NAMM 2026: Tis the season - Sand, software and soundSand, software and sound

Time for a few NAMM 2026 musings. Tis the season.

Hammond-Suzuki are teasing a new model. If the video shows the new model, you had better save up your pennies. The new model does not look entry-level. Gotta wonder how import tariffs (tax) will affect USA pricing? [Free the markets!]

No new hardware (yet), but Clavia Nord have released new sounds:

“Supreme Horns by e-instruments is an exclusive collection of premium horn samples featuring four different sections and a wide range of articulations.”
“The Astoria Grand is a mid-sized grand piano, crafted in New York in 1916 during the renowned “Golden Era” of American piano making.”

The Astoria Grand is compatible with Nord Stage 4/3/2 EX/2, Nord Electro 6/5, Nord Piano 6/5/4/3 and Nord Grand 2/1. Supreme Horns are compatible with those models plus Nord Wave 2/1.

Yamaha will be announcing two new keyboards at NAMM 2026. Of course, they will promote the new MODX M series keyboards. One — or maybe two — of the new keyboards will be the long-awaited PSR-E483. The PSR-E483 has a sibling — PSR-E583 — and both share the same digital logic board. The PSR-E583 is just a bit more expensive than the PSR-E483, so who knows? Given the naming, I don’t expect a major break from the current E-series models.

So far, Roland have announced the KIYOLA KF-25 and KF-20 Artisan digital pianos. They are intended to be art for your living space as much as they are musical instruments. The Artisan pianos are the result of a collaboration between Roland and the Japanese furniture manufacturer Karimoku. “The instrument’s carving takes cues from Hikimono, a technique in which wood is carefully prepared to achieve smooth, round shapes.” Aesthetically, the design is a cross between Scandinavian and Japanese influences.

Roland are taking a page from the Yamaha CSP playbook. The featured instruments are available through the minimalist front panel while other tones and features are accessed through Roland’s Piano app. You’ll find the KIYOLAs at the MoMA Design Store starting at $5,720 USD (non-member price).

Korg have not made any announcements at this point. The Korg USA and Japan sites mention the BM-1 Bluetooth MIDI interface, Nu:Tekt NUTUBE Overdrive BK, FISA SUPREMA C aero digital instrument (AKA digital accordion) and the usual gizmos. The BM-1 Bluetooth MIDI interface looks and behaves a lot like the CME Widi Master. I hope someone asks Korg about interoperability.

Speaking of CME, CME will be promoting the new H12MIDI Pro USB HOST MIDI interface. Quoting CME:

Presale starts March 2026 with shipping in April. Only 400 units available in the first run! Priced at US$199 (MAP/MSRP). US$139 during the presale period.

The H12MIDI Pro has six IN/OUT TRS MIDI ports (type A and B) plus USB Type-C. Like all upper-end CME MIDI boxes, it supports routing, filtering and mapping. CME seem to know their business and I recommend their gear over cheap knock-offs.

Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) will show its new ASM Diosynth wind synthesizer. The Diosynth has two Hydrasynth Wavescan Oscillators that allow you to choose 8 waves out of the 219 waveforms and morph between them. A new sample-based synth section adds multi-sampled instruments (separate attack, breath noise and key-off samples). The Diosynth manual mentions the much-rumored ASM Leviasynth (har-har). Given ASM’s recent denials, I wonder if the Leviasynth reference will be [redacted] from the manual?

Fender are pushing further into the studio market with a wide range of audio products. The Fender Studio AudioBox Go USB-C Audio Interface is a single audio channel interface at the low end of the range ($100 USD). The Fender Studio Quantum HD 8 USB-C Audio Interface is a 26-in/30-out rack box at $1,100 USD. Fender are also moving into the studio/MIDI controller market with the Fender Studio Motion 32 Production and Performance Controller at a very reasonable $330 USD. It does most everything one would expect from a modern groove box (Smart Scale, Smart Chords) and is tightly integrated with their Fender Studio Pro DAW software. Too expensive or want something APC-like? Try the smaller Motion 16 at $270 USD. Both Motion controllers are expected in “Spring 2026”.