A tiny, Richfield-based tech startup found itself in rarefied air last week, as an award finalist alongside Apple, Fender, and Steinberg. On Jan. 22, it competed in a five-product lineup for what many regard as the sound-recording industry’s highest honor: a NAMM TEC Award. Bernett, working in a cover band, had felt frustrated by rehearsal interruptions. Bernett notes Caedence is part of the MIDI in Music Education Special Interest Group, a coalition of educators, manufacturers, and retailers. For now, they’re still high off NAMM, where Bernett watched Riverside City College students cue audio and visuals over a live performance using Caedence.