YAMAHA INTRODUCES SILENT BRASS PERFORMANCE STUDIO

—Silent Brass Systems for Each Instrument Get Smaller, Lighter, Better—

GRAND RAPIDS, MI (January 17, 2002)—Yamaha introduces the Silent Brass Performance Studio, which will enhance the artistic possibilities for wind instrument players, and has redesigned its Silent Brass systems for Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Trombone, French Horn, Euphonium and Tuba to include everything a player needs and nothing they don't.

Yamaha's ST5 Studio

The ST5 Silent Brass Performance Studio, the newest member of the Yamaha Silent Brass family, brings a whole new realm of sound possibilities to wind instruments. With 32 effects variations and 50 preset programs, it gives performers a whole new palette of tonal effects to choose from—and facilitates play in a variety of situations from private practice to amplified performance. It will ship in January 2002.

"The new ST5 Silent Brass Studio represents a whole new direction for the Silent Brass line," says Jim Metz, Wind Instrument product specialist, Band & Orchestral Division, Yamaha Corporation of America. 'It's perfect for professional musicians, college students and weekend warriors who want a complete effects rack that won't strain their backs—or their bank accounts."

An AUX IN jack can accept signal from a CD or MD player to provide accompaniment to the player. As a useful practice aid, an AUX Key function on the ST5 transposes the sound received from the AUX IN jack to a different key. The ST5's Phrase Trainer function allows the repeated playback of a passage up to 16 seconds long, either from an external source or the player's own instrument, and it can slow down the playback speed without affecting pitch. The unit also includes an auto-tuner, a built-in metronome, a backlit display for easy use in low light, and a large value dial to allow quick settings.

Yamaha has also redesigned the Silent Brass systems for each instrument. The new module for each of the systems—which includes the SB79 (Trumpet), SB69 (Flugelhorn), SB59 (Trombone), SB39 (French Horn), SB29 (Euphonium) and SB19 (Tuba)—is smaller than a cassette tape and just as light. It features a simplified volume knob and echo switch, which, in conjunction with the eliminated extras, aids in greatly reducing the cost.

The Silent Brass systems have an input jack that will accept signal from either a Yamaha Silent Brass mute, for private practice, or from a Yamaha MC-7 microphone for amplified performance. An AUX IN jack allows the player to use accompaniment from an external source, and an OUTPUT/PHONES jack enables the use of earbuds or headphones. Each unit can be connected to an external amplifier or sound system for live reproduction, or to a tape deck or other device for recording. The echo function activates a reverb circuit and applies that effect to the incoming signal.

"The new Silent Brass systems have all the features of the originals, but at a much more affordable price," Metz says. "This will put the new Silent Brass systems within the financial reach of even more people, from beginning students all the way to seasoned pros."

The new models will ship in January 2002.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, 3445 East Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49518; call (616) 940-4900; send e-mail to infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/band.