Musical Merchandise Review • March 2021 • UpFront

Alfred Music’s Ron Manus was a recipient of NAMM’s annual Believe in Music Award. This prestigious award recognizes the dedication of individuals and businesses that demonstrate a commitment to music and music-making. Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM and Dan Del Fiorentino, Music Historian at NAMM presented the 2021 Awards to the incredible class of recipients which Ron was a part of.

“Ron’s contributions to our family, to our industry, and the Oral History program have been priceless and we could not be more proud to have him in our family, and us in his family – it’s enriched all of our lives. It’s been fantastic to work with him,” said Lamond.

Both added, “Ron Manus has dedicated his life to music education. He’s been on the (NAMM) Board, advocated in Washington D.C., and so much more. This is his life, this is our life, and we could not be more proud to work with our dear brother on all of this. Ron is a part of the family and we look forward to many, many great years ahead.”

“NAMM is such a great organization! It’s hard to imagine where we would all be navigating this crazy year without their help and guidance,” said Manus. “I want to thank Joe, Dan, Eric, and the entire NAMM team, who do so much to make this industry a better place.”

Manus goes on to say, “I feel truly lucky to receive an award for doing something that I love in an industry that I love. My grandfather Sam Manus started Alfred Music in 1922, 99 years ago, and I feel so blessed to be able to continue to be a part of the dream he started. I owe so much to my awesome parents Morty and Iris, who turned Alfred into an educational powerhouse, and now with our partnership with MakeMusic, Alfred is once again evolving and writing an exciting new chapter. There is nothing better than helping the world experience the joy of making music.”

Shure Files Petition with FCC to Open Dedicated UHF Channel for Wireless Microphone Use

Shure Incorporated has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reverse its recent decision and ensure that at least one “vacant” 6MHz UHF channel is designated in each market for wireless microphone use. The FCC recently terminated the “Vacant Channels” rulemaking that was opened during the 600MHz incentive auction and declined to authorize a dedicated UHF TV channel for wireless microphone use. Shure disagrees with the FCC conclusions and rationale for terminating the proceeding and has asked the Commission to reverse the decision.

Shure’s petition argues the wireless microphone community needs clear spectrum now more than ever, as the 600MHz band has been reallocated to mobile phone use and the DTV repack has moved many TV stations into the 500MHz spectrum. At the same time, broadcast, performance, and sporting productions continue to demand more channels of wireless microphones than ever before.

The “alternative” frequencies identified by the FCC in 2017 for wireless microphone use at 900MHz, 1.4GHz, and 7GHz fall far short of addressing the needs of wireless microphone users. These bands do not have the same characteristics and operational flexibility as UHF frequencies. Because these bands are occupied by licensed users in other industries, access to these bands for wireless microphone use is conditioned on sharing requests, which can be lengthy and ultimately denied.

The 600MHz duplex gap and VHF frequencies offer interference and other considerations that constrain use. Together, these other spectrum resources are helpful, but are not practical alternatives to UHF, and the certainty of having access to at least one vacant UHF channel is important to meet demand for wireless microphone use. The designated UHF channel would also be important for applications that include intercom, IFB and others.

This is essential for industries that rely on wireless microphones such as sports, broadcasting, performing arts, entertainment, houses of worship, education, and recording artists. These organizations rely on open and clear spectrum for microphones, in-ear communication devices, cue and control devices, and equipment controlling devices. Every professional sports game, concert, live TV production, theater performance, and more relies on open and clear spectrum to maintain production quality. Without it, production integrity can be compromised.

“The amount of available UHF spectrum for wireless microphone use continues to shrink,” said Ahren Hartman, vice president, Corporate Quality, Shure. “With the loss of 700MHz, 600MHz, and the DTV repack into 500MHz, we are at an all-time low for access to UHF spectrum. However, the need for open and clear wireless microphone spectrum is higher than ever before.”

Shure, and its allies, believe the FCC should consider the current spectrum concerns of wireless microphone users and designate for wireless microphone use, a vacant UHF channel in each U.S. market wherever possible.

Dennis Hagerty, founder and president of Keyboard Concepts, has announced that Jeff Bauer, who was named vice president of sales last June, has become part owner. Bauer will now have the title of vice president and will continue to oversee sales management.

Before graduating UCSB in 1996, Bauer worked part-time at Michael’s Music, a local piano store in Santa Barbara, under the tutelage of owner Michael Farley, salespeople, and piano technicians. It didn’t take long for Bauer to realize he had a talent for helping people discover the joy of all things piano.

“Ever since Jeff joined Keyboard Concepts in 1997 he has helped this company grow to being the premier source for top-quality new and used pianos, earning the respect of varied and highly distinguished clientele,” Hagerty said. “He’s invested over 23 years into sales, service, and support excellence, so it’s only fitting he now has part ownership as well.”

With approval from the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Georgia Southern University has established the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music and becomes the newest addition to the Gretsch family, which includes country music icon Chet Atkins, legendary rock drummer Charlie Watts, the Beatles’ George Harrison, the late great Malcolm Young of AC/DC, rockabilly and swing king Brian Setzer, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and many more.

Naming the university’s school of music comes after Fred and Dinah Gretsch pledged substantial funding plus their Gretsch Collection of historic drums, guitars, and company archives to Georgia Southern. While the school of music will now bear the Gretsch name, the company’s influence will be felt across all campuses and in several academic departments, the museums and the library. Georgia Southern will be able to catalog and display Gretsch’s storied instruments – a collection estimated to be valued in the millions – that tell a compelling story of musical history from American jazz to English-born rock to popular modern worship bands in Australia.

Downtown Savannah has already been identified as an exhibit venue for the Gretsch Collection. Georgia Southern is establishing the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music Performance Stage at the Atlantic Building of the new downtown Plant Riverside District. Within that building, exhibit space will highlight Gretsch instruments and storyboards with QR code links to the Gretsch history and legacy. Similar exhibits will be planned at the Georgia Southern Museum in Statesboro, as well as the Fine Arts Hall at the Armstrong Campus, and can be packaged for partner shows around the world.

• The Distinguished Scholar in Guitar/Music Industry, an assistant professor in the music school’s new music industry program who will also work closely with the museum and library to document, curate and promote the Gretsch Collection.

• The Gretsch Collection Curator of Permanent Collections, a position in the Georgia Southern Museum who will provide all aspects of cataloguing, registration, collection management, maintenance and upkeep duties including activities involving the permanent Gretsch Collection, loans and exhibitions, access to collections for scholarly research, and in support of university classes and day-to-day operations.

• A project archivist for the Gretsch Archival Records, a three-year position in University Libraries who would primarily be responsible for the arrangement and description of the Gretsch archival records, to include print, photographic, audiovisual and digitally born materials.

• Two graduate assistantships in the Department of History for students who will help in organizing, cataloguing, researching, and preserving the Gretsch family’s collections, exhibits, documentation, and digitization.

The all-new Rousseau Mouthpieces website is now live. More details at mmr.news/rmw

The Grove Theatre in Dunstable, UK installed CHAUVET Professional Force fixtures. More details at mmr.news/cpf

Furch Guitars has added an antibacterial additive to its guitar neck finish. More details at mmr.news/abfurch

Renkus-Heinz has promoted senior staff to provide additional North American support. More details at mmr.news/rhprom

Gibson has announced a brand partnership with Universal Music Publishing in China.

Thank you so much for acknowledging the passing of so many of our musical heroes and friends [‘One Last Goodbye’ – MMR, January 2021]

As NAMM chairman, one of my most solemn duties is to acknowledge the passing of those of us in the MI industry who passed the previous year. It is important that we acknowledge the past. It is the foundation for the future. So many of our customers grow through the journey of discovering where the music came from. This was such an extraordinarily sad year, in that way too many of our tribe are no longer with us. But we will always remember their contribution to Believing in Music.