There’s been a lot of talk concerning face masks lately, with people discussing where to use them, when to use them, and if to use them. Here in Japan, however, a large majority of the population is masking up wherever and whenever possible, even at times when it might seem unnecessary or impractical.
One of those impractical occasions would be at band practice, when you’re a musician trying to use your mouth to play a wind instrument while all the other musicians around you are masking up.
Instruments like the saxophone, trumpet, flute, clarinet, or even the humble recorder all require unobstructed access to a human mouth to produce sound. So how can you get your lips near your instrument while wearing a mask?
Tokyo-based Shimamura usually specialises in musical instruments, but seeing a need for masks for musicians, they teamed up with Gifu-based Technad, a manufacturer of silica gel products, to create the “Silica Clean Wind Instrument Compatible Antibacterial Deodorised Three-Dimensional Mask“.
Shimamura says they wanted to create a mask that allows musicians to enjoy playing music during the pandemic, while also helping them to respect the group environment where they’re required to play in close vicinity with other musicians.
Now there’ll be no more deathly side-eyes from fellow musicians or audience members as this face covering has a slit for your lips to poke through, allowing you to keep your nose — and your mouth when you’re not using it — covered while you play.
The inside of the mask is covered with a special cloth containing silica, which keeps it deodorised while maintaining a suitable level of humidity for maximum comfort and breathability. Silver ions embedded in the fabric provide antibacterial protection and the shape of the mask provides a lot of room for movement as well, which is a plus for wind instrument players.
▼ When not being used during practice or performance, the slit in the mask can be covered up with a fabric attachment on the inside.
The mask comes in small and medium sizes, suitable for young children and adults, and there are three colour variations: white, light grey, and black.
The reusable mask will retail for 1,848 yen at Shimamura Music stores nationwide and online.
Source: Shimamura Music
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© SoraNews24
16 Comments
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that person
Ummm....
how about all that infected air coming out of the bottom of that sax?
this is just a mask that screams: “I conform, I swear!”
wraither
Oh this isn't satire? This is getting ridiculous.
InspectorGadget
Great. So they are filtering their heavy breathing through their brass instruments. Are they then disposing of the waste from the 'spit valve" in a bio-waste receptacle?
There are too many 'solutions' here looking for a problem to solve.
Vanessa Carlisle
One of the rules of capitalism is that if people are stupid enough to buy it then you should sell it.
WilliB
Is it April 1st already?
Cricky
That's just laughably stupid.
jojo_in_japan
The air passing thru the instrument is passing on corona, no?
Tommy Eddy Kookabura
Another test on human intelligence? Does the holes in instrument have a filter too... If not than what's the mask for? Still breathing unfilted air than... Lol
drlucifer
Osaka with the gargle, saizeriya with their ridiculous mask and then this
Looks like there is a competition to see who will come up with the most
ridiculous idea.
kurisupisu
Or sitting apart could save the cost of the mask...
Mitsuo Matsuyama
interesting!!!
vic.M
This mask thing is getting out of hand. People are starting to look like Baboons.
Tommy Eddy Kookabura
I slowly think that corona is nothing but an intelligence test on humans cos 7 month in there is no deadly pandemic only nonsense like this mask for instrument users lol...