30 years ago at the 1983 Winter National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show, a Roland JX-3P talked to a Sequential Circuits Prophet 600 and Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) went mainstream. The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) will kick off a yearlong “MIDI Makes Music” 30th Anniversary celebration at this year’s NAMM Show, with an exhibit showcasing the past, present and future of MIDI technology and an extensive traditional and social media presence showing how famous artists and musicians everywhere use MIDI to create and produce music.
The “MIDI Makes Music” campaign, sponsored by a coalition of leading industry companies and organizations 
including, Roland, Yamaha, Gibson, Fishman, Korg, Dream, Mediamation, NAMM, Keyboard Magazine, Electronic Musician Magazine and Robertson Communications is designed to educate consumers about the benefits of MIDI technology. Resources, videos, company links and more can be found at www.midi.org/midi30.
“The story of MIDI is very important to tell because it’s not just a proven technology, but one that has widespread industry support and will remain valuable long into the future,” said Tom White, president, MMA. “We are grateful to all of our sponsors and MMA Members to help us celebrate this significant milestone.“
The MMA will also present a H.O.T Zone session on Sat. Jan. 26th from 11:30 to 1:30 in Room 204B titled “MIDI Creators and Innovators Panel” which will be an entertaining discussion of the past, present and future of MIDI technology. For more information on the MMA’s 2013 NAMM Show activities, please visit www.midi.org/namm.