Dave Chick
I'm a film / TV composer based in Vancouver BC. Music has always been part of my life, but my first career was in the technology industry as a consultant and project manager. I helped to build and open the Experience Music Project – a rock and roll museum in Seattle. I hold a Bachelor of Music from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Business Administration degree from McMaster University. I also hold a diploma in Audio Engineering from the University of Washington and I’m a graduate of Hummie Mann’s acclaimed Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program.
NAMM Day 3 Wrap Up
Saturday is always the busiest day (and night) at NAMM – as you can see by the crowd waiting to get in. The weekend brings out a lot of local people who couldn’t make it the last two days and/or folks looking to spot artists roaming the floors. We didn’t have any specific appointments to hit today, so I took the opportunity to just walk around and see what I could find.
NAMM Artist Sightings – Day 3
Saturday was a-buzz with artist endorsement and demonstrations. That came with the obvious lines and crowds huddled around the booths to the displeasure of convention centre security. NAMM sometimes becomes a game of “Do I know him/her?”.
Weighted Keys or Non-Weighted Keys?
It’s not actually a black-and-white question. There are many different variations of keyboard action and it gets down to a personal preference question. Being armed with what to expect is going to get you a good way down the road to a decision.
Zildjian Gen16 Accoustic / Electric Cymbal System
It wasn’t really until today that I saw something that made me literally stop and backup. Zildjian is famous for its cymbals and has an artist endorsement list that goes on forever. These cymbals not only look different, but the display also encouraged you to listen to them through headphones. I just had to see what this was all about.
Casio XW-J1
The XW-J1 DJ Controller for your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad is ideally suited to mixing music and videos. The controller is equipped with the latest functions and a number of effects, so even beginners can use it intuitively for successful performances. As the controller is compatible with iOS, Mac and Windows, the product offers functions that are coordinated with the popular djay and vjay app from Algoriddim and Deckadance from Image-Line.
Shure USB and iOS Microphones
Shure has introduced a line of products for the portable or desktop recordist who doesn’t want to deal with lots of gear with bells and whistles. The new MOTIV line microphone solutions aren’t just re-issues of existing products, they’ve designed new products that have a cool retro feel and a feature-set that is just right.
Yamaha AG Mixers
Yamaha introduces a new category of mixers with their AG line. The AG03 and AG06 are hybrid mixing consoles and USB audio interfaces for web/podcasting, gaming audio, and music production. This new approach to mixers eliminates the need for software by putting all the control at your fingertips.
IK Multimedia and Android
The one stand-out customer request that IK Multimedia has had to wrestle with over the past few years is releasing the fantastic products that are enjoyed on iOS devices for Android devices. This year, they’ve been able to deliver upon that request!
NAMM Artist Sightings – Day 2
As with any NAMM, there are artist endorsements and demonstrations galore. Just look for a crowd around a booth and there’s probably somebody you know sitting there talking or playing an instrument. Saturday (today) is usually when they come out in force, but yesterday proved to be fruitful.
NAMM Day 2 Wrap Up
Today was busy! Even the exhibitors on the floor thought it was busy. The weather was fantastic (although I only caught a glimpse of it on the walk to the Annaheim Convention Centre), there were some artists spotted and some cool new gear discovered by yours truly.
