[4] Vendors display products, allowing dealers and distributors to see what's new, negotiate deals, and plan their purchasing for the next six to 12 months.

A smaller convention, NAMM Summer Session, typically takes place in June or July in Nashville, Tennessee.

[4] Due to U.S. involvement in World War II, the NAMM Convention did not take place in 1942 or 1945, and in 1943 and 1944 the event was held as the Wartime Educational Conference.

Initially held in March in Los Angeles or San Francisco, the annual show was eventually moved to Anaheim, California, in January.

Instead, NAMM hosted a virtual event called Believe In Music Week starting January 18, 2021,[3] which NAMM described as: "...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 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.

[15] To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the MIDI standard, lifetime achievement awards were presented to, or posthumously awarded to Don Buchla, Ikutaro Kakehashi, Tsutomu Katoh, Roger Linn, Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, Alan R. Pearlman, Dave Rossum, and Dave Smith.