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Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

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Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#21

Post by Robin_Message »

thrownaway2424 wrote: post #8

I have an original first generation Yamaha Silent Brass for trumpet. This page doesn't show one or even really compare the new one to the old one. It's freaking enormous! I think it juts out of the bell of a trumpet a good 6 inches at least, and the amplifier is pretty darn big too ... the size of a paperback book. This page doesn't say anything about the back pressure from the mute. I wonder if it's any different fr…

Could a trumpet be adapted to have an extra valve after the mouthpiece but before all of the other parts, that diverted a certain amount of the airflow, and thus would make the playing experience more similar, or do I not understand the physics of brass instruments ;-) ?

Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#22

Post by buro9 »

thrownaway2424 wrote: post #8

I have an original first generation Yamaha Silent Brass for trumpet. This page doesn't show one or even really compare the new one to the old one. It's freaking enormous! I think it juts out of the bell of a trumpet a good 6 inches at least, and the amplifier is pretty darn big too ... the size of a paperback book. This page doesn't say anything about the back pressure from the mute. I wonder if it's any different fr…

It's much smaller, and apparently far less back pressure.

Watch this video: http://youtu.be/Hm-jX-rSKS8?t=2m4s

Around 2 minutes.

You'll see it being removed, how large it is in the instrument, as well as the reactions.

Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#24

Post by science404 »

thejerz wrote: post #4

This is cool, and a great improvement over the previous generation Yamaha product. However, "Brass Resonance Modeling" may be confusing to some non-tech savvy consumers as it sounds similar to "physical modeling," a method of synthesis. The technology improvements are not synthesis, but rather a non-generative process more similar to a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

If anyone is interested in brass physical modelling, there are some neat sound examples here: http://www.ness-music.eu/target-systems/brass-instruments

Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#26

Post by gcv »

analog31 wrote: post #12
indspenceable wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Re: back pressure - that's what I was most interested in, and I was sad to see it not addressed. I got a silent brass mute for my horn (trombone) a couple of years ago, but found that playing with the mute in (like any other practice mute that I have used) felt extremely different than playing without; especially in lower registers. Even the older version was magical - making me silent but still able to hear myself,…

I'm a string player. You can get practice mutes for string instruments, and somewhat analogous to back pressure, they change how the instrument responds to the bow. The result is that you can practice some things (left hand technique, repertoire) but not others. For myself, I'm practicing for pleasure and not to advance professionally. Muting my instrument would spoil it. Fortunately I've got a tolerant family and a…

Would an electric instrument help, or do they feel too different from acoustic, too?

Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#27

Post by fmstephe »

gtani wrote: post #17

I've been wondering about analogous things for flute, clarinet and cello. From what i read here, they're all compromises, except for a heavily baffled room in the basement. I really liked an Azola electric (solid body) double bass that i tried but i was too slow in making a decision, and they're now very hard to find.

I too am always on the lookout for the equivalent of this for the clarinet. My wife plays, but with two children in an English house it's hard to practice.

If you do find something promsing give me a buzz. I would be very grateful.

Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#28

Post by TylerE »

Robin_Message wrote: post #21
thrownaway2424 wrote: post #8

I have an original first generation Yamaha Silent Brass for trumpet. This page doesn't show one or even really compare the new one to the old one. It's freaking enormous! I think it juts out of the bell of a trumpet a good 6 inches at least, and the amplifier is pretty darn big too ... the size of a paperback book. This page doesn't say anything about the back pressure from the mute. I wonder if it's any different fr…

Could a trumpet be adapted to have an extra valve after the mouthpiece but before all of the other parts, that diverted a certain amount of the airflow, and thus would make the playing experience more similar, or do I not understand the physics of brass instruments ;-) ?

That would screw up intonation/pitch.

Re: Yamaha's Latest Silent Brass

#30

Post by peatmoss »

indspenceable wrote: post #11
thrownaway2424 wrote: post #8

I have an original first generation Yamaha Silent Brass for trumpet. This page doesn't show one or even really compare the new one to the old one. It's freaking enormous! I think it juts out of the bell of a trumpet a good 6 inches at least, and the amplifier is pretty darn big too ... the size of a paperback book. This page doesn't say anything about the back pressure from the mute. I wonder if it's any different fr…

Re: back pressure - that's what I was most interested in, and I was sad to see it not addressed. I got a silent brass mute for my horn (trombone) a couple of years ago, but found that playing with the mute in (like any other practice mute that I have used) felt extremely different than playing without; especially in lower registers. Even the older version was magical - making me silent but still able to hear myself,…

I bought a really inexpensive soft tone mute on the basis of this comparison review in the ITA Jourmal: http://www.trombone.org/articles/library/viewarticles.asp?Ar...

Sadly, that article is a few years out of date. Still, my big takeaway was that I would be willing to forego some attenuation and even cope with modest back pressure if the mute didn't mess with the tuning properties.

I've been pretty happy with the soft tone mute. It's pretty quiet (but louder than most), is better than many practice mutes for back pressure, and seems to have little impact on tuning. For reference, I'm playing a King 3b, no f attachment.

Maybe if I start spending more time with my horn again, I'll consider the silent brass as it seems pretty sweet for recording.

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