Analogue synth market sees nearly 20% growth in total retail sales since 2010
According to information released by NAMM: ‘Following three decades of digital interfaces and sampler dominance, a new generation of musicians desiring a return to warm, pure sounds are fuelling a resurgence in analog synthesizer retail sales. In the past five years alone, Moog Inc., Korg USA Inc., WMD and other brands who will present their synths and electronic products at the 2017 global music products NAMM Show, have helped drive the analog synth market to a 19.9% growth in total retail sales’.
NAMM says the data, provided in the 2016 NAMM Global Report, underscores a re-emergence of players captivated by the tactile playing experience of analogue control surfaces as musicians favour working knobs, faders and other features in lieu of digital displays and computer interfaces.
‘Players are realizing that an analog synth is much more of a real, honest-to-goodness musical instrument,’ says Dave Smith, founder of San Francisco-based Dave Smith Instruments. Nate Tschetter, Manager of Music Product Marketing at Yamaha adds, ‘Many are choosing analog because it’s immediate, and while analog is definitely ‘in,’ it’s more about the ability to create unique sound and having it sound good.’
Tatsuya Takahashi, Korg Synthesis Chief Engineer and designer of the company’s minilogue synth, understands the importance of unparalleled usability and musicality. ‘Whenever I design a synth I try to break down barriers between man and machine – the musician needs to be inspired physically and emotionally to create their own music. It’s evident that this thinking has resonated with current trends that turn away from difficult and complicated systems, often inside of computers, in favour for dedicated hardware that often do less functionally, but are great at what they do in a musical way.’
NAMM’s statement continues: ‘On the whole, electronic music products were one of the strongest performing music product segments in 2015, posting near double-digit retail growth in 2015 at 99%. The electronic music products category, comprised of keyboard synthesizers, controller keyboards, electronic pianos, rhythm machines and electronic drums, touted a retail value of $238.3 million in 2015, and this year, the category has already reached more than $155 million through Q3. Additionally, digital pianos are enjoying a renaissance and are up 24.38% in retail sales and 13.1% in units sold over the past 10 years’.
Dave Smith Instruments, Yamaha, Roland, Korg USA, Inc. Moog Inc., Verbos Electronics, Make Noise and other multiline product manufacturers will be among the more than 75 exhibitors presenting 260 different synthesizers and related equipment at The NAMM Show, being held in Anaheim, California, January 19-22.
Free badge deadline is January 4, 2017, at 11:59 pm PST.