it’s a pity that elektron doesn’t appear to be there. that would have given hope for news. last year they only had a very small stand. That doesn’t really fit with such a popular company.
Instachord
This will be at NAMM. ( Booth 10604 ) It’s currently sold in Japan, but it is coming to the rest of the world now too.
Kind of an improved holdable version of the Suzuki Omnichord.
There is a built in speaker and the sounds built in are OK. I like the form factor ( ukulele size) and it has a lot of advanced versatility. I think a small amount of learning, would pay off well, as it can do a wide range of chords with a fixed finger patterns. It’s got wifi, and MIDI too, so it could be a main controller.
I actually could see using this, once i got by seeing it as a toy. They need to improve their videos for the international market.
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Elektron does have a booth at NAMM ( 14122 ) but it is by appointment only.
ADDED :
I see that Elektron have just been added to the Superbooth exhibitor list. Maybe they have something to show us !
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Freqport
I see they are at both Superbooth and NAMM so they are making a play. This is a tube based analog effects box, with a USB interface. They are based in Australia, so another company in Australia turning things on their head. (Melbourne Instruments NINA being another. )
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This looks pretty slick.
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I see that Groove Synthesis is at NAMM ( Booth 9701 ). It would be enough if they were just showing their incredible synth the 3rd Wave but they are also working on other really innovative products too :
So hopefully they tells us more – and show too hopefully – on some of this new magical stuff as well.
Ohhhh! That got me super hyped, what do you think they will show?
Their “new very different” product. ( The thread ).
At first i thought that thread was baloney, but now i think it is very real. That thread BTW is a good place to speculate, although anyone with a solid lead has every right to post it here.
Right now i haven’t a clue.
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Interesting. If it is so new and different from their current lineup, it makes sense to have it be by appointment only, so they show it to single people or small groups without some of the interference that comes from a big noisy convention. Also can give the Youtubers and reporters an ample demonstration of it.
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I thought precisely the same thing !
The showing at NAMM would be under a non-disclosure, with the “embargo” lift date right before Superbooth three weeks later.
You can also meet with retailers at NAMM to get the retail channels set up.
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Exactly. I’m reminded of the time Polyend had a secret demonstration of the Play at Superbooth, or maybe another convention a year before it was announced. Some pics made it out and fueled the speculation.
Like a plumber out of work, I’m hoping for some leaks.
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I noticed earlier today that the Roland booth at NAMM is also only by private appointment too. ( post )
There is a hidden secret side to all the big shows, with meetings and deals going all sorts of directions.
For instance there is private communication that goes on among the MIDI association members, particularly at NAMM. So that would be Roland, KORG, and Yamaha in particular, and others too. MIDI 2.0 grinding away.
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It’s the dark side of NAMM that no one talks about 
I will say that my favorite NAMM demonstration was when Dave Smith showed the Pro 3 in a hotel room. It was clear and concise, good demonstrations, and not all the normal noise and distractions of NAMM.
I need to get in on that Midi 2.0 meeting. I imagine it is big shots from all over the industry getting drunk together, going to clubs, and not getting anything done, yet again, with Midi 2.0
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And it happens as well that companies don’t even bother with buying a booth at the show, and just quietly rent a room for some time at the show, or run meetings off site.
We almost certainly have more than a few of those insiders checking in on this thread/forum, either as lurkers, but it’s always nice having people checking in too.
ADDED : Pretty sure i saw a law firm having a booth at NAMM. Real convenient to get a contract drafted or reviewed on the spot.
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…yup…seems like it…NOW they’ve joined the berlin party officially…
last year, it was way more last minute…so, i’ll join ur hi hopes for the possebilty, they might have something to show off…
and ooops…seems also, australia wants to join the sonic boutique…again…after quite some decades…wonder how this fancy looking freqport should work…seems to need some shift function, while there is no such thing to find at first glance…
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I would love to see an affordable recreation of the Yamaha CS80 legendary synth.
I look forward to hearing your tales from the show this year. It was so good to hear your adventures last year. I’m betting Cenk will be hanging out there too mingling as well.
ADDED : It’s striking me how different a feel these three shows have. At base they all serve some similar functions, and yet there’s quite a different ambience to all three.
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At NAMM this year the MIDI Association is doing a special MIDI@40. ( since 1983 ) There will be a lot of things as a part of this, including quite a lot on MIDI 2.0. You can read about it in this article.
( Skip that video, imo. )
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Well that’s cool that they are doing a 40th-anniversary celebration for Midi. I wish Dave was still around for that. Probably one of, if not the greatest advancements in music technology.
And hey, Midi 2.0 might not be the fraudulen scam-based vaporware it was shaping up to be.
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Suzuki will be at NAMM, and they just announced the re-issue of the Omnichord, due out in the fall.
A similar product also showing at NAMM is the Instachord. ( post )
Suzuki will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of Suzuki Musical Instruments. The company is now part of Hammond Suzuki.
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