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Summer NAMM 2011

With this year's Summer NAMM just around the corner, here's what guitar enthusiasts can get excited about.

Thursday, 4. August 2011 - by Evan Dexter

This year marks the centennial anniversary for the guitarist’s Mecca: the NAMM Show. Yep, it’s been exactly 100 years since the NAMM Show was born and every year since it has remained one of the world’s biggest music product trade shows. And more importantly for us, it’s been 100 years of pure guitar bliss.

NAMM – originally an acronym for National Association of Music Merchants – has been exclusively a trade-only show, keeping the public beyond the ropes so that guitar product dealers and distributors can exhibit the next best things. That is not the case, however, for the event’s sister showcase, Summer NAMM.

For the fifth year running, Summer NAMM 2011 will kick off July 21 and be open to obsessed guitar enthusiasts, compulsive effects techies, technical shredders and wide-eyed beginners. And if you fit the bill for any of those descriptions, we at Guitar Planet want to make sure you’ve got the skinny on everything going down in Nashville this summer. With less than a month to go, check out the details below to make sure you don’t miss out on the action!

Exhibits

Every year hundreds of companies come to showcase their news products; everything from guitars to pedals to amps to recording equipment. If you’ve got a preferred brand for your guitar or gear, odds are the manufacturers will be there ready to show you around their new product lines.

Acoustic aficionados have one exhibition to get very excited about this year; Martin & Co’s “The Evolution of the American Guitar”. While we’re not entirely resolve with the Martin brand as synonymous with “American guitar”, we’re still on our toes for the presentation, which will be led by Martin’s Dick Boak and has promised to showcase the company’s 178-year history; including some of the most significant changes and contributions in the evolution of the acoustic guitar. There will be plenty of vignettes featuring Martin’s impressive catalogue of artists to keep things extra exciting.

Don’t forget to bring your gear, too, as many companies will offer free guitar re-stringing in their booths.

Clinics

Summer NAMM is rife with guitar clinics for guitarists of all skill levels. The Wanna Play Music Day (Saturday, July 23) is a joint venture, all-day event set up by NAMM and Guitar Player for consumers to make the most of the showroom floor and soak in all the instruction they can get for a measly $15.

The range of clinics has traditionally been the most valuable take-away for the consumer-going NAMM fan. Previous years have included an Effects 101 clinic where pros introduce you to the, “basic families and flavors of effects, help you to identify the signature tones produced by classic effects, understand their use and application, and how to get some of the more iconic sounds of our guitar heroes.” Fans will also be privy to clinics on topics like how to get the best tone from your amp, guitar care and maintenance, how to set up your gear, and how to get more gigs.

Not to be underestimated, Summer NAMM has taken care to keep guitarists in tune with technology as well, offering clinics on using software like Garage Band and Logic Pro Test Drive. You’ll learn how to set up a home studio and a live sound system like a pro. NAMM presenters will even teach songwriters how to protect their work in the digital age.

For the experienced players looking to soak up some professional instruction, Summer NAMM will offer Master clinics from world-class guitarists, as well as clinics offering advice on how to make your music shine enough for an endorsement.

The Show

Summer NAMM wouldn’t really be a consumer show without some great performances. Previous years have included celebrity jam sessions from Mike Huckabee, Aaron Tippin, and John Anderson.

This year’s Summer NAMM roster has yet to be finalized, but artists already pencilled in are the likes of Bernie Williams, Ben Folds and Scott Tibbs. Demos from Robert Marcello and film features from Tommy Tedesco are also in the line up.

Keep your eyes peeled for more performers to join as the show approaches.

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