How a Silent Experience works
Behind the magic there is a simple chain: piano, transmitter, headphones. Here is what it takes to bring the format to a new place.
Three links, no cables to the audience
The piano
A Yamaha piano is played live. Its sound is taken at the mixing desk, as for a recording.
The transmitters
The signal goes to one or more RF transmitters. For a walking route, several of them can cover the whole path.
The headphones
Each listener receives the concert on wireless headphones, instantly and with no pairing, and sets their own volume.
What we look at for a new venue
Where the piano can stand, where the audience will be, and whether they will sit, lie down or walk.
How many people, how they enter and where headphones are handed out and collected.
How many transmitters are needed to cover the listening area, up to several hundred metres.
Night concerts work best with headphones whose lights can be switched off and a discreet lighting design.
Music, silence and sometimes words: the repertoire is chosen with the venue in mind.
Before you ask
Is there any delay between the piano and the headphones?
No. The signal travels in analogue radio frequency, so the audience hears the music at the same instant it is played.
How many people can listen?
There is no technical limit: every transmitter can serve any number of headphones in its range.
Can the format be used for other instruments?
Silent Experience is the piano project with Yamaha. For other concerts in headphones, Silentsystem offers the same technology on silentsystem.com.
Who organises the concerts?
Silent Experience concerts are produced in collaboration with Yamaha. Venues, festivals and promoters interested in hosting one can contact the Silentsystem team.
A piano, a place, and silence around it
Tell us about the venue, the date and the size of the audience: the Silentsystem team will propose the listening system for your Silent Experience.