South by Southwest (SXSW) presents the SXSW Music Gear Expo, now in its fourth year. This growing event will include manufacturers from top companies showcasing their guitars, drums, amps, pedals, keyboards, software, and countless other accessories needed by amateurs and professionals alike. New this year is the App Annex which is a special section of the Expo for hands-on access to music creation apps and virtual instruments. Some of the participants in the App Annex include Airturn, Reactable Systems, Propellerhead, Yonac Inc. and Musicsoft Arts. With over 2,000 bands playing at SXSW, some of the finest musicians in the world will have the opportunity to try out the newest cutting-edge gear.
The Music Gear Expo Store, presented by Austin music retailer Strait Music, will be selling instruments manufactured by Expo exhibitors as well as useful accessories like drum heads, cables, and strings on site. Strait Music will also have trained technicians on hand for any emergency guitar repairs. The official Music Gear Expo Lounge is a comfortable meeting and networking space complete with wifi and complimentary daily Happy Hours.
The Music Gear Expo will run for three days, Thursday, March 14 - Saturday, March 16, 2013 in the Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 5 next door to the Flatstock Poster Show. It is the perfect opportunity to try out a full spectrum of equipment. The show is open to SXSW registrants from all three conferences (Music, Film and Interactive) including producers, sound engineers, media, and SXSW showcasing bands, plus the public will also be invited to attend this free event. For more information, visit http://www.sxsw.com/trade-shows/music-gear-expo.
Participating manufacturers so far include:
Airturn - Wireless pedal controller to turn your iPad into a virtual amp and multi-effects processor for your electric guitar and bass, plus a system to navigate between songs in a set list, transpose chord charts, play audio, and change volume.
Apogee Electronics - Award-winning manufacturer of digital audio recording equipment.
Bohemian Guitars - Fully functional, concert quality electric guitars and ukuleles made out of used, vintage, and new oil cans and lunchboxes.
Bullet Cable - Expert sound disguised as cool stuff: The line that runs between your gear.
Casio America Inc - Committed to providing musical instruments with features which help foster music education, music-making and professional performances.
Chauvet Lighting - LEDs, LASERs, wireless fixtures, pixel mapping platforms and video walls, as well as architectural illumination.
Course Technology PTR - Publishes how-to books for creative professionals and hobbyists.
DiabloFX - Sound Control 6 system is the first wireless all-in-one effects pedal management system which enables guitar players to turn on and off multiple analog or digital effects in one stomp.
Dubspot - The premier music school for musicians and DJs in New York City and online.
Eventide - Renowned effects pedals, processors and plug-ins.
Faudio - From Japan: The world's first battery-powered DJ device that has all the functions required for DJs.
Fingerprint Audio/Rupert Neve Designs - Hand-made, quality microphones and accessories. Also represents Rupert Neve Designs, one of the world's most experienced and knowledgeable audio design teams.
Intellitouch Tuners - Designs and manufactures electronic musical accessories including the World’s First Clip-On Tuner and the new Freedom OneTM wireless pedal tuner.
Jasperbridge - Percussive string instrument that allows performers to utilize techniques that cannot be done on any other instrument.
JHAudio - Premium custom in-ear monitors.
KMC Music - Proudly featuring Ovation, Takamine and Charvel Guitars and Gretsch Drums.
Melody Lane - Offering graphically beautiful, and intact, pieces of sheet music ranging from the late 1800's to 1970's.
Musicsoft Arts - New York City based mobile music company focused on creating hi-fi music apps and services: DJ Mixer Pro, VIBE Music, Carl Cox Mixer, Bander, and more.
Olympus Imaging America, Inc. - Designing award-winning products including digital and microcassette recorders. The LS series recorders are perfect for those who want studio-quality sound in a palm-sized device.
P3 Amplifiers - Custom made guitar amplifiers and speaker enclosures using the finest components available.
Propellerhead - Renowned, innovative music software technology.
Reactable Systems SL - Known for the electronic music instrument Reactable, a referent for next generation music production.
Santa Cruz Guitars - Sophisticated, handmade acoustic guitars.
Seymour Duncan/Basslines Pickups - World leader in guitar and bass pickup technology for 37 years.
SMS Audio LLC - Premier audio headphone and accessories brand founded by Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent.
Strait Music - Austin's one-stop music shop and Austin's only full-line music store. Strait Music will run the Gear Expo Store.
Sweetwater Productions - World class audio production for advertising jingles & musical logos, radio & TV productions, songwriter demos and artist albums, band demos, digital mastering and more.
Taylor Guitars - One of the leading manufacturers of acoustic, acoustic/electric and electric guitars.
Telefunken Elektroakustik - Historic re-creations of classic microphones plus new proprietary designs based around the distinctive vacuum tube mic sound, as well as a range of dynamic microphones for stage and studio.
Tonerite Inc. - World's most advanced and premier play-in device. Significantly accelerating the play-in process and providing increased tone, playability and balance.
UE Ultimate Ears - Earphones for music lovers of all types.
X8 Drums - Headquartered in Austin, TX and serving drummers around the world, X8 Drums provides its customers the ultimate interactive shopping experience for all things drum and percussion.
Yonac Inc. - Pioneering mobile music since creating the first iOS synthesizer in 2008. Continues with innovation in the acclaimed professional synthesizer Magellan, gesture-driven AirVox, and several apps dedicated to music creation.
SXSW Music takes place Tuesday, March 12 - Sunday, March 17, 2013 in Austin, Texas. For more information on every aspect of SXSW and to register to attend, visit http://www.sxsw.com.
