A Look At The NAMM TECnology Hall Of Fame Inductees And The 2020 TEC Awards
We’re gearing up for the NAMM Show and the 35th Annual TEC Awards. Here’s a look at the Hall of Fame inductees and what to expect at this year’s event.
The NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame
The NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame celebrates innovations, people, and products that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of audio production. This year, seven new inductees have been announced, joining the 160 previous honorees at the TECnology Hall of Fame. The event is scheduled for Saturday at 4:00 pm at the Anaheim Hilton. The inductees for 2020 are…
Multichannel Film Sound for Fantasia (Walt Disney Productions, 1940) - Fantasia was the first film released with a four-channel soundtrack. TECnology Hall of Fame director George Petersen says, “The collaboration of Walt Disney Productions with Bell Labs and RCA to create the 4-channel ‘Fantasound’ playback process used in 1940 for the production of Fantasia set the course for later breakthroughs in cinema sound.”
UREI Cooper Time Cube (Duane Cooper/Bill Putnam, 1971) - Seeking an alternative to tape delay, Bill Putman of Universal Audio/UREI and Duane Cooper created the first mechanical delay device which routed audio down a garden hose housed in an enclosure with microphones placed at different points, yielding a choice of 14, 16 or 30 milliseconds of delay time.
Roland TR-808 Drum Machine (Roland, 1980) - Roland’s TR-808 programmable drum machine became part of the foundation of hip-hop, rap, and electronica. The once $1,200 TR-808 remains a coveted studio tool, with working units valued around $4,000.
Scholz Research & Development Rockman (Tom Scholz, 1982) - Tom Scholz founded Scholz Research & Development to manufacture his inventions, such as the Rockman, a pocket-sized box that offered compression, distortion, chorus, and delay for guitar. A do-it-all pedalboard in a little box.
Neutrik Combo XLR-1/4″ connector (Neutrik, 1992) - This was the first hybrid panel-mount connector combining a 3- pole XLR receptacle and mono or stereo ¼" phone jack in one XLR housing, saving space and manufacturing costs.
2002 Crane Song Phoenix Plug-in (Dave Hill, 2002) - Phoenix is a TDM plug-in suite for Pro Tools HD that was designed to inject some analog colour into digital mixes by modeling analog tape compression and saturation. Phoenix II, the updated version, runs both native and DSP on Avid’s AAX platform.
QSC K-Series Speakers (QSC, 2010) - With three DSP-driven, two-way systems with 8, 10 or 12-inch woofers, and great sound for relatively low cost, it’s no wonder the line was a bestseller, as is the new generation, the K2.
The 35th Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC) Awards
What do think of these entrants in the NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame? Long overdue or not up to the mark?
The 35th Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC) Awards
The TEC Awards follow later that same night at 7:00 pm. This year, the awards will be hosted by comedian, actor, and musician Fred Armisen who is best known for his run on Saturday Night Live.
Joni Mitchell will be awarded the Les Paul Innovation Award for her work as a producer, songwriter, and singer.
Dave Pensado and Herb Trawick, the duo behind the weekly web series, Pensado’s Place, which features audio experts who have worked with artists such as Coldplay, Tool, Bruno Mars, and Post Malone, will receive the 2020 TEC Hall of Fame award.
There are 8 categories in Outstanding Creative Achievement.…
Film Sound Production
Interactive Entertainment Sound Production
Record Production / Album
Record Production / Single Or Track
Remote Production / Recording Or Broadcast
Studio Design Project
Television Sound Production
Tour / Event Sound Production
Check out the Creative Nominees.
There are 23 categories in Outstanding Technical Achievement
Amplification Hardware/Studio & Sound Reinforcement
Audio Apps & Hardware/Peripherals For Smartphones & Tablets
Audio Education Technology
Computer Audio Hardware
Dj Production Technology (Hardware/Software)
Headphone / Earpiece Technology
Large Format Console Technology
Microphone Preamplifiers
Microphones - Recording
Microphones - Sound Reinforcement
Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects
Musical Instrument Hardware
Musical Instrument Software
Production Essentials
Signal Processing Hardware
Signal Processing Hardware (500 Series Modules)
Signal Processing Software (Dynamics/EQ/Utilities)
Signal Processing Software (Effects)
Small Format Console Technology
Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers
Studio Monitors
Wireless Technology
Workstation Technology/Recording Devices
Check out the Technical Achievement Nominees.
Watch out for our daily reports from the NAMM Show floor and we will keep you up to date with all the news from NAMM 2020