Posted by Jay Bertolet on August 01, 2001 at 08:04:48:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Top register problems with silent brass posted by Steve Marcus on July 31, 2001 at 23:02:57:
I agree completely Steve! I know that Mike means well when he suggests that players contact Yamaha and tell them what we think of their product. But I know that I contacted Yamaha, via the internet, after I first tried one of their mutes and basically they blew me off. They responded with a very nice letter which basically said "Thanks for your comments, no modifications for the Silent Brass are planned." If they get feedback from a professional player and treat it like that, my guess is that they couldn't care less about what players think. They obviously have an evaluation process in place and that's what they're going to follow. It's a shame too because the Silent Brass does make the horn nearly silent to those in the room with the tuba player. From that standpoint, the mute is a great success. But the intonation and logistical problems associated with this mute in its current form make it a product I will never purchase.
My opinion for what it's worth...