Issue Articles
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‘A Reed Before the Wind…’: Clarinet & Saxophone Reed Sales
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesFebruary 2024Survey | February 22, 2024Vitally important to the overall sound of both clarinets and saxophones, reeds can elevate even the most entry-level instrument or make the most finely crafted one sound like a defective, cheap product. Read More... -
2024 NAMM Show: ‘We’re on the Right Path’
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesFebruary 2024Show Report | February 22, 2024“I felt like this Show, more than probably any Show I’ve ever attended, set the tone for the industry,” says NAMM president and CEO John Mlynczak of the recent NAMM Show held from January 25-28 in Anaheim, California. Read More... -
Re-Awakening Your Originality!
Menzie Pittman | ArchivesFebruary 2024Small Business Matters | February 22, 2024When a customer first walks into your business, what inspires them? What senses are you trying to awaken in your customers to keep them engaged? Read More... -
Marching Orders: Suppliers Chime in on Drumming Up Marching Snare Sales in 2024
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesFebruary 2024Roundtable | February 22, 2024Many schools begin to prepare for purchases in advance of the fall semester during the summer months. With that in mind, we figured now might be a good time to touch base with some key suppliers of marching snare drums – one of the more popular, essential, and in need of “refresh” marching band instruments – to learn about what particular models are selling best, what trends are guiding the market, and how savvy dealers position themselves to connect with the greatest number of buyers. Read More... -
History of Jay’s Music: Georgia MI Retail Mainstay is a Family Affair
Roger Bellow | ArchivesFebruary 2024Retail | February 22, 2024The 76-year story of Jay’s Music begins with a Ma and Pa jewelry and luggage shop at 311 8th Street in Augusta. Read More... -
Today’s Top Hits Brought to You by Cyberdyne, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI
Christian Wissmuller | EditorialFebruary 2024 | February 22, 2024“Artificial Intelligence is not just a crescendo, it is a paradigm shift,” began a recent Forbes article by contributor David Henkin. Read More... -
Armadillo Enterprises’ Owner & CEO Pam Rubinson: Continuing an Upward Trajectory
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesJanuary 2024Upfront Q&A | January 9, 2024Armadillo Enterprises, parent company of Dean Guitars, ddrum, and Luna Guitars, reorganized their executive team in 2023 and, under the leadership of owner and CEO Pam Rubinson, have successfully navigated through some rough waters of the previous year and emerged stronger than ever. Read More... -
Them’s the Breaks
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesEditorialJanuary 2024 | January 9, 2024The upcoming 2024 NAMM Show will represent a break – pun unintended, but it stays (Don’t worry; It’ll make sense shortly…) – in my heretofore uninterrupted 23-year streak of never missing one of our industry’s annual gatherings in Anaheim. Read More... -
Market Profile: Greater Los Angeles – MI in the City of Angels
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesJanuary 2024Special Report | January 9, 2024The second largest metropolitan area in the United States, Greater Los Angeles is also home to some of the world’s most significant suppliers of musical instruments and gear. Read More... -
Live Wires: MI Retailers on Instrument Cable Sales in 2024
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesJanuary 2024Survey | January 9, 2024With over 65 percent (66.7%) of participating dealers in this month’s survey reporting sales level with those from last winter, ¼” instrument cables would seem to be – perhaps unsurprisingly – a fairly stable market segment. Read More... -
Ninja Leadership: Flipping the Script with Empathy
Menzie Pittman | ArchivesJanuary 2024Small Business Matters | January 9, 2024It is my hunch that if you were to question most folks in the music business, they would say that being an owner or manager was not their first plan if it was even their plan at all. Read More... -
31st Annual Dealers’ Choice Awards
Christian Wissmuller | ArchivesDecember 2023Special Report | December 13, 20232023 saw record-breaking numbers in Dealers’ Choice Awards (DCAs) voting, as well as some of the tightest races, per category, in the awards’ 31-year history. In addition to some repeat winners, this year welcomes a handful of new victors – including a few upsets. Read More...
