Most players have a Bb trumpet that they generally like, but one that is often extremely different than their C trumpet. It is because of these differences that many players do not choose their Bb trumpet for much (or even any) of the repertoire that they regularly perform in the orchestra. Although there has been tremendous progress over the last several decades helping C trumpets to work optimally in symphony orchestras, many of the lessons learned and technological achievements have not been applied to the Bb trumpet to help it become a more powerful tool for orchestral playing. In the same way that the YTR-9445CHS C trumpet combines expressive individuality with unified compatibility between players, the Chicago Bb is compatible not only with how the C trumpet sounds, but also with how it feels to play. It is designed as an optimal companion to the YTR-9445CHS and makes possible an unprecedented ease of immediate switching between C and Bb trumpet. Whether playing it as a solo instrument or in a section with other C trumpets, the YTR-9335CHS is an efficient and versatile choice for players at every level of accomplishment. A Tough Act to Follow: Shortly after the release of the 9445CHS trumpet in the summer of 2004, it became apparent that this instrument truly met and exceeded the needs and expectations of many of the world's top soloists, orchestral and chamber music players. A successful Chicago Bb trumpet would have to start with an in-depth understanding of what combinations of qualities would satisfy the most demanding professional standards and the finished product would have to be tested and retested on its own and in a symphony orchestra.First Attempts: Bob Malone designed and built several prototypes during January 2005 that would test ideas he had for how the Chicago Bb trumpet could be configured. He sent them to Chicago for testing, and the results gave him the necessary feedback to modify the next generation of prototypes that could begin to be tested in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During the testing, players were asked to be very sensitive to how the prototypes felt compared to their C trumpets, and to switch rapidly back and forth between the prototype and their C trumpet to make the differences even more apparent. Many mouthpipe, bracing, and tuning slide configurations were tried in various combination to discover a design that would be favorable. John Hagstrom traveled to the Yamaha Custom Shop in Grand Rapids Michigan to work intensively with Bob Malone, and the result was a set of prototypes that seemed to be compatible and complementary to the C trumpet. It was now time to extensively test these trumpets in rehearsals and performances with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.The Preferable Choice As was the case with the early prototypes of the Chicago Bb trumpets, these trumpets sounded and felt great on their own. Additionally, they had a very similar sound, resistance, intonation, and response characteristic as the