Zildjian Gen16 Debuts at NAMM

New Zildjian Division Marks the Birth of Intelligent Percussion.

Zildjian marks the industry debut of Gen16, the company's acclaimed new technology division, at this year's NAMM Convention.

"Intelligent Percussion" is a truly apt description of the wide array of currently available and upcoming products being displayed and demonstrated at Gen16's Booth 3050, directly adjacent to the main Zildjian booth, as well as the new App and Gaming Pavilion, located in Hall E.

Gen16's Digital Vault series features high-quality, high-resolution acoustic samples of Zildjian's most exclusive master "reference" cymbals, along with hard-to-find  limited edition cymbals never made available to the public. The Digital Vault has already garnered rave reviews from media and end-users alike, including a veritable who's who of film, TV and video games composers, producers, songwriters and session musicians. Three current and four new releases in the growing Digital Vault collection will be available to audition at the Gen16 booth.

Perhaps most exciting will be the unveiling of Gen16's hotly anticipated Acoustic/Electric  ("A.E.") technology products. The A.E. Cymbal system is the world's first hybrid acoustic/electric cymbal, combining patented low-volume acoustic cymbals with innovative microphone, signal processing and tone modeling to create a groundbreaking paradigm shift that promises to completely upend the notion of both electronic and traditional cymbals.

Also debuting is the A.E. Drum Rack, a truly modern percussion hardware system that complements both acoustic and electronic drum setups. Designed around a patent pending hinge system that allows for extremely fast setup, compact transport and maximum  functionality, the A.E. Drum Rack is lighter and stronger than conventional drum racks, transports easily and supports a wide range of electric, acoustic and hybrid drum and percussion setups.

Gen16 will also be showing the new Groove Player app for iPhone and iPad, which places thousands of beats and percussion patterns into the palm of your hand. Featuring a powerful, interactive user interface, the Groove Player app delivers control over tempo, time signature, drum and cymbal sounds. It also allows users to play and program beats and post them to their favorite websites.

And the Gen16 booth and Apps kiosk will also be taking the wraps off the new Gen16 Groove Tracks Site. The Groove Tracks Site offers downloads of thousands of multi-format beats, drum grooves and fills played by some of the world's leading drummers and  percussionists, including Kenny Aronoff, Alex Acuna, Marco Minnemann, Wolf, Eddie Bayers, Danny Seraphine, Billy Martin and a host of other world-class players. Each groove is searchable by style, tempo, artist, and genre, and can be auditioned using several different drum set configurations.

The Gen16 booth will be hosting showcases and performances to demonstrate these  exciting new technologies throughout the NAMM show.

Visit Gen16 at booth 3050, or log on to http://www.gen-16.com for more information.