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FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 179 | APRIL 2015

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NO. 179 • APRIL 2015 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE THE SALES MAN P11 RETAIL PROFILE P49 MYSTERY SHOPPER P50

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL • FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS

This month, we take a look back at the life and career of Rotosound founder and strings pioneer James How

24 MI PIONEERS

Musikmesse 2015With the MI industry set to descend upon Frankfurt for the annual Messe extravaganza, we’ve provided a complete ‘what not to miss’ guide for this year’s show...

PAGE

18

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE

IT’S hard to believe three months have already passed since NAMM. Just as the plethora of new products and distribution agreements appear to be settling, the industry is readying itself for the second big expo of the year. And Messe 2015 certainly looks set to be an interesting and, some might say, pivotal outing for the show. For many, LA has always provided a more suitable setting for bringing

calendar and all. Historically, this hasn’t posed an issue when it comes to attracting visitors and exhibitors just a few months later. For many it provides a great platform to give said products their European debut and introduce them to a new audience. However, in recent years, purse strings across the board have been tightened, presenting some with an ‘either, or’ conundrum. That’s not to suggest the show has cause for concern on the visitor/exhibitor numbers front. Even when faced with a global recession, Messe has consistently attracted healthy numbers on all fronts. In recent years, Musikmesse has also added to its offering in various ways; extending its public opening hours being one of its most notable initiatives. But this year, it has gone even further in its attempts to maintain, and indeed, increase footfall. Among the new elements is a B2B meeting area, along with a greater number of workshops and education and live events than ever before. Some of these steps may well have been taken regardless, but it is now, arguably, more vital than ever for the Frankfurt show to differentiate itself as much as possible from Winter NAMM. Certainly, expanding its offering each year seems to be a smart move, with exhibitors looking for more bang for their buck. And with the initiatives on offer this year, it seems Messe is taking measured steps to ensure regular attendees have reasons to keep coming back, whilst also growing its offering to attract newcomers. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing how these changes pan out and the impact they will have on visitor and exhibitor numbers. See you at the show.

Daniel [email protected]

Show timeEDITORIAL COMMENT

14

18

REGULARS: Analysis 6 • MIA 8 • Colin Rees 11 • Birketts 12 • Mystery shopper 50 • New Gear 53 • Backline 56

Cordelia von GymnichWe speak to Musikmesse’s Cordelia von Gymnich about what we can expect from Messe 2015

Musikmesse 2015Check out our comprehensive guide to this year’s Frankfurt extravaganza.

THE MAIN FEATURE

DJ YodaDuncan Bieny, aka DJ Yoda, talks gear, retail and the current state of the hip-hop DJ scene in the UK

Craigie Zildjian

about the percussion giant’s heritage and what it has in store for the future

22 26

46 Retail advisory boardUkuleles and their apprent rise in popularity are under discussion by our board of retailers this month

50 Mystery shopperBirmingham sets the scene for our man of mystery’s visit this month

special feature

54 New gearWe present some of the most eye-catching new products currently doing the rounds

12 BirkettsAn extended piece on cartel activity

24 MI PioneersJames How, founder of Rotosound and strings pioneer, is the focus of this month’s feature

31 MIRC 2015More updates on this year’s MIRC, including exhibitor details and conference line-up

32 Drums and percussionWe speak to the market’s top sellers

out how the market is performing

38 AmpsOur Retail Essentials feature includes products from Ampeg, Carlsbro, Hughes and Kettner, Orange, Engl and Vox

RETAIL FEATURES RETAIL ESSENTIALS

No. 179 • April 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

Follow us on Twitter @MIProfessional

Education hub Ronnie Dungan

ANALYSIS

THEY MAY not be the most militant bunch, judging by the rather smooth ride they gave the representative of the Tory administration, that has been making life so

up and down the country, but music teachers, educators, call them what you will, certainly seem to get behind the Music Education Expo.

Luckily for Nick Gibb, minister for school reform, who was at the Barbican to…explain (apologise even?) how committed the Tories are to the music programmes they have been so keen to slash, they’re all too nice to say what they really want to him.

Likewise, shadow minister for education, Kevin Brennan, replete with ill-advised musical tie and general middle-aged groover persona, said nothing very different in outlining Labour’s policy. The party’s continued problem. He too got away with blue murder. Just a different shade of it.

Neither told the assembled music educators anything they didn’t already know about existing music education policy. Both effectively placing it at the mercy of their continued austerity policies. Pay off the wars, keep the bankers happy, then your child might get some cello lessons.

See if you can guess which one said this: “A strong and rigorous music education policy is as important a part of being a rounded, educated, individual as science, art, history.”

And this: “In my view there has been a dimunition in the emphasis on music and the creative arts and teachers feel it. We want to restore it at the centre of education policy. Music and the expressive arts are a key part of our future education policy.”

The Tory the former, Labour the latter. Neither got anyone up on their feet. Not

even to throw something. But, lack of political convictions aside,

it was a great start to the event and a real coup for organiser Rhinegold to get both on the podium as part of its extensive programme of speakers.

And that, in combination with a growing exhibitor list of 130 that features the likes of Korg, Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Kawai Steinway, Dawsons and more, is what brings the teachers and educators along.

Rhinegold managing director, Ciaran Morton, has already earmarked a move to

the Olympia 2 for next year’s event, such is its success.

“A bigger space obviously allows us to expand,” Morton explained. “And we can increase things such as musical theatre where there is a huge amount of crossover with music teachers and arts teachers expected to put on shows in school. So it’s a natural extension.

“We have a lot of schools here and they don’t just want access to products, they want CPD [continuing professional development].”

Which is where the 50 seminars, workshops and debates come into it. Last year’s event attracted 2,164 visitors, and this year’s is expected to hit 2,500, with some 1,700 of those thought to have attended both days.

“A strong and rigorous music education policy is as important a part of being a rounded, educated, individual as science or history.”

THE MIA has partnered with the Cover Notes team for many years. They offer a unique service for both shops and distributors – they really do. You just have to look at the tick list chart in this article and ask yourself ‘Does my insurance company really offer me this level of cover?’

For most of us, insurance is boring, that is unless:• Your premises burned down this morning.• You (have) just damaged the instrument you are working on.• The tutor working for you

drops the piano lid on a

The above examples are sometimes covered under a standard policy, but often will not be. The Cover Notes Team has for 20 years been

the cover available under its contract, and those of its clients who are MIA Members enjoy even more

can include the following:• Reduced excesses - if you have to claim, it will cost you less.• Cover for items being worked upon - this is not covered under most insurance policies.• Discounted Professional Indemnity insurance - to enable you to tender for larger contracts.

insurers are increasingly restricting cover and they have their own postcode systems. This check is particularly appropriate for

those thinking of moving premises.

The Cover Notes policy started life as a cover for retailers but now takes in musical instrument retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, installers, piano tuners, teaching schools, repair workshops

the Music Industry.For any further info on

Cover Notes, contact: 0121-327-1977www.covernotes.co.uk [email protected]

What is PI Cover?Professional indemnity insurance, often referred to as professional liability or PI insurance, covers legal costs and expenses incurred in the defence of a business, as well as any costs that may be awarded, if the business is alleged to have provided inadequate advice, services or designs that causes its customers or clients to lose money.

Why might you need PI Cover?To be able to tender for work with larger organisations and local authorities. Frankly we see the risk of musical instrument retailers providing poor advice as very low. However the sort of organisations asking for this cover move with glacial speed and love the

rulebook so the course of least resistance is to give them what they are asking for, rather than arguing the toss.

What can we offer to MIA members?Given our above comments we have had agreement from a major insurer that the risk of loss is indeed low and we can now arrange a separate policy with Hiscox

for this cover at reduced rates. MIA Members will

discounts.For example: For

Turnovers up to £1m - Annual premium is £265.00 including tax.

SummaryPremiums for this type of cover have historically have been charged at circa £1,000 per annum and

many MI retailers have been understandably reluctant to spend this sort of money to tender for contracts. For MIA members in particular, this is now much more reasonably charged.

Should you require any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact the team on:

0121-327-1977 or [email protected]

08 MIPRO APRIL 2015 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

The MIA is the trade body for the UK musical instrument industry, servicing

and representing the interests of manufacturers, importers, publishers, retailers and supporting businesses.

The Music Industries Association and Cover Notes insurance working together for you

MIA chief, Paul McManus, tells us about the work being done by Cover Notes and how it can help protect your business…

ANOTHER NEW SERVICE... COVER NOTES PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY (PI) COVER

The Cover Notes team has been working in partnership with the MIA for several years, providing a number of key services for retailers and distributors alike

ciation and Cover Notes Insurance working together for you!Why ? Special Features

Others

Further MIA Members Discount

Interest Free Instalments

2nd Hand Instruments Cover

Goods on Approval / Hire

Reduced MIA Member Policy Excesses

Goods in Transit by Own Vehicles & Hauliers

Shoplifting of secured items

Exhibition Cover to 20% of Stock - includes EU

50% Seasonal Stock limit – Uplift for 4 mths

Continuous & 3 Year Fixed Premiums

Damage to Property Being Worked Upon - £2,500 limit any one claim

Professional Indemnity Insurance available

As Insurance Brokers we deal with several insurers and covers do vary The abo i

available to MIA Members which we have negotiat d

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Why discounts are continuing to cause damage to dealerships

MOST PROFESSIONAL sales people at the top of their game detest the attitude of a customer who asks for a discount – and rightly so. They don’t ask in Sainsbury’s, so why do they ask a retail shop owner?

The answer is simple. They think they can get it. By shops continuing to give discounts for the out-moded reason of thinking they will lose the sale to a competitor.

It is certainly the case that some business will be lost if a shop stops giving discounts overnight. What has to be considered is how

are taken out. So, at the end of the day, a discount could represent a loss.

If that is the case, then saying no to a discount request, which ends in the customer going to a competitor, will effectively damage the competitor.

Being realistic, the entire industry is unlikely to follow the suggestion of stopping discounts all at once. So what can we do to mitigate the effect?

Taking it from the top, what can we do to limit what we think we have to give away? First, do you have a policy? And do all your staff know what it is? The best route is only to give discounting responsibility to one person, the manager. That centres the activity and reduces the overall amount you are giving away.

Next is ban percentages. They are terribly

damaging and give away more than is necessary. Decide what your discount is, say

on the counter. If you were the customer, would you take it if the manager did that? Psychologically, that action is negative but makes people realise what a discount is. We have to get it out of his mind it is just something you ‘knock off’. It is an actual wad of cash, so show him.

Next, ban giving anyone free goods.Again, it is psychologically bad to condition someone to think they can get free goods.

You may decide to institute the principle of not ever giving a discount unless you get something back. “I could give you something off if you buy two, sir?”

Lastly, before even considering a discount, create barriers in the customer’s mind so he has to ask you more than once. Statements such as “we would only consider a discount for a bigger sum product, sir.” Constructing these statements is a science. You must not give the indication you are willing to pass anything over, except when you get more from them. The key to top this is staff training, as only that way do you have a chance of changing attitudes.

APRIL 2015 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK MIPRO 11

COLIN REES

COLIN REES is a veteran sales trainer and business consultant with many decades’ worth of expertise in the bicycle retail sector.

THE SALES MAN

“At the end of the day, a discount could represent a loss for your business.”

IN A SERIES of recent articles, I explained some of the rules of competition law that relate to arrangements between manufacturers/suppliers and their customers. In this article, the focus is on arrangements between one or more manufacturers, suppliers, or dealers, who are competitors operating at the same level of the supply chain. The same provisions of the Competition Act apply, which state that any agreement, decision or concerted practice between

or amongst undertakings or associations of undertakings, which has as its object or effect the restriction, distortion or prevention of competition within the UK and which affects trade within the UK, are prohibited. Equivalent provisions apply under EU law, where the arrangements affect competition and trade in more than one EU member state, but this article focusses on arrangements only affecting the UK.

When such agreements exist between competitors, the behaviour

they lead to is commonly known as ‘cartel behaviour’, which is often viewed by competition authorities, as the most serious breach of competition law.

The most common (but not the only) types of cartel activity are:

• Fixing of prices• Sharing markets• Limiting supply or production• Bid riggingA common feature of all of the

above is the sharing of certain types of commercially sensitive information. There are exemptions for certain R&D agreements and specialisation agreements, and some other arrangements of the type often put in place by trade associations (such as standardisation agreements, joint advertising, common terms and conditions etc), but great care needs to be taken to ensure that the requirements of the exemptions are met. In addition, the prohibition is unlikely to apply where the combined market share of parties concerned is less than ten per cent unless the activity concerned

limiting of production or supply.

ten per cent of global turnover, parties engaging in cartel activity risk damages claims from third parties who have suffered loss as a result of the cartel activity (such as customers who have overpaid and competitors who have been kept out of the market), and criminal sanctions and

individuals involved. Any individual who agrees with one or more persons to make or implement, or to cause to be made or implemented,

Cartel offences under the Competition Act – what not to do with competitorsPartner at legal specialist Birketts, Rafael Ruiz, continues his focus on legal matters in the MI industry. This month, he delves into the world of cartels and the Competition Act, providing some key insights into different types of cartel activity and the subsequent punishments that can ensue as a result...

RAFAEL RUIZ, PARTNER, BIRKETTS

LEGAL MATTERS



LEGAL MATTERS

arrangements between at least two undertakings (at the same level in the supply chain) for any of the cartel activities listed above, is liable to a prison term of up to

2014 the law was changed, with a view to making prosecutions easier to bring by removing the requirement for the individual to have acted dishonestly. There is a range of criminal offences for individuals who fail to cooperate with investigations.

Given that cartel activity is normally carried out in secret, the competition authorities have a range of tools available to them to help discover unlawful cartel behaviour. These include

(often used in what are known as

whistle blow on other members of

members of a cartel who cooperate with the authorities investigations; and rewards of up to £100,000 for individuals who give information

or a criminal prosecution. So what can we conclude from

this? That all businesses who have any involvement with their competitors, even if only at the level of social contact between former work colleagues who now work for competitors, need to have up to date policies in place (and

enforced) so that all directors and relevant employees know:

• not to enter into any arrangements (or concerted practices) with any competitor(s),

lawfulness; • what kinds of information

they should not be discussing with competitors (and what to do if someone tries to tell them that information about a competitor);

• who to speak to if they suspect a colleague or the business is participating in cartel activity; and

• what to do in the event that the competition authorities carry out an investigation without prior notice at a business or home premises. The risks of failing to do

so are too high.

For more info, contact Rafael Ruiz on 01245 211288 or [email protected]. This article provides a summary and is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all developments in the law and practice, or to cover all aspects of those referred to. Readers should take legal advice before applying the

information in this article to

LLP or the author, accept any liability for any reliance placed

on the contents of this article.

INTERVIEW: CORDELIA VON GYMNICH


With the MI industry still feeling the effects of the global

it been to keep exhibitor and visitor numbers steady? It is not only the effects of the global recession that are affecting the sector, but also other factors, such as changing leisure habits in this digital age, and a general trend towards an acceleration in the pace of life, which have tended to distract from music making. Naturally, the challenges facing the industry are also challenges for us as a fair and exhibition company. We go to great lengths to counteract the impact of these developments, for example, with new special services for exhibitors and visitors, as well as via targeted and effective marketing.

How have you set about attracting new exhibitors and visitors to the show in these challenging times? And what can they expect from this year’s show? We understand that there will be a number of new features. Musikmesse 2015 scores with a set of new offerings and conceptual developments. We aim to help exhibitors reach individual visitor target groups

the fair. A special B2B area for manufacturers, retailers and distributors is a step in this direction. This new area gives participants the chance to hold a series of business discussions in a peaceful atmosphere on all four days of the fair – with no loud product demonstrations. Additionally, the B2B area will have a stylish catering area and be located in the immediate vicinity of the Tulip Club, the VIP lounge for the sector’s top buyers. Another measure to

Making MusikThis month sees the annual Musikmesse trade show return to the Messe

about this year’s show, Daniel Gumble spoke to Vice President Consumer Goods and Entertainment, Cordelia von Gymnich, to see how the event has coped with the global recession and what’s in store for visitors and exhibitors…

“Musikmesse 2015 scores with a set of new offerings and conceptual developments.”



strengthen Musikmesse as a business platform for the musical instrument sector is this year’s Musikmesse Insider customer programme, with

It includes free admission to the fair, unrestricted access to the B2B area, VIP admission to the Business Centre of our cooperation partner, GEWA-music, and many other extras to make time spent at the fair even more pleasant and

contact with consumers is also becoming more important for many

the concept of Musikmesse 2015.

fair will open its doors to private visitors for two whole days and, thanks to the even greater event factor, be an even more powerful magnet for all music lovers.

You’ve increased the number of workshops and live events this year. What can you tell us about these and what do you hope to achieve from these interactive elements?

class business platform but also to generate and promote enthusiasm for active music making. After all, the more pleasure music gives people, the better the auguries for the whole sector. Even the youngest visitors have the chance to embark on a journey of musical

tentative attempts to play a variety of instruments at the Music4Kids participatory exhibition.

This year, the exhibition is also aimed at older children and young people, as well as families

and visitors with prior musical knowledge, with numerous

interactive musical activities and

workshops. Musikmesse

2015 also offers

a

variety of new entertainment activities. For example, everyone is invited to immerse themselves in 45 years of rock history at the ‘In the Eye of the Rock’n’Roll

attempt on the Drums4Peace world record, we want to attract 1,000 drummers to play a groove together and, by taking part, support

this kind make visiting the fair even more interesting and multi-faceted. Moreover, they attract

more attention from the media for the fair and, therefore, for the sector. Naturally, there will also be an extensive programme of concerts, live events, autograph sessions, awards ceremonies, etc., on a variety of stages and at exhibitors’ stands throughout the fair. In other words, we have put

for musicians and music lovers of all age groups and degrees of professionalism –

and trade visitors are also sure to be attracted by many of the events.

With Music China and NAMM

a more substantial international audience, why should retailers and exhibitors continue to keep coming back to Frankfurt? We are very pleased to say that last year’s events under the Musikmesse brand attracted over 150,000 visitors to Frankfurt, Shanghai and Moscow, whereby each event has its own mission and individual exhibitor and visitor structure. Music China is the biggest business platform for the musical instrument

and of great international importance as a sourcing platform. NAMM Musikmesse Russia gives manufacturers, retailers and distributors an opportunity to expand their businesses in Russia, the Baltic States and the CIS countries. Musikmesse in Frankfurt is characterised by its unparalleled

year’s fair will open its doors to private visitors for two whole days.”

The crowds were out in force at last year’s event

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internationality in the heart of Europe. It offers exhibitors the chance to reach visitors from 120 countries. In turn, visitors can choose from new products being shown by manufacturers from over 50 countries. Thus, Musikmesse is and will continue to be the most important trade fair for the sector.

How would you say the market has changed since last year? Germany appears to be in better shape than much of Europe. Germany’s economy has certainly developed well. Unfortunately, the positive climate of consumption has not reached the MI business in full. One of the main reasons for this is that the German market is not immune to the fundamental challenges facing the sector. For example, the time spent at school in Germany has been reduced and, therefore, the curriculum concentrated into a shorter period. In the case of young students, this has impacted on their willingness to learn a musical instrument. Developments in the rest of Europe with regard to economic growth and the MI business are very heterogeneous. However, we see particularly good chances and potential for growth in the sector in East Europe.

Is this likely to have an effect on international exhibitor and visitor numbers? Predictions as to the number of

just a few weeks before the fair. What we can say, however, is that we are on course for a similarly high level of internationality on the exhibitor side, as in previous years.

Can you see any signs of improvement on the horizon for the European MI market? Shortly before Musikmesse opens its doors, we notice an air of cautious optimism for 2015 among companies in the sector. However, we cannot make any economic forecasts at present and, as in the past, the fair itself will be an important economic barometer showing likely business trends for the coming year. In this connection, we will do some extensive market research during the fair and publish the results as an orientation aid for the sector.

How vital is it to keep adding new features and giving exhibitors and visitors new reasons to attend? The needs of companies and trade visitors are subject to a constant process of change. To do justice to such developments, it is necessary to adjust and supplement the concept of the fair continuously. For this reason, we conduct an ongoing dialogue with manufacturers, trade associations and retailers to ensure we are always aware of their individual interests. On this basis, we decide

where we can best emphasise the strengths of the event and exploit its potential to the full and, if necessary, make any improvements and additions required. Naturally, visitors are also pleased to see new items on the programme and fresh ideas at Musikmesse.

What impact has the longer opening hours for the public had on the show? And how are you planning to balance the trade and public elements of the show? An important effect of the longer hours of opening for private visitors has been that it is now much easier to organise group visits for students and trainees. We noticed a great demand for this in the past – and, this year, we are able to better cater for it.

Naturally, an event such as Musikmesse must satisfy a very broad spectrum of participant needs and targets. And, of course, due account must always be taken of pros and cons for every proposal for change, which our exhibitors are also not slow in telling us about. As organisers, we also have to continue developing the B2B and B2C sides independently of each other, and

fair for both consumer and business expectations. This year, with the creation of more business quality and the longer period of opening to private visitors, we have taken an important step forward in this direction.

“As in the past, the fair itself will be an important economic barometer showing likely business trends for the coming year.”

Musikmesse visitors can view new products by manufacturers from 120 different countries

MESSE PREVIEW18 MIPRO APRIL 2015 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Tanglewood Guitars - Hall 3.1, #C76Tanglewood Guitars will once

at Musikmesse 2015. New ranges

Delta Historic series, an all-new

Viscount series, a new Jumbo range

and timbers to suit all tastes.

As Tanglewood guitars are now

JHS - Hall 4.0, #E30

designed Fret-King guitar range

Fishman Fluence

will announce two additions to its Vintage

Paul Tebbut Pilgrim

new Morning Star

Tubaphone Tonerings.

Supro

Pigtronix

Odyssey Brasswind range. Featuring models

time.

Rotosound – Conference room, 3.C West, Room 77

Yamaha MI - Forum

Clarinet range.

TransAcoustic range will be

Musik halleFrom April 15th-18th, the international MI community will once again descend upon the Messe Frankfurt Exhibition Centre for the annual Musikmesse expo. As ever, the event will see exhibitors from across the globe shine a spotlight on their newest products and innovations, so we’re providing a comprehensive guide to what’s on offer at this year’s show…


MESSE PREVIEW

Musikmesse week.

Carlsbro – Hall 4.0, #B10

a brand new drum kit. Featuring

Studiomaster - Hall 8.0, #A70

Faith Guitars - Hall 3.1, #H85

MESSE PREVIEW20 MIPRO APRIL 2015 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Hidersine - Hall 3.1, #H85A

International distributors and

Cellos.

Adam Hall GmbH - Hall 8.0, #C48, #C50, #D46 / Hall 4.0, #F09

LD Systems, Cameo Lighting, Palmer, Adam Hall Cables, Hardware, Stands and Defender

MS, Eminence, Faital Pro and RAM Audio

Audio-Technica - Hall 8 Stand B32

RME - Hall 5, stand B59A

are also onboard.

Gremlin Music – Hall 3.1, #J80

Ashbury

accordions, concertinas and melodeons and Atlas world

stand.

The Sound Post – Hall 3.1, #H42

instruments, bows, cases, tools, strings and accessories.

Hal Leonard MGB – Hall 3.1, #E11

and music accessories. Visitors

Stentor - Hall 3.1, #G23


MESSE PREVIEW

Alfred Music - Hall 3.1, # C18

Teach Yourself To Play

ukulele.

Drum Course Complete Starter Packinstruments, including a

woodblock and mallets.

and ukulele.

DW – Hall 3.0, #A20/#A22/#B23/#A23

Marshall - Hall 4.0, #F.08

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INTERVIEW

CARTOON SOUNDTRACKS, country and western, cuts from the 1930s; unlikely source material for the discerning hip-hop DJ and producer, you might say. Yet this splicing of impossibly diverse genres has been the bedrock of Duncan Beiney’s - a.k.a. DJ Yoda – career for nigh on two decades.

A turntablist of traditional stock, the London-born DJ has carved himself a reputation as one of the genre’s most talented exponents on account of his eclectic ‘cut and

by his audio visual DJ sets and his How to Cut & Paste mix tapes, not to mention his acclaimed 2012 studio album Chop Suey.

His latest project sees him embark on a typically unique outing, incorporating a live band

Dubbed Breakfast of Champions, the collective was born out of a government-funded scheme that aims to bring local artists together.

“It came about through a venue in Manchester called Band on the Wall,” he explains. “They have an annual artistic residency, which is government-funded, whereby they pick an artist and get them to put together an interesting project of some kind. So, they got in touch with me and asked what I could do. I thought, I’m always trying to do something new and something I’ve never done before is put together a band.

“They then put out adverts asking ‘who wants to be in a band with DJ Yoda?’, and there were hundreds of applicants, so I had to whittle them down and get rid of the nut jobs! I kind of treated

it like putting together a DJ set; I wanted someone who can play country and western; someone that can play reggae; someone that’s a hip-hop style drummer.

“Then, we had this week-long residency in Manchester where we all met each other and began rehearsing and recording. Luckily

With only six days to create

slot, was there ever a contingency plan in the event that any of the

musicians involved experienced a clash of personalities, or artistic differences?

“Not really, we had a show at the end of that week, so the pressure was really on. It was down to luck that when we got together we were all on the same page. We had no material on Monday, and by Saturday, we sold out the venue, and had a whole show’s worth of stuff to play. I love working under

much more productive when I’m given a deadline. No one is sitting

because the pressure is on.”Having successfully negotiated

the residency in Manchester, the band began toying with the idea of taking their material into the studio to record an album.

“The decision [to make a record] came after the gig. I thought we’d get the week out of the way, see how that goes, and see if I’m happy with the music. Because it went so well, we thought we’d try it once more in London. We planned a gig at the Jazz Café, which sold out, and again we smashed it, so we decided to go record the album.”

Released under the Breakfast of Champions moniker, the album combined the regular hallmarks of DJ Yoda’s oeuvre

with a live element previously unheard in his back catalogue. So, does he think this could spell the beginning of a new, band-orientated sound?

“I think I will [work with a band again]. I’m not really sure what happens next. All I know is that as each year comes and goes I try to do something different. I try to do anything except tread water. As soon as I start doing that I get

that collaborations are an amazing way to keep things interesting, especially when you’re in the game of producing hip-hop and DJing. It’s very much a solo activity, so

any chance I get to interact with other humans is a bonus!”

Since hip-hop’s heyday back in the 1980s, the genre has evolved

advances transforming DJ and production practices almost beyond recognition. In some cases, this has sparked creative innovation and groundbreaking invention, in others, merely a half-hearted slump towards a speeding bandwagon. DJ Yoda, meanwhile, has been clearing a path all of his own, combing the old with the

new and just about everything in between. But what does he make of the current state of affairs?

“It’s virtually dead, although there are a few glimmers of light

weird is that I’ve never really been into the name ‘DJ Yoda’. But weirdly I feel like the name has got this new relevance, whereby Yoda was the last of the Jedis and it feels a bit like that now! I’m the only DJ that turns up to clubs actually with turntables instead of just a laptop or CDJs. I’m the last person out there scratching using these principles of old hip-hop, whereby I work with samples.”

So where and when did things start to change for the genre? And, more importantly, why?

“I think hip-hop really changed around 2000. People stopped sampling so much, maybe because all that kind of jazz-funk fusion had dried up. Instead of moving on to sample other stuff, I think hip-hop producers got on to the idea that if they don’t sample they keep more of the publishing. So, people started making beats out of

Turn of the Jedi

“We had no material on Monday, and by Saturday we had a whole show’s worth of stuff to play!”

Famed predominantly for his creative work behind the decks, Duncan Beiny, better known as DJ Yoda, is one of

with a live band under the name Breakfast of Champions. Daniel Gumbleabout his latest venture and the current state of the hip-hop DJ scene…

shitty synths with no soul. That’s the way I thought about it, anyway. Technology changed things, too. People found that you don’t necessarily need to by 12” records.

“Personally, I’ve always thought you don’t need to just sample jazz-funk. You can sample anything; country and western; kids music; stuff from the ‘30s. It just depends how open a mind you’ve got about your source material.”

It goes without saying the same technological advances that have transformed the DJ scene, have also impacted upon its audience. The way that music is consumed and enjoyed these days is vastly different to how people listened to it when DJ Yoda was making his

“I think that a lot of music has become quite throwaway, because it’s so easy to download stuff for

quickly. People treasure an album a lot less than they used to, and

really bothers me – I’m as guilty as anyone else in that respect. But the music that really moves me is that stuff that does have soul and has

“In 2015, hip-hop’s got good again. There’s a lot of stuff coming out now that I really love, so I think there is a revival in that sound. I really like The Mouse

As with his approach to creating music, DJ Yoda has tried to maintain a balance of old and

new; staying true to his old school sensibilities, whilst embracing the latest and most innovative gear.

“I try to keep at the forefront of DJ technology because it interests me. I’m always thinking about what this new stuff can do, and how it can add to my show. The ultimate set-up is pretty simple – two turntables, a mixer and a laptop. That’s the same set-up for my audiovisual shows, which helps keep things simple. I tend to use Pioneer mixers, especially now Pioneer is doing stuff with Serato, which is a DJ programme I use.

“The Technic turntables were there from day one, although I have just retired them because Pioneer has brought out turntables that are more or less the same, with a Pioneer logo on them. But what’s amazing is that the Technic turntables I bought back in the

“I think I’m in quite a unique situation because I‘m probably making music in quite an old school way, but using very modern equipment. I can’t think of many other people doing it that way. I pretty much do everything in Ableton Live now, and make music the same way, but it’s just quicker and can be done more neatly.”

The retail landscape has also

which played a pivotal role in DJ Yoda’s development.

was no Internet, and I didn’t have any friends that were into that kind of thing, so I had no one to ask what I should buy or who to buy from. There weren’t really any shops like that either. I think

electrical shop, just because it said ‘scratchmaster’ or something on it. It took until I made friends that had the same interests when

I was a bit older – around the early/mid-‘90s – for me to start thinking about what gear I should be getting, and which sampler I should be using. That information wasn’t very easy to come by.

“Coming from a DJ’s perspective, rather than a producer’s, it was more about the music that was coming out, and going to record shops every weekend, waiting for promos to arrive. The gear almost came second early on. I was messing around a little bit, but the

four-track cassette recorder. Even

CDs started coming out, like How to Cut and Paste, these were all

done on a cassette recorder. It was the simplest way of doing it.

an important part. I was there most weekends hanging out with other DJs chatting and listening to records. I think that sense of community has been lost for a while now. I used to spend Saturday afternoons in Soho with rappers and DJs, but when I do buy music now I buy it online. There is no reason to hangout in a record shop all day, because it’s cheaper and easier to do it other ways.

“But also, social habits have changed. People now connect on Twitter in the way they used to in a record shop, so I’m not sitting around moaning about the changes. Things are just different.”

It is ultimately DJ Yoda’s unique ability to fuse styles and genres to create a distinct sound and aesthetic that underpins his continued relevance in a rapidly changing world. Whereas many others have come and gone during the course of his career, he has remained one of the genre’s most

and defying expectations at every juncture. And while it’s pointless trying to predict what form his next project will take, you can guarantee he’ll be looking to take it in ever experimental-directions.

“The main thing for me is to keep things interesting and I’ll just come up with something new,” he concludes. “And who knows what that’ll be?”

“I try to keep at the forefront of technology. I’m always thinking about what this stuff can do and how it can add to my show.”


MI Pioneers: James HowA revolutionary exponent of the string manufacturing business, Rotosound founder James How produced strings for some of the biggest names from the world of rock and pop. Here, we take a look back over some of the landmark moments from throughout his career and celebrate his sizeable contribution to the MI industry…

FROM ITS beginnings as a small, family-run business, Rotosound has gone on to become one of the most renowned brands on the string market. Founded by James How in 1958, and later passed on to his son Jason, the Rotosound approach to string manufacturing has always been based on the same traditional approach to craftsmanship, with both father and son boasting not only a deep understanding of the market, but also an expert degree of engineering acumen. Indeed, both have hand-built virtually every machine that helps produce its range of products from the company’s manufacturing facility.

As such, the company’s products have been in constant demand from some of the biggest names in rock and pop, with the likes of The Who, Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix, to name but a few, among its star-studded line-up of loyal artists.

However, it is for its meticulously designed and crafted products that the Rotosound name is most famed.

to its production sensibilities, the high regard with which the brand

is held by music professionals the world over looks set to continue for generations to come.

1950sRotosound founder James How’s story begins with, of all things, the Zither. Inspired by the Anton Karas-penned soundtrack to the 1952

The Third Man, which featured the largely unknown instrument, How set about tracking down one of his own. Over the next few years he would develop a talent for the Zither, and amass a substantial collection of the instruments along the way.

An engineer of some repute, he soon decided to combine both his technical and musical prowess to begin manufacturing Zither strings.

Before long, he designed his very own winding machine, which required the assistance of two others to turn a handle at each end, which produced a single string.

It didn’t take long for How to identify that a new machine could be created that would produce strings in greater quantities for a range of musical instruments.

Following a period of yet further development, operating under the name Orchestral and Jazz Strings, How employed six members staff, including his brother Ronald and

clients were The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

1960s

the business with the production of bass and guitar strings. Almost

to attract some of the biggest names in rock ‘n’ roll, working in collaboration with several artists to ensure they received a product

“The Rotosound approach has always been based on a traditional approach to craftsmanship.”


with the brand was The Who bassist, John Entwistle, who helped

the brand during this time included Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix.

The decade also saw the business change its name to the more memorable Rotosound.

The change in name was shortly followed by the opening of a Denmark Street showroom, with the company expanding into the world of distribution. With the aim of drawing attention to some of the

was now handling, the showroom featured several of its distributed lines, such as Triumph amps and PA systems, Pro Mark drumsicks, and the Rotosound Rhythm Light.

Meanwhile, keen to grow Rotosound’s own product range, How created the prototype Rotosound Fuzz pedal.

1970s/80sThe decade in which punk took the UK music scene by storm, Rotosound found favour with

several of the genre’s leading exponents in the ‘70s, counting The Sex Pistols, The Buzzcocks and The Jam among its many endorsers.

At the same time, Rotosound was

pond. The company employed the distribution services of New York-

successfully made Rotosound the top-selling bass string brand in the US. Back in the UK, the company’s production facility was running 24/7 in order to meet growing demand.

At the turn of the decade, How developed the RS55 Solo Bass string – a ‘pressurewound’ string engineered to deliver a smooth, optimised feel.

1990s/00sAs the century drew to a close, Rotosound raised the bar once again with the introduction of its Spacer range. The ‘black anodised bass string’ was bright and roundwound, featuring ‘undercover wraps’ made from piano wire.

The ‘90s also saw a new line of guitar strings introduced in the form of the Roto range. Made from nickel, the range has since become the brand’s most successful line of guitar strings.

In 1994, James How sadly passed away, with his two sons, Martyn and Jason, taking over the company, along with Kathy How (production) and John Doughty (managing director). Towards the end of the ‘90s, Jason began designing, refurbishing and building a new set of manufacturing machines, which produce around 90 per cent of the

By the mid ‘00s, the new machines precipitated an increase in production and an increase in exports. As a result, Jason called upon the services of Zach Frederick

In 2009, a host of new string lines were introduced. Among these were the black and clear coated Nexus range and the more traditional British Steels and Pure Nickels.

It goes without saying that constant innovation and improvement remains at the heart of everything bearing the Rotosound name, and it is the combination of business nous, engineering skills and a passion for music that lies at the heart of its success. And with a growing

its prominence in the world of MI shows no sign of slowing.

with The Who bassist John Entwistle

INTERVIEW: CRAIGIE ZILDJIAN


THERE AREN’T many brands around today that can boast a heritage like that of percussion specialist Zildjian. Founded some 392 years ago in 1623, the company is the oldest family-run business in the US. Passed down from

is currently under the stewardship of CEO Craigie Zildjian, who, has not only steered the business

global recession, but also brought unprecedented growth to the brand.

An early adopter of the Internet, but also with the nous to capitalise

Zildjian has been able to cater for both trading platforms.

(the 2008 economic crisis). We call it The Great Recession, as we haven’t seen anything like that

since The Great Depression. My grandfather relocated the company here to America, months before The Great Depression, in 1921. I really thought of how my grandfather was unstoppable. He kept his head down and said ‘we are going to make it’.

“I think with business, it’s all about adapting. Adapt or die. Naturally, we make a high-end product, which is what we’re known for. But, we do put systems in place,

– no other percussion company can say that, I believe. Quality is really what lies at the heart of the brand, and a desire for continuous improvement. And that’s not just for the product alone, but also how we bring products to market.

“More and more business is moving online. In the early days we thought ‘we have some very expensive cymbals and no one is going to order them online because they will want to go and hear it.’ But people are ordering more and more

Family valuesAs the oldest family-run business in the US, Zildjian is a company steeped in tradition, with generation after generation ensuring it has remained at the fore of the percussion market. Daniel Gumble spoke to CEO Craigie

Awards and what can be done to bring greater diversity to the MI market…

“We try to create an experience for the musician, and a compelling reason to visit a store.”


INTERVIEW: CRAIGIE ZILDJIAN

online, and now you can hear the general sound of the cymbal on the website, so they feel comfortable enough to buy online.

“The market’s still dynamic

the balance between the traditional bricks and mortar stores we all grew up with, and the arrival of companies like Amazon. We do business with some of the big online guys, but at the same time, we have unique programmes for bricks and mortar retailers. We certainly have an interest in supporting the people in those stores who can give a customer a great experience

sound. That personal component is important. We are trying to create an experience for the musician, and a compelling reason to visit a store.”

Another key feature of the company’s success has been the family-run nature of the business. According to Zildjian, the responsibility of each generation to

“The family wants to pass things down from generation to generation. That’s certainly a goal. And that’s been critical to the company’s success. I call it stewardship. This is our brand; we cherish our brand.”

So, in what has always been a particularly male-dominated industry, was it preordained that she would end up working for the family business?

“No, it wasn’t. Growing up it was quite different. I never imagined I would go into the family business. It was really just a thing that was reserved for male members of the family. It was only when my grandfather asked me to join the family business in 1976, and I joined as personnel manager.”

Despite having learned how to play music as a child – guitar and piano – it wasn’t until joining the company that Zildjian truly got to grips with drums and percussion.

“I was never really encouraged to play drums. I remember being very little and people saying that girls don’t play drums - those are masculine instruments. So I took up piano and guitar. It was only when I joined the company that I thought I had to take drum lessons in order to understand the instrument.”

To this day, some areas of the market have struggled to grasp the concept of women working in the MI trade, so how did it feel to be entering such a male-dominated sphere in the mid-1970s?

talking about 1976. People warned

me ‘if you go out into the factory you might hear some swearing’. I don’t want to paint too negative a picture, though. I was certainly embraced by the company.”

Zildjian now believes that attitudes are beginning to change towards females in the industry,

particularly at retail level.“There are more women than

there used to be. I think with retail, you see a lot of mom and pop stores, where a musician opens a shop after his playing career is over; his wife might manage the books and then they’re able to bring their daughter into the business. I think that’s one of the ways that more women are getting into the industry now.

Earlier this year, Zildjian received the Excellence Award at the annual

She Rocks Awards, which took place at Winter NAMM 2015. The event celebrates the work of women throughout the MI industry, from musicians through to industry professionals across the board. Perhaps more events like this could go someway to help shine a spotlight on the achievements of those outside of the male mold?

“There are more women out there in the industry than maybe we are aware of, and it [the She Rocks Awards] was trying to highlight that, and I really enjoyed being a part of that. I think more events like this could make a difference.”

She Rocks Awards aside, the January NAMM show also saw the company introduce a number of new products, which it will be showcasing in Frankfurt for this month’s Musikmesse.

“We will be taking some of the products launched at NAMM to Messe. We have a couple of new distribution partners to announce this year, in addition to the new products. We are also developing a new website.”

Another crucial area of the market

for Zildjian is the education sector. A board member at both Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, not to mention a former English Literature teacher before joining the company, she

should be a core component of a child’s education.

“NAMM used to have a saying that was ‘music makes you smarter’. I think that’s true; it helps you learn to improvise and there’s the link with maths and so forth, but it also brings people together. Learning an instrument also teaches discipline, creativity and how to be a part of a team. All of those skills are very transferable to the business world and to life in general.

“I have my bias and I’d say there’s never enough music in education, but it’s something that suppliers, manufacturers, all of us, are

government programmes that can be cut. A town may have to cut taxes somewhere and for some reason they always go to the arts.

“We have clubs which help children at risk of getting involved with gangs or taking other dangerous paths. And it’s not just

people with Alzheimer’s disease or autism. There is music therapy for so many conditions.”

with the sector by helping those

whilst also offering its staff the opportunity to get a more hands-on experience with its products.

“We’ve always had a strong involvement with the education sector, but going forward we are trying to get more involved at a grass roots level, as opposed to just universities. Also, to honour my grandfather, we created the Avedis Zildjian scholarship programme.

“We are one of the few percussion companies that has members of staff that deal exclusively with our education work, so they will go out and visit around 100 education shows each year. It’s certainly a big deal for us.”

By engaging with the education community at all levels and

both bricks and mortar and online retail, Zildjian has not only been able to navigate the company through one of the most decidedly

history, she has also maintained its status as a market-leading brand. And with more new products and announcements expected later in the year, it looks like another strong year in store.

“The market is still dynamic; the industry

PRO AUDIO28 MIPRO APRIL 2015 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

PRO AUDIO COLUMN

Adam Savage,Editor,Audio Media International

No, you haven’t accidentally picked up a copy of MI Pro from four years ago, and I am in fact

supposed to be here, for I’ve been asked by your esteemed editor to deliver a monthly update on what’s been going on in the pro audio world.

Why’s that, then? Well, even the bagpipe merchants and tin whistle specialists among you know how important it can be to have at least a few basic mics and mixers on your stock list, and there’s no denying the obvious crossover between our two markets.

So, from now on I’ll be bringing you a selection of the latest news

and views from the other side of the studio glass, and a whole lot more besides.

I know what some of you are thinking, and don’t worry, I won’t bombard you with unnecessarily nerdy info on the technical elements of the latest large-scale line array systems, or

pages with needlessly complex audio geekery; instead I’ll stick to the stuff that I believe may matter to

the average MI retailer. So, to start off with, we’ve

got a story on the introduction of the Abbey Road Institute, an undeniably exciting new educational initiative for those seeking a career in music production or sound engineering; a new partnership between the Yorkshire retailer Production Room and Tegeler Audio Manufaktur of Germany; and the launch of a Focusrite competition that is sure to capture the attention of a few of your customers.

And before I go, why not drop me a line if you know of anything audio-related that could be a good

I’ll bump into a few of you in Frankfurt?

“From now on I’ll be bringing you a selection of the latest news and views from the other side of the studio glass.”

Abbey Road opening

educational institute

Production Room takes on Tegeler

International initiative consists of a 12-month course, taking place in locations across the UK,

Germany and Australia.

ABBEY ROAD Studios has made

the launch of Abbey Road Institute.The international initiative,

taking place at locations across the UK, Germany and Australia, consists of a 12-month Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering, and is aimed at students aged 18 and over.

The curriculum, developed by audio education specialists in conjunction with Abbey Road engineers, promises a unique mix of theoretical and practical modules designed to

steps toward a career in audio

engineering and production. The course also covers other areas of the music industry, including studio management and music business administration.

The course will be taught by

music industry experts.

from the studio’s 80 years of audio expertise, distilling some of our knowledge into a curriculum of classroom learning and practical studio experience. I’m delighted that the Institute will nurture and inspire a new generation of audio professionals,” said Peter Cobbin, senior director of engineering at

PRODUCTION Room and Tegeler Audio Manufaktur have announced a strategic partnership, giving the Yorkshire retailer exclusive supply of the studio hardware brand in the UK.

Crème Bus Compressor/Mastering Equalizer and Classic Equalizer EQP-1 has already arrived at Production Room’s showroom

director Paul Germain.

partnership with Tegeler Audio,” Germain commented. “Over the coming year our team led by commercial audio director Richard Powell will be working closely with the Berlin-based manufacturer to launch the Tegeler Audio range into the UK market.

Michael Krusch, CEO and head of development at Tegeler Audio, added: “We are proud to be part of the Production Room Family.”

International initiative consists of a 12-month course, taking place in locations across the UK,

Germany and Australia.

Yorkshire retailer now offers exclusive supply of the Berlin-based studio hardware brand into the country.


PRO AUDIO

Win a world-class mix with Focusrite

TO CELEBRATE 30 years since the original company was founded, Focusrite is running an exclusive competition with renowned mix engineer Damian Taylor.

From now until September, those buying a Focusrite ISA or Red 1 500 product who register their product and use it on a track could win an opportunity to have their song mixed by Taylor.

Based out of his Golden Ratio

studio in Montréal, Canada, the engineer has worked with Arcade Fire, The Killers, Bjork, The Prodigy and many other leading artists.

All entrants have to do is to upload an mp3 rough mix of a track made with the ISA or Red 1 500 before September 13th. Taylor will choose the winner – and start on the mix as soon as possible

Abbey Road.The London Institute will be

housed in the north London studio complex, and will provide students with access to brand new purpose-built classroom and studio facilities. Those taking part will also get the opportunity to use Abbey Road’s recording spaces, control rooms and equipment.

engineer with 12 years experience in audio education will head up Abbey Road Institute, London, and added: ”Synonymous with excellence in recorded music for more than 80 years, Abbey Road’s success is largely due to its staff and their knowledge. Now we will be able to share some of this expertise in a course which will

training for people interested in a career in the music industry.”

Additional Abbey Road Institutes will launch in Berlin, Munich, Melbourne and Sydney for September 2015 intake, with more locations to be announced shortly. The Abbey Road Institute is now accepting applications for a limited number of places for the September intake at all locations.

“The curriculum promises a unique mix of theoretical and practical modules.”

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WITH TWO months to go until the main event, MI Pro is delighted to reveal the full conference line-up for this year’s MIRC, along with a raft of new exhibitors.

Last month, we announced that Yamaha including Line 6 and Barnes & Mullins presenting Peavey would be exhibiting at the show as Key Partner and Premium Platinum Partner, respectively. Since then, the exhibitor list has expanded with several new partners looking to utilise the MIRC platform to connect with retailers and buyers from the education sector and showcase their latest products.

Among those added to the bill is Casio, which, as a Premium Platinum Partner, will be speaking to both new and existing customers.

“Casio are proud to be continuing support for MIRC,” said Daniel Mason, B2C senior marketing manager at Casio. “The conference and expo provide the industry with an extremely valuable opportunity to see existing and new customers, and present the latest range of products. Recent years have shown MIRC to be a valuable addition to

the MI calendar, with informative and progressive conference presenters, as well as providing a venue, which enables delegates and sponsors to share valuable ideas on improving business.”

Meanwhile, Rosetti will present a variety of new products from its roster of distributed brands. A Platinum Partner at MIRC 2015,

items from its guitar and brass and woodwind brands. It will also announce several new additions to its Adam Black range. Elsewhere, Korg will be capitalising on the expo to showcase its Takamine range of guitars in its capacity as Platinum Partner.

Building on the success of last year’s Showcase platform for start-

ups and SMEs, Alfred Music, Joyo

their participation.

CONFERENCEIt is with great pleasure that we can also reveal the complete conference speaker line-up for MIRC 2015.

Topping the bill as keynote speaker for the event is PMT co-owner, Simon Gilson, who will be offering some unique insights into how his company has grown to become the high street giant it is today. “It’s a great honour to be asked to speak to one’s peers on their specialist subject,” he said.

or golf, I’ll have to stick to speaking about the industry! I hope to bring some fun, as well as some thought provoking insights into the realities of retail in the times we live in.”

Also speaking this year is Carl West, supply chain director at market research institute GfK. With more than 16 years’ experience in software and hardware sales as a vendor and in distribution, West boasts a wide-ranging knowledge across several digital

markets and brings with him a great understanding of Channel; Distribution, Public Sector/Corporate Channel; and the internal dynamics of the Retail and Vertical Reseller channels. Returning to MIRC is Kerching Retail managing director, Corin Birchall. Birchall made his MIRC debut last year, providing dealers with some unique insights into how to improve their layout, display and product demo skills. This year, he will build on his 2014 address by offering more key advice on how retailers can improve their offering. Completing the line up is director of digital at Mimram Media, Stuart O’Brien. He will be providing vital advice on how dealers can make the most of their digital content to grow their business and boost sales. “I’m delighted to be part of MIRC 2015,” O’Brien said. “Having served as head of digital at New Bay Media for several years and developing many of its websites, including MI Pro, I’m looking forward to connecting with the MI community and demonstrating how retailers can grow their businesses online.”

“Topping the bill as keynote speaker at the conference is PMT co-owner, Simon Gilson.”

Wednesday, June 17th 2015 • Whittlebury Hall, NorthamptonshireCONFERENCE SPEAKER LINE-UP COMPLETE; NEW EXHIBITORS CONFIRMED

KEY PARTNERS PREMIUM PLATINUM SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSORS SHOWCASE

Registration is quick and simple and is now open at http://www.mirc-expo.com/dealer-registrationFor sponsorship enquiries, please contact Karma Bertelsen on 020 7226 7246 or [email protected]

SPECIAL FOCUS: AMPLIFICATION


THE AMPLIFICATION market has been fairly slow for us over the last few years. I believe this is connected to a quiet electric guitar market. Acoustic guitars seem to be more in fashion at the moment. Having said that, I have noticed a slight upturn in the electric market over the last six months, and I expect this will affect amps. It’s a fashion thing. I’ve seen it move up and down many times since the mid 90s and its connected to who’s currently big on the scene. At the moment it’s Ed Sheeran and Ryan Adams.

Pro-level and USA import amps are greatly affected by this factor. Our customers would generally prefer to buy second hand, as it’s cheaper and they all seem to be experts on eBay. eBay seems to set the value of these amps and new products are perceived as overpriced. Our defence against eBay is that we have an excellent

amp technician and can offer some guarantees on used and vintage gear. Budget and beginner amps seem unaffected, and those customers would still prefer to buy from a shop.

Big amps have slowed to a standstill. 100W stacks seem to be an anachronism these days, with most of our players preferring smaller amps. Players seem more interested in hand wired over PCB, which is an increasing trend in our shop. An amp I could sell all day long would be a hand-wired, blackface Princeton type model.

New customers are important, but again this is largely connected to fashion. As a music school/instrument retailer, we see that almost all kids want to learn electric guitar, and most adults choose acoustic. We try and instill in our students that it’s not one or the other; a player should be

perceive that acoustic guitar is a bit more ‘serious’ and want their children to make the switch as soon as possible. Although, exam boards like the RGT are helping improve this situation.

Winning over the singer/songwriters could help attract new customers. We need to change the perception that it’s ok to go to an open mic night with bad sound, no fold-back monitors and plug straight into the desk! Acoustic guitar amps offer a great solution and would improve any player’s performance.

PERFORMANCE IN the

brands at the lower and middle end of the market are selling well, though reliability can be a problem. Other more established brand sales

shown any signs of growth for years.I would say that for one

manufacturer, the problem is that they haven’t really brought anything new to the market in years, and what they have done is sub-standard and lacking any sort of wow factor. A heritage brand should build on its heritage with one eye on the past, and one on the future. Modernise the good things rather than trying to mimic trends that have already passed their sell by date. The top end is strong, with a huge amount of choice and options.

Entry-level amps are still selling well. The £300-£1,000 market is steady and is dominated by Fender here at Coda. As well, the top and boutique end of the market has seen a growth in sales.

The trend for us is for smaller, lower wattage valve combos, heads and cabs with a great basic sound. High-powered heads, big cabs and large heavy combos are extremely

impossible to use in most venues. Modelling isn’t terribly popular

these days unless its on an entry-level amp. The trend is more towards a great basic sound that you can add to, rather than four channels, lots of knobs and over complication, it’s more tone driven than feature driven.

It is crucial to attract new customers whether they be beginners, people re-entering the market or those thinking about trading up/down, or just changing their gear around.

Magazine advertising still has its place in selling products. But it has become much less important than it was a few years ago.

NEIL DRUMMONDOwner, Hertford Guitar Studio

DOUG CLUNIECoda Music

Inside the box


SPECIAL FOCUS: AMPLIFICATION

LEE ANDERTON

Andertons Music

CLIVE BEASLEYDirector, Music Bros

WE HAD a really strong year for backline in 2014, with sales being up just over 20 per cent in 2013. Average backline order values

meaning we have to shift more physical units to make up the sales numbers.

Tough climates give us an opportunity to offer better deals to our customers. So, perversely, it’s been a pretty good period for us.

Mainstream trends have been for smaller, lighter and better value products. The top end of the market is heavily dominated by the small output and niche manufacturers, much of which is imported into the UK by one or two dealers per brand.

Having the right exclusive brands makes a massive difference to sales. The biggest backline challenge is that the days of just

two or three amp manufacturers dominating the scene appear to be over. Just stocking amps from M, F (and more recently B) just isn’t enough anymore. We now have eight brands with more than

and about a dozen more that sell enough to warrant stocking. That means we’re stocking a full line from around 20 backline brands now, and that in itself is a huge space challenge. I suspect there

brands that we could stock/sell, but just don’t have the space to.

It’s always important to attract new customers. In the current climate it’s all about market share, as there simply aren’t a lot of new customers coming in to the system. We have to win customers from other retailers as part of our sales strategy. Some of that will be done by promoting brands that are either partially, or entirely exclusive to us.

Brands have to understand what customers want. They can’t just keep making the same old thing and expect customers to keep buying it. Look at brands like Kemper and Axe FX - both

are selling thousands of high-end units and supporting a mini industry of add on products, a lot of which don’t go through retail. I have customers now that tour with a guitar and a USB stick and just hire a Kemper at each gig. So talk to your customers and listen to what they’re saying. As for retailers, gaining new customers is the same as it’s always been – decide what you do and then better your competitors at it.

By a country mile, the biggest problem in backline is reliability.

The tube amp sector is the most unreliable part of our business. I believe the unreliability is down to two main factors:

1) Manufacturers are so desperate to make their products cheaper all the time that

and some of the products we offer have unsustainable failure rates.

2) All manufacturers are

online sales. Customers can now purchase products they might previously have had to drive hundreds of miles to try.

The downside of this is that amps are travelling hundreds of miles now via courier – from distributor to retailer, then retailer to customer. The packaging is simply not up to the journey (largely due to the way the couriers treat the products). Two or three dollars extra spent on better boxes, corners, etc. would go a long way in reducing the damage/fault rates incurred in transit. Improving reliability saves pounds and improves customer satisfaction rates. It’s essential we make some positive changes on this front.

AMP SALES have held up consistently over the past 12 months. With stiff competition between brands for retail space; quality, features, and value for money keeps improving. With advances in technology, consumer choice has never been better.

Low budget branded amps have all but disappeared from our

become obsolete to us in light of the affordability of entry-level models in heritage names. In our experience, people will usually pay a little extra for better quality.

We have seen the decline of a couple of well-established brands where attention has slipped from keeping up to date with the competition and a lack of protection of reasonable margins.

The majority of our sales comprise of feature packed practice amps, multi-purpose and battery

amps, which double up as media players, such as the Yamaha THR range, have also been very popular.

When it comes to stage and performance amps, classic marques

preferred choice. As for bass amps, lightweight and compact seems to be the only way at present. High quality micro rigs have also been very popular.

It’s absolutely crucial to attract new customers. Reliability seems to be excellent across the board these days, which means that each purchase should be a long lasting one. Customers are much better informed thanks to the wealth of online reviews and social media material. It is vital to keep up to speed with current releases and

around Music Bros., there are very few models that were available in the same form just two or three years ago.

As a small, independent business it is vital for us to deal with brands that offer consistent price and margin protection. Understandably, this is a very

brands are better than others, here. There are two premium brands, one electric, one acoustic, distributed by the same company, which we have had good success with over several years. However, over the last 12 months we have observed the erosion of prices to the point

where we are seriously considering dropping both brands. This is a real shame as they are excellent products. Having discussed the issue on several occasions with the distributor, there is no sign of any improvement to come.

In terms of retailers, in addition to having the right product at the right price, display and point of sale information is important. Clear and concise overviews of each product help navigate the wealth of options available. It is vital that sales staff are

familiar with each product in order to identify suitable options to suit customer needs, and to demonstrate them well.

We are planning a few workshops in conjunction with some of our suppliers later in the year. On the few occasions we have done this in the past the events have proved to be popular and have helped to attract new customers.

Finally, social media is a very useful tool in marketing business and products. We regularly obtain direct sales through posts made. We have found it a vital platform to assist in expanding our customer base and raise awareness.

It will be very interesting to see what happens over the next 12 months with some of the exciting developments in the pipeline by a couple of our major brands.

“The biggest backline challenge is that the days of just two or three amp manufacturers dominating the scene appear to be over.”

“As a small, independent business, it is absolutely vital for us to deal with brands that offer both consistent price and margin protection.”

P49

Mystery shopper P50

New gear P54 RETAIL

FIVE SECOND FACTS

The magic numbers in MI that caught our eye this month...

4 Four expert speakers are

the MIRC 2015 22 year’s National Learn to Play Day

JHS central southern 10 the new Design Store

in the UK

MI RETAIL giant PMT (Professional Music Technology) has announced a new store located on Newcastle’s Dean Street, having taken over the premises previously owned by Sounds Live.

The company has purchased everything but the Sounds Live Newcastle Ltd name and is promising to bring something new to the area.

Speaking to MI Pro, PMT co-owner, Simon Gilson, explained: “We are always on the look out for opportunities and are always ready to act when they present themselves. All our major growth spurts have been based around acquiring businesses in various states of stress and applying our model to them. The directors of Sounds Live made an approach on

February 27th and a deal was done and concluded within seven days.”

On the future of Sounds Live Newcastle Ltd, Gilson told us that he believes the company’s directors will wind the company up. “The main purpose of the sale was to

facilitate the retirement of the founders. We have NOT purchased the company but have purchased most of it’s tangible assets and all the IP, including the website, all urls, databases and phone numbers. I would like to make it clear that,

as far as I am concerned, Sounds Live Newcastle Ltd is solvent and from the numbers I have seen was

to John Taylor, personally, I fully understand his and his co-founders’ wishes to enjoy the fruits of thier

labours and retire.”As a result of the acquisition,

PMT has stated that it will try to include as many of the existing members of staff as possible. “These situations are bound to cause some amount of stress and uncertainty

and we act as quickly as possible to include and retain people. As it is, we will need to recruit in addition to the existing team to reach the numbers needed to run the store.

“After nearly 25 years of opening stores all over the country, we always try and add something more than a music shop. Our stores offer the very best selection of musical instruments possible with staff that know what they are for and how to use them fully. We always aim to be at the very centre of a town or city’s music community and we are looking forward to taking the PMT way of doing things further North.”

PMT has yet to announce an opening date for the store but has suggested that it will be “weeks, not months” before it opens for business.

“All our major growth spurts have been based around acquiring businesses in various states of stress and applying our model to them.”

5

The company’s co-owner, Simon Gilson, speaks to MI Pro about its new store and what it means for the area


IN THIS media driven world, it seems like our planet is riven with crises: signs of a new cold war, Islamic State, terrorism on our streets, revolution in Ukraine, the UK economy. All very serious and all worthy of the consideration of great statesmen.

However, the crisis that will have an effect on your standard of living is that of music in the UK education system. Of course, I’m not suggesting that this is of the same magnitude as global issues that adversely affect the lives of millions worldwide. But this isn’t just about music as an academic subject. It’s about the potential loss of music as a glue that contributes to holding schools together and achieving their academic targets and, consequently, the loss in

broader society. About a year ago, I

penned some notes for this column about the serious decline of music in schools. Has anything improved?

There are no signs from

the government that they will be doing anything to redress this. Worse still, we now have the spectre of LEA Music Services/Hubs that are actually being shut down completely - a precedent that will no doubt precipitate more closures or

If the educational music

system collapses, so does most of the music industry. Your music industry.

Unbelievably, I recently heard a dealer say that ‘Yes it was an important issue and he would raise it next time a local school called’. There wasn’t any mention of any other action forthcoming. Yes, there are still some purely reactive businesses out there. Astonishing. I thought the last of those had been culled in the aftermath of 2007/8. So what can you do? 1) Stop thinking that someone else will solve the problem2) Join the MIA and/or any of the bodies that are

lobbying the government (ISM, MU, Music Mark etc). Your support is invaluable.3) Work with your local Hub4) Work with your local schools5) Work with your local teachers6) Work with your local ensembles and encourage collaboration with schools (and vice versa)7) Use the local media to raise awareness8) Badger your local MP

There are myriad ways

to help. Most cost nothing and most

a positive way. This could be one of the most cost effective

elements of your marketing strategy for this year. If we all join

in with this we can make a difference.

Why the decline in music education in schools is damaging our industry…

“If the educational music system collapses, so does most of the music industry.”

SECRET DEALER

THE CHELTENHAM Piano Centre, also known as Musical Instruments Cheltenham, closed on Saturday, 28th March 2015. The announcement of its closure came about as a result of four of the store’s key members, Keith Beckingham, Gordon Taylor, John Beckingham and Lyndon Donington, wishing to retire.

Cheltenham Piano Centre was opened in 1965 by Horace Matthews and Reg Heard, and was later taken over by the WMC piano manufacturing group. After WMC ceased operations in 2003, the store became independently owned by Keith and John Beckingham, Taylor and Donington.

“It is very sad to be closing the shop in its 50th trading year,” commented Keith Buckingham. “However, despite our best efforts over the past three years, we have

to take it over. Although, with

oldsters like me being pensioned off, perhaps someone will come along to whom we can pass the baton! Local reaction to our closure among the musical fraternity has

been quite moving. We have been attracting considerable publicity in the local press and on BBC

the need for this type of business here in the centre of the wealthy Cotswolds.”

Cheltenham piano shop closesThe specialist piano store has closed its doors following the retirement of four of its key members of staff

TH

ERETAIL


“It is very sad to be closing the business in what is its 50th trading year.”

RETAIL ESSENTIALSMI PRO

FACTS & FIGURES

RRP: £374Power: 150W RMS powerTweeter: 1” HFShaping: Ampeg Ultra Hi/Lo tone shapingPreamp: Legacy Ampeg preamp with 3-band EQFlexibility: True 60° sound reinforcement monitor angle; dedicated XLR balanced line out; independent effects send and return; HF mute defeats horn for a rounder, more vintage tone; -15dB input pad for active basses or additional level control; aux input for playing along with smartphone or iPod; headphone out for silent solo practiceRugged portabilty: Roadworthy braced cabinet construction; protective all-steel amp chassis; impact-resistant black metal corners; durable double-thick Ampeg Classic black Tolex; lightweight, portable design (45.0 lbs / 20.4 kg)

The BA-115 Bass Combo from Ampeg has been designed to deliver 150W of

classic tone, along with a wide range of performance-driven features in a professional design that is particularly well suited to use on the live stage.

The BA-115 features a true 60-degree sound reinforcement monitor angle, which has been specially engineered to provide users with optimised clarity in a diverse array of applications.

The combo’s backlit, front-facing panel is designed to provide bass players with, quick easy access to its feature set, including Ampeg’s all-new Bass Scrambler overdrive, in addition to other Ampeg tone shaping controls and professional features, such as a balanced direct out and an effects send/return.

Furthermore, the ruggedly portable BA-115 comes complete with an all-steel amp chassis as standard, as well as impact-resistant metal corners. In essence, the Ampeg BA-115 has been designed to equip musicians with the

tone needed for all manner of professional applications.

ContactsAddress: Polar Audio, Unit 1, 17 Albert Drive, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9TNTelephone: 01444 259645Web: www.polaraudio.co.uk

Packed with a host of professional features, this bass combo has been engineered to deliver 150W of power

AMPEG BA-115 15” BASS COMBO

ALSO IN THE RANGE:

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FACTS & FIGURES

RRP: £328.90Model type: Combo

All Valve Class A

15W Celestion

G12 M GreenbackValves: 3 x 12AX7 & 2 x EL84

Spring Reverb, Bright Switch, three-band EQ, Effects Loop

ContactsAddress: Carlsbro, Unit 11, Torc:MK, Chippenham Drive, Milton Keynes, MK10 0BZTelephone: 01908 281072Web: www.carlsbro.comEmail: [email protected]

CARLSBRO VAC 15 CLASSIC

Carlsbro’s newest addition to its range of

limited edition VAC 15 Greenback Classic vintage tube amp.

Designed to represent

edition VAC 15 Classic is a Class A, all-valve-driven 15W guitar combo.

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RRP: £1129 Colour: FourPower: 36W (Power Soak to 18, 5, 1, and 0 Watts)Reverb: Switchable ReverbEffects loop: Switchable Serial FX loopMIDI: YesTubes: 3 x 12AX7, 4 x EL84Dimensions: 171 x 446 x 152 mmWeight: 7.7 kgAccessories: FSM-432 MIDI Pedal Board - £169; TM212 2x12 Cabinet - £539

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Brian Cleary, Barnes & Mullins

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year for MIRC. Another great

conference and lots of footfall

for the expo afterwards.”Tom Harrold, Audio-Technica

“We’ve had a really great show. It’s

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RRP: £1,499Output options: The 100W version can switch down to 70, 50 or 30WFoot-switchable attenuator: YesPower: 100W

Celebrating its 10th anniversary last year, the Rockerverb

Series from Orange

designed to demonstrate that ‘a workhorse amp can be a master of all trades’. The original Rockerverb was

unique voice that quickly found favour with a number of heavy rock artists.

However, engineered to offer musicians optimum versatility and reliability, the series has since become a mainstay for artists both on the road and in the studio.

New for Spring 2015 and launched at the Frankfurt Musikmesse exhibition, the Rockerverb 100 MKIII head aims to combine more than a decade of user feedback with a number of new features and overall improvements.

Rockerverb Series, the MKIII includes selectable output power options to manipulate headroom and volume, with the 100W version switching down to 70, 50 or 30W.

The MKIII also features the same foot-switchable attenuator that has been popular with users of the company’s Thunderverb and Dual Dark Series amps.

Meanwhile, the Clean channel has been re-voiced on the new MKIII for what the company describes as a more ‘chimey’ response.

The clean side also promises greater headroom than that seen in previous models, whilst retaining the character of a non-master volume design.

Furthermore, the valve driven spring reverb now offers musicians a more extensive range with a brighter trail.

ContactsAddress: Orange, 108 Ripon Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2JA, United KingdomTel: +44 20 8905 2828Email: [email protected]

ORANGEROCKERVERB 100MKIII


FACTS & FIGURES

Front Panel: Clean and Lead channel feat. separate Gain controls (both can beplayed in Hi or Lo Gain mode and deliver four different gain stages), Bright switch, three-band EQ, Shape switch (remote controllable viafootswitch), Lead Presence control, Lead Volume control, Hi/LowGain switch, Channel switch, Master A/B (remote controllable viafootswitch), 100 Watts (4 x ECC 83 preamp tubes, 4 x EL34 poweramp tubes)

Rear Panel:S.A.C port for the Z-9 foot switch or 3 x 1/4“ stereo jacks forconnecting the Z-4, Noise Gate (Threshold control, remote controllablevia footswitch), FX loop (parallel to serial adjustable, remotecontrollable via footswitch), Speaker Outs (1 x 4, 1 x 8, 2 x 8, 1 x 16, 2x 16 Ohms)

Dimensions & Weight: 71 x 27 x 27 cm, 20 kg

It began in 1996 when the Engl Ritchie Blackmore Signature amp was released, which, to this day is

one of the most successful amps in the Engl catalogue. In collaboration with Doug Aldrich, Engl built a special amp in 2005, based on the E650. The concept was clear: simple handling with maximum performance. Some alterations were made, including a change to the EL34 tubes and, after some coming and going between Germany and the USA, the

sound and dynamics was designed. The amp can now be found sitting in the Los Angeles Engl showroom and is still in use for studio sessions.

Just one year later in 2006, an amp with the same

to Gary Moore who used it as a studio amp until his unfortunate passing.

Within a short time, word

and artists such as Jimmy

Campbell, Paul Stanley and Scott Gorham put in their orders. Page still keeps his in the studio.

You can also hear the amp

Paul Stanley (Kiss), Scott Gorham (Black Star Riders) and Ken Hammer (Pretty Maids) among its users. After

the scenes, the company has

the public.

ContactsAddress: Engl, Mettestr. 25 44803, Bochum, GermanyTelephone: 0049 234 976570Web: http://www.engl-amps.comEmail: [email protected]

ENGL E651 ARTIST EDITION




FACTS & FIGURES

RRP: £149Number of AmpModels: 33Number of Effects: 25Number of Programs:Preset: 99User: 8 (2 banks x 4 channels)Input/Output Jacks:Top panel: INPUT jack (¼” Mono)PHONES jack (¼”Stereo)AUX IN jack (1/8”Stereo)Rear panel: FOOT SW jackPower Amp Output:

Speaker: Vox original; 8 inch, 4 ohms

Vox’s line of Valvetronix modeling amps boasts a collection of 33

distinct models, from vintage amps to the latest high-gain and boutique units.

Despite its small size, the VT20+ Classic is designed to deliver a sonic punch that exceeds the expectations of its power rating. Available for a limited time only, the VT20+ is available in the classic Vox aesthetic, complete with the traditional diamond grill.

Based on a 12AX7 vacuum tube, the Valve Reactor circuit at the heart of every VT+ Series amp aims to reproduce the tonal character of a real tube-powered amp. One of the key advances from previous Valvetronix models, says the

of power generated by the VT+ Series.

The power amp section has the potential to exceed the wattage value indicated by the model name – as indicated by the shaded section of the Power Level knob.

ContactsAddress: Korg UK, 1 Harrison Close, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8PATelephone: 01908 304600

The VT20+ Classic combines the advanced technology of a modeling amp with the classic Vox look

VOX VALVETRONIX VT20+ CLASSIC SPECIAL EDITION

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Adam MastersSouth City Music

Mark HedgeCookes Band Instruments

Nick DurantAllegro Music

Chris JonesCoda Music

Dave PasseraWembley Drum Center

Andy BushellMake Some Noise

Alex MartenRed Dog Music

ALL TOO often we are reminded that the ukulele

world. Hardly a day goes by without

at the wrong time. Countering this scourge is in the interest of all musical instrument retailers.

dealt with the threat head-on by

to identify means by which we can

unfortunate families.

maintain healthy stocks of the instruments in order to satisfy

QAdrian BamfordNeath Music

WE’VE SEEN a

ukulele sales. We

were asked by one songwriting

ukulele in an oblong box so that no one would know what

chords and can tune a uke

There are offshoot sales

as many local schools are teaching the instrument.

There are ukulele clubs

members. We re-string a lot of guitars these days and charge

The great thing about ukes

Alex Marten Red Dog Music

OUR PANEL OF RETAIL ADVISORS...

Recent reports indicate that ukuleles are experiencing a dramatic rise in popularity. Have you found this to be true and, if so, what have you been doing to exploit this particular trend?

Dave BamfordSymphony Music

LIKE WITH anything that

work hard to ensure that we

increased our ukulele selection and continue to feature it in our marketing.

As a general music

must continue to nurture all

has been steadily increasing

intend to continue to work

and existing customers.

“There is no sign of demand waning and it has been steadily increasing in recent years.”


Richard ThompsonSheehan’s

Adrian BamfordNeath Music

Roy ChudobskyiNevada Music

Rupert BradburyJG Windows

Simon GilsonPMT

Dave BamfordSymphony Music

The ukulele market has seen an upsurge in sales over the past few years, according to retailers

NEXT MONTH

If you have a question that you would like to pose to the MI Pro Retail Advisory Board then please contact Daniel Gumble by email on [email protected] or via telephone on 01992 535646.

RETAIL ADVISORY BOARD

Mike PodestaCranes Music

WE HAVE experienced an increase in the sale of ukuleles over

the last couple of years. This is mainly due to the fact that many schools are now offering lessons to children, and ukuleles are relatively inexpensive to buy.

A great way to exploit this trend is to make sure that the relevant music teachers are aware that you keep a decent range of ukuleles in stock. As well, you could recommend a clip on tuner, chord book or any other uke-based accessories to players, and you will

Chris Jones Coda Music

OUR UKULELE sales have been on the rise for some years now and show no

sign of diminishing. We have a dedicated folk instrument section in both our stores and they are both well stocked with ukuleles to suit every budget.

Customers are upgrading and the mix of sales is interesting, with repeat business for concert tenor and Baritone ukes, as these players progress with the instrument, and experiment.

We are involved with local ukulele clubs and are also working with the ‘men in sheds’ project, which purchases ukuleles and then “pimps them up” cosmetically. We are going to hold a concert with them

event will be posted on social media and hopefully will in turn encourage more people to take up playing.

Beginner and seasoned guitarist who are looking for a new tone, have also embraced ukuleles. I see no let up in the popularity of the ukulele in the coming future.

Mike Podesta Cranes Music

Mark HedgeCookes Band Instruments

HERE AT Cookes, we have recently seen a steady increase in ukulele

willing for an end-user to invest more money in the purchase. Other uke products, such as tuners, cases or strings are also available for the buyer.

Obviously, to keep our offer in line with customer needs we have increased our range and stock holding to be suitable for any budding uke players…

willing for an end-user to invest more money in the purchase.”


ADVERTISE YOUR JOB IN THE INDUSTRY’S MOST RESPECTED TRADE MONTHLY

LOOKING FORNEW STAFF?

To make a booking, please [email protected] call +44 (0) 207 226 7246

FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 166 | MARCH 2014FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 172 | SEPTEMBER 2014 FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 173 | OCTOBER 2014 FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS | ISSUE 171 | AUGUST 2014

PHIL JOB had always worked in music. He began his career in MI with Minns Music in Truro throughout the seventies and has stayed within the industry ever since. It was inevitable that he would own his own shop. As such, in 1988 St Giles Music was opened in Northampton town centre.

Current store manager and owner, Simon Job was a youngster when his dad opened the store and had a couple of different jobs before eventually joining the family business just over 15 years ago.

And while it might be the case that Northampton’s most famous rock and roller is still razor cheeked goth idol Pete Murphy of Bauhaus, Northampton seems to be a pretty decent spot for an MI retailer.

“We are very lucky to have a big music scene in Northampton, both within the pubs and with our Music Service – NMPAT,” explains Job. “Our customers are coming from all sides, mums and dads, local musicians, music students, and experienced players. We are lucky to have a great

social environment with open mic nights, and lots of live music in pubs. There are music festivals for local musicians, as well as some of the more well known.

“We have a PMT here, and a couple of guitar shops. As well as being our competition, they offer something different, so there’s a variety to our town. Which is great, of course, but the trick is how you connect with the local scene. We make good use of the local music services, and have a teaching set up next door, offering lessons on most instruments.

“We regularly attend conferences with a stall and also advertise in practice books, offering discounts to music pupils.”

It goes without saying that you have to have an online offering these days, and St Giles has been selling through its site for a

number of years now. “The website is a

fantastic advert for the shop. Although our online business is not a big

come into the shop to purchase. Keeping on top of pricing is a must, but we aren’t trying to be the cheapest. That doesn’t help anyone. As a small, family business we pride ourselves on our service level – before and after sales.”

Range is also important, especially when you’re competing locally with the likes of PMT.

“We try to keep as much as possible - digital pianos, keyboards, violins, brass and woodwind, guitars and amps, ukuleles, and more.

“We keep a fair bit of Yamaha mostly because

they make a big range of most instruments. Guitars we are doing well with are Admira, Adam Black and Tanglewood. Kawai are making some really nice digital pianos and the Stentor and Hidersine violins are popular.”

Dealing with the increased demands of big brands is not so easy for the smaller store. With stocking commitments and stipulations that are often easier for the bigger stores to adhere, Job appreciates the importance of having those brands in-store or face losing customers.

“In the last couple of

for smaller shops like ours to keep up with the stocking commitments of some of the larger suppliers. I think it is important to have good quality brands in stock, but maybe these authorised dealerships need to be more ‘small shop’ friendly.”

Indeed, there is no shortage of alternative quality brands out there and Job says he will be looking at new guitar and amp ranges this year to see what

With a seemingly thriving music scene, Northampton appears to be as good a place as any to set up shop for an Ronnie Dungan caught up with St Giles Music’s Simon Job to see how the

business has connected with the local community and embraced the Internet to remain competitive…

“Keeping on top of pricing is a must, but we aren’t trying to be the cheapest. That doesn’t help anyone.”


RETAIL PROFILE

St Giles Music, Northampton

Address: St. Giles Music, 16 St Giles Terrace, Northampton, NN1 2BN

Telephone: 01604 250905Fax: 01604 [email protected]

BRUM AND BASSFAIR DEAL MUSIC

PMT

MYSTERY SHOPPER

MAKING MY

HEADING OUT

RATING 4/5

RATING 4/5

50 MIPRO APRIL 2015

B_DRUM

MATTHEWS ELECTRONICSCONCLUSION

MYSTERY SHOPPER

SITUATED ON

THE FIRST

RATING 5/5

APRIL 2015 MIPRO 51

MATTHEWS ELECTRONICS

RATING 2/5

Fast learnersLAST MONTH, Learn To Play Day had its most successful year yet. With over 12,000 customers taking part in the free taster lessons offered at the 129 venues that took part, it is an event any member of the MIA should be taking part in. Having visited some of the participating London

packed with customers taking a keen interest in the free lessons. Taking up one of the lessons Fender was offering at The Southbank Centre, I dabbled with an electric guitar and was reminded of how enjoyable it is to learn a new instrument. Seeing others also enjoy the experience, it allowed me to see how the event gets customers into stores. Similar scenes were in evidence at Yamaha Music London, with some making purchases they mightn’t

have made otherwise.Holding this event in your store allows the general public to come in and get a feel for an instrument that

is right for them, and also makes them realise there’s no need to worry about how much or how little you know about an instrument before setting foot inside the shop. However, with the best will in the world, it’s not all about the feel good factor of simply giving away free lessons and showing people the power of

National Learn To Play Day in a very real, tangible way. More than 800 people visited Absolute Music on the Sunday; Spider Music sold three drum kits the following day; and one particular retailer estimates

a cool £50,000. Figures not to be sniffed at, I’m sure you’ll agree. Any MIA member yet to take part in a Learn To Play Day must consider it next year. You’ll see more new visitors come through the doors, and you could end up with a number of new, long-term customers.

“One retailer estimates that its Saturday sales exceeded target by £50,000.”


GEARnew

THE Electro 5 Series keyboard from Nord offers plenty

performing musicians

PAGE 55

MACKIE recently launched its new portable FreePlay personal PA system

PAGE 54

COMMENT

RHYS TROAKE, STAFF [email protected]

FRET-KING has lifted the lid on a range of limited edition Trev Wilkinson designed guitars

PAGE 55

RRP: £399Mackie has launched its new portable, battery powered PA system, the FreePlay Personal PA.

SPECIFICATIONS: The FreePlay all-in-one portable PA system features a high-output 8” woofer for optimum bass response. FreePlay allows users to connect microphones; line or instrument level sources, and features an easy-to-use 4-channel digital mixer to control levels, EQ, and more.

The portable PA also includes a wireless control using the FreePlay Connect app. The app allows users to control the FreePlay PA from any smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth capable device.

The Mackie FreePlay Personal PA is available now at RRP £399. www.polaraudio.co.uk

RRP: £129Hal Leonard has announced the new PreSonus Notion 5 music notation software package.

SPECIFICATIONS: The software, suitable for both Mac and Windows, is designed to offer composers and musicians a quicker, optimised product in an affordable package.

The boxed edition of the Notion 5 is now available at RRP £129 from Hal Leonard MGB.

Site licenses are also available, allowing Notion 5 to be downloaded on up to 100 machines, making it suitable for schools.

Priced at £40 per seat, a Notion 5 site license aims to offer best possible value for music educators looking to kit out their computers with notation software.www.halleonard.com

RRP: £599.95Tanglewood Guitars has released its latest Cutaway Super Folk guitar, the TPE SF DLX.

SPECIFICATIONS: The brand new Cutaway Super Folk guitar from Tanglewood comes complete with a solid AA Engelmann spruce top, along with tiger stripe mahogany

a natural gloss. The TPE SF DLX guitar from Tanglewood also features a slim

D’Addario EPX16 strings. Elsewhere, the guitar boasts open die-cast machine heads, along with the new Fishman Ink EQ system. The new guitar is now available at a recommended retail price of £599.95.www.tanglewoodguitars.co.uk

1. 2.Mackie FreePlay Personal PA

4. Tanglewood TPE SF DLX

3. PreSonus Notion 5

RRP: £207.49The Ampeg SCR-DI combines a preamp EQ pedal with an overdrive stomp box in a rugged design, built to deliver Ampeg tone in any situation.

SPECIFICATIONS: The SCR-DI is an Ampeg preamp designed to provide a wide choice of authentic tones.

The EQ section features a three-band EQ with Ultra-Hi, and Ultra-Lo

EQ section is foot-switchable, making it suitable for switching between tones during a live performance.

The pedal also features the new Bass Scrambler overdrive circuit,

SVT grit, grind and sag. The overdrive section is also foot-switchable, so players can add overdrive if needed.www.polaraudio.co.uk

Ampeg SCR-DI Bass Pedal

5 6

PRODUCTS

NEW GEAR54 MIPRO MARCH 2015 WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

1 2

RRP: £399The latest addition to the Paul Brett range of acoustic guitars - the Gemini Baritone VGE800N - combines Brett’s years of experience with optimised build quality.

SPECIFICATIONS: Presented in

ivory-effect rosette and binding with a vintage white scratch plate, the Gemini features the USA-made Fishman Matrix VT1 pickup system. The instrument comes complete with a padded Gemini carry bag. “The Gemini really is two guitars in one,” commented Brett. “With heavy gauge strings you can get some truly sonorous baritone sounds. Alternatively, users can string it with normal gauge strings and use it in standard tuning.”www.jhs.co.uk

RRP: £1,699Hand-built by Trev Wilkinson and luthier, Mike Smith, this limited edition run features models from the Fret-King Green Label Series with Fishman Fluence systems.

SPECIFICATIONS: As well as countering problems associated with conventional pickups, Fluence offers two distinct voicings based on classic pickups. The single width model can go from single-coil sparkle, to an overwound ‘Texas’ tone, while the double width pickups alternate between PAF and high-gain modern tones. The Green Label Corona 70 comes with two Fluence Modern Humbucker Pickups at an RRP of £1,699. The Green Label Corona 60 comes with three Fluence Single Width Pickups at RRP £1,699.www.jhs.co.uk

RRP: From £1,649The Nord Electro 5 series is designed to offer optimised performance and

SPECIFICATIONS: Featuring 1GB of Piano Sample memory, the Series 5 aims to allow players to bring more acoustic and electric piano sounds to the stage. The Electro 5 Orange Section features a new Principal Pipe Organ mode, classic Tone Wheel simulation and Rotary Speaker simulation of a vintage 122 unit from theNord C2D Combo Organ.

A dedicated Sample Synth Section is included, featuring expanded memory for the Nord Sample Library and additional controls for attack, decay/release and dynamics.It also

www.soundtech.co.uk

RRP: £169Pioneer has released the HMR-7 monitor headphones, designed to provide optimum sound and comfort during studio sessions.

SPECICATIONS: The HMR-7 headphones are designed to deliver an accurate, neutral sound to dance music producers. The headphones feature a newly developed HD driver unit for a neutral, high-res sound, while dual

structure, enhance the bass response.The fully enclosed ear pads

deliver sound isolation and clear audio separation, while the freely adjustable headband and memory foam ear pads, with velour covers, are designed to make the HRM-7s easy to wear over long studio sessions. www.pioneerdj.com

5. VintagePaul Brett Gemini Baritone guitar

6. Fret-KingLimited edition guitar range

7. NordElectro 5 Series

8. PioneerHRM-7 monitor headphones

3

PRODUCTS

4

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MARCH 201X WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK MIPRO 55

Jägermeister performs its latest Ice Cold Gig inside an igloo, we take a photographic look at this year’s Music Education Expo and Paul McManus is the subject of our Musical History Tour...

BACKLINE

The Uncello was created for the chamber opera Plasm Over Ocean in 1977, premiered by the Dashuki Music Theatre at the World Trade Centre.

The instrument was built out of rock maple with standard cello strings and bridge, and a glass bowl as a resonator.

It was tuned with harpsichord pegs at the top of its high arc, and the tailpiece was

manufactured out of plexiglas. The entire instrument, except

for the arc, was bolted together and could be taken apart for travel and storage.

The Uncello was still quiet, and for public performances of

a contact microphone that was placed on the bridge.

The sound was very reedy, more like a gamba than a cello,

with a strange resonance.Not to be confused with

Limoncello, which is an Italian after-dinner digestivo, which can make you attempt to nick

personnel after drinking a bottle of it. Er…apparently.

More fun than an Uncello, certainly, better margins too. In fact, stock Limoncello, you’ll sell more.

UNCELLODon’t get caught out by that enquiry for something really specialist…

WE COULD ORDER IT IN…

Cold as iceLast time out it was a moving iceberg. This time,

Jägermeister has taken its latest Ice Cold Gig inside

an igloo in Lapland with the band TesseracT. The

brand’s Ice Cold Gig series sees bands put through

their paces in a variety of suitably chilly venues.

Watch this space to see where they go next…

A MONTH IN THE WORLD OF MI


SEND US STUFF

Music Education ExpoLast month saw the Music Education Expo take place at London’s Barbican. The event was choc full of education professionals, politicians manufacturers and distributors, reinforcing the importance of the music education sector to the industry. Check out some of our snaps from day one of the show below…

>> THIS STUFF DOESN’T come out of thin air, you know. We make most of it up, to be honest. But we would like our lovely readers to get involved. Email: [email protected]


What do you play?Bass guitar (a Rickenbacker just to polarise opinions!)

to speak of?Years of winging it, does that count?

Any good?Good ‘meat and potatoes’ player (i.e not a slap man!)

Preferred musical style?Anything with a groove (and a nice riff). Prog right through to soul.

What bands have you been in?Apart from originals school band, years and years of covers bands.

Are you gigging right now? Yep, in two bands doing pubs right through to weddings.

Have you ever troubled the charts at all? Absolutely not!

What has been your greatest musical success? Getting a job in MI and being able to start playing again after too many years out of bands

Best/biggest gig ever played?Believe it or not, playing to 5,000 teenagers a couple of years ago at the South of England Scoutabout Festival.

Ever played with anyone else in the industry? Goodness no, they will all be far better than me. I did help out Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake) at LIMS a few years ago when he needed a bass player at really short notice (thanks Gavin Mortimer!).

Worst gig ever played?Interesting one in Crawley last Christmas when we were greeted by the security man who assured us that because

previous night, we would “probably” be OK!

Roll up, roll up to discover the musical chops of those in and around the industry. Dodgy

with the outer reaches of the chart? They’re all out there...

Paul McManus, MIA chief executive

SENNHEISER

Also on the way...

FEATURES LISTUPCOMING

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ISSN 1750-4198

Copyright © 2015 NewBay MediaPrinted by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, NP12 2YA

The international monthly magazine for music instrument professionals and everyone in the MI business

MI Pro has a monthly circulation of well over 6,000. It is distributed in the UK and internationally to MI retailers, industry professionals and carefully selected pro audio executives and resellers.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

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Charges cover 12 issues

MI PRO is published 12 times a yearEditorDaniel [email protected]

Staff WriterRhys [email protected]

Account ManagerKarma [email protected]

Head of Design and ProductionKelly [email protected]

Production ExecutiveJames [email protected]

Commercial DirectorDarrell [email protected]

Marketing & CirculationCurwood [email protected]

© NewBay Media 2015All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of MiPro are subject to reproduction in information storageand retrieval systems. Printed by Pensord, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, NP12 2YA

FORWARD FEATURES


MIRC 2015June is our dedicated MIRC issue, providing a

comprehensive guide to this year’s show.

June 2015

ONCE AGAIN, MI Pro celebrates the work and career of one of the musical instrument

we look at the MI and pro audio specialist, Sennheiser.

DRUMS AND PERCUSSIONOur Retail Essentials feature focuses on the

drums and percussion market.

The features you need to look out for in the May and June issues of MI Pro

MI PRO RETAIL ESSENTIALS: MICSOUR MAY Retail Essentials focus zeroes in on the world of microphones. In typical fashion, we will be looking at models of all shapes, sizes and price ranges, from established classics to recently launched lines.

For more information and to get involved with this special feature, please contact Karma Bertelsen on [email protected] or 020 7226 7246.

www.audio-technica.com

ATH-R70x PROFESSIONAL OPEN-BACK REFERENCE HEADPHONESATH-M70x PROFESSIONAL MONITOR HEADPHONES Audio-Technica introduces the new leaders in studio headphones: ATH-M70x and ATH-R70x.

Both models offer extremely accurate audio reproduction along with the comfort, durability

and convenient features that are bound to make them studio mainstays. So whether you prefer the

sound isolation of the M70x or the spacious sound of the R70x, deciding on your next pair of

studio headphones is an open and closed case.

Open & Closed The new flagship studio headphones

Documents

MI Pro 179