Wanna Play Music Week: Thursday
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL GAP
The music industry is entering the digital conversation in new ways and reaching new customers, from the tech savvy to the tech shy. Whether you are an expert or novice, the constantly evolving music products industry has changed the way we learn to play by offering exciting and inventive digital gear. Some recently launched music products are creating an entirely new way to make music – with new instruments in a category all their own and revamped instruments as part of video games.
Spokespersons:
Tom White, Digital Media Standards and Strategic Alliances, CEO and President of MIDI Manufacturers Association
An expert in his field, Tom White is a senior business development and marketing professional with extensive managerial and technical experience in digital media and entertainment technologies, especially multi-company collaboration and consensus building. White has a broad knowledge of audio technologies (PCM, ADPCM, CD, Dolby, DTS, MPEG, MIDI, etc.) and applications (digital and analog recording, video/music production, content delivery, etc.), and he is deeply connected in audio markets (consumer electronics, professional audio, PC audio, computer games, portable audio, cell phones, musical instruments, record labels, music producers and engineers, etc.). White has been a guest speaker at E3, GDC, NAB, Comdex, AES, and NAMM. White is also the chief strategist for MIDI Manufacturers Association comprised of about 120 companies and responsible for the development, maintenance, and promotion of technology used by an estimated 60 million personal computer owners and musicians. MIDI is also incorporated into web, digital broadcast, and telecommunications standards from MPEG, 3GPP, and other standards setting organizations. In the musical instrument industry alone, MIDI products represent over $2 billion of the $7 billion in annual sales of musical instruments in just the USA.
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“The most important technology is called "MIDI" (pronounced "mid -ee"), which is a technology that enables computers to assist with musical performances. For learning to play, there is software that can monitor your performance and give you feedback even when your music teacher is not around. With MIDI, no one has to hear your progress until you are ready, and that means less anxiety and embarrassment for you, which means you won't be inclined to give up so quickly. And for practicing, instead of playing solo you can use MIDI files as your band, making for a much more rewarding experience. You can also use MIDI to create sheet music from your performances (and vice versa), as well as to study arrangements, or even to compose your own music.”
“Musical instruments have existed for thousands of years, but only recently has there been any way to make them easier and more rewarding. As a result, digital music technology is the fastest growing segment of the worldwide music products industry. Practically everyone has a personal computer these says, including grandma and grandpa. I know a grandpa who played saxophone when he was young, and when he retired a few years ago he bought a used sax and got some MIDI files for practicing and now he's got his own band that plays big band jazz every week at the local senior center.”
– Tom White