Believe in Music Week FAQs
Learn more about details for Believe in Music Week, and follow along with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and through the official hashtag, #BelieveinMusic

General Information
- What is Believe in Music Week?
Believe in Music Week is a new digital event—the global gathering to unite and support the people who bring music to the world—brought to you by the producers of The NAMM Show.
The worldwide social network will feature a mix of comprehensive programming and professional education at believeinmusic.tv, as well as an interactive marketplace to connect buyers and sellers—all designed to elevate the innovation and inspiration found across the industry, while offering support for those most deeply affected by COVID.
“While it remains unsafe for us to gather in person in January, Believe in Music week will use new, intuitive technology to connect us all to harness the incredible energy that happens when we come together. With a robust marketplace to launch new products and share your brand story, Believe in Music will also feature networking and matchmaking for our buyers and our sellers, education for all segments of the industry, and live music and concerts.”
Joe Lamond, NAMM President and CEO
- What dates does Believe in Music Week take place?
The digital experience will take place during NAMM Show dates, starting Monday January 18, 2021 and showcasing content through Friday, January 22.
Schedule at a Glance
November 11: Registration opens
December 1: Exhibitor Center opens
December 11: Gear TV commercials and video frames due
January 8: Gear TV session video links due
January 11: Brand Experience Pages and meetings open
January 18: NAMM Foundation sessions begin
January 18–20: Industry preview meetings
January 20: Product Preview
January 20: Global Livestream
January 21–22: Believe in Music TV and Training Tracks
February 28: Marketplace and Believe in Music TV content closes - How does it work?
Believe in Music Week is facilitated by interactive, matchmaking technology through the award-winning software platform Swapcard. The digital environment can be accessed via a mobile app, available in app stores in December 2020, and or any desktop device by visiting believeinmusic.tv.
Powered by AI and matchmaking software, the data-driven marketplace will connect buyers, sellers, media and attendees, helping all industry members learn about the latest products. Attendees will have the opportunity to view who else is in the environment and connect directly to expand their professional networks.
Qualified buyers and media will be able to book meetings with brands, and all can explore product discovery across the Marketplace.
Believe in Music TV will showcase some of the best education and content from The NAMM Show. Through a series of channels, new programming targeted at professional communities will provide industry members professional development, as well as networking and business-focused opportunities. The entertainment component, with live music, concerts and events, will attract a B2C audience.
A series of education tracks will help attendee navigate the “now” and prepare for the “next.”
While not The NAMM Show or a virtual tradeshow, the initiative will meet the immediate business needs of NAMM member companies through thought-leader-led education for all segments of the industry, networking and AI matchmaking, and business-to-business-focused opportunities to reaffirm and grow business connections, launch new products, share brand initiatives and engage with customers in real-time.
- Will there be an in-person NAMM Show in January?
Due to the realities of the on-going COVID-19 health pandemic, it is not possible to safely gather our global community in-person this January, and for the first time in nearly 80 years, The NAMM Show has been canceled. We look forward to seeing you all again in-person very soon, and in the meantime, we ask that we unite to Believe in Music.
- What are the dates for future NAMM events?
We can’t wait to see you in-person again soon! Our next event is Summer NAMM in Music City, Nashville, TN. We hope to see you there.
2021 Summer NAMM: July 15-17, 2021
The 2022 NAMM Show: January 20-23, 2022 - What is NAMM doing to support our members at this time?
As your association, we are committed to providing real-time updates on key legislation and business concepts through this constantly evolving period. Through our federal and state advocacy work and collaboration with global organizations and initiatives, NAMM is working to ensure music education and free trade remain strong drivers of demand and business growth. We have also compiled a number of economic resources to help our members navigate the crisis, and outlined our policy efforts with an emphasis on how you can get involved with your legislators. Be sure to continue checking namm.org for the latest, trusted resources.
- Can I donate? Where does my donation go?
NAMM’s Believe in Music Week includes an unprecedented donation program to support organizations that advance music learning for people of all ages and abilities and support people who bring music to the world.
Just visit ‘Donate’ in the main navigation menu of the Believe in Music Week platform.
Donations can be made and earmarked to specific organizations directly at Believe in Music; cumulative donations up to $10,000 will be matched dollar for dollar by the NAMM Foundation with the generous gifts from NAMM leadership and Members.
Donation program partners include:
- Music for All
- The MidWest Clinic
- HBCU Band Director’s Consortium
- Country Music Association Foundation
- D’Addario Foundation
- Gibson Gives
- Show Makers
- Chorus America
- National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
- College Music Society (CMS)
- NAMM Foundation Believe in Music Fund supporting NAMM Foundation Grantees and programs
- College Band Director’s National Association
“The Believe in Music event seeks to engage and unify the global music community and launch this new year with a shared commitment in the vital role music plays in our lives and in our societies,” said Joe Lamond, President and CEO of NAMM. “Participation in Believe in Music is FREE, and we encourage anyone that so desires to join us with a donation supporting organizations that will lead music making forward this year and with our help, many more years to come.”
And thank you to the generous gifts of NAMM members including Chris F. Martin, Andy Zildjian, Chris Lombardi and Chuck Surack.
Attending
- Why should I attend?
Attendees will be able to review products and brand stories from hundreds of manufacturers, sharpen your skills with education across tracks, and have a great experience featuring live music, panel discussions and more, all from the convenience of your favorite device.
The event will have programming to speak to a wide audience of professionals across music, sound, live event production and house of worship, helping connect the community that unites at The NAMM Show each year.
A variety of partners, music educators, policy, nonprofit and association leaders and those that believe in the power of music will integrate their content leading up to the celebration, engaging their audiences, creating a global online event.
Music makers, enthusiasts and consumers will also have the opportunity to participate in the event, experiencing performances throughout the week.
- Who should attend?
All those that believe in music are welcome to attend.
Examples include:
- International audience of distributors and retail buyers
- Media groups, social media and influencers
- Pro audio, live sound, touring and live event professionals
- House of worship representatives
- Venue and theme park buyers and influencers
- Artists, musicians and managers
- Music educators, students and administrators
- International leaders of mission-driven music and human-service organizations
- Music-makers, enthusiasts and end-users
The weeklong celebration will welcome domestic and international NAMM members from the music instrument, pro audio, live sound and live event industries, artists, media and policymakers, along with participants from GenNext (college music students and faculty), Music Education Days (school music administrators and buyers) and Nonprofit Institute (NAMM Foundation grantees and nonprofit affiliates). Emerging and established musicians and fans are invited to connect with brands and in special music-making projects and opportunities to showcase their talents and performances throughout the week, opening the potential to gather music makers in a capacity not restricted by location.
- When will I have access to the Believe in Music virtual event platform?
You will receive an email from Swapcard with links to access the site starting January 11. If you have not attended an event on Swapcard before, you will need to create a password for the account.
- Where can I see who else is attending Believe in Music Week?
In Swapcard, click on 'Meet Attendees', and you will see information on who is attending and when you can connect with that person.
Registration
- When will registration open?
Registration for the digital experience will open in October 21, 2020. Registration will be available through January 22, 2021. Visit believeinmusic.tv for more details.
- What is the cost of registration?
There is no charge to attend Believe in Music Week, all are welcome. Registration will open on October 21, 2020.
- Do I need a badge?
Registration details will be emailed to access the online platform at believeinmusic.tv, so no badge required!
- Do NAMM members get special access?
NAMM members will have special access to the educational content and networking events during Believe in Music Week.
- How do I become a NAMM member?
We would love for you to join the global NAMM family. Learn about benefits and get started on your membership today.
Learn more about the benefits of NAMM membership and begin your application.
- Are there opportunities for the media?
We have a variety of opportunities for the media to review the latest products across categories and connect with representatives from leading brands. Contact Samantha Prince, Media Manager at NAMM, via samanthap@namm.org.
- What are your data sharing and other policies?
Learn more about how NAMM safeguards your information and other policies.
- How will virtual badges work?
You will receive an email from Swapcard with links to access the site starting January 11. If you have not attended an event on Swapcard before, you will need to create a password for the account. Note: You must be registered for the event first. Please go to attend.believeinmusic.tv to sign up.
Education and Content
- Where can I access content?
Just visit believeinmusic.tv, January 18–22, 2021, via your mobile app, desktop or device.
- What content will be available?
Believe in Music Week will feature some of the best content from The NAMM Show. Join us for opening sessions featuring marketing, industry and music visionaries; the TEC Awards, celebrating the best in pro audio and sound production; Top 100 Dealer Awards, honoring excellence in music retail; The Grand Rally for Music Education, uniting music advocates worldwide, education across seven business tracks; and live concerts and events to excite and inspire. It will also showcase new content targeted at a variety of business communities, and to attract music makers and enthusiasts from across the globe.
The 36th TEC Awards will recognize the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and multimedia. In 2020, Joni Mitchell was presented with the Les Paul Innovation Award, an honor that recognizes musical artists whose work has exemplified the creative application of audio technology. The Hall of Fame Award, recognizing audio pioneers, as well as the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians, was presented to the creative powerhouse behind Pensado’s Place, Dave Pensado and Herb Trawick.
The Top 100 Dealer Awards will also be celebrated during the week. Now in its 10th year, the annual awards honor music retailers who have demonstrated a commitment to best practices, creativity and innovation in retail. The submissions process is now open for NAMM retail members and will close on October 2, 2020. Learn more and submit now.
Along with the award shows, music advocates will come together for The Grand Rally for Music Education. The annual event convenes music education advocates for a celebration of the benefits and pleasures of making music. In 2020, the Grand Rally welcomed 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin and Gimme5 for a special performance, along with a preshow performance by The Langley Ukulele Ensemble, The Legacy Ukulele Ensemble and winners of the “A Cappella at NAMM” contest.
Additional details of these events, receptions and other activities will be provided in the weeks to come.
- Will content be available after it takes place?
Yes, the majority of sessions will be available on-demand through February 28. However, many live sessions will only happen during Believe in Music Week. Sign up for our email newsletter to receive the latest updates.
Getting Involved
- What is the cost to participate?
We have many ways for brands to get involved, including creating brand experiences on our robust, online marketplace, utilizing the latest in AI and matchmaking software to connect buyers and sellers, showcasing products by category, and content integration into must-see programs on believeinmusic.tv, as well as sponsorships, activations and other brand-building opportunities.
- Can brands sell products directly to industry buyers and end-users?
The Believe in Music Week platform is not intended to be an e-commerce platform, but brand experience pages do link directly to brand websites to facilitate sales discussions beyond the digital event.
- How can I get involved?
Learn more about how to get involved at Believe in Music Week or email us at for any questions.
Exhibitor Center in Swapcard
- How do I build my brand experience page?
The first step is to register through the unique link sent directly to the email of the contacts provided on your brand experience page application. All emails provided will receive a welcome email with a unique registration link and instructions on how to register. If you need to have a registration link re-sent, please contact tradeshowops@namm.org.
Once you have registered, you will be sent a ‘magic link’ directly from Swapcard, which will provide access to the Exhibitor Center, where you can build your brand experience page and add more team contacts.
We have prepared a variety of tutorials and resources to help you utilize the Exhibitor Center and maximize your brand page experience, visit this page to learn more.
- How do I register more of my team?
Once you have accessed the Exhibitor Center, you can add more team contacts to manage your brand experience page and manage your activities.
You can also utilize our members-only invitation system to invite your staff and customers to register for the online event.
Or just send a message to tradeshowops@namm.org with a request to add an additional contact. Please include full name, company and email.
- How do I access the Exhibitor Center?
On the left-hand column of the event homepage, you can edit your profile and your brand experience page(s). You can also access the Exhibitor Center from the drop-down in the upper right corner. Learn more here.
- How do I use the Exhibitor Center?
We have prepared a variety of tutorials and resources to help you utilize the Exhibitor Center and maximize your experience, learn more here.
The following subjects are covered:
· Accessing the Exhibitor Center
· Header and Logo
· Information
· Social Media
· Contact Details
· Adding Products
· Adding Additional Brands
· Adding Giveaways
· Adding Documents
· Your Team
· Advertisement
· Background Image
· Meetings
· Team's Contacts
You can also review webinar: Using and Optimizing the Exhibitor Center, debuting on December 2 at 11:30 am PT and available on-demand afterwards, with tips, ideas and strategies to maximize your experience.
And we are here to help guide you through the process at tradeshowops@namm.org.
- How can I obtain the ‘magic link’ to access the Exhibitor Center?
The magic link was sent via directly to your primary tradeshow contact, please contact tradeshowops@namm.org to have the link re-sent.
- Can I upgrade features on my brand experience page?
Yes! We have several al-a-carte options to maximize your brand presence, including adding more products, sessions, or a custom billboard ad or background. Learn more here or contact your Tradeshow Representative at tradeshow@namm.org.
- Where can I go for more information and questions?
We are here to help!
Exhibitor Resources – visit our all-encompassing page to review demos, resources, information and more to maximize your Believe in Music Week experience.
Please contact us with any questions at tradeshowops@namm.org.
Meetings
Sub-topics: Whereby, Session
- Can you record video meetings like in Zoom?
Recording capability is not available for 1:1 video calls on Swapcard.
- How does an exhibitor watch a product demo with a buyer/attendee in Swapcard?
While on a video call, the video call window will persist as you move throughout the platform. To show a product demo on a video call, simply navigate to the product demo page and share your screen.
- How does a presentation room differ from 1:1 video calls?
Presentation rooms are for group meetings and allow for 12 people on video, 50 person max for the room. The benefit to using this service over Zoom and other tools is that it’s web based with no additional downloads, sign ups or log ins. 1:1 video calls, for 2 people only, start via the chat in Swapcard and stay on the platform.
- Can the Calendly meeting schedule check Outlook for conflicts?
Swapcard cannot check this automatically. On your My Event page, you can easily export your current schedule from Swapcard directly to your Outlook, where you can see any conflicts.
Brand Experience Page
Sub-topics: Additionals Brands, Search and Filters, Sales Info Clarification, Parent/Child
- Is there a limit to the number of additional brands that can be added?
15 additional brands can be added to your Brand Experience Page. STADIUM, VENUE, THEATER ONLY
- Are there character counts for any of the required copy?
About us: No limit
Product description: 200 character limit. (NAMM can update to higher limit if absolutely needed)
Session description: 50 words or less to fit in view
Number of photos for products: No limit (400x400 size) - Can exhibitors control the order of the products listed on the page?
Yes, we have implemented a new feature to re-order products on your page. Visit the Exhibitor Center on Swapcard to try out this new product re-ordering feature.
- Can exhibitors upload/rotate multiple billboard ad rather than manually changing them out?
No. They will need to remove their current billboard and replace it with new one via the Exhibitor Center.
- Is it possible to add QR codes onto the customized background image, Venue and Stadium?
Yes. The background image would need to meet the required specifications and the QR code image should be clearly visible.
- Is there a time limit for brand experience page header videos?
Videos at the top of the brand experience page can be any length.
- Can brand experience page header videos be updated or switched out?
These videos can be added or switched out at any time by the exhibitor with a video link from Vimeo or YouTube. NAMM is unable to manage this process for exhibitors.
- Can products on the products page link to pages outside of Swapcard?
Yes, product listings can include links to external URLs.
- Can I stream from my brand experience page header all day?
Yes, exhibitors are able to set a single continuous stream.
- Is there a limit to the number of people that can simultaneously watch your session on the brand page? Is there a limit on how many people can be on you brand page simultaneously?
There is no limit to the number of visitors/viewers allowed on your brand experience page at one time.
- Is there a live dimension for customized background, or an exact width of the center column on the brand experience page?
Swapcard adjusts brand experience page elements based on the size of the user’s browser window. Full page dimensions are 2560x1600.
- Can an exhibitor link multiple pages from the same social media platform?
No, each brand experience page is able to link out to one page per social media platform. If an exhibitor needs to include multiple Facebook pages, they can do so within their brand experience page description.
- Is there a limit to the file size within the documents section of the exhibitor brand page?
30 MB. If you need to attach a larger file, please use the URL to the file and link to the download.
- If an exhibitor has a custom background on their brand experience page, does it follow them to their related pages?
No, only brand experience pages will include custom backgrounds.
- Do video headers on brand pages automatically play with sound?
No, video sound does not play automatically. There are settings on YouTube or Vimeo to bypass this.
- Is there any way to adjust the order of how Documents are displayed?
The order of the documents cannot be updated.
- Additional brand experience pages - will there be a word limit? Will multiple images be allowed?
Yes, there is a word limit of 200. Multiple images are allowed in the photo gallery at the top of the listing.
- Additional listing pages. Which image appears on the main brand experience page? Does the additional listing page contain a logo, as well as images?
You can click the star icon to choose first photo when creating an image gallery. You can add a logo as one of the photos. The logo at the bottom of the product page will be the logo for the Brand Experience Page.
- Can we change order of sections on Brand Experience Pages?
No, the section order and section titles are: Book a Meeting, Information, Interest (NAMM custom field), Social Media, Contact Details, (Pavilion/Showcase/Parent only if applicable), Products, Additional Brands, Giveaways, Sessions, Documents, Team
- If a higher brand experience page tier includes higher search, does this apply to just brand search, or also products, sessions, etc.?
The brand will be listed higher on the brand search page. Sessions, people, and products are not included.
- Can I confirm that the brand search is looking at “information” and “keyword” fields? Can I confirm that product and session search is looking at “information” only?
People Search
- first name
- last name
- job title
- Company
- Additional filters: Community, Interests
Exhibitors Search
- name
- description
- booth
- ignore special characters in the name ("ex: "ABC" find "A.B.C.")
- Additional filter: Product Category
Schedule Search
- title
- description
- exhibitor's name linked to the session
- Additional filters: Topic, Program
Items Search
- title
- description
- exhibitor's name linked to the item
- Product Categories
- How does NAMM Staff communicate that a group of brands wants to be linked and the name they should be linked under? Example: American Music & Sound and all their brand pages.
There is a column on Airtable called "Parent Company". Someone will need to update this and add a parent to any brand pages that should be marked as children. Please contact tradeshowops@namm.org.
- Can a brand be linked on more than one page? Example: Roland page should link VMODA and BOSS; BOSS page should link to VMODA and Roland; VMODA should link to Roland.
Yes. If a brand is the “parent”, the parent link will appear on the child pages just as the child page links appear on the parent page.
Analytics & Lead Retrievals
Sub-topics: Meet Attendees
- What does an attendee need to do to be added to the show in analytics?
An attendee will need to chat or set up a meeting to be included on the Team’s list in the Exhibitor Center. This is considered an Opt-In lead.
Additionally, exhibitors can use the Meet Attendees search to get in contact with prospects and request to connect with them. Once connected, this will add the attendee to the contact list as well.
- How deep are the analytics on session attendance and product searches. Will data show how long attendees stayed in a session, or the number of people who clicked on products, etc.?
NAMM will need to pull session and booth reports. The session report will include a list of session attendees and registrations along with how long they stayed in session. Reports will be available after the event.
- When exhibitors search attendees, how will filtered searches work?
All attendee searches can be conducted on the Meet Attendees page. Attendee filters (community, interest) will be added once the individual has completed their registration questionnaire. In addition, all attendees will have their AI recommendations at the top of the Meet Attendees page. Attendees can also be searched for by name.
Sponsorship
Sub-topics: Brand Experience Page, Column Ad (Banner), Notifications
- Can I link to an outside URL on my ad or notifications?
Here’s a list to cover the choices for redirects on ads and notifications:
Right Column Ad on homepage - Any link
Sponsor Ad spots center column - External link or Exhibitor Page
Column Ad on Brand Experience Page - products, giveaways, additional brand or external URL
Notifications – brand experience page, homepage, session page or external URL
Linking will also be helpful with giveaway item pages as exhibitors can use a link to send the attendee to an outside form to participate in any contests they may host.
- The home page banner ad is located on the right side of the homepage of swapcard. Please confirm if it is also the ad that takes over the screen in both web and app based when you start the app. I keep seeing that ad and want to make sure what that is.
On the app, the ad covers the screen when you open the app and you can click “get more info” or “skip” to close it. After that, the ad will change each time you open it.
On a web browser, it covers the screen at first open and then moves to the right column. It will then change each time someone navigates to the home page.
Swapcard
Sub-topics: Languages
- As an exhibitor, is it best to optimize the Brand Experience Page for desktop or mobile?
Since most attendees visit virtual events on their desktop, it is best to optimize for desktop.
- Can Swapcard translate to Chinese?
Currently, Swapcard menu/navigation items are translatable. To change to another language on Swapcard, go to your Settings (top right corner), and select the language you’d like to display. English is the second language one from the top if you’d like to change it back.
We are planning on including Chinese, French, German, Spanish and English languages for navigation and informational text.
Sessions & Events
- Brand page sessions (events): What's the time limit? Can sessions run simultaneously? Who manages this video content?
There is no limit on time for sessions. There will be many sessions running at one time. Sessions/Events are managed by NAMM. Sponsor sessions will be on a separate schedule from the education sessions. 10–30 minutes recommended.
- Can individual registrants in sessions see each other?
Yes, if the attendee does not choose to be invisible in their profile. We are encouraging attendees to sign up/register for sessions so that they will be visible on the list below the video on the session page. We will also have a way to capture all names of those who view sessions but exhibitors would only see the registrant list in real-time.
- Is there a character limit to a session description?
Descriptions should be kept to 200 words or less (about 1000 characters). A good rule for session titles is to stay within 50 characters (about 10 words) or less.
- If an exhibitor is looking to host a giveaway drawing during their session, will they be able to see everyone in the session as it’s going so that they can select a winner? Any recommendations or examples of how others have accomplished this?
They will be able to see those that registered for the session (added to the calendar) on the session page. If it's real-time, we recommend using the chat so they will know who's in there at the live time
- Any information on the Sessions videos or livestreams, file format, size, aspect ratio, due dates?
Videos other than the 30-second spots will not be sent to us as files. We just need the YouTube or Vimeo ID for pre-recorded. Submit all information via session form.
From Pete -- Commercials: 16x9 aspect ratio. File format mp4 or .mov 1920 x 1080 resolution
Due Date: December 11, but the earlier the better
- How do speakers find their sessions?
They can see their session listed on their profile. They can also go to the schedule and search for their name or session name.
Chat
Sub-topics: Brand Experience Page
- Are there any automated chat response options?
There is no auto-responder feature for the chat function. We do recommend that if you have any set hours that you will be available to chat, that you include this in the information section.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-760-438-8001 tradeshowops@namm.org. Our team is available Monday—Friday, 8 am–5 pm PT.