I want to thank CASIO for giving Marc-Andre and I the chance to be down here covering the NAMM show. We pass by the CASIO booth multiple times a day and always see a crowd jiving and enjoying the demos on showcase keyboards like the PX-5S. I am truly grateful for their generosity and hospitality they’ve extended at this show.
There was some very cool stuff discovered today.
Yamaha is celebrating their fourth year manufacturing and selling synthesizers and had a mini-museum of iconic Yamaha keyboards including the venerable CS-80, the DX-1 and the VP-1 Physical modeling synth. Actually recalling moments playing some of those keyboards in music stores was obviously showing my age. Yamaha had some great updates to new entry-level keyboards such as the PSR-E253 as well as some digital pianos such as the P-45.
The Yamaha AG Mixer / Audio Interfaces are deceiving. They are small, but pack a lot of features into their chasis. They seem to be perfect for the podcaster or desktop musician.
A trip to the Gibson booth was on my list and didn’t disappoint. I wasn’t looking for the guitars, but rather the new studio monitor line – the Les Paul Reference Monitors – that they’ve been developing. They look gorgeous, but looks can always be deceiving. I’m happy to say that their sound (at least in the isolation booth) complimented their asthetics.
Shure showed us some of their new USB / Portable device microphones. When I heard that the company was announcing USB microphones, I was skeptical as most mic manufacturers seem to just repurpose products with a USB attachment. Shure unveiled a bold new line of USB and iOS microphones that look awesome, feel awesome and have some impressive specs behind them. I’m looking forward to putting these through their paces if I get the chance!
As always at NAMM … more to come!
