adohanian

the trumcor straight mutes are the best I've played

Solar Bell

Harmon--Harmon all copper

Cup--H & B

Straight--Tom Crown all copper

Bucket--H & B

Plunger--H & B

Plunger mute (pixie) an OLD H & B Copper with brass bottom

-cw-

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Chuck Willard
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Mark Bradley

Ditto.

I just re-corked my old beat up Harmon I've had since the sixties. Now I don't have to hold it in the trumpet with one hand when I play-- it sticks in the bell like it's supposed to do. I'm so happy-- ahh, it's the little things that makes life so grand...

My plunger is from the local hardware store (bought it new I hope). I walked in and asked for a plunger without the stick. The next day I had a friend walk in and ask for a stick without the plunger. (rim shot)

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Manny Laureano

Surprised the Vacchiano mute wasn't on that list. Marcus Bonna too for that matter.

ML

lonelyangel

Another vote for Ullven cup mute here. I also have two different kinds of harmon made by that swedish company.

I think I have about 8 harmon mutes. My favourites are my very smashed up original harmon (deliberately done to 'personalise' the sound) and the H&B wee zee - which is excellent for getting the sizzle at very low dynamics.
I do have a Jo Ral harmon, I can't abide the sound of these mutes personally, but I have to play them to blend in, as they seem to be the 'mute de jour' in certain circles.

I am going to make sure that I buy every trumpet mute that Best Brass produce. I'm so impressed with the tpt wu (practice mute) that I'm certain their other mutes will be very interesting.

Another of my favourite mutes not listed in the poll is the bucket mute made by Peter Gane - beautiful for jazz soloists - really dark creamy sound - and they go inside the bell, silently - not like clip on buckets. They are made of black fibreboard, not very deep with green felt padding and a kind of cage structure supporting the cork ring. (sounds very kinky I know). Anyway - I'm not sure if you can still buy them - try ebay if you want a beautiful sounding bucket mute.

All the best. Noel.


PS that is a CRACKING joke Mark Bradley - love it.

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cornetguy

Straight I have a bit of a collection here Tom Crown All alum, copper bottom, all copper Non Perieal and piccolo. Wick Jo-Ral copper bottom, Bach Plastic, Montreal... Depending on what I am doing I seem to use the Jo-Ral the most in Orchestra and the Wick for Shows

Cup Humes and Berg

Harmon Tom Crown

Plunger Target's finest plumbing supply

Also Crown Royal Bag

Looking at buying a clear-tone mute right now.

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Per aspera ad astra

The BuZZ

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bachstrad72

I think that you need to have several of each type. That way you can tailor your sound to what the music calls for. For cups I have: Denis Wick, Humes and Berg, Humes and Berg (with scallops shaved down), H and B Mica Mute, Tom Crown, Shastock, Ray Robinson. For harmons I have: Jo-Ral copper and aluminum, and Windy City Aluminum and a Harmon. For Straights I have: Vacchiano, Denis Wick aluminum, Crown copper bottom and aluminum in Bb and C, Trumcor Lryic straight and lyric stealth, Jo-Ral Copper and brass bottom, Wallace 4mm, Hickman Sotto Voce, Ray Robinson Regular. I have an EZ bucket, a Humes and Berg bucket and a Soft-T mute. I also have a few different solo tones and pixies and plungers. This way I can always match the first player on any gig that I may show up to, in any genre. I have favorites that I choose as a default, but I try to let the music dictate my mute choice. It's really not that uncommon for me to use more than one of the same type of mute on a concert or even in a single piece. Right tool for the right job I suppose. If you have to get just one of each I would say a Denis Wick aluminum straight, a Jo-ral Aluminum bubble, and I would get both the Wick and the Stonelined cups. They both are very commonly used.

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JustinSmith

Mutes: I have tons of mutes, but these are the ones I use the most.

Cup Mute: Humes and Berg, Mic a Mute - This is similar to the regular cup mute, but lined with felt and a plasticy rubber edge. When i lived in Indiana, all of the session players in Indianapolis had this mute, so i got one too. The sound is a little smoother than the standard cup mute. I changed the corks to put the mute more in tune.

Harmon mute: Jo Ral coppper - This mute is great for in the section. It is real loud, and cuts through. It is about 20 cents sharp, so you need to adjust.

Harmon mute: Charley Davis aluminum - This mute is awesome for solo work on the microphone. The mute is in tune down to the low F# up to High C. Music123.com has these for less the $30 now. I guess they had an overstock. I did have a solid nickel Charley Davis harmon while i was in college. I do not have it anymore, as it was stolen while on a break on a jazz gig in NYC. I don't think they make the nickel ones anymore. The copper model is still availible.

Straight mute: Dennis Wick - This is my everyday straight mute. i have one filed to fit my Bb, and one to fit my C trumpet.

Straight mute: Tom Crown - I have a few of these with different set ups. I like the copper bottom, and the brass bottom models. The copper bottom one is the loudest, when you need to cut through. The Brass bottom can handle the most sound without breaking.

Bucket mute: Humes and Berg Stonelined bucket mute - This is the standard trumpet model, although i have taken at least half of the stuffing out.

Plunger - I use a few different plungers. My main plunger is a small black plunger i bought in a dollar store in highschool. I also have a small red plunger where i bored out the center and the lip around the side. I also have in bag a PH special, top of a 32 oz. gatoraide bottle. You can use it with the cap on or off depending on the sound you are going for.

Practice mute - Yamaha silent brass - i use this mute by itself all of the time, just about everyday.

Like i metioned earlier, these are mutes I use the most. I have many more. and think they sound great in different situations. This is what works for me, right now.

JS

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Justin J. Smith

When people believe in boundaries, they become part of them.......Don Cherry

DevilishTrumpetPlayerGod

To explain my theory as to why Jo-Ral is kicking butt, I think it is because Jo-Ral is a cheaper mute. But I like my Jo-Rals tone that are better than the other brands I have tried. I personally like the extra brightness I recieve from the metal mute. But always try out different mutes to find the one that fits your trumpet personality.

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