Originally Posted by Khora

To me, the important questions are, first: "Why did the composer ask for this?", and second "How to I best bring that to life?"

Often a composer will ask for a mute because they are looking for a change in timbre. The mute choice is quite subjective - they don't know all the possibilities. Heck, even we don't all know all the possibilities!

What mutes have you tried? How many others do you have access to? Play several different ones with someone else listening from across the room. The projection may actually be quite different than your ear tells you.

That said, it might also be possible for you to achieve a timbre change without a specific mute - playing into the stand, into a cloth bag, into a piece of felt, facing away from the audience. It depends on the effect you are trying to achieve. Play around with the whole concept.

And remember, no performance is the "only" way to do it. Pick one way for this performance in this space and commit to it. At a different time, in a different space, with other thoughts on your mind, you may choose to do it differently. That's why live performances are so much fun!

Best of luck,

Sandy