So we're in Frankfurt for the annual Musikmesse - the grand gathering for the music instrument business. As we're no longer exhibiting at trade shows, we're here because it's a good way to meet a lot of people we need to talk to at the same time, and we can also check out the show of course. So between meetings, here is today's findings from the show floor.

This seems to be the one everybody is talking about. As a followup to last year's Monotron, here comes the Monotribe. It's got a nasty little analog synth, a cool little sequencer and even a little drum machine built in. I think it sounds great, but with the Korg booth situated between three drum company booths it was hard to tell. It's a very cool little machine and I'm totally getting one as soon as they are released. Fun fact: The sequencer is synced by analog pulses. This means it's dead easy to sync to Reason/Record using a clock pulse on a separate output from the audio interface.

A proper music trade show should come with a few what-why? moments. Here, Mattias is seen having a what-why? moment in front of the Ketron accordion synth. What-why?

In all fairness, the accordion bass section had some kind of auto-accompaniment setting that played a bass note, a chord and some percussion when you hit the notes. Playing minor chords going ba-ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba actually produced some really nice house music.

Every year, a conglomerate of smaller modular synth manufacturers share a booth that's the synth geek heaven. This year they had a very clever display in the booth. The guy to the right is patching up a nice sound on the system that's facing him. The whole tower is rotating slowly, so the audience can take part and further manipulate (or, as in most cases, destroy) the patch while it rotates. Then the patchmeister sets it up again.

I'm not entirely sure what this is, but when the money comes in from that chain letter that Anders in sales made me join, I'm getting one!

Perhaps not really music related, but still very cool. The iCade lets you drop an iPad into a miniature arcade case with buttons and joystick and all so you can enjoy arcade classics on the iPad. We need one at the office!

A trade show without mullets would be like sunday school without Satan. Here's a rare pony tail variant.

Thanks for tuning in. Leave a comment if there's something you'd like to get a picture of from tomorrows show visit. I'll try to fulfill your wishes. Within reason and respect of German decency law of course.

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