NAMM Unveils Education Sessions for Believe in Music Week

NAMM has unveiled the initial lineup of its education sessions for Believe in Music Week, which will take place virtually from Jan. 18-22, 2021. Although the schedule will be updated as the show approaches, here’s what the organization has planned on the education front so far:

AUDIO PRODUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY TRACK

A3E – Music Technology, Audio Production

Q&A With Encore Live Founder and CEO Walter Kinzie
Doug DeAngelis, Walter Kinzie

While the live music industry shuttered its doors and resorted to living room concerts on Facebook, Encore Live gave birth to a next-generation experience for live entertainment. Join A3E and Walter Kinzie, founder and CEO of Encore Live, to discover how his passion for the music industry reunited superstars like Garth Brooks, Kane Brown and Metallica with their audiences safely on the stage of Encore Drive-In Nights. He’ll also discuss the determination and technology behind launching a new hybrid model that may fuel the live event industry for decades to come.

Content Creation Platforms Pioneering New Music Industry Business Models
Joe Galante

Filmmakers have always been required to obtain a licensing agreement that ensured appropriate payment and approval by the right holders before it could be synchronized to picture. This long-standing process is now changing for content creation platforms. Today, TikTok and Triller have secured the rights for the largest popular music catalogs to be made available for use in user-generated video content, while emerging as the most influential marketing platforms on the planet. Join A3E and special guest Joe Galante for a discussion about the evolving perspective of the music business on licensing, artist promotion, and influencer marketing through popular content creation platforms.

Applying the Principles of Gamification in Musical Instrument Design
Mike Butera

Great musicianship requires focus, practice, repetition, muscle memory, and training. According to a study by Microsoft, the average human being now has an attention span of only eight seconds, and continues to trend downward. Is gamification a solution to teach music and content creation to the next generation of creatives? Join A3E and special guest, Dr. Mike Butera, for an insightful discussion on the research and development behind designing musical instruments using the physical and emotional principles that drive hours of focused engagement time in gaming. 

Live vs. Live Streaming: Has Technology Become Center Stage?
Martha Earls,Nikki Boon

Many music industry veterans remember the year when “file sharing” decimated the business of recorded music by offering an alternative to purchasing music. At the time, it seemed all but impossible to believe that consumer habits could change so drastically, that they would drive the industry into a 15-year recession and restructure. Fast forward to 2020, where a new technology has taken root—this time for live events and concerts during a pandemic. Is live streaming a temporary solution to bridge live music across the chasm of COVID-19, or will it permanently change consumer habits and reshape the future of live performance? Join A3E with special guest artist managers Martha Earls and Nikki Boon to discuss the future of live streaming and its impact on the road ahead for artists, concerts and live music venues.

The Future of Entertainment Technology: Concerts in the Virtual World
Steve Schnur

The evolution of motion capture, visual effects and 3-D animation is bridging the divide between virtual and reality. While superstar athletes have been competing in video games for many years, we are now seeing a new trend emerge where marquee recording artists are performing virtually to the largest audiences in concert event history. Will music and gaming merge, or is there something far bigger on the horizon? Join A3E and special guest Steve Schnur for a discussion on the future of entertainment technology and its impact on the music industry.

Audio Engineering Society

AES With We Make Events North America — Pandemic: Panic or Pivot
Ellen Lampert-Gréaux,Vickie Claiborne,Tim “Quake”  Mark,Cosmo Wilson

We Make Events North America will present a panel of industry professionals, who will discuss the organization and its successful event on September 1, RedAlertRESTART. They’ll also look at what they have been doing to successfully survive while the industry is closed down.

AES With AudioNowCast and Carl Tatz: Secrets of Near-Field Monitoring
Carl Tatz, Michael Rodriguez

This session offers an insight into the world of professional monitoring, looking at unique solutions to real-world problems that are not ordinarily discussed. Michael Rodriguez will moderate an in-depth conversation with award-winning studio designer and monitoring expert Carl Tatz.

 AES and The Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards) Producers & Engineers Wing Present … Organizing Chaos: Top Engineers Discuss File Management
Jeff Balding ,Chris Dennis,Quentin Gilkey,Ebonie Smith,Maureen Droney

This session, originally part of the virtual 2020 AES Convention, explored best practices and systems for music file management. It features panelists Jeff Balding (producer/mixer), Chris Dennis (engineer/mixer), Quentin Gilkey (engineer/mixer) and Ebonie Smith (producer/engineer/singer-songwriter). Maureen Droney, Recording Academy senior managing director, Producers & Engineers Wing, served as moderator.

TEC Tracks

Getting Your Music into a Film
Haroula Rose

In this conversation, filmmaker Haroula Rose talks with Anastasia Brown and Michael Turner about the process of generating and selecting the music for her film “Once Upon a River,” debuting this month. For artists looking to get their music into a film, here’s a case study that will offer insight.

 The What Now?
Jeffrey Weber

The pandemic has decimated our industry. In a matter of moments, all of our gigs went up in smoke. No one knows when it will be safe to return. But this can be a very fertile time for creativity and organization. Join Grammy-award-winning producer Jeffrey Weber as he explores four distinct areas that you can build upon to make yourself more valuable to agents, promoters, producers and studios. Turn this negative time into a positive growth period that will go a long way in sustaining your career once the floodgates of opportunity open back up.

Live Stream Audio Like a Pro
Mike Zimmerlich, Bradley Amick

In this special interview, Mike Zimmerlich, president of 80/20 Records and host of The 80/20 Show podcast, will speak with Brad Amick from Halocene about how they went from a one-webcam setup to a multi-camera full production for live streaming. Halocene became one of the first Twitch Ambassadors and has amassed more than 1 million views and 55,000 followers on the platform. This interview will give you the tools to get started on live streaming performances on a budget and, hopefully, some inspiration to engage with your audience in an exciting way! 

Monetization Strategies for Indie Artists
Chandra Lynn, Alex Villanueva

If you’re an independent artist looking for new ways to generate revenue despite the pandemic, join us and dig into the top monetization strategies that you can leverage today. We’ll deliver a crash course in streaming payouts across popular platforms, as well as a number of other tips for making money safely and effectively despite COVID-19. Get motivated to roll up your sleeves and create your plan for making music a profitable career based on these empowering tactics.

How to Get on a Streaming Playlist
Michael Raine

In the last few years, getting songs onto popular streaming playlists has become a fixation for artists and the music industry—and justifiably so. Playlist placements can help break an artist and greatly boost their numbers, but like most fixations, its importance can be overblown. In this presentation, Michael Raine, editor of Canadian Musician magazine, will break down how different types of playlists are curated, the key differences between the streaming services, the role of analytics and, most importantly, tangible actions emerging artists can take to get their songs on playlists and have them be successful once there.

Five Steps to Diversifying Your Music Portfolio
Gabe Kubanda

In this mini-masterclass, Gabe Kubanda will walk you through five different methods of creating multiple income streams to pandemic-proof and safeguard your musical career.

Master the Gig Economy
James DeCicco

Our world and our lives are being disrupted faster than any other time in human history. With the blazing speed of technology innovations coupled with unprecedented global events, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about how to bring stability and wealth into your life. Here, James DeCicco will present Master the Gig Economy, a guide to success in today’s world, using five essential tools for navigating the new world we live in today.

Interview: Patrice Rushen—on Being Prepared
Brian Douglas, Brian Hardgroove, Patrice Rushen

Patrice Rushen is one of America’s most accomplished musicians. In this interview with Public Enemy’s Brian Hardgroove, she will discuss her many years as a musical director for multiple awards shows, her hit songs as a solo artist and her views on preparing for success.

Makin Money Makin Music
Jay Warsinske

Find out where the earning potential is for making music in 2021. This session will be led by 45-year music industry veteran and longtime NAMM favorite Jay Warsinske.

Russell Kunkel on Hand Percussion
Russell Kunkel, David Goggin

Renowned drummer Russell Kunkel speaks with Mr. Bonzai and demonstrates the gentle art of hand percussion as an integral part of his work in the recording studio. Kunkel has worked with a broad spectrum of artists, including Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, Lyle Lovett, Art Garfunkel, Carole King, Reba McEntire, Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger, Carly Simon, Stephen Stills, Joe Walsh, Steve Winwood, Neil Young, Warren Zevon, David Crosby and Graham Nash.

The Making of “Children of the World”
Donna E. Scott

Mister G and the Global Citizens Ensemble debut album, “Children of the World,” united musicians across five continents and 14 countries (including Senegal, Vietnam, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Iran, Mexico, France, Jamaica and the United States) to perform songs about hope, unity, education, our planet, the pandemic and how we are all in this together. Each of the 12 tracks were developed organically through video calls and emails exchanged while sheltering in place.

Leland Sklar Demonstrates His Famous Basses
Leland Sklar, David Goggin

With more than 2,000 albums to his credit, Leland Sklar remains one of the most prolific and popular bass players in modern music. His work dates back to the late ’60s, but he really gained momentum in the early ’70s when he teamed up with the young James Taylor. Since then, his bass touch has graced the work of such artists as Linda Ronstadt, Hall & Oates, Jackson Browne, Barbra Streisand, Billy Cobham, Phil Collins, Clint Black, Toto, Rod Stewart and Willie Nelson, to name just a few.

Arranging Music Across Multiple Genres
Brent Fischer

In this 15-minute mini master class, Brent Fischer shows how creativity can manifest itself across multiple genres with three examples from his award-winning work: Michael Jackson’s pop hit “This Is It,” arranged for 45-piece orchestra; D’Angelo’s “Really Love,” arranged for an intimate seven-piece chamber orchestra; and Clare Fischer’s “Butterfly Samba” from the album “¡Intenso!”

Recording in the Home Studio with Plug-and-Play Equipment
Richard Powell

In this session, you’ll watch the recording of a song in a home studio using plug-and-play equipment: a USB microphone, Ableton software and compact monitors—showing the steps and suggestions for a good result. 

Live Streaming Liability
Heather Rafter,Philipp Lengeling

Live Q&A

How to Prepare for Making a Vinyl Record
“Kevin” “KJ” “Jacoby”, Scott Hull

Are you ready to make a vinyl record? This is how you do it. Scott Hull, owner and chief engineer at Masterdisk, and co-host KJ (The Oddysy) cover what you’ll want to know. Topics include mixing, mastering, production, cost marketing and more.

 Successful Release Strategies in a Streaming World
Kevin Breuner

It’s easier than ever to get your music out to the world, but without a release strategy, you’ll leave an enormous amount of opportunity on the table. Understanding the fundamental shift the streaming world has brought is critical to launching your music. In this session, Kevin Breuner, senior vice president of marketing for CD Baby, will walk through the key strategies to make your next release a success.

Three Bad-ass Looping Techniques You Need to Know
Tiffany Christopher

Discover how to make that simple looper do so much more than you ever thought it could. In this session, loop princess Tiffany Christopher will entertain you while showing you some of her favorite road-tested looping techniques. So, unleash your imagination, stretch your arranging skills, and have fun while discovering new sound possibilities!

 How to Get Your Songs Into Films
Anastasia Brown, Haroula Rose, Michael Turner

Award-winning multi-hyphenate film and music industry creators Anastasia Brown, Haroula Rose and Michael Turner share their various journeys in these worlds, with personal anecdotes and stories about various films and series, as well as pro advice for musicians, filmmakers and songwriters alike.

 TikTok: The Music Industry’s Digital Exposure Engine
Asher Condit

Many of today’s hits have their roots in TikTok social media crucible. As artists, producers and engineers, we have a rare opportunity to leverage our skillsets in an audio-dominated platform, especially since creative space on TikTok is still a land-grab! TikTok’s algorithm is sophisticated, elegant and powerful, so with a few tools designed to understand the algorithm, music industry professionals can grow their audience and find meaningful branding growth in this new, digital platform. Find out how.

The 5 Qualities of a Hit Songwriter
Lacie Carpenter

What characteristics make a hit songwriter? What role do hard work, talent, early musical development and environment play? Nashville singer-songwriter, author and performer Lacie Carpenter will go in-depth with five qualities that create a hit songwriter. This not-to-be missed session is based on interviews with hit songwriters from the newly published book “Profile of a Hit Songwriter” by Lacie Carpenter and Thornton Cline.

 Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters’ Studio Antics
Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Baltin

The force of nature that is Billy Bob Thornton, along with his musical partner J.D. Andrews, has resulted in 10 albums as the Boxmasters. In this interview by journalist Steve Baltin, Billy Bob will explain his deep-rooted attachment to rock ‘n’ roll, and J.D. will discuss what it’s like for the two of them to do everything for their latest studio recordings.

Can-Do Musos: Inspiring Stories from Disabled Musicians
David Segal

Can-Do Musos is a global voice for disabled musicians from all over the world and provides guidance and support to musicians living with a disability. With 339 members from 34 countries, it sets out to make music accessible to everyone.

 Igniting A Music Career Post Covid
Steve Baltin

Most musicians, whether superstars or brand new acts, have lost a year of building their fan base and name recognition due to the pandemic. What do you do if you are just starting out or trying to regain momentum in a post-Covid world? Mike Einziger from Incubus, L.A.’s the Deep West (Adam and Joey Chavez) and Meg and Dia (Frampton) join moderator Steve Baltin to answer these questions and talk about how musicians at all levels of the industry take the next steps.

The Next Live Gig
Roy Elkins

The Sessions and Rock ‘n’ Roll Royalty Reunite

In this presentation, Leland Sklar, Jim Keltner and Steve Lukather will be joined by Liberty Devitto, Dom Famularo and Paul Quin. These artists have brought you thousands of songs, and now they’ll share their 2020 projects despite recent challenges. They’ll also look at how The Beatles impacted them and how the power of music can bring hope, happiness, unity and love to humanity. The Sessions’ mission is to enrich, educate and empower artists, and these 30 minutes will do that!

C.J. Vanston’s Treehouse Studio Tour
David Goggin,C.J. Vanston

The multi-talented CJ Vanston is a film composer, record producer, songwriter and keyboardist based in Los Angeles. His work includes more than 1,500 commercial jingles, 100 albums and 20 film scores. Vanston has toured extensively with Spinal Tap and was musical director for two Joe Cocker world tours, spanning more than 40 countries. He has contributed to numerous albums, including those by Prince, NSYNC, Barbra Streisand, Ringo Starr, Jaguares, Celine Dion, Bob Seger, Richard Marx, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Spinal Tap, Harry Shearer, Steve Lukather and Toto. Notably, he has composed soundtracks for director Christopher Guest’s films “Waiting For Guffman,” “A Mighty Wind,” “Best in Show” and “For Your Consideration.”

 Interview: Craig Bauer on Mixing Kanye’s ‘Late Registration,’ 15 Years Later
Dan Daley,Craig Bauer

“Late Registration” is widely acclaimed as Kanye West’s greatest LP. Here, mixer Craig Bauer talks about that keystone recording and working with music’s most enigmatic rapper.

Interview Ryan Elder: Sound and Music for ‘Rick and Morty’
Ryan Elder,Dan Daley

Ryan Elder is the composer and producer of the music for “Rick and Morty,” the wildly successful Adult Swim animated series that won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program. Complementing the show’s brilliant writing and world-class animation, Elder composes and creates the series’ outstanding scoring and original music from a home studio in Los Angeles surrounded by synths, sound libraries and skateboards.

 Opportunity in Crisis
Sean Giovanni

Join sonic storyteller Sean Giovanni as he explores solutions for discovering opportunity in times of crisis. Giovanni will share lessons from the journey of starting his career in a jobless market to running a thriving recording studio, and how those experiences prepared him to find a path to increase revenue through the pandemic. Discover techniques that you can implement in your career to find prosperity when unexpected challenges come your way.

 Amp Sim Secrets: Tips and Techniques for Terrific Tone
Craig Anderton

Amp sims are convenient and versatile—but not everyone is convinced the tone can equal physical amps. Yet all it takes is a few tweaks to take an amp sim’s sound from “OK” to “wow”! This session will show simple, effective ways to improve amp sim tone, get sweeter sounds and also create tones that would be difficult or impossible to obtain in the physical world.

 Managing Low-Frequency Radiation
Chris Brouelette

This session is designed to educate all users, from musicians to production professionals, on how to adequately control low-frequency radiation in all applications where low frequencies need to be contained to a specific area or room.

 Producing Remotely In COVID Times
Rafa Sardina

Discover technical tips and procedures for session pre-production, connection safety precautions, the importance of communication and more in this session, presented by 15-time Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Rafa Sardina (Placido Domingo, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Shakira and Alejandro Sanz).

 Interview: Dave Cobb
Dave Cobb, Dan Daley

Six-time Grammy winner—and current Grammy Producer of the Year nominee—Dave Cobb produces career-defining records for Jason Isbell, Shooter Jennings, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile and many others. Cobb also produced the 2020 Americana Album of the Year, “The Highwomen,” which contains the Song of the Year, “Crowded Table.” He was the Americana Music Association’s Producer of the Year in 2014 and 2016. He’s also the keeper of an important flame: Since 2016, he’s been the resident producer at RCA Studio A on Nashville’s Music Row, giving that iconic 57-year-old facility extended life and relevancy, and bringing the magic in its walls and gear to his productions.

Interview: John Boylan on the Impact of ‘Urban Cowboy’
John Boylan, Dan Daley

Here, super-producer John Boylan will discuss the impact “Urban Cowboy”  has had on country music 40 years later.

 Peter Asher Interviews Waddy Wachtel and Danny Kortchmar
Peter Asher, Waddy Wachtel, Danny Kortchmar

This one is rock and roll gold, an intimate conversation among three studio legends: Peter Asher, Danny “Kootch” Korthmar and Waddy Wachtel. You’ll hear them tell amazing stories about the early days in the studios with Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Carol King and many other generation-defining performers—from the point of view of the producers, managers and session players who crafted the sounds. This conversation has been waiting 50 years to happen!

Tom Lord-Alge Interviews Chris Lord-Alge
Tom Lord-Alge, Chris Lord-Alge

One of the great brotherhoods in pro audio, the Lord-Alges have both made their marks in the sound of modern music as engineers, mixers and producers behind some of the biggest records of the past 40 years. No telling where this conversation could lead, so don’t miss it!

A Predictive Iterative Analysis Tool for Small Room Acoustics
John Storyk, Dr. Peter D’Antonio

NIRO is a groundbreaking software platform recently developed by award-winning studio designer John Storyk and the founder of RPG Diffusor System, Dr. Peter D’Antonio. It automatically optimizes a room’s geometry and locations for loudspeakers and listeners in any shaped small room, as well as damping module design and placement. This 15-minute tutorial will illustrate how this platform functions, and why it is poised to revolutionize the optimization of small room acoustics. 

Bob Weir on the History of the Dead’s Sound
Bob Weir

It’s common knowledge in the pro audio world that the Grateful Dead were key in advancing the technology of live sound reproduction. Get a firsthand account of this fascinating history as Derek Featherstone interviews Dead co-founder Bob Weir.

How to Set Up to Mix Immersive Music
Stuart Page

Unlock your system’s ability to create immersive audio in the box! Join us for a step-by-step tutorial on how to configure Pro Tools with the Dolby Atmos Production Suite plugin for either binaural or full Atmos music mixing.

Immersive Audio with Dolby Atmos

 In-Ear Monitoring Safety

How to Optimize Your Worship Service Mix for Broadcast and Live Streaming
Golden Presciado

We are living in a new era spawned by a pandemic that has forced many churches into a new frontier of live streaming services.This session will look at three ways to set up your audio feed for the best-sounding broadcast mix possible.

Church Sound University Tech Tip: Microphone Mechanics
Mike Sokol

In this Church Sound University session for house of worship audio practitioners, Mike Sokol will explain the essential principles of microphones, including polar patterns, dynamic and condenser designs, phantom power and more.

Church Sound University Tech Tip: Delays for Vocals
Samantha Potter

In this Church Sound University session for house of worship audio practitioners, Samantha Potter provides details on using delays as a “thickening agent” in the audio mix for groups of vocals and ensembles.

Church Sound University Tech Tip: 4 Ways to Mic Your Pastor
Mike Sokol

In this Church Sound University session for house of worship audio practitioners, Mike Sokol presents four popular methods for miking pastors, along with a few tricks to help  you attain the best sound from each of them.

Technology for Houses of Worship
Doug Doppler

The COVID-19 pivot has created a new paradigm for how churches harness technology and cultivate creativity. Hear from house of worship experts as they share their insights and best practices for creating engaging online worship experiences! The session will be moderated by Doug Doppler of Worship Musician.

A Visit With Suzanne Ciani: The Diva of the Diode
Suzanne Ciani, David Goggin

Pro audio industry journalist and raconteur Mr. Bonzai will interview electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, whose work with such explorers of electronic music as Max Matthews, John Chowning and Don Buchla led to her pioneering sound design for television advertising with her Ciani/Musica production company. From there, she branched out to scoring films, including Lily Tomlin’s “The Incredible Shrinking Woman” (the first solo female composer of a Hollywood film), creating the sounds for the Bally Xenon arcade game and producing a series of albums that have touched the hearts of listeners around the world.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY TRACK

Event Safety Alliance

Risk Perception: What We Overlook in Crowded Places
Emma Parkinson

In more “normal” times, the careers of musicians, technicians and vendors all depend on crowds. What risks do we face when we bring people together, and perhaps more importantly, what do we overlook? Coventry University Course Director and festival safety professional Emma Parkinson will explain why what we don’t see in a crowd is as crucial to safety as what we do.

Planning Through Tough Times: Figuring Out Your COVID-19 Response
Janet Sellery

We all long for our industry to return to as it was before the pandemic. While some activities have resumed, there’s still much uncertainty about when and how to safely host events as the science around COVID-19 evolves. In this session, Performance Safety Consultant Janet Sellery will provide insight on how event producers of all stripes can develop a plan that meets their unique needs, challenges, opportunities and jurisdictional requirements.

The Art of Your Deal: Explaining the Contract Language You See Every Day
Steve Adelman

A contract consists of only three things: an offer, acceptance of that offer and some consideration, which is usually payment. After that, the devil is in the details. Entertainment lawyer and ESA Vice President Steve Adelman will explain why your contracts look the way they do, what the key provisions mean and why the boilerplate provisions at the end of the document really matter.

The Weird Turn Pro: Security Director
Anthony “AD” Davis, Steve Adelman

An Event Security Director is more than just muscle … they’re equal parts psychologist, diplomat, engineer and artist. Join professional Security Director Anthony “AD” Davis and ESA Vice President Steven Adelman for a discussion on what it takes to build a rewarding career in touring, venue and festival security.

The Performer’s Role in Safety
Paul Dalen

A conversation featuring representatives from the touring, festival, venue, travel, corporate and theatre worlds about the need to engage performers, clients and others as part of a comprehensive and robust safety plan. They’ll discuss successes, failures and hard lessons learned from the past, as well as our aspirations and next steps as we look towards a return to IRL events.

Staying Safe While Getting Loud: Understanding SPL, Sound Exposure and Loudness Perception in Concert Sound
Michael Lawrence

Are concerts too loud? This session will get participants up to speed on the facts surrounding the issue of sound exposure at concerts. After covering the basic concepts involved (and busting a few myths along the way), this presentation will look at real-world concert SPL data, and some tricks that mix engineers use to exploit the divide between what the meter says and what our ears tell us.

Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) –  Entertainment Technology

 How to Make a Bridle
Bill Sapsis

Get clear, concise instruction on the assembly of a two-legged bridle from the always-entertaining Bill Sapsis. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Can I Use GFCIs with Dimmers?
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

Discover when, why and how to use ground-fault circuit interrupters for stage electrics. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Safety in Entertainment Event Planning
Eddie Raymond, Kent Jorgensen

Before any entertainment event, those planning the event need a program that’s designed to keep workers and audience members from harm, along with a specific response plan for all reasonably expected emergencies. This session counts for 1 ETCP credit.

Introduction to Show Network System Design
John Huntington

John Huntington, author of the new Introduction to Show Networking book, will outline his step-by-step network system design process. This session counts for 0.5 ETCP credits

DMX512 Compliance and Controlling Color
Javid Butler

With more LED light fixtures coming into use every day, the narrow spectrum of LED emitters makes color matching between fixtures, and lighting for scenery and costumes, more complex than other light sources. Javid Butler will present an update on a new testing standard. This session counts for 0.5 ETCP credits.

Overview of Lighting Control Protocols
Jon Hole

A review of and comparison between today’s lighting control protocols, including DMX, RDM, Art-Net, sACN and RDMnet. This presentation will offer a relaxed, big-picture overview of “only what the user needs to know” to easily deploy and take advantage of Ethernet networking on their next show. This session counts for 0.5 ETCP credits.

 Entertainment Networking’s Four-Letter Words—and What They Can Do for You
Robert Bell

Discover how standard IEEE Ethernet protocols can be leveraged by the entertainment industry. Presented by Robert Bell, this session will cover what he calls “The Four-Letter Words of Networking,” including DHCP, IGMP, RSTP, EAPS, VLAN, LLDP and a few other standards like QoS and Dante—and how to use them to your benefit when building a network with managed switches. The presentation will conclude with an introduction to networking security, describing some of the new cyber-security laws and how these will affect how you manage your networks in the years to come. This session counts for 0.5 ETCP credits.

International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging
Bill Sapsis, Ed Kish

ICOPER is a model code of practice developed by the international entertainment rigging community. Free to download at https://esta.org/ESTA/icoper.php and https://www.plasa.org/rigging-stage-engineering-documents/, this is valuable to all event production rigging disciplines.

Rigging Math
Eric Rouse

Don’t fear the math required to calculate loads for your rigging systems. Delve into the math used to determine loads on entertainment structures. This presentation will discuss how to determine bridle lengths and calculate load distribution and line tension. Brush up on material for the ETCP Rigging exam. This session counts for 1 ETCP credit. 

Monitoring a Portable Power Distribution System
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

Once a portable power distribution system is set up and turned on, it should be tested before turning on all the circuit breakers and monitored once everything is operating. In this video, we’ll walk through metering and monitoring, what to look for and how to ensure a successful event. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Rigging in Unusual Places
Dana Bartholomew, Elmer Veith

A discussion of the challenges and resolutions of rigging in unconventional circumstances. This session counts for 0.5 ETCP credits.

TENTATIVE: The Myth of Coiling Excess Feeder Cable
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

You’ve always been told that you should never coil up excess feeder cable, but do you know why? I thought I did until I conducted some experiments and found out that I was wrong. But I did learn something. Here’s the real reason you shouldn’t coil excess feeder cables. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Inspecting Your Power Distribution Gear
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

Imagine you’re a portable power cable. You get rolled up, tossed into a road case, transported all over the world, laid out, stepped on, run over by fork lifts and golf carts, and you’re expected to work flawlessly all day in the hot sun, in snow and ice, and in the rain. No wonder our gear is in rough condition. This presentation will go through the process of inspecting gear for signs of damage and wear, and what to do about it in order to safely get through a gig. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Ampacities of Cables and the De-Rating Factors
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

When a cable conducts current, it heats up. How hot can it get before something goes wrong, and what is likely to go wrong first? These are questions related to the ampacities of cables, or how many amps a cable can safely carry before things go awry. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Eliminating Ground Loops Safely
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

Faulty grounding can kill. Discover the right way to fix a ground loop. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

How to Protect Yourself Against Deadly Shock
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

Nearly all of us have been shocked. It’s no fun and can be deadly, but simple steps can help prevent it.This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

ESTA’s Technical Standards Program in 15 Minutes or Less
Richard Nix

What Standards are and how they can make your work better. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Setting the Stage
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

How do you know if you have enough power for everything on the stage? It starts with the equipment specs and involves the West Virginia formula, as well as understanding cabling and connectors.This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits. 

Mental Health Resources for the Entertainment Industry
Lori Rubinstein

Behind the Scenes’ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative provides tools to help entertainment industry workers through this difficult time and into the future. Easy-to-use resources include a peer-to-peer chat app, entertainment industry therapist finder, anonymous online self-assessments, mental health resource pages, suicide prevention information and materials to help stop bullying, harassment and intimidation.

How Does Voltage Drop Work?
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

Voltage drop can create a dangerous situation. Find out how to avoid it. This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

Ground and Bonding Isn’t What You Think
Richard Cadena

This session is presented by Lighting&Sound America and PLASA.

The term “grounding” can be misleading because it’s used in reference to connecting the electrical system to the earth, as well as the green wire in a power cable. There’s a big difference between the two, and it has to do with lightning protection, 0-volt reference and the path that fault current takes when something in the electrical system goes wrong.This session counts for 0.25 ETCP credits.

 Planning for Pyro Forces on Structures—Making Sure the Effects Don’t Become Demolition
Elmer Veith, Brian Panther

Calculating static loads on structures and lighting trusses has become a straightforward math exercise for rigging designers. Dynamic loads continue to present challenges. Until recently, there has been very little study of what happens with forces generated by pyrotechnic effects on flown or ground-supported structures. Here’s an overview of forces created by pyro effects and recent studies on those effects. This session counts for 0.5 ETCP credits.

Pro Production by PLSN & FOH –  Entertainment Technology 

Welcome to the xR Revolution
Ash Nehru, Laura Frank, Nils Porrmann

This session will offer a look at the groundbreaking uses of xR (extended reality) technology that is redefining the incredible possibilities of live production environments. Offering a better understanding of the roles, the technologies and the terminology as this new discipline within entertainment production is fast establishing itself.

Leading the xR Revolution
Cory FitzGerald, Bianca Moncada, Alex Reardon, Vincent Richards

Get insights from the leading creative minds propelling extended reality  forward. They will be discussing their work on the cutting-edge musical performances, live events and broadcasts that have the industry and global audiences buzzing.

Seeing the Music: A Production Design Roundtable
Ben Dagleisgh, Bryan Hartley, Robb Jibson, Peter Morse, Tamlyn Wright

This video roundtable session will afford an opportunity to hear from some of the most innovative and creative production designers working in live entertainment today. The designers will offer their take on a range of topics, including what they think is essential to creating the visual reflection of a musical artist and the role of technology to engage audiences as the industry begins to looks past the pandemic.

At the Core of the Tour: The Production Manager Roundtable
Bobby Schneider, Marty Hom, Elliot Saltzman

No tour, no concert, no live event happens without the calm center at the core of the production. This video roundtable of legendary production managers will offer insight into how their vital role in the live entertainment industry solves the day-to-day challenges and how they’re addressing the changes they see happening in the future as concert touring emerges from the pandemic.

Show Makers –  Entertainment Technology

The Art of the Rider
Alex Prince, Steve Gordon, Debbie Taylor, Mark Clark, Steve Lopez

A rider is more than a list of food demands, such as only green M&Ms. It’s a written document specifying every detail a local promoter needs to know to get an artist’s show on stage. It can also spark actionable change in the areas of touring crew wellness, environmental sustainability and inclusion. This session will dig into this topic with tangible takeaways for all levels of touring, including clubs, arenas and festivals.

Riffin’ on Mental Health: A Conversation About the Intersection of Mental Health and Musicians by Hope for the Day!
Jonny Boucher

Our mental health requires attention and maintenance even in the best of times. Add in a pandemic and we could all use some tips to identify and prevent a mental health crisis. This session is geared toward musicians and music industry professionals with tips to best weather this challenging time and all of life in a creative field.atie

The Future of Leadership in Live Events
Jim Digby, Ulf Oesterle, Noelle Scaggs, Jerome Crooks

The re-emergence of the live events can’t just be a return to business as usual. Our post-pandemic workforce will be returning potentially with financial or mental health struggles, a smaller pool of pros remaining in the industry and greater awareness that diversity, equity and inclusion is essential for greater industry-wide success. This session will address what leadership should look like in this new era and how to best support and elevate the individuals and businesses for the whole industry to shine again.

Financial Resilience Beyond a Pandemic
Andrea Espinoza

If the pandemic has exposed anything it is how fragile the live events ecosystem is, and how dependent our personal finances are on its durability. This session will provide essential guidance to create a strong and resilient life in the face of adversity beyond our control.

Getting Your Career on the Road
Meegan Holmes, Bill Reeves

The days of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll are history. Today’s touring catchphrase should be: Work Hard, Develop Your Skills and Connections, and Be Professional. Here, Meegan and Bill will share tips for getting into the touring industry and thriving once you are on the road. Plus, you’ll hear what it’s really like living with your co-workers (after a looooong show day) in bus heading down the highway. 

Front of House: A Brief Overview of the Consumer-Facing Tour Gigs
Steph Mirsky

Everyone knows about tour managers, production managers, techs, audio engineers and so forth, but what about the lesser-known roles that focus on the fans and are still instrumental to a tour’s success? Get a brief overview of the many consumer-facing jobs on tour, including, but not limited to, sponsorship, VIP, merchandise and content production.

Global Touring in the New Reality

Janine Diaz, Rob Hallett, Britton Bilik, Marlene Tsuchii

When live events re-emerge on a large scale, the world will be a different place from when they paused in March 2020. Between the pandemic, political unrest and social issues, this will be a time for change. This session will bring together top minds from multiple angles to examine the obstacles and opportunities for growth to elevate the entertainment industry.

Keeping the Show on the Road: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Tour Management
David ‘5-1’ Norman, Mary Jo Kaczka

Project managers play the lead role in planning, executing, monitoring, controlling and closing projects. They are accountable for the entire project scope, project team, resources and the success or failure of the project. Tour management is project management, on steroids. Projects (tours) run 24/7 for their duration, all while changing locations—and often continents—on a daily basis. In this session, David Norman & Mary Jo Kaczka will discuss the elements involved in successfully managing international tours.

THE NAMM FOUNDATION TRACK

GenNext –  Educators,Students

Keep Marching: How an Air Force Band Circumvented Pandemic Challenges for Auditions, Rehearsals and Performances
Edward Knoeckel, Major Dustin Doyle, SSgt Jaime  Parker, SSgt Justis MacKenzie, SSgt Michele Von Haugg, MSgt Nicholas Wellman

This panel presentation will bring together our audition’s coordinator, public affairs manager, productions manager (which is a newly defined role), audio engineer and band commander to discuss the challenges that we faced, and solutions found to continue providing careers to performers. Topics will include implementing virtual auditions to secure career opportunities for the next generation of performers, transitioning from live to digital performance productions, technology training for instrumentalists, social media metrics to direct content and insight into the leadership challenges to drive and support change within the organization.  This panel will be of interest to performing arts organizations, university programs, performers and audio engineers who are going through pandemic related challenges and seeking to be part of a shared conversation toward finding solutions for the survival of the performing arts.

Helping the Whole-Musician Develop and Prepare for Success in the Real World
Kristen Bromley

Traditionally, music classrooms have been a place where instructors impart and test on important information pertaining to a subject matter. However, the mere acquisition of information does not adequately prepare students for success as persons or musicians outside of the educational institution. Incorporating person-centered approaches and teaching principles in educational settings can greatly improve student learning. In this presentation, based on my qualitative research with college music students, I explain how to foster a person-centered learning environment in classrooms/ensembles, where students may experience whole-person learning outcomes that involve growing in and through cognitive, emotional or feeling driven, and experiential means, develop greater self-discipline, and become more capable, fully-functioning persons and musicians, who are better prepared to take on and be successful in a challenging and constantly changing world.

Based on my research, teachers can transform a classroom/ensemble into a person-centered learning community by getting the students more actively involved in their learning though approaches such as facilitated, self-directed, and cooperative activities where the students work with others to solve problems, make decisions, and create new products based on their own ideas. From such experiences, intermixed with lecture and teacher-directed moments, the students of my study, developed greater communication and social skills, improved at time management, gained a much deeper understanding of the subject matter, greatly increased in their ability to play and explain music, learned to make better choices in problem solving situations, matured in their leadership abilities, and so on.

Quality and Content: Students, Industry and the “Vegas” Factor
Jack Ballard

Several things in the music industry are consistent but relate to one thing: change, and the ability to adapt accordingly. The good news is that technology advances greatly; the bad news is that all music creators have a habit of gravitating toward the latest, coolest thing (with all due respect to NAMM and its members!). However beneficial, this “Vegas” factor of bells, lights and whistles tends to overshadow the foundational quality of the product and unfortunately students buy into this misconception. If an artist can create “quality” product (or at least popular and therefore competitive) in the bedroom, why suffer through music theory, instrumental technique and music education? The presentation will argue for an increased necessity for the working musician to put in time in basic and advancing musicianship, recognizing that the new-and-improved technology is a handier set of tools: nothing else. The demonstration itself will compare a popular music project that is “good enough,” using built-in loops and other tools in a popular DAW and then adjust the mediocre project using classical theory and orchestration techniques as well as aural judgment for improvement going beyond “fooling around until I think it sounds good,” as many students understand music creation.

The result will give educators a way to show the benefit of a foundational music education, even in popular music, give students encouragement in the time spent developing musicianship, and advocate for music programs in a pragmatic vo-tech education paradigm.

Find Your B.E.A.T. – A Method to Navigating Your Music Career During Times of Change
Jessica Muniz-Collado

During a crisis, change is emanant. This change can be good, bad, or both. Though change can be difficult to accept, it can incite opportunity. Nonetheless, if a musician does not know how to navigate through these changes, they can miss out on opportunities. Through this demonstration, musicians will learn tools needed to adapt and navigate their music career through four pillars: Business, Education, Artist Development, and Technology (a.k.a. “The B.E.A.T. Method”). Musicians will gain insight on how to bridge the gap between their current music abilities to new ways of creating incoming and/or gainful employment in the music and music-related industries. In addition to music students, this demonstration would benefit music educators who may be tasked with teaching music industry courses, and/or would like to provide information of innovative music career paths to their students.

Traits of a Successful Leader in the 21st Century Music Industry
Joseph Carucci

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape of the music industry, highlighting that flexibility, communication, and a growth mindset are essential skills to successful leadership.  Leadership styles are categorized in many ways, including transactional, transformational, visionary, servant, empathetic, and collaborative. These are all important styles for every leader to understand and utilize in direct and indirect ways. Because of the pace of change in our almost $100 billion music industry, the most successful leaders master multiple approaches and establish the flexibility to embody the most effective style for the circumstance, as well as implement it successfully. They approach challenges with a sense of growth, and communicate this mindset to their organization and others. This presentation will explore leadership styles, and how leaders can build their communication skills, flexibility, and maintain a growth mindset when approaching challenges facing the 21st Century music industry.

The Importance of Internships for Your Professional Career
Dave Gerhart, Miriam Limon

Are you looking for a job in the music industry? As a college student, internships can help you gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience while establishing important connections in the music industry. This presentation will provide tools and resources on how to find an internship, interview process and skills, creating resumes, personal branding and social marketing. The main point of this presentation is to give music students the resources to be successful in any area they decide to pursue. The presentation will be given by two professionals with over 30 years experience in the music industry, including a representative from human resources for the Yamaha Corporation of America.

GenNext Plenary
Bill Pelto, Mary Luehrsen

Centering the Body: a Student-Focused Model for Online Instruction
Lea Pearson

Whether teaching in the studio or classroom, the biggest challenge is often engagement. If we can’t see or hear our students with the same clarity as in person, we need to rely more their ability to perceive and describe their own experience.  Based in powerful approaches to effective learning such as the student-centered classroom, embodied pedagogy and cutting-edge neuroscience, this new model of engagement demonstrates the effectiveness of observation, inquiry, and validation in promoting more effective learning and teaching.   Participants will explore their own teaching practices, learn from their experiences as a student, and develop new strategies for engaging students. No technology or apps needed!

From Incubation to Delivery: How to Apply Project Management to Your Music-Related Projects
Stan Renard

Completing a music-related project is a complex endeavor that often encompasses many interdependent tasks. One may subsequently ask how can creatives not only account for all the constraints linked with their projects but also track their progress to completion? This workshop explores the pragmatic attributes and benefits of Project Management (PM) as a means to coordinate such projects. It aims to inspire and provide an additional and complementary instrument for the toolkit of creatives, teams, music industry/business entrepreneurs, and educators.

Developing the Musician Entrepreneur – Pedagogical Models for Performing Musicians in Higher Education
Silvan Negrutiu

Being exceptional performers is a basic professional expectation, and higher education has always prepared their students based on this premise. However, 21st-century musicians also need entrepreneurial competencies to build successful and lasting careers in the context of today’s music industry.

In this presentation, the author suggests curricular and extracurricular pedagogical models for developing the marketing, branding, leadership, and networking skills of college students in the performance track. Developed and applied in his own piano studio at Millikin University, some of these pedagogical models include entrepreneurial approaches to applied juries, degree recitals, and student presentations, as well as active project-based leadership roles in specialized student organizations.

By embracing these models, applied instructors provide their performance students with valuable opportunities for entrepreneurial growth that may help them to shape and sustain their careers in the contemporary artistic landscape.

Careers in Music Summit Featuring Grace Kelly
Kit Culpepper, Grace Kelly, Joe Lamond, Laura Penrose, Marcus Blackwell

What does it take to have a successful career in the music industry? Find out firsthand at this special session, hosted by NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. In a series of up-close interviews, Lamond will speak with a diverse lineup of music industry professionals, including singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer and band leader Grace Kelly. They’ll discuss their career trajectories and share practical insights for long-term success. Walk away with new ideas and inspiration to take your career to new heights. This event is dedicated to SUNY Potsdam alumnus and longtime music industry icon Sandy Feldstein.

Music and Social Justice –  Educators, Nonprofit, Policy, Students

Music and the Public Good: Bridging our Distances at the University of South Carolina
Tayloe Harding, Claire  Bryant, Jamaal Nicholas

The University of South Carolina  School of Music community responds to today’s public health and social justice challenges with an initiative to reinvigorate our purpose as artist-citizens within and beyond the concert hall called Bridging our Distances. Members of the UofSC SoM community will share their intentions, strategies, actions and outcomes for creating musical experiences for the public good through uniting our communities, amplifying voices, celebrating heroes and spurring our future.

Music and Wellness –  Educators, Nonprofit, Policy, Students

Yoga for All Musicians
Brianne Borden

During this session, the Yoga for All Musicians team with guide attendees through practices to keep our bodies and mind healthy. We will explore yoga techniques, such as physical movement, meditation, and breathwork, to address performance anxiety, repetitive motion injuries, and consistently showing up as our best selves. These will be applicable to performers, educators, and anybody in the music industry seeking more body awareness and stress management.

Believe in Rhythm
Christine Stevens

How has COVID 19 effected your personal groove?

Have you found it hard to stay motivated due to the Pandemic?

Based on evidence-based studies, group drumming has become a leading wellness tool, boosting the immune system on a cellular level, improving mood states, reducing burn out, and improving teamwork in corporations. Discover how rhythm can help your health and wellness; body, mind, and spirit, even ONLINE.

In this interactive live ONLINE session, Christine Stevens will guide you through rhythmic breathing, guided imagery drumming, entrainment building with healing rhythms, and offer a BONUS track you can use to drum along or lead drum circles online.

Hand Drumming and Meditation
Christine Stevens

Author and music therapist, Christine Stevens guides you in a breathing and rhythmical practice using the frame drum to invoke the five elements of earth, fire, air, water, and space, as tools for your personal wellness.   Discover why drumming has been a growing tool for the yoga and wellness markets.

Music Education Days –  Educators, Advocacy, Students

Teaching General Music during COVID-19: Changing our focus to creating, responding, and connecting
Rob Lyda, Phil Wilson

Music teachers ended the 2019-2020 school year with many unknowns about what the future of general music will look like. After teaching face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid for six months of the 2020-2021 school year, veteran music educators discus how to reframe music education’s focus from performing to creating, responding, and connecting. Using the 2014 National Standards as a framework, music teachers will be provided with ideas and possible solutions to teaching general music during COVID-19. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

Teaching Students with Disabilities during COVID-19
Alice Hammel

How do we adapt teaching for students with disabilities during COVID-19? How do we remove barriers to accessibility? Some adaptation strategies can be utilized with technology to improve accessibility of materials. We also understand how anxiety in this time can be magnified in students who access the world differently. Finally, we all remember that the relationships we have with our students and our openness to helping them learn in their own way are primary considerations. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

Live Streaming Your Music Class: Equipment, Software, and Strategies
Will Kuhn

Need to teach music remotely but have no idea where to start? This session will walk you through creating a live-streaming teach-from-home setup and deploying interactive lessons to your students. We will be discussing software such as OBS, Streamlabs and Twitch for alternatives to the usual videoconferencing solutions and walking the balance between live and prerecorded material to have maximum student impact over a distance. No experience required, and we will cover specific applications from elementary through college level instruction. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

SBO Best Tools for School

Each year at the Winter NAMM show, School Band and Orchestra magazine sends out a panel of leading music educators to find the best products for music educators, and always features a dazzling array of just about every music-related product that you can imagine, and even some you can’t. They’re not looking for the most glamorous products, and some of the best products are found in obscure locations. That means they have to scour every nook and cranny of the exhibit halls. At the end of the search, they meet to discuss what they’ve found with each educator presenting the case for their choices, deliberate, then select the year’s winners.

 Teaching Guitar in a Virtual Learning Environment
Richard McCready

In this session, Richard McCready (TI:ME Teacher of the Year 2013) will present strategies and best practices for teaching successful guitar classes in a Virtual Learning Environment, including when all students are remote, and some are in the classroom. Participants will learn how to best set up their home or classroom studios to suit instruction and how to incorporate technologies such as Soundtrap, Bandlab, Jamstik, and online learning platforms. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

The 7 Business Skills Every Music Teacher Needs to Create and Grow a Thriving Music Program
Elisa Janson Jones

Have you ever noticed that there’s a lot more to running a thriving music program than just teaching music? In this session we’ll expose the 7 business skills music educators must learn to optimize their music program- especially if they need to recruit, could us more funding, or need to advocate for their program. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

Advocating for Music Education Utilizing Social-Emotional Learning
Scott Edgar,Bob Morrison

SEL is a construct implemented across the globe providing students with skills to confront challenges by being self-aware, socially-aware, and to make responsible decisions. SEL is a widely-accepted construct that policy makers at all levels value and will be paramount for our administrators. SEL can provide a solution to help our students cope, heal, and move forward. Join us as we discuss strategies to advocate for music education utilizing SEL. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

 Lights, Camera, Action! Using Video to Promote Student Engagement
Stefani Langol

With the onset of Covid-19 and remote learning, music educators have had to move at warp speed to bring their classrooms and rehearsal rooms into students’ homes. While streaming services like YouTube, Vimeo, and social media sites are commonplace and have had the attention of our students for quite some time, the need to be the creator and not just the consumer of video is more important than ever! This session will look at the educational value of video in music education, and a wide array of intuitive video creation tools that both music teachers and students can use that will add a fun factor to student engagement and learning! Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

Online Learning Strategies with Modern Band
Scott Burstein, Spencer Hale, Mary Claxton

The Best Possible Audio in Zoom, Teams, or Other Conferencing Software
Dr. C. Floyd Richmond

When using video conferencing software, the quality of the audio is often disappointing. Tips for solving this will include (1) maximizing existing equipment, (2) appropriate system and software settings, (3) resolving audio conflicts, (4) inexpensive hardware additions, and (5) troubleshooting. The focus will be on simple and approachable solutions. Questions welcome! Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

Teaching Ensembles and Applied Lessons in the Virtual Classroom
Dr. C. Floyd Richmond

Music performance poses special problems for the virtual classroom. This session will include tips and solutions from ensemble directors and applied music teachers for a number of different ensembles and instruments including winds, brass, strings, percussion, piano, and voice. Solutions for problems with common distance learning and virtual ensembles will be presented. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

How to improve your sound: The Important Basics of Signal Flow
Mark Lochstampfor

This session looks at the important basics of signal flow for music educators; how to effectively improve the quality of your final audio output by balancing each stage of the audio from input to final output, and how the order of audio processors yields different results. Different situations will be considered from remote teaching to live sound and recording. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

At Home & In the Classroom: Bridging the Gap with Soundtrap
Barbara Freedman,Barbara Freedman

Whether you find yourself teaching at home full time or you are back in the classroom and want the learning and music making to continue at home, the online software Soundtrap can be used by classroom teachers, ensemble directors of all grade levels with all devices. Appropriate for grades 5 – 12, it is an easy-to-use program that students can use to record, compose their own music, work in collaboration with other students, make podcasts, and share seamlessly it all with the teacher. This software is also outstanding and easy for teachers to create music to send to student, record your own voice or instrument, or make your own podcast! Learn the ins and outs on this software. Session will include an overview of the software, how to record, adjust sound levels, editing audio, recording with MIDI or loops, and composing. Lesson suggestions will be included. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

Technology to Support Elementary Music
Shawna Longo

Are you looking for practical and simple ideas for tech-based instruction through distance learning?  Are you looking for new ideas to update your elementary music classes? Thinking about including more technology? In this session, we will explore numerous free and inexpensive ways to bring more technology into your music classes. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

Developing the Successful Guitar Class
Michael Christiansen

Many music educators are receiving the assignment to teach classroom guitar by default. They may be band, orchestra, or choir directors with very little, if any, instruction in guitar pedagogy. In this webinar, noted guitar educator, Mike Christiansen, will present material for developing a successful guitar class that will be invaluable to the new guitar teacher as well as seasoned instructors. Topics include: what you’ll need to get started, teaching sequential technique and curriculum, repertoire, guitar ensembles, and implementing blended learning and flipped learning. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month In Your Music Class
Ramon Rivera, Jacob Scherr

Learn how NAfME members Ramon Rivera and Jacob Scherr of Mount Vernon High School Music Department in Washington State held a school-wide Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at their school that included the whole music department. Mr. Rivera and Mr. Scherr will host a LIVE Zoom presentation and share how Hispanic Heritage Month impacted the music department and help increase student engagement. They will share many video resources that you can use in your classroom. They will also show you how the Mount Vernon High School music students can cross over to different music groups and be part of the Band, Mariachi, Orchestra, and Choir at the same time. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

What the TECH are you talking about?!
John Mlynczak

Struggling to keep up with how to use all the technology in your music program? Wondering about MIDI devices, Bluetooth, recording, apps, DAWs, etc?! Then this session is for you! Come learn the need-to-knows of using tech in music programs and see many examples of solutions at all levels. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

How to Improve the Student Online Learning Experience
Shana Kirk, Dave Gerhart, Tyler Swick

Music educators with K-12 and Private Lesson backgrounds share their successes and challenges using technology for online music instruction. This panel of experienced music teachers, alongside an educational technology specialist, will help you navigate best practices for remote learning, and to help you identify effective tools, techniques and products to enhance and improve virtual music instruction for students. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with TI:ME.

SupportMusic Coalition Meeting
Mary Luehrsen

The Coalition on Coalitions is a working group made up of NAMM members and their networks working on state-level music and arts education advocacy efforts. Join your NAMM colleagues for an interactive workshop covering best practices to move and improve state-level policies, funding and advocacy for music and arts education.

The International Ukulele Teaching Symposium: Ukulele Instruction: What we Know Works!
Peter Luongo, Cathy Fink

There are a variety of methods used to teach someone to play the ukulele: A school classroom, a community-based recreation center, attending a myriad of festivals, attending private lessons, or spending hours searching the web. This session will focus on what works and why! Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with, Kala Brand Music Co., Aquila USA, Inc, and Kamaka Hawaii, Inc.

The International Ukulele Teaching Symposium: Virtual Learning: Best Practices for Learning to Play the Ukulele Online
Peter Luongo, Cathy Fink

COVID-19 has necessitated a massive switch to virtual learning. Over the past 10 months, ukulele teachers and festival organizers have evolved and developed in their use of technology to make this teaching format more effective. How has our teaching changed and what have we learned? What advice can experience virtual teaching organizations give to ukulele teachers to help make the instruction more effective? Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with, Kala Brand Music Co., Aquila USA, Inc, and Kamaka Hawaii, Inc.

Symposium description:

The Ukulele Symposium brings together individuals who are renowned for their practical, theoretical, and pedagogical ukulele teaching backgrounds, hosting discussions for ukulele teachers and students alike. The three-part symposium will examine best practices in ukulele teaching, the move to on-line learning, and a look at learning in a post-COVID world.

Symposium panel members include practicing educators whose collective expertise and experience extend to teaching all age groups in the context of elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educational schools, as well as community groups, clubs, and recreational learners. The discussion will include the historical perspective of teaching the ukulele in the Hawaiian culture and examine teaching and learning as is offered at festivals throughout the world.  Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with, Kala Brand Music Co., Aquila USA, Inc, and Kamaka Hawaii, Inc.

The International Ukulele Teaching Symposium: Teaching Ukulele After COVID!
Peter Luongo, Cathy Fink

Over the past 10 months of COVID teaching has looked very different. Teachers, students, and employers, employees around the world have had to work/learn from home. At the same time, ukulele sales have increased significantly and many have found satisfaction in learning to play a musical instrument while being secluded at home. As educators, what benefits have we seen from the online experience? How will our approach to teaching change as we return to the possibility of in-person meetings? What will ukulele instruction look like in the future as we reflect on the attributes of the virtual and in-person teaching formats? Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with, Kala Brand Music Co., Aquila USA, Inc, and Kamaka Hawaii, Inc.

Symposium description:

The Ukulele Symposium brings together individuals who are renowned for their practical, theoretical, and pedagogical ukulele teaching backgrounds, hosting discussions for ukulele teachers and students alike. The three-part symposium will examine best practices in ukulele teaching, the move to online learning, and a look at learning in a post-COVID world.

Symposium panel members include practicing educators whose collective expertise and experience extend to teaching all age groups in the context of elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educational schools, as well as community groups, clubs, and recreational learners. The discussion will include the historical perspective of teaching the ukulele in the Hawaiian culture and examine teaching and learning as is offered at festivals throughout the world.  Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with, Kala Brand Music Co., Aquila USA, Inc, and Kamaka Hawaii, Inc.

Preparing for a Post Pandemic Era in Music Education
Michael Stone, Lance Nielsen, Annamarie Bollino, Anthony Beatrice, Heather Cote, Jeanne Reynolds

Join music supervisors from across the country to learn the best techniques and success stories of current virtual and hybrid learning scenarios that engage students in music. The supervisors will also speak to their expectations and advocacy efforts for what Fall 2021 (and beyond) will be like for music education.

With A Little Help From My Friends: Unscripted Conversations With Master Teachers
James Stephens, Mike Howard

With A Little Help From My Friends is an unscripted live series offering a forum to discuss any topic in a supportive environment. Unique to this program is the ability to dial-in and engage with our friends (master teachers) live. Submit questions beforehand here (https://www.tfaforms.com/4827790) or dial-in live by calling 317-636-2263. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with Music For All.

Mind the Gap: It’s All in the CHAT (Composition, History, And Theory): Creating Ensembles in a Virtual Environment

In this session, panelists will present classroom tested techniques successfully employed during recent hybrid instruction. Through the synthesis of this C.H.A.T. content, students are better able to connect the online knowledge and skills from today’s virtual world to a more comprehensive ensemble experience connected to the National Standards for Music Education. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with Music For All.

The COVID-safe Classroom: Updates on the Aerosol Study and Copyright Compliance
James Weaver

Hear the latest news on how to remain copyright compliant as you teach virtually or in a hybrid situation as well as updates on the aerosol study, including tips you can use as you return to teaching in-person. Presented by The NAMM Foundation in collaboration with NAfME.

Nonprofit Management Institute –  Nonprofit

Nonprofit Meet-up and Stump the Pros
David Dik

NAMM U – BUSINESS TRACK

Music Retail: The Game Has Changed—It’s Better (Featuring The Retail Doctor)
Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor

No one has a finger on the pulse of retail like Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor. And no one knows what must be done to adapt to new COVID-era realities like Phibbs, an internationally recognized business strategist, customer service and marketing expert, and the previous host of NAMM’s Retail Innovation Summit and NAMM U Breakfast Sessions. In this special session for Believe in Music, Phibbs will share his outlook on the state of retail and, more importantly, how to succeed in the new “next.” Expect insights, ideas and inspiration to navigate the post-pandemic world. Note: This will be as much about mindset as it is strategy.

The Music Industry’s Guide to Podcasting
Tom Webster, Edison Research

Join Tom Webster, Edison Research senior vice president, as he walks you through the current state of podcasting and how musicians and the businesses that serve them can profit from this growing consumer trend. Webster will focus on the music industry’s opportunities in podcasting and look at the latest developments from Spotify, Pandora and other streaming platforms as the line between “show” and “podcast” continues to blur. He’ll also look at podcasting as an engagement medium for both fans and customers, and present the latest research and best practices. A not-to-miss session for businesses and musicians alike.

Email Marketing Tips to Increase Sales by 3x
Ayana Webb, The Musical Webb

Statistics show that email marketing is, on average, up to 40 times more effective than social media when it comes to reaching customers. Ayana Webb, founder of The Musical Webb, will reveal how she maximized her revenue and customer base with the power of email marketing. In this session, Webb will share the most effective ways to build your email list, best practices for broadcasting and email marketing tools that can double, if not quadruple, your sales without incurring additional costs. Webb will also provide a list of email marketing services to consider, examples of ways to nurture your subscribers and how to connect with them at the perfect time for optimal results.

The 7 Steps to Reinvent Your Business Now
Rich McDonald, Business Advisor and Career Strategist

In this age of disruption, music businesses with the willingness, courage and capacity to reinvent open themselves up to endless opportunities. But what does it take? How do you confront the need to change while running your business each day? Join Rich McDonald, business advisor, career strategist and retired Fender chief product strategist, and discover new steps to break out of the status quo in this inspiring session. Innovative, growing organizations leverage the power of strategic reinvention, and so can you. Find out how to redefine your business, your culture and your growth—and start reaching higher!

Get Discovered (in Search Results): SEO Tips for 2021
Bill Sebald, Greenlane Search Marketing and SEO Expert

Is your business getting found on Google? Are you getting the top search results you want? Search engine optimization is a moving target, and it’s critical to stay up to date on the latest developments. In this session, NAMM welcomes SEO guru Bill Sebald for an eye-opening look at search. He’ll reveal recent changes that affect your online visibility and new challenges businesses face in today’s SEO climate. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how Google’s organic search algorithms work right now. You’ll also discover new tools that can help you reach better rankings. Most of all, you’ll get actionable tips to improve the visibility of your music business. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a world-class expert on the topic.

Store Design: A Walk Through Royalton Music Center
Lauren Haas Amanfoh, Royalton Music Center

Ohio’s Royalton Music Center redesigned its showroom and lesson studios last year, and in this walk-through, owner Lauren Haas Amanfoh will discuss how she created the store’s forward-thinking but family-friendly vibe. She’ll offer top design and merchandising tips and also reveal how she made the showroom inviting, attractive and, not least of all, safe during the pandemic.

Social Media in 2021: 5 Ways Your Strategy Must Evolve
Mallory Nees, Reverb

You know that social media is a critical tool for not only driving sales but also for engaging with your customers and community. But in the past year, the world has changed: People are spending more time than ever online, platforms are evolving and tactics that have worked in the past aren’t having the same impact. In this session, Reverb’s Mallory Nees—who leads strategy for Reverb’s social media channels, with more than 2.1 million combined followers—will help you rethink your social media strategy for 2021. You’ll walk away with actionable tips to help you connect online with the audiences that matter to you most.

How to Systematically Improve Your Customer Experience
CJ Averwater, Amro Music

Two years ago, Amro Music sought to revolutionize its customer experience for the next decade. Since then, customers have taken notice—even the company’s positive online reviews have increased by 21 percent. In this session, Amro Music President CJ Averwater will share the actionable steps the company took to achieve this. Discover how to bolster your customer experience with deeper employee engagement and core values that stick.

Understanding the Black Experience and Becoming an Ally
Lekan Olawoye, Black Professionals in Tech Network

Many business leaders would like to be an ally of the black community, their employees and clients, but don’t know where to start. Lekan Olawoye, founder of the Black Professionals in Tech Network, will help you lean into this important conversation, providing historical context and insights into the black experience—and giving practical tools on how to become an intentional ally. You’ll find out how to hire and retain more black professionals and build an organization so that it’s seen as an ally.

How to Level Up Your Virtual Communication (Featuring Scott Stratten)
Scott Stratten, Founder of UnMarketing and Best-Selling Business Author

You’ve spent the last year meeting, selling and marketing on Zoom (and other virtual platforms). Now, it’s time to up your game. Get critical power tips for virtual communication from Scott Stratten, best-selling author, marketing rebel and sales, branding and relationship expert. Here, he covers what you don’t think about when communicating virtually—those counterintuitive behaviors that are different from talking in-person. In less than 13 minutes, you’ll get his best practices for everything from camera placement to active listening in the virtual space (which is different than you’d think).

Tips for Running a Successful Remote Lesson Program
Mike and Miriam Risko, Mike Risko Music School

Running a successful remote lesson program isn’t about making things work until we go back to normal; it’s about making the best out of remote music lessons—and finding ways to engage students in the new “next.” Here, Mike and Miriam Risko of Mike Risko Music School will show you tricks and tips to get your remote lesson program up and running smoothly. They’ll also reveal how to successfully engage students beyond the lesson. Start transforming your program for the future today!

5 Creative Ways to Manage Cash During a Pandemic
Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co.

How can you manage, and maybe even improve, cash flow during these turbulent times? Join music industry financial experts Alan Friedman, CPA, and Daniel Jobe, EA, of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. and find out. They’ll draw on emerging best practices and ideas that have proven to work for their most successful clients—and can work wonders for you. Some are non-traditional, even unpopular, but all of them are vital to consider as you enter 2021.

The Challenge of Managing Inventory During an Ever-Changing Pandemic
Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe, Friedman, Kannenberg & Co.

The products you carry might get outdated, but smart inventory management never does—and that goes double during a pandemic. Effectively managing your inventory will help free up much-needed cash and may even help your suppliers get you the products you need when you need them, as they too face the same inventory-management challenges during the pandemic. In this session, music industry financial experts Alan Friedman, CPA, and Daniel Jobe, EA, of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. will share must-know tools for managing your inventory, looking at everything from margins and turns to GMROI and aging reports. Don’t miss this chance to ultimately improve your cash flow and profitability.

How to Increase Sales With Facebook, Instagram and Google Digital Ads
Tracy Hoeft, Amplify 11

Discover how to boost your sales and profits with Facebook, Instagram and Google advertising. Tracy Hoeft, founder and president of Amplify 11, has managed more than 100 million ad impressions in the last year, and in this rapid-fire session, he’ll share with you what is working best. Get specific, applicable tips and a framework you can use to improve your online advertising and get more customers into your store or onto your website in 2021.

NAMM YP: Lessons Learned and Moving Forward From the Pandemic
Jeremy McQueary, Paige’s Music; Melissa Ceo, C.A. House Music, and Jeremy Payne, The Music People

How are the industry’s savviest young business leaders navigating the pandemic? Join NAMM Young Professionals (YP) for this special session, and find out as they share their hard-won strategies, tips and advice. They’ll cover critical ways their businesses have had to shift, the importance of networking (and having a network) and what they’ll do differently in the next crisis. Don’t miss out on a powerful opportunity to hear vital business insights with NAMM YP board members Jeremy McQueary of Paige’s Music, Melissa Ceo of C.A. House Music and Jeremy Payne of The Music People. NAMM YP is a group of young music products industry professionals focused on the future of the business by providing opportunities to connect, learn and grow.

The Keys to a Website That Converts
Glenn Haworth, Haworth Guitars

Want to boost your online sales? Introduce more customers to your products and services? Then don’t miss this exciting session from an indie retail powerhouse. Glenn Haworth of Haworth Guitars will share proven keys to a website that converts prospects into customers. He’ll cover website messaging, engaging content, call-to-action prompts, navigation, payment options, building trust and more. If you’re looking to rapidly grow your sales and online presence, don’t miss this session!

COVID: Overcoming Women’s Unique Challenges in the Workforce
Smart Women in Music (SWIM)

Join Smart Women in Music (SWIM) for this special session to explore the unique challenges women in business are facing during COVID. Dive in, lean in and continue to make positive waves of change for supporting diversity and inclusion in the music products industry. SWIM was founded in 2018 to expand diversity, inclusion and support for women in the industry. The SWIM Fund supports women in the industry in the development of their leadership proficiencies and aspirations.

How Your Brand Personality Can Drive Profits
Giles Orford, Brand Consultant and Marketing Expert

At heart, we’re social beings, hardwired to interact with others. We form opinions quickly—some people we trust, some we don’t. And with those we trust, we buy everything they say. With others, we find ourselves questioning their every word. So it is with your company’s brand. The more human and trustworthy your brand feels, the more your audience will buy into everything you say and do, literally. In this session, brand consultant and former Focusrite Group Brand Director Giles Orford will take a focused look at the value of developing a brand personality for your business. He’ll also explore the pitfalls, shortcuts, do’s and don’ts, and reasons why (and why not) to develop your brand personality.

Tech Tips for Virtual Music Lessons
Fernando Jones, Blues Kids of America and Blues Camp

Up your virtual lesson game! In this session, you’ll discover how to become a more visually and sonically engaging remote lesson facilitator with a few quick technology and prep tips. Get a blueprint on how to build your new video production solution from items you already have in your home, such as lamps, bookshelves, plants, signage and music gear. This session will be presented by Fernando Jones, the founder of Blues Kids of America and Blues Camp, the Blues Ensemble director at Columbia College Chicago and an international recording artist.

Titans of the Industry, Part 1: 2021 Outlook and Beyond
Lloyd Baggs, LR Baggs; Jerry Goldenson, KHS America; and Kate Richardson, Richlynn Group (Moderator)

In the first part of this special session, leaders of the MI world share their outlook on the industry and their plans for 2021 and beyond. Join moderator Kate Richardson of the Richlynn Group as she sits down with Lloyd Baggs of LR Baggs and Jerry Goldenson of KHS America. Get the perspectives of top U.S. executives as they weigh in on what products are hot and where they see emerging global MI markets.

Titans of the Industry, Part II: 2021 Outlook and Beyond
Chris Martin, Martin Guitar; Bob Taylor, Taylor Guitars; and Kate Richardson, Richlynn Group (Moderator)

In the second part of this special session, leaders of the guitar world share their outlook on the industry and their plans for 2021 and beyond. Join moderator Kate Richardson of the Richlynn Group as she sits down with Chris Martin of Martin Guitar and Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars. Get the perspectives of two guitar-industry legends as they weigh in on industry trends and what products are hot.

How to Develop an Impactful Online Lesson Video

Jeff Gunn, Author, Educator and Juno Award-Nominated Guitarist

In this session, Juno Award-nominated guitarist, author and educator Jeff Gunn will offer tips and techniques for creating effective online lesson videos on a number of platforms, relevant for all instruments. A journey through a single lesson will reveal the potential for connections on various social media and other online sites for maximum reach and impact. Topics covered include best practices for presenting creative content, technical setup for lessons, video length, camera angles, platform and logistics on how much to cover in a video lesson.

Store Design: A Walk Through Cream City Music
Brian Douglas, Cream City Music

Cream City Music in Milwaukee ranks among the most popular indie guitar retailers in the United States. Here, co-owner Brian Douglas will walk you through the showroom and reveal how he’s used store design, arrangement and merchandising to maximize the customer experience. Walk away with top tips and new ideas to improve your own in-store experience.

How We Went From 900 to 90,000 Instagram Followers
Glenn Haworth, Haworth Guitars

Glenn Haworth of Haworth Guitars has grown his company’s Instagram from 900 to 90,000 followers, and in this session, he’ll show you how. Find out how to take photos for maximum impact, when to post and how often to post, what types of content to write and what hashtags to use. Haworth will also discuss how competitions can boost your Instagram community, using influencers to share your content, Instagram Stories versus news feed posts and linking your posts to online sales. Pick up tried-and-true Instagram power tips to bolster your marketing and grow your business. (This session was originally presented at The 2020 NAMM Show and is back—and updated—by popular demand.)

How to Set Up a Remote Lesson Ensemble
Pete Gamber, Music Lessons Expert

You have students enrolled in virtual lessons. But if they don’t have performance opportunities, you’ll probably start losing them. If you want to keep them for the long haul, remote lesson ensemble programs could be your answer. Join music lessons guru Pete Gamber for critical advice on running virtual ensembles in a post-pandemic world. He’ll cover vital and sometimes lesser-known tips, including rehearsals, choosing the right material, platforms, filming tips and more. Keep your students engaged and your lesson program relevant for the long-term!

5 Secrets of Top Reverb Sellers
Mark Anzelc, Reverb

Consumers are increasingly buying musical instruments online, and that trend will only continue to grow. You’ve got an online presence, but with so many choices available online, how do you stand out from the crowd and grab buyers’ attention? Join Mark Anzelc, Reverb’s seller engagement senior manager, who will share the secrets he’s uncovered from working with Reverb’s top sellers. Hear findings, advice and ideas for driving online sales straight from the experts. You’ll walk away feeling like you’ve cracked the e-commerce code!

How to Optimize Your eBay Presence
eBay Growth Advisors

Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your eBay business! This session will feature insights straight from eBay growth advisors and leave you with new tips to make the most of your eBay presence, whether you’re a small business just starting out on the platform or an established online retailer looking to reach more customers. Walk away with best practices for listing musical instruments and gear to attract more buyers, and using features to convert more merchandise into sales.

3 Simple Steps to Start Selling on eBay
eBay Growth Advisors

Don’t miss the opportunity to expand your business online and reach 182 million buyers worldwide on one of the world’s most vibrant marketplaces! For 25 years, eBay has connected buyers to retailers worldwide, which is more important now than ever. In this session, eBay growth advisors will walk you through the three simple steps you can take to sell your first item on eBay and share tips and resources for rapid growth. If your business has never sold online or on eBay, you will walk away from this session ready to capture your first sale!

COVID: Optimizing Your Music Lesson and Retail Business
Tom Hemphill, Yamaha, Music Lesson Expert

How do you marry your music lesson program and retail businesses in a virtual, COVID-affected world? How do you get your students to purchase from you when they’re remote? Here, music lesson expert Tom Hemphill will reveal how to adjust to customers’ new wants and needs. He’ll show how to fine-tune your lesson program marketing tactics, tying retail sales and lesson services together to meet customers’ current expectations. Get actionable ideas to get started!

What You Must Know About Your Social Media Metrics (Featuring Scott Stratten)
Scott Stratten, Founder of UnMarketing and Best-Selling Business Author

Don’t be seduced into the vanity of going viral! Often, achieving viral status on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms feels good but means nothing. Find out what metrics actually matter to your online media marketing in this special session from Scott Stratten, best-selling author, marketing rebel and sales, branding and relationship expert. He’ll reveal what you want to know about metrics using a real-life case study from his own business.

Build Your Million-Dollar E-commerce Marketing Stack on a Shoestring
Peter Malick, Inbound AV

Major online retailers spend millions on building cutting-edge tools to increase visibility and decrease shopping cart abandonment. They optimize every part of the customer journey and succeed in increasing sales and acquiring die-hard fans. In this session, marketing strategist and musician Peter Malick of Inbound AV will show you how these same technologies are available to help you grow your online sales. What’s more, they’re affordable and, in some cases, free. Join Malick as he walks you through building your million-dollar marketing stack on a shoestring.

How Scott’s Bass Lessons Grew to 25K Students — Interview by Mitch Joel
Scott Devine, Scott’s Bass Lessons, and Mitch Joel, Author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete

Scott’s Bass Lessons is an online school for bassists—or, as founder and CEO Scott Devine puts it, a “Netflix for bass players.” And in the last decade, he’s built the company into an operation with nearly 25,000 students. Here, best-selling business book author Mitch Joel sits down with Devine to find out how he did it, looking at reaching potential students, adding value, expanding your retail business model and building community.

Why Your Social Media Isn’t Working … Yet
Dan Shinder, Social Media on Steroids

Right now, algorithms on social media platforms are likely preventing you from reaching more people. And simply paying for ads and boosting posts isn’t necessarily the answer. Join Dan Shinder of Social Media on Steroids and Drum Talk TV for this fast-moving session, and get proven tips to reach more of your audience on Facebook and Instagram. Find out how to open the valve and get your quality content in front of the people you want to see it.

How to Use Webinars, Podcasts and Texting to Win Customers for Life
Sean Lewis and Eddie Green, Tier Level Digital Marketing

In a crowded digital world, it can seems impossible to truly connect with customers. Here, Sean Michael Lewis and Eddie Green of Tier Level Digital Marketing will share a passionate talk on how to leverage your knowledge and experience to win customers for life with niche digital channels, such as podcasting, webinars and text campaigns. They’ll focus on how some of the biggest retailers and artists have won customers and fans for life by providing valuable education and insight. Lewis and Green will also showcase how some of the most successful retail brands in the industry have accomplished winning customers for life and how you can implement these tactics immediately for your business.

How to Use Google My Business to Recover From 2020
Paul Farmer, Starfish SEO, and Jack Monson, Social Joey


Do you know how important your Google My Business page is in this post-pandemic world? Your Google My Business Page is mostly free and is the easiest way of setting your business up to be found in an online search. Here, Paul Farmer of Starfish SEO and Jack Monson of Social Joey will give their tips, advice and best practices for optimizing your listing. They’ll review the newest algorithms and the latest features and show you how to insert the most effective keywords, categories and services into your listing. Find out how to increase your search engine results and get higher local search visibility!

Best Practices for Diversity in Marketing
Smart Women in Music (SWIM)

Join Smart Women in Music (SWIM) for this special session to explore best practices for diversity in marketing and social media. Hear expert tips on reaching a diverse marketplace, along with tangible steps to take when marketing to a diverse audience. SWIM was founded in 2018 to expand diversity, inclusion and support for women in the industry. The SWIM Fund supports women in the industry in the development of their leadership proficiencies and aspirations.

Policy –  Nonprofit,Policy,Advocacy,Educators,Students

Post-election Policy Forecast and Fly-In Update
Mary Luehrsen,Chris Cushing,Connie Myers,James Goldberg,Jennifer Pharaoh

Join NAMM Policy experts for topline updates on pending policy issues impacting NAMM Member companies and planning for the 2021 NAMM Music Education DC Fly-In

 Policy Forum: Updates on Business Legislation and Regulation
Mary Luehrsen,Chris Cushing,Connie Myers,James Goldberg,Jennifer Pharaoh

Join NAMM Polcy Experts for topline updates on current and pending policy issues impacting NAMM Member companies; CITES, Taxes, Tariffs, COVID Relief, Education etc.

 For more information about NAMM’s Believe in Music Week next month, visit the event website.

For more news from the Music & Sound Retailer, click here.