Well, the NAMM Show is done. If you didn't know, NAMM is the acronym for National Association of Musical Merchants. Basically it is a trade show where equipment makers sell their stuff to music stores. Endorsers are expected to show up at the booths for signings, performances and demos. So you get to see everybody from Steve Vai and Joe Satriani to just about everyone. And you get to see all the new products for the year. Unfortunately it also draws crowds of crazy people who have no interest in doing any business and wannabees. It is inescapable for professional musicians and as usual I was there for three of the four days. It is pretty much my image of what hell is like. I imagine when I die, god will send me the a NAMM show where all the doors are locked from the outside and it runs 24 hours a day for all eternity. So basically I will have to spend infinity listening to crappy, loud guitarists playing various versions of "Smoke on the Water," "Sweet Child of Mine" and "Stairway to Heaven" and sweep licks coming from everywhere played on out of tune guitars. Anyway, here is my top five impressions of the 2010 NAMM Show (with photos as well, just so you will get the full imagery):
- Fat, 40 something, tattooed, long haired guys everywhere.
- Basses with more strings and frets than guitars
- Butts
- Cheap girly guitars
- Giant crowds of people with nothing better to do.
Is this funny? I was trying to make myself a cup of tea at a college I was doing a seminar at and gave myself a good laugh. It's not just any tea bag, it's a:
Professional Tea Bag-CJ
Just kidding, I really played at a giant high school here in Tokyo last week. It was funny because that big gold leaf, which is the official school leaf, next to the Japanese flag looks exactly like a marijuana leaf to me (take a good look at the photo). It was hanging up behind the auditorium stage. Japanese schools all have an official leaf (go figure). I wonder what they would think if they found out theirs looks like a pot leaf. Maybe it is. It would be more fitting for my old high school really...
Have you ever had one of those days when you show up to work and the guy who sits next to you has the exact same look going on? I showed up to teach my classes at college here in Tokyo and the music business guy was my twin.
My second installment of the column I write for guitartools.co.uk. This one is dedicated to treble boosters and especially the most famous one, the Rangemaster.
Treble Boosters – As we learned in part 1 of this column, guitarists in their quest for rock and roll tone often turned to fuzzes to push their amps to the breaking point, but another group of guitarists used a different device. To add some sparkle to the dark British amps in the sixties, many guitar players turned to treble boosters. In addition to adding more high frequencies, they also helped drive their amps with a dbl boost and some added distortion. Although a very 60s sound, the treble booster sounds completely different than the fuzz but if you want and need a varied classic type sound, having one of these in your bag is a must. More >>>
Well, the NAMM Show is done. If you didn't know, NAMM is the acronym for National Association of Musical Merchants. Basically it is a trade show where equipment makers sell their stuff to music stores. Endorsers are expected to show up at the booths for signings, performances and demos. So you get to see everybody from Steve Vai and Joe Satriani to just about everyone. And you get to see all the new products for the year. Unfortunately it also draws crowds of crazy people who have no interest in doing any business and wannabees. It is inescapable for professional musicians and as usual I was there for three of the four days. It is pretty much my image of what hell is like. I imagine when I die, god will send me the a NAMM show where all the doors are locked from the outside and it runs 24 hours a day for all eternity. So basically I will have to spend infinity listening to crappy, loud guitarists playing various versions of "Smoke on the Water," "Sweet Child of Mine" and "Stairway to Heaven" and sweep licks coming from everywhere played on out of tune guitars. Anyway, here is my top five impressions of the 2010 NAMM Show (with photos as well, just so you will get the full imagery):
