From pianos to brass, musical instruments in Japan are becoming increasingly quiet. A "soundless" piano that went on sale in 1993 ushered in the trend, and an electronic sound-reducing system for trumpets and other brass instruments marketed last fall has fueled it further. The instruments and sound-reducing system have proved especially popular among apartment dwellers, since it lets them practice at any time of day or night without disturbing their neighbors.
A Revolutionary Piano
Interest in the idea of sound reduction surged after the marketing of a "soundless" piano in 1993. The new model totally eliminated sound rather than just reducing it, as was the case with conventional pianos with a muffler pedal, and instead provided a nearly perfect electronic rendition of the performance over a pair of headphones worn by the player.
The piano works in the following way. The soundless system is turned on by depressing the muffler pedal, an action that prevents the hammers connected to the keyboard from hitting the strings. Meanwhile, the performance is reproduced by means of optical sensors placed inside the piano, which assess the notes being played and the touch used to depress the keys. Based on this information a computer chooses from among prerecorded piano sounds those closest to the original and plays them back over a pair of headphones.
Although soundless pianos cost 20% more than conventional models, they were a hit from the start and today comprise 30% of all domestic sales. They also enjoy popularity overseas, especially in Europe.
Muted Brass
Following the soundless piano came a sound-reducing system for trumpets, horns, and trombones that virtually extinguishes sound while faithfully replicating what is being played over a pair of headphones. In the case of a trumpet, for example, a mute is attached to the bell of the instrument and a small microphone inside the mute picks up the notes and their tone. This information is then processed by a computer and played back through an amplifier over the headphones.
Sound-reducing devices are not new to the scene. However, the older models had two major shortcomings; the volume could not be held down sufficiently and notes in certain ranges came out sounding off key. With the new system, volume is reduced to the level of a human whisper and electronic adjustments are made to afford extremely high quality reproductions of the performance.
The manufacturer of the sound-reducing system for brass instruments originally established an annual sales target of 10,000 units. However, in just three months 13,000 of these 25,000 yen (236 dollars at 106 yen to the dollar) systems were snatched up and production immediately had to be stepped up. One retailer attributes the popularity of the device to the freedom it gives people to practice whenever they want without worrying about their neighbors and says that about half the people purchasing trumpets buy the sound-reducing system with it.
(The above article, edited by Japan Echo Inc., is based on domestic Japanese news sources. It is offered for reference purposes and does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.)