Schedule of Events

JAN. 19 I NAMM I SCHEDULE
Schedule of Events
All sessions are held at the NAMM Idea Center, booth 463, unless otherwise noted.
* All TEC Tracks sessions will be held at booth 263.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016
BREAKFAST SESSION
8:30 A.M.— 9:30 A.M.
NAMM Retail Summit
Joe Lamond, NAMM President and CEO, and guests
Music City Center, Davidson Ballroom
Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO, will sit down with a group of music retailers who've made the Internet their own. Listen to their strategies for successfully harnessing e-commerce, third-party platforms and online marketing, and find out what it means to your business. Free breakfast is served on a first-come, first-served basis from 8–8:30 a.m.

10:30 A.M.
How to Get Found on Google: SEO Tips in Plain English
Amro Music's CJ Averwater will share practical, easy-to-implement tips to increase your page rank, along with search engine optimization trends to watch for in the future. He'll also look at when and how to find SEO companies that can help you.

* 10:30 A.M.
Studio Engineering Panel: Riding the Changes
A panel of A-Team studio engineers, mixers and producers compare notes on how they have been able to navigate the changing conditions of the recording industry and address different genres of music, recording environments and techniques.

11:00 A.M.
Essential Tips for Successful YouTube Videos
In just three years, Carter Vintage Guitars has grown into a $6 million Nashville retail powerhouse, and its YouTube videos have helped put it on the map. Here, owners Christie and Walter Carter will share how they did it and discuss their best practices for harnessing YouTube, touching on everything from gear and product-demo videos to making the most of artist visits to your store.

11:30 A.M.
The Top 5 Website Mistakes by Music Retailers
Join Sean Roylance, founder of Rain, who will walk you through problems with website content and design. You'll leave with an understanding of how to better market your site, increase conversion rates and make more sales.

12:00 P.M.
Turn Your Lesson Program Into a Profit Center
Springfield Music's Donovan Bankhead and Misty Kristek will show you how to run a lesson program with sustainable profits that customers are willing to pay real money for.

*12:00 P.M.
Festival 101: Tech Rider Update
An input list and stage plot is the vital core of any audio technical rider. Join Mark Frink and John Mills as they demonstrate best practices for creating the one document that helps a band have a painless festival appearance by preparing audio crews with accurate details in writing ahead of time.

12:30 P.M.
Innovative Store Design Ideas You Can Use
Join Ricky Bright of The Upper Bout and Fred Schiff of All County Music and grab ideas to add new excitement to your showroom, whether your store needs an all-out facelift or just a tweak.

1:00 P.M.
The 4 Fundamentals of a Successful Website
Join Will Mason of Mason Music for a powerful session on indie website strategy. Last year, Mason Music's website generated more than 1,000 new leads for the company's lesson program. Here, he'll share best practices for building a website that will become your brand's biggest sales and marketing asset.

* 1 P.M.
AES Panel: Audio Mastering Secrets
Your recording, however it's accomplished, isn't ready for prime time until it's been properly mastered – the critical last step in the recording chain. In this session, TEC Tracks and AES pay respect to these unsung mastering heroes. Grammy-winning mastering engineer Glenn Meadows moderates this golden ears panel, discussing the latest tools and technology they employ in pursuit of ultimate sound.

1:30 P.M.
How to Improve the Customer Experience Right Away
How do you create a customer experience that sets your music retail business apart – and keeps customers coming back over and over again? Find out from Tracy Leenman of Musical Innovations, NAMM's 2015 Dealer of the Year and the Top 100 winner for Best Customer Service. During this session, Leenman will walk you through strategies for making every customer's experience one that exceeds expectations.

2:00 P.M.
5 Essentials for Maximizing Sales on Reverb.com
In one year, Monster Music did $100,000 in new business on Reverb.com, an online marketplace for selling gear. In this session, owner Brian Reardon will reveal his proven recipe for success on Reverb.com, including best practices for everything from product photos and listings to customer inquiries and shipping.

* 2:00 P.M.
IEM Fundamentals and Hearing Conservation
This session examines the physiology of hearing and fundamentals of in-ear monitoring that can help with hearing conservation.

2:30 P.M.
Proven Promotions That Drive Sales and Profits
Listen in as Leslie Faltin of Instrumental Music Center shares proven promotions that have bolstered her store's sales and traffic in the past year. Faltin will share her simple yet effective process for creating profitable promotions. She'll also dive into examples of tried-and-true promotions that have worked for her and can work for you. Leave inspired and ready to add some sizzle to your fourth quarter, and beyond.

3:00 P.M.
The Dumbest Things Music Retailers Do (Double Session)
Like any business owners, music retailers make inadvertent but grave financial mistakes in running their operations. The irony is they're all making the same mistakes, and some of these mistakes will eventually lead to business failure – whether they're small independents or national chains. Fortunately, this financial distress can be prevented with a little enlightenment and proactive management. Join music retailing accountants Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. for critical advice to un-dumb yourself.

* 3:00 P.M.
Audio Recording Basics: Tools and Formats
Want to start recording but not sure where to begin? There are many affordable and great-sounding recording options available, but also many factors in selecting the right tools for your music. This session will explore the most popular recording software and hardware options, discuss digital audio and minimum computer specifications, and provide resources to get started recording right away.

4:00 P.M.
How to Fill Your Lessons With Adult Students
Mike Risko of Mike Risko Music School has found a massive and largely untapped opportunity for expanding its lesson program: adult students. In this session, Risko reveals his strategy for getting new and returning adult students involved in music lessons – and what it could mean for your business.

* 4:00 P.M.
Using Your Power as an Artist
Learn from cultural communications expert Brian Hardgroove, bass player of Public Enemy (on hiatus), about all the knobs you can turn to increase your power as an artist. He'll also update you on his next power project: A.R.T., with Police drummer Stewart Copeland.

4:30 P.M.
5 Strategies for Competing When You're Small
Being a small, independent retailer could be your most overlooked competitive advantage. Here, Rick Thacker of Plum Grove Music will show you why. Using practical, real-world tips and ideas, he'll reveal how he uses his size as a single-store retailer to adapt quickly to the marketplace, create a remarkable experience for customers and as a networking tool to prospect for new business.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016
BREAKFAST SESSION
8:30 A.M.— 9:30 A.M.
Adapt, Change or Die:
No-Holds-Barred Marketing
Jeffrey Hayzlett, marketing and business guru, television host and best-selling author
Music City Center, Davidson Ballroom
Strap in and hold on as marketing guru Jeffrey Hayzlett delivers a bold, no-nonsense approach to driving change. Hayzlett, a best-selling author and the primetime television host of "C-Suite" and "Executive Perspectives," will look at how to get results with online and social marketing. He'll lead you through the necessary components to create an effective social media strategy, then guide you through implementation.

* 10:00 A.M.
Pedal Power: Building Your One-person Band
The solo performer has become a force to be reckoned with in the modern-day live music scene. Limited only by how much gear we can fit in a car, audio artists are being transformed by loopers, multi-effects processors, sampling and live computer applications. In this presentation, one-woman band Tiffany Christopher will show some simple but potent loop techniques and the use of instruments, vocals and even silence within this setting.

10:30 A.M.
Instagram and Facebook: What Works for Me
Join Sarah Jones of Gruhn Guitars and Tim Spicer of Spicer's Music while John Mlynczak of Noteflight moderates a discussion on best social media marketing practices and tips. See real-world examples of what's working for them on Instagram and Facebook, and discover what it means for you.

11:00 A.M.
Websites: Your Big Questions Answered
Gordon O'Hara of Retail Up! leads an expert panel of independent music retailers: Joerg Hermsen of Schmitt Music, Whitney Cash of A & G Central Music and David Hall of Hartland Music. They'll weigh in on everything from mobile to search, product data to promotions, boutique stores to online merchandising, databases to hosting.

* 11:00 A.M.
Hot Producers Hit Rewind
Join this distinguished panel, which includes Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell, Jimmy Johnson, Matt Ross Spang and Jeff Balding, as they take a look at the classic techniques and trends that seem to find their way back into what's new.

11:30 A.M.
Strategies for Keeping Your Lesson Program Relevant
Here, Menzie Pittman of Contemporary Music Center will walk you through how he's updated (and continues to update) his program for the next decade – and delivers a complete experience that differentiates him from the competition. He will discuss his program from 360 degrees, touching upon everything from promoting lessons to new classes to upgraded student performance opportunities.

12:00 P.M.
Mindful Marketing: From Google to Branding Strategy (Double Session)
In this special double session, Mike Ross, senior vice president of marketing for Sweetwater, will dive into the essentials of mindful marketing. He'll discuss proven branding tips and pointers for better establishing your position in the marketplace. He will also look at effective advertising platforms, ranging from Google to print ads. Discover marketing tactics that you should never ignore, and take your business to the next level.

* 12:00 P.M.
Studio Talk, With Tony Brown and Friends
Want to get the lowdown – and hear the outrageous stories – of how Nashville became the country music recording capital of the world? Join Nashville music legend Tony Brown and his special friends, studio engineering extraordinaire Steve Marcantonio and Chuck Ainlay, for some deep wisdom, important studio history lessons and a few stories you'll soon be passing along to your friends in the biz.

1:00 P.M.
Creative Holiday Promotions That Bring in More Cash
Join Lauren Haas Amanfoh of Royalton Music Center, Tom Folenta of Website Wizard, and Todd and DeDe Heid of Heid Music as Bob Popyk moderates a lively panel discussion that looks at how to put your holiday promotions on steroids and create more customers, more sales and more cash in the fourth quarter and beyond.

* 1:00 P.M.
Easy Live Recording: Modern Multi-tracking Panel
Multi-track recordings of live shows made directly from individual console preamps are affordable assets that can provide several benefits. In addition to post-show mix-down as live albums, playing them back through the same console also helps engineers fine-tune their console file and provide a virtual sound check for hearing today's sound system and room using yesterday's show.

1:30 P.M.
Store Design Tips to Improve the Customer Experience
Hartland Music's store design has been tailored to deliver the ultimate customer experience. Take a virtual tour of the company's showroom with Ellen McDonald, Hartland's president, and walk away with new ideas to upgrade your own store design.

2:00 P.M.
The 5 Habits of Highly Profitable Repair Shops
In this session, Scott Mandeville of Tim's Music will show you how to turn your repair shop into the profit center it can be. He'll reveal the five habits of highly profitable repair shops to help you direct your talent and resources in the right direction. Summer repair craziness is in full swing, so now's the time to implement these ideas.

* 2:00 P.M.
Acoustical Considerations for Houses of Worship
Discover techniques for evaluating and controlling the acoustics of your worship environment in this exclusive TEC Tracks session. Auralex founder Eric Smith shares some of the methodology that he's honed over the last nearly 40 years of treating houses of worship for maximum intelligibility and affordability.

2:30 P.M.
Finding the Hidden Profits in Your Business
Join Lori Supinie of Senseney Music and discover the hidden profits within your music store. She'll give you ideas for drilling down into your POS system to determine what inventory is profitable and unprofitable, how to identify niches that your competition is overlooking, best practices for bundling products and tips for making the most of your store's services, including lessons and repair.

3:00 P.M.
Boost Back-to-School
(and End-of-Year) Lesson Sign-ups
Pete Gamber, lessons guru and columnist for Music Inc. magazine will share an easy-to-implement road map for getting more sign-ups in your lesson program.

* 3:00 P.M.
Dream Team Session Idols
Nashville's studio "A Team"– the best session players in the business – talk about how to become a top session player, get the gig, create on the spot and keep the gig. This lively discussion will be led by "American Idol" producer David Huff, a musician, producer, songwriter, programmer and engineer known for his work with Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift.

3:30 P.M.
Secrets to Retail Longevity
Sam Ash Music remains one of the longest-running family music retail operations, with 92 years in business and 45 locations. Join father-and-son team Sammy and Ben Ash for their insight on longevity in music retail and family business.

2:30 P.M.
Finding the Hidden Profits in Your Business
Join Lori Supinie of Senseney Music and discover the hidden profits within your music store. She'll give you ideas for drilling down into your POS system to determine what inventory is profitable and unprofitable, how to identify niches that your competition is overlooking, best practices for bundling products and tips for making the most of your store's services, including lessons and repair.

3:30 P.M.
Secrets to Retail Longevity
Sam Ash Music remains one of the longest-running family music retail operations, with 92 years in business and 45 locations. Join father-and-son team Sammy and Ben Ash for their insight on longevity in music retail and family business.

4:00 P.M.
NAMM YP Presents Larry Morton of Hal Leonard
Join NAMM Young Professionals (NAMM YP) for its keynote address by Larry Morton, president of Hal Leonard and former NAMM chairman. Morton will discuss the critical role mentors have played in his professional life, along with why he places high importance on connecting and mentoring the next generation of music industry professionals. This special double session will also include a Q&A and social hour to follow for networking and building connections.

* 4:00 P.M.
Recording on the Fast Track
Who says you can't write songs on a DAW? This must-attend session by audio industry guru Craig Anderton covers how to make a computer work for you, not against you, during the songwriting and recording process – from lyrics to song structure to a workflow that maximizes the opportunities for inspiration. Find out how to not only get into a creative zone with a computer but also how to stay there.

* 5:00 P.M.
The Importance of Video in the Studio and on Stage
Expectations of high-quality video content have become woven into the fabric of modern pop culture. Don't miss this enlightening discussion about creative ways to incorporate video acquisition, broadcast and streaming into your live shows and recording sessions. Moderated by noted author Bill Gibson, this session highlights the experiences of three world-class industry professionals, including Grammy-winning engineer/producer and studio designer Chuck Ainlay.

6:00 P.M.
Top 100 Dealer Awards
Music City Center, Davidson Ballroom
The Top 100 Dealer Awards will spotlight the industry's best music product retailers, share their strategies for success and crown the 2016 "Dealer of the Year." Other awards will be handed out in various other categories, including "Best Emerging Dealer" and "Best Store Design."

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016
BREAKFAST SESSION
8:30 — 9:30 A.M.
Best in Show
Frank Alkyer, Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily magazines, and guests
Music City Center, Davidson Ballroom
What's your next best-seller? What products will be big in the fourth quarter – and beyond? Find out at "Best in Show," a can't-miss NAMM U Breakfast Session. Join Frank Alkyer, publisher of Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily magazines, and a panel of music retail insiders as they reveal their top picks from 2016 Summer NAMM in less than 60 minutes. These are the products and services you'll want to see before you leave the show. Get a jumpstart on the holiday selling season, starting now.

* 10:00 A.M.
A3E Nashville Meet Up at the A3E Summit: Breaking the Fear of
Machine Intelligence and Virtual Reality
This opening mixer will bring together Nashville's music tech and music industry and will feature special interviews with Justin Evans, the founder of LANDR, and Facundo Martin Diaz, the CEO and co-founder of VRTIFY. LANDR uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence to drive an adaptive mastering engine that "listens" and uses micro-genre detection to make subtle frame-by-frame adjustments based on the unique properties of the song. VRTIFY is technology that gives music lovers a way to pair their music with custom-created virtual environments or immerse themselves in the front row of a live concert.

10:30 A.M.
Social Media Strategies for Your Music Career
Everyone knows that social media is a powerful promotional tool, but how can you get serious mileage out of it to promote your music career? Join Mark Wilder, managing partner for the Wilder2 agency, for proven strategies and tactics that you can implement easily to improve your odds. Covering Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube and more, this session will leave you with real-world examples of how you can use these powerful tools to advance your career.

11:00 A.M.
DIY Marketing for Musicians
(Double Session)
The promotional landscape for musicians changes at lightning speed. In this session, Laura B. Whitmore, music industry marketing pro and owner of Mad Sun Marketing, will share insight and tips on getting the most out of your marketing and PR efforts – and how you can achieve success on your own. She'll cover email marketing, list-building, PR, social media, search engine marketing and much more.

* 11:00 A.M.
The Future of Country Music Production:
What’s behind the mainstream pop success of the new generation of country artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Florida Georgia Line and Taylor Swift? Meet the writers, producers, and record executives behind the back-to-back No. 1 hits of Kelsea Ballerini. This masterclass session will showcase the technology and production techniques of Kelsea's chart-topping debut album, "The First Time," and explore how hip-hop, urban pop and alternative rock are propelling millennial country artists to new heights on the radio and at the box office.

12:00 P.M.
Into the Sound Hole: Insights From Top Guitar Builders (Double Session)
Get a behind-the-scenes look as top guitar builders share insight into the guitar-building process. This expert panel will discuss what to look for when you purchase a guitar, trends, pitfalls, insider anecdotes and more. The session will be moderated by Paul Riario, tech editor of Guitar World magazine, and Laura Whitmore, owner of Mad Sun Marketing.

1:00 P.M.
The Targeted Hit Songwriter:
Increasing Your Odds of Getting Cuts (Double Session)
What can songwriters do to increase their odds of getting cuts? The answer: targeted songwriting. Join award-winning songwriter Thornton Cline and his panel of hit Nashville songwriters, who will give you tips for writing efficiently and upping your odds of getting cuts.

2:00 P.M.
The Pedal Summit (Double Session)
After a standing-room-only crowd last year, "The Pedal Summit" returns to Summer NAMM for an encore presentation. Vintage King Audio has found an eclectic group of the most creative minds in the music industry, and they'll share their effects pedal design strategies, philosophies and secrets. Join this group of mad scientists for an in-depth, spirited discussion. If you're a guitarist, bassist or gearhead, this is a must-see session.

* 2:00 p.m.
The Future of Metadata and Business Intelligence for Music Row
Join Sam Brooker of Remix Hits, Stephen Brady of Big Machine, Chris McMurtry of Dart Music, Betsy McHugh of Hurdl and Doug DeAngelis of A3E for this lively panel. The future of Music Row is data. While the music industry struggles to invent and reinvent the monetization of recorded music, technology to self-produce music is saturating the playing field with content. This panel of music technology experts will explore ways to celebrate the democratization of music through new methods of metadata organization and business intelligence that will reward the creators of great content and foster new opportunities for the professional musician to prosper in the years ahead.

3:00 P.M.
Songwriting Tips From Nashville Pros (Double Session)
Hosted by Guitar World magazine, this panel of top hit Nashville songwriters will explore songwriting techniques, tips and more. Topics will include the power of the co-write, getting your foot in the door as a songwriter, how to anticipate the next big shift, demoing and the craft of songwriting. Join singer/songwriter and owner of Mad Sun Marketing Laura Whitmore as she moderates this double session.

* 3:00 P.M.
The Future of Instrument and Amplifier Modeling
While amp modeling has been available for many years, the ability to digitally capture the tone of your own personal amplifier collection and create a high-quality library of your own personal studio gear is brand-new to most. This panel of leaders in the field of modeling technology will discuss the best techniques to model your own instrument collection, and explore the future of physical modeling hardware, software and mobile apps.

HOME • MAGAZINE • MARKETPLACE • EVENTS • RESOURCES • CONTACT • NEWS • HELP