Yamaha Silent Brass System @ Danny Piano & Sue Sax Chesnut

All brass players share a common problem: finding a practice space where they won't bother anyone and, conversely, one in which they won't be distracted by ambient sound.

A traditional solution is the use of a practice mute. Inserted in the bell of the instrument, it significantly muffles projection. The downside is that practice mutes produce a lot of resistance that radically alters the instrument's natural playing characteristics. So in the course of reducing projection, they make it tough to really hear what you're playing, thus canceling out much of the benefit of practice.

Yamaha's Silent Brass System elegantly solves these problems while delivering a set of features that will enhance and maximize your practice time. The System consists of the ST9 Personal Studio (the control unit), a Pickup Mute, a locking cable, and earphones. The step-up ST5 Silent Brass Performance Studio adds an array of effects plus practice tools and features that guarantee to make your woodshedding time a downright pleasure. Let's look at the System piece by piece.

The Mute resembles a conventional straight mute. There are specific models for a number of brass instruments including trumpet, piccolo trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba. The mute houses a microphone that connects to the module via a cable with a screw-on connector at the mute end and a standard mini-plug on the other.

The signal from the mute's microphone is processed by the ST9 Studio (or ST5 Performance Studio) which then feeds the signal to you through the earphones. This direct connection between the instrument's bell and the musician's ears means you can more easily concentrate on your articulation and tone without any of the self-consciousness that often accompanies audible practice.

The Studio's simple controls consist of a volume knob and echo switch. Connections are equally straightforward. The aux in jack lets you combine external sources such as CD and cassette players so you practice along with your favorite music. The input jack connects to the mute for practice or to an instrument microphone for performance. Likewise, the output jack can be connected to headphones for private practice or to a sound system when you're ready to share your playing with the world. A handy belt loop strap is also included so you can be totally mobile when the spirit moves you.

For the musician seeking extensive practice tools and more sonic flexibility, Yamaha offers the ST5 Performance Studio. It incorporates an auto tuner that can be set to match the instrument's transposition and desired pitch calibration from A=438Hz to A=445Hz. Once you've set the parameters, the tuner automatically detects the note being played and indicates the degree to which you are sharp or flat.

The ST5 also boasts 32 effects including delay, chorus, flanger, filter, auto wah, overdrive, distortion, pitch shifting, limiter, and more. When you're working on rhythmic skills you'll find the onboard metronome with 34 different time signatures in four different subdivision patterns a boon. The ST5 also offers ten different drum patterns ranging from an eight-beat shuffle to funk to bossa nova and samba patterns.

The built-in phrase trainer is a huge help when you're attempting to nail difficult passages. Record a phrase that's up to 16 seconds long from either an external source or your own instrument. You can then play it back repeatedly and even slow down the phrase without affecting the pitch. Incidentally, there's an aux key function that transposes the sound received from external CD/MD players so you can play along with recorded music in just about any key you want, regardless of the song's original key.

Yamaha has designed the ST5's backlit display so that it's highly legible, even in dim stage lighting. A large Value dial gives you quick access to a total of 100 effects presets with 50 of them being user-configurable. You can save all your favorite settings and recall them instantly with a quick twist of the Value dial, making the ST5 and invaluable performance tool when you want to vary your sound.

All in all, Yamaha's Silent Brass Family of gear represents not only a comprehensive solution to the challenges that practice presents, but also a tool for enhancing and expanding your performance possibilities.

Detailed Product Description

Smaller, lighter and more portable
The redesigned Silent Brass module is smaller than a cassette tape and weighs about as much. It fits easily into a shirt pocket and can be attached to the player's belt, if desired. This makes the new Silent Brass systems much more portable and convenient.

Improved sound
The sound from this "next generation" system has been greatly improved over the previous generation. The "hiss" has been greatly reduced, allowing the player to hear more of himself and less noise.

Simplified controls and sleeker look
The new module has only a volume knob and an echo switch, eliminating the unneeded extra features and making it even more affordable.

Aux In jack
One of the things we carried over from the previous generation was the Aux In jack. This jack allows an external sound source to be combined with the signal coming from the mute or microphone. The player can then play along with their favorite song in practice and performance settings and put the fun back in their practice sessions

Input jack
The input jack allows a quick and easy connection to a Yamaha pickup mute for practice or to a Yamaha MC-7 instrument mic for performance

Output/phones jack
The Output/ phones jack allows the Silent Brass system to be connected to earphones for private practice, an external sound system for sound reproduction, or to a recording system for recording.

Model For Instruments Pick-up mutes Practice Module

SB79C Trumpet PM-7 ST9

SB69C Flugelhorn PM-6 ST9

SB59C Trombone PM-5 ST9

SB39C Horn PM-3 ST9

SB29C Euphonium PM-2 ST9

SB19C Tuba PM-1 ST9

Product Overview
Description

The most elegant solution to practicing quietly!

The Yamaha ST5 Silent Brass Performance Studio Control Module is the ultimate upgrade to your current Silent Brass system. The ST5 features a built-in auto-chromatic tuner for convenience plus 32 effects programs to enhance practice or performance and home recording. The ST5 Performance Studio also features a metronome mode with 34 tempo settings in four different subdivision patterns for practice in any time signature plus 10 different drum patterns in a variety of styles. The Performance Studio Module includes 50 presets and 50 user program so the player can utilize many combinations of standard effects, or make more of their own.

New sonic possibilities for wind instruments
The ST5's ability to add a variety of effects and shape the tonal qualities of the sound received via the pickup enables the ST5 to deliver expanded sonic capabilities that stretch the limits of current musical genres

Auto tuner
The tuner function can be set according to the instrument's transposition and the desired pitch calibration (from A=438Hz to A=445Hz). Once those parameters are set, the tuner will automatically find the note being played and will tell how flat or sharp it is.

32 effects program
The ST5 has 32 effects programs for nearly every sonic effect that can be produced in a studio. The player can choose from a wide range of effects, including delay, chorus, flanger, filter, auto-wah, overdrive, distortion, pitch-shifting, limiter, etc.

Metronome and drum patterns
The metronome mode has 34 different tempo settings in four different subdivision patterns to facilitate practice in nearly any time signature. The ST5 also has ten different drum patterns, ranging from an 8-beat shuffle to funk to bossa nova and samba patterns

Phrase trainer
This practice aid allows the repeated playback of a phrase of up to 16 seconds long (maximum) that has been recorded from an external source or even from the player's own instrument. Playback speed can be slowed down without affecting the pitch.

Aux key function
This great practice aid transposes the sound received from a CD/MD player, etc. connected to the Aux In jack to a different key. The player is able to play along with their favorite song in any key they'd like.

Portable
The ST5 has almost all of the effects one would find in a studio effects rack contained in one small, easy to use and easy to carry package that won't break your back or your wallet.

Backlight display and value dial
The ST5 has a back-lit display that can be turned on or off, making it easier to see on stage (or any other place where the lighting may be less than ideal). The large value dial allows the player quick access to any program or setting

50 preset and user programs
The user has access to 50 preset programs that utilize many combinations of the different effects and 50 user programs to which customized settings can be saved.

Model	For Instruments	Pick-up mutes	Practice Module
SB79C	Trumpet	PM-7	ST9
SB69C	Flugelhorn	PM-6	ST9
SB59C	Trombone	PM-5	ST9
SB39C	Horn	PM-3	ST9
SB29C	Euphonium	PM-2	ST9
SB19C	Tuba	PM-1	ST9

"Yamaha Silent Brass System"

Detailed Product Description

The most elegant solution to practicing quietly!