FrancisA1915

For me, the best way to practice is without a practice mute. But, there are times when it cannot be avoided. What would you say is the best practice mute? I use a Silent Brass system quite often. I like it a lot. I wanted to throw this out to the membership though.

Thoughts?



FrancisA

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"This is Frank's world and we are just lucky enough to live in it."

Bach Strad 43 ML
Bach 1B

eisprl

I have both the Denis Wick prac mute and the Silent brass system. However, I usually do not bother with all the electrical stuff. Whenever I "have" to practice with it in, I usually just use the silent brass mute by itself. I keep it in my case sometimes. I find you can hear the notes for what they are better in that mute than the other ones. Sometimes the notes are too stuffy on the other one that I can't even figure out what pitch I am playing. (Well I know what pitch I should be playing, but it doesn't sound right to me).

Cheers
Eric

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Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
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ZeuSter

I agree that practing with a practice mute should be held to a minimum,
but when I do have to use a practice mute I use the Mannie Klien ShhShh Quiet Practice mute . it is the least stuffy of the ones I own. I also have two Peacemaker practice mutes , the original model and the newer version, the older model is actually a pretty decent mute( not too stuffy ) , the newer version is way too stuffy.

Alex Yates

When I have to, I use the sssssssssshhhhhhhh mute by Bremner. I used the Peacemaker (without ear gear) for a long time until it fell into a pond in Central Park while I was practicing on a rock one day. (it rolled down the embankment, seemingly in slow motion, and plopped into a pile of ducks) I actually was able to retrieve it and still have it, but the water damage did it in. I keep it as a reminder of that incident. LOL. I have tried the Wallace and Silent Brass and didn't like either. Both were way too stuffy for me.

Eclipsehornplayer

I haven't put a lot of time or money into mutes. I try to play without them as much as possible. I use Harmon mutes when I need them. I have a straight, and a Cup Mute. Only reason I got them is that I needed them for a piece of music I was playing so now I have them when I need them.

Thought about a wow wow mute for a minute but I don't really have a use for one. I like the Harmon's because they produce good sound and don't sound too stuffy. They are a more affordable mute for me as well.

My two cents!

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gregc

practice mutes suck..........
I'll use the Hickman Soto Voce mute when I need to keep the volume down but that's as far as I'm willing to go.
gregc

FrancisA1915

Yes. They do suck.


I am not suggesting that they are performance worthy at all. The number one thing that I HATE is missing my daily practice session. I see practice mutes not as a tool necessarily, but a necessary evil. I have to admit that I sound like S**T when I use one, but at least I get my workout in whether it be while the baby is snoozing, or I am at work during my prep period, or in a hotel, or where ever.

__________________
"This is Frank's world and we are just lucky enough to live in it."

Bach Strad 43 ML
Bach 1B

dizforprez

I agree! the Hickman mute is great for a practice mute when you must have one.

LaserBoy

Trumcor makes a couple of good practice mutes.
http://www.trumcor.com/
The nice thing about their mutes is they are very
light weight, and less tiring to hold the horn.

I also have a peacemaker, and it is good to have the
stethoscope to prevent overblowing. (Get some soft
rubber tips for the ear pieces -- much more comfortable
than the hard plastic). But the peacemaker makes your
articulation sound cleaner than it really is, so be mindful.

When we lived in apartments, I had to use a practice
mute since the walls were so thin. If you have to use
a practice mute all the time, be mindful that it can do
weird things to your playingl. In that case, try to find
at least one practice session a week where you don't
use the mute (I went to an empty conference room
at work on the weekends).

--LaserBoy

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Bill Dishman

Google Jim Donaldson's Trumpet Gearhead website and you will find a comparison / contrast chart I did last spring of many various practice mutes.
Qualities, price, resistance, volume etc.

Hope this helps...

Bill Dishman
Gainesville, Florida