New Yamaha Silent Brass vs. Old

[Trombone]

Are these good? Is it worth chucking my old, beat-up system for a new Silent Brass? Or is there another alternative?

[Matt K]

I just moved to an apartment a few months ago and have been using the newer silent brass almost daily. The only downside is that they don't fit in basses so you'd need to keep the old one if you want to use it on bass.

The sound quality is substantially better, the electronics are easier to patch external audio sources into, and the mute itself is way less heavy/bulky. I really dig the new ones! I wish they'd make a bass one. I'd buy it today.

[Matt K]

Oh but note, I use a pair of Bose Q15 headphones, not the junk earbuds they come with. Makes an enormous difference.

[Neo Bri]

I never understood why companies make a GREAT product but then skimp on something so trivial. If it costs them $2 extra to include much better buds, I would do it. But I guess they see the bottom line and know what they're doing.

[2bobone]

I have two different versions of the Yamaha "Silent Brass" system that I use exclusively on several bass trombones. My King 8B has a humongous bell flare, but the mute portion of the Yamaha SB5 fits the bell without problem. My second "Silent Brass" rig has a mute that can be stored in the bell [ I don't have it handy and can't remember the system's nomenclature] while in the case and it would NOT fit any of my bass trombones without interfering with the bell so I arranged this solution. I laid the mute on its side on a sheet of paper and slowly rolled it while tracing the arc that it circumscribed with a pencil held closely to the artificial cork at the end of the mute. Then I cut the pattern from the sheet of paper, test-fitted it to the mute, and when I managed to trace a pattern whose fit was perfect I laid it on a piece of sheet cork and cut a copy of the pattern out of the cork. It was then glued onto the existing artificial cork to build up the cork enough to fit the bell throat without interference. The electronic portion of the SB5 System is far more comprehensive that that of the other system, but either one has made it possible to practice in places that ban trombone players on general principle [probably a good idea at any time]. In other words, you need not wait for a bass trombone version ---- just modify the corks of the mute and you're in business !
They play just fine even into the sub-contra range.

[EZSlider]

Could you snap a shot of your mute both in and out of the horn?
I have been contemplating this very thing.
Thank you

[2bobone]

HI : The new site doesn't seem to want to accept the pictures I took. I need either advice as to what I am --- or am not doing ----- or ---- an EMail address to send it as a private message. Cheers !! Bob

[Matt K]

HI : The new site doesn't seem to want to accept the pictures I took. I need either advice as to what I am --- or am not doing ----- or ---- an EMail address to send it as a private message. Cheers !! Bob

If pictures wouldn't upload, you should have received an error message. Let me know what message you received and I can guide you from there.

Note that we have very large images disabled, so images of greater than 10MB will be kicked out since those take up a huge amount of space and can cause issues with limited data plans where loading a file like that might cost a few cents to some users!

[Matt K]

Alternatively, feel free to email me (my contact is the bubble next to the "Contact" field to the left here. If you e-mail them to me I can try to post them and see what your trouble is.

[EZSlider]

My silent brass trombone mute will be in tomorrow.. Will let you know how mod goes.

[Kingfan]

I have one of the old models. I play the French horn part in a brass quintet and have been playing with a bucket mute to get the horn sound. One of the other players brought in a powered speaker and a box that was supposed to mimic the sound of a horn and I tried it at our last rehearsal. My stomach/diaphragm muscles got sore after an hour or so, I think due to the back pressure while trying to play loud and high. Is the newer version more free blowing?

[Matt K]

I have one of the old models. I play the French horn part in a brass quintet and have been playing with a bucket mute to get the horn sound. One of the other players brought in a powered speaker and a box that was supposed to mimic the sound of a horn and I tried it at our last rehearsal. My stomach/diaphragm muscles got sore after an hour or so, I think due to the back pressure while trying to play loud and high. Is the newer version more free blowing?

Mine is a lot more freeblowing than the older mute. At least in my Shires bells. Lower register isn't so hot on either of them (in the sense that they are reasonably in tune but take a lot more effort).

[Burgerbob]

I love my older mute. It's a better practice mute than anything else I have tried (Best Brass, Dillon, Bremner, Wick). Nothing is crazy out of tune and the blow is very even.

[JoeMontgomery]

I have two different versions of the Yamaha "Silent Brass" system that I use exclusively on several bass trombones. My King 8B has a humongous bell flare, but the mute portion of the Yamaha SB5 fits the bell without problem. My second "Silent Brass" rig has a mute that can be stored in the bell [ I don't have it handy and can't remember the system's nomenclature] while in the case and it would NOT fit any of my bass trombones without interfering with the bell so I arranged this solution. I laid the mute on its side on a sheet of paper and slowly rolled it while tracing the arc that it circumscribed with a pencil held closely to the artificial cork at the end of the mute. Then I cut the pattern from the sheet of paper, test-fitted it to the mute, and when I managed to trace a pattern whose fit was perfect I laid it on a piece of sheet cork and cut a copy of the pattern out of the cork. It was then glued onto the existing artificial cork to build up the cork enough to fit the bell throat without interference. The electronic portion of the SB5 System is far more comprehensive that that of the other system, but either one has made it possible to practice in places that ban trombone players on general principle [probably a good idea at any time]. In other words, you need not wait for a bass trombone version ---- just modify the corks of the mute and you're in business !
They play just fine even into the sub-contra range.

I took this advice and bought one, using this method, and it works great! Thanks for the suggestion, with a couple layers of cork around the foam, it fits my YBL 830 great, and sounds good down low too. Thanks!

[Mv2541]

I had both versions and the older one is much better if you don't need it to fit in the bell in the case. It's much better than almost any other practice mute I have tried (including the new Rejano) but still one tier below the Shhhmutes in my opinion.

[Nobbi]

I recently purchased an Okura mute for my Lawler, modified it to have a nice free blow and can use it for practice in the evenings (neighbours) or at work during lunch time!
Unfortunately, it doesn't fit into my King 5B .... when going into the lower register it just pops out (as the Best Brass does as well).
To solve that problem I was scanning Thomann for Bass mutes and did some reading here at Trombone Chat and your experiences with such devices.
I am about to choose the Best Brass Bass mute or the Sient Brass System since you guys here wrote it is the way better practice mute.
Question: works the Silent Brass as quiet as the Best Brass or the Okura?