Yamaha Unveils Silent Bass At Summer NAMM

The much-anticipated debut of Yamaha's Silent Bass will officially take place at the Summer NAMM trade show.

The Silent Bass is an upright, electric instrument that is sized to standard scale. The stunning tone is sure to be appreciated by players and audiences alike, while the Yamaha-developed silent technology will allow bass players to practice silently anywhere. A detachable frame will make traveling with an upright bass easier than ever.

Though prototypes of the Silent Bass were shown and tested at the Midwest Band Clinic, the International Association of Jazz Educator's Conference, the Winter NAMM trade show, and the Texas Music Educators Conference, Summer NAMM will be the first public unveiling of the production model. More than 50 professionals and educators took part in product evaluations of the prototypes, including several live performances.

"Our design team learned a lot during sessions with professional players and educators," said Michael Schaner, product manager, Band & Orchestral Division, Yamaha Corporation of America. "In fact, we incorporated several of the suggestions made by these individuals into the final design."