Winter NAMM 2026 has come and gone, and on some level it was very like the recent ones, and on another it was very different. I always look at the show as a barometer of the health of the industry, as we can see on a macro level the latest trends and controversies. While I was only there for one day, it was enough for me to get a general feel for what’s going on with the help of many friends who also reported their observations. Here we go.
New-Old Products
There are plenty of sites that will show you specific new products released at Winter NAMM 2026, but I can tell you that there was no one single product that was the buzz of the show, at least on the recording side of things. Every manufacturer or developer had something new to show and sell, but that’s how they stay in business.
That said, it was mostly a newly updated products with an additional parameter, color, skin, or user interface.
New versions abound, with nothing groundbreaking. Many software developers are attempting to incorporate some sort of AI, but for the most part it’s now just a machine-learning feature to make it easier for newbies to use (more on this in a minute).
Drum machines, ADATS, MIDI, DAWs, virtual instruments, virtual amplifiers, plugins, and DJ gear were all big trends until they weren’t. I go to NAMM every year hoping to be blown away with something new, but that hasn’t happened in a long time.
Here’s an overview of the new products at NAMM from Sweetwater.
AI
Speaking of AI, there’s massive fear and loathing about the technology in the industry, which was on display in the various daily panels. Musicians are truly fearful of being superseded by a software robot that can write, produce, and generate music faster, and in some cases, better than they can.
While the AI built into recording plugins can be a tool that help you do your job faster and easier, the music generators like Suno and Udio are the drum machines of the 21st century.
As you may recall, when drum machines were first introduced, drummers railed that they would be replaced, and for a while that happened. You’ll notice that today there is no shortage of human drummers, and most all of them know how to use a drum machine when needed.
AI is a rabbit hole that we can easily go down (and I will in a future post), but it’s safe to say that we’re in a transition period between human and non-human music generation. Neither will be going away soon.
Smaller Show
The show is generally smaller than it used to be. For instance, the downstairs Hall E where all the new “mad-inventor” companies used to be, was closed. The convention dome area was just RCF, with no companies in between Hall A and the Dome like before.
I realized after looking at the floor plan that this is because of the roll-up of companies that’s been happening the last few years. For instance, where Line 6, Ampeg, and Guild used to each have their own large booths, now they were together in a small room upstairs next to Yamaha (which now owns all three), who also has a much smaller presence than years prior.
Slate Digital was folded into SSL, Moog had just a sorry little stand in the back of an upstairs room, and multiple companies shared booths where they used to exhibit on their own. In some cases, if you blinked, you missed them.
Some of this reflects on the costs of going to an exhibition these days, and some reflect on the amount of industry consolidation that’s going on. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as you’ll read soon, just different from before.
Tariffs Effect On Prices
One major topic of controversy is how much tariffs are hurting the industry. With the current 30% tariffs on many foreign parts and products, a $1,000 product can now sell for $1,300. Most companies have no recourse but to raise prices. So tell me, who’s paying those tariffs again?
Enthusiasm Level
When I first drove into Anaheim at 10:30AM on Thursday I was greeted with unusually light traffic and parking was a snap to find. My first thought was, “Uh oh, this is not good for the show attendance.”
That was not the case though. The crowd was just about right for a Thursday, but even better was the overall enthusiasm and positiveness. There was no doom and gloom in the air, and everyone was feeling good about where they were business-wise.
As a matter of fact, except for tariffs vexing some manufacturers, I didn’t hear one complaint from the exhibition floor from manufacturers or attendees.
Maybe people were happy to get away from the blizzard occurring back East, or just wanting to get around some comrades they don’t see often, but the spirit was encouraging.
I love going to a gathering where smiles abound and people are cheerful. That was Winter NAMM 2026. Let’s hope that it carries on through the rest of the year.
