Musikmesse (11 to 14 April 2018) and Prolight + Sound (10 to 13 April 2018) will bring together companies with retailers, professionals from the musical-instrument, event and media-technologies sectors, as well as musicians from all over the world. In 2017, the two events attracted a total of around 100,000 visitors from 144 countries to the Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre. For companies of all sizes there was a wide spectrum of options to showcase products, ranging from all-inclusive booth packages at an entry-level price and open air live-demonstrations to the integration of brands and endorsers in the event programme of the two shows.

This important international trade-fair duo will move even closer together in 2018. New features include the concentration of the audio, DJ and recording product segments in Hall 4.1 and other improvements in the layout of the fairs. With measures to reduce noise levels and the focus on trade visitors on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning, Musikmesse will raise its profile as the platform and source of inspiration for professionals from the musical-instrument and educational segments, and for musicians. For all music fans, there will be a reduced-price private-visitor ticket on the Friday afternoon and Saturday. Recently launched, successful formats, such as the Drum Camp, Guitar Camp, the Musikmesse Festival and the Silent Stage area, will be continued in 2018.

Trade-fair duo to concentrate their strengths with the audio, DJ and recording segment in Hall 4.1
The audio, DJ and recording product segment will have a new and centrally located presentation platform. Previously, exhibitors from this segment were to be found in both sections of the Exhibition Centre – with the new concept for Hall 4.1, exhibitors will be able to reach visitors to both Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound with a single exhibition stand. Hall 4.1 is in the heart of the Exhibition Centre and will be open throughout Musikmesse.

The focus of the hall is on products that are not only for professional users in the field of event and media technology but also of interest to musicians, music producers and musical-instrument retailers, e.g., microphones, effects and signal processors, cables, mixing desks, control units, monitoring tools, production tools, DJ equipment and recording hardware and software. As in the past, visitors will find products for (live) PA systems and permanent installations in Hall 3.1.

Also part of Hall 4.1 is the ‘Silent Stage’ area, which was launched in 2017 and presents an innovative stage concept for clean sound and effective monitoring, as well as the Sound & Recording Lounge, which offers lectures on mixing, miking and production.

Optimised hall layout, community-specific programme and benefits programmes for retailers
Unlike any other event in Europe, Musikmesse presents the complete spectrum of musical instruments and genres. In addition to a comprehensive product overview, it offers targeted content for different musical communities.

The highlights of the Drums, Percussion, Guitars + Amps segment are the Drum Camp and the Guitar Camp where top international drummers and guitarists give exclusive performances, as well as workshops and masterclasses. Exhibitors have the opportunity to make presentations on attractive complete exhibition stands in the immediate vicinity of the camps. With the move to Hall 9.0, electric guitars are only a stone’s throw away from acoustic guitars in Hall 8.0.

The Keys + Piano segment moves to Hall 11.0, close to the Portalhaus entrance. The ‘Piano Salon Europe’, which returns this year, provides Europe’s piano makers with a platform for showing high-grade upright and grand pianos. Part of the hall is a presentation and lecture stage where, inter alia, the ‘Piano Player of the Year’ award will be presented.

Acoustic instruments remain in Hall 8.0 and, together with string and plucked instruments, percussion and harmonica instruments, cover a broad spectrum. On the ‘Acoustic Stage’ in the adjoining Galleria, visitors will be able to see outstanding artists from the acoustic-music scene – from classical and jazz to pop. Woodwind and brass instruments are to be found in an acoustically separate part of Hall 8.0. Musikmesse is also planning to continue the successful cooperation with the ‘Woodstock of Wind Music’, which began in 2017 and, with rousing bands and groups of modern wind music on the outdoor area, proved to be a great source of inspiration for visitors.

For the specialist musical-instrument trade, Musikmesse offers free admission and exclusive services within the framework of the ‘Musikmesse Insider’ and ‘Musikmesse Premium’ benefits programmes. The Business Area in Hall 11.1 offers room for business discussions and a dedicated further-development programme for the musical-instrument sector in the form of the ‘Business Academy inspired by SOMM’. Additionally, the Musikmesse matchmaking programme brings together suitable companies and retailers.

Under the heading Music Education, Musikmesse groups together products and services for music making that are relevant to teaching and society. Thus, at the ‘Discover Music’ area, the youngest visitors have the chance to try out musical instruments for themselves while the ‘Music Education Lounge’ provides presentation space for organisations from the world of teaching, culture and music business. Additionally, exhibitors can take part in the programme of the ‘Musikbiz & Culture Forum’, which spotlights subjects such as professional development in the music sector and the social significance of music making.

Musikmesse is also the setting for the finale of ‘SchoolJam’, Germany’s biggest competition for school bands, and the presentation of the European School Music Award, which honours the achievements of music teachers at general schools.

For the third time running, Musikmesse will be accompanied by the Musikmesse Festival in 2018. In the evenings, visitors can look forward to concerts by a broad spectrum of extraordinary acts at the Exhibition Centre and venues throughout Frankfurt.

Prolight + Sound: the meeting place for all professionals
In the eastern section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre, companies present trailblazing technologies for entertainment, integrated systems and creation. There, visitors from all event and media technology disciplines can not only discover a host of new products but also gain inspiration and expertise in subjects of relevance to them from the complementary programme of events.

Professionals from the field of light and sound technology can see new products in action at the PRG/LEA Stage in the ‘Festhalle’ and at the outdoor Live Sound Arena. The lectures of the Prolight + Sound Conference provide answers to questions on miking, PA systems, lighting design, etc.

The growth fields of Prolight + Sound include media technology & systems integration. Technological trends, such as digital audio networks, AV over IP and immersive technologies, are to be found in the exhibition halls and will be discussed by experts in the seminar programme. For the 15th time, Prolight + Sound will be the venue for the presentation of the ‘Sinus – Systems Integration Award’. An attractive area for interested users from the Broadcasting segment is the Moving Picture Pavilion in Hall 4.0 with products for live video production and streaming, as well as ready-to-play production chains from the camera to live distribution.

Products and seminars on the stage & theatre are summarised in a special brochure to help planners, technicians and other professionals from the theatre segment orientate themselves at the fair. In keeping with tradition at Prolight + Sound, the Opus – German Stage Award – will be presented in honour of outstanding achievements in the field of stage and scenery design, as well as the use of technology on the stage.

As last year, Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound will be held concurrently on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and all tickets are valid for both fairs on these days.

www.musikmesse.com
www.prolight-sound.com