string maker and accessory designer John Pearse ...
Driving hard to become number one! Having taken Hyundai Motors from nowhere to the world's sixth-largest automaker, hard-charging B.J. Park is putting the pedal to the metal as new Young Chang CEO in a bid for market leadership. To employees, his message is simple: "We must change everything!" To the piano market, he says: "We will set the standard for quality and value.".(COMPANY PROFILE)(Company overview)
Feb 01, 2008 ... Manufacturing heavy, cast iron piano plates is an inherently dirty process. Smelting iron ingots fills the air with a choking combination of smoke and dust. The fine sand that's used to form the casting molds has a way of mixing with metal filings and machinist's oil to create a sticky, ...
Reintroducing the harmony guitar line: harmony, the world's most popular guitar brand for close to a century, is coming back with a faithful reissue of the famous Ritchie Valens model.(BRINGING BACK THE PAST)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ritchie Valens' first guitar was a forest-green Harmony H44 Stratotone, a model that hasn't been in production since 1957--until now, that is. Winter NAMM 2008, which falls just short of 49 years since Valens' passing, will mark the reissue of the H44 and ...
Drummer's paradise: with the broadest selection of percussion gear under one roof anywhere, The Drum Pad has prospered over the past two decades by providing a "wow" factor for customers. Founder Jim Streich says simply, "There is a place for specialty retailers who focus on a niche and do it well.".(RETAIL PROFILE)
Feb 01, 2008 ... The Drum Pad's first home didn't look like a garage--it looked like half a garage. That was in 1985. Founder Jim Streich had cashed in a $2,000 life insurance policy to rent out part of the back of a house on a side street in Palatine, Illinois, where he taught lessons and tried to ...
Using education to hedge against retail competition: while retail prices plummet, the cost of education soars. Consultant Sam Beckford shows how to harness this trend to build your business.(TEACH FOR PROFIT)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 1995, Sam Beckford was broke and the former owner of five failed small businesses. He and his wife Valerie started business number six, a music and dance studio for kids, out of rented rooms in a local elementary school and shuttled teaching supplies in ...
The thinking behind Taylor's original SolidBody: why would Bob Taylor introduce a solid body electric into a crowded, tradition-bound market? Because a unique new pickup design, based on advanced magnetic studies, left him no choice.(PRODUCT TRENDS)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Attendees at the NAMM show may well experience acute feelings of disorientation when they hear the crunch of heavy metal power chords wafting out of the Taylor Guitar exhibit. But this is no group hallucination. After 30-plus years of painstakingly ...
Expand revenue, create customers: how Middle C Music's immensely popular rock 'n' roll camp fires up sales during the slow summer months.(RETAIL: STRATEGIES)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If the kids are tired, Mark Noone doesn't want to hear about it. Noone made his name with Washington D.C.'s The Slicky Boys, one of the first real garage bands; now he spends summer days teaching D.C. kids how to rock at Middle C Music's Summer Rock Band ...
Mating music & computers to tap a huge new market: Samick's new SIMS division debuts with a broad range of USB-equipped products that address the generation of potential musicians who grew up playing Guitar Hero.(SIMS: SAMICK INNOVATIVE MUSIC SYSTEMS)
Feb 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Arguably the hottest presents under 2007's Christmas tree were Guitar Hero III and Rock Band. And beyond argument, many of the activities of American youth and many of their parents' discretionary dollars are centered around the computer. How is the music ...