The MIDI Association Recognizes NAMM Members with MIDI Innovation Awards

The awards program provides a “platform for MIDI innovation and rewards products, prototypes, installations or concepts that are thought-provoking and inspire new, creative use cases.” In May, world-renowned performer and presenter LJ Rich of the BBC’s flagship technology show, Click, hosted the Awards, joined by a panel of international judges and finalists to explore the latest in MIDI Innovation.

Winners from five distinct categories were recognized for their contributions to their respective fields: Artistic/Visual Project or Installation; Commercial Hardware; Commercial Software; Hardware Prototypes/Non-Commercial Products; and Software Prototypes/Non-Commercial Products. This year’s panel of judges included Craig Anderton, Michele Darling, John Kao, Helen Leigh, Moldover, Kate Stone, and Yuri Suzuki.

NAMM Members were well represented throughout The 2022 MIDI Innovation Awards, with winners including AmeNote (2nd place, Hardware Prototypes/Non-Commercial Products), CME (2nd place, Commercial Hardware), DAWn Audio (3rd place, Software Prototypes/Non-Commercial Products), and Moog Music (3rd place, Commercial Software).

In response to the recognition, CME’s Marketing Manager Thomas Gerbrands said, “It is truly an honor because the MIDI community selects the finalists. In addition, the recognition from MIDI enthusiasts and members of the MIDI Association makes this award even more special.”

Many of these innovative products will be presented at The 2023 NAMM Show April 13 - 15, in the MIDI Showcase collection, and across the campus, helping continue to celebrate the ingenuity and achievements of members of NAMM and the MIDI Association, organizations that share a vision to create a more musical world.

Earlier this year, The NAMM Foundation and the MIDI Association announced the MIDI Fund. The fund, administered by The NAMM Foundation, will serve to support projects and programs that advance engagement in music-making and the varied and unique opportunities to make, create, and explore music made possible by MIDI. The first major project for the MIDI Fund focuses on the development of a MIDI curriculum and certification program to raise awareness about MIDI in education at secondary and post-secondary schools, and for manufacturer and reseller staff members. To learn more about the MIDI Fund, please visit https://www.nammfoundation.org/donate.

The MIDI Association is a global non-profit 501(c)6 trade organization that connects companies that develop MIDI products and new MIDI specifications with people that create music and art with MIDI. The MIDI Association offers two paths to membership, corporate and individual memberships. The corporate membership is open to any commercial entity that “designs, develops, or produces products that use MIDI technology.” Individual membership is free to “musicians, artists, educators, retail salespeople, DIY/Arduino enthusiasts, DJs, game developers, and sound designers.” Today, the association boasts that over 40,000 individuals create music and art with MIDI and are part of The MIDID Association ecosystem. For more information on the MIDI Association, please visit https://www.midi.org/.

Music Hackspace is a community of engineers, artists, and companies with a “passion to build innovative music experiences.” The organization hosts online workshops and meetups from world-leading experts on music, video instrument design, and more. Founded in 2011 by Jean-Baptists Thiebait, Music Hackspace’s mission is to “foster a community of innovating artists, entrepreneurs, and hobbyists eager to build new technologies for music production and interaction.” For more information, please visit https://musichackspace.org/.