John Heckathorn

Hi. I am currently at college and I am looking for a practice mute so I can practice in my dormroom ad cut down the volume. What's the best practice mute on the market? I need one that drastically reduces the volume. I don't have the money for a silent brass so thats not an option. Thanks.

JH

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breden

I have had great success with the TrumCor Stealth. Our baby is a light sleeper - and he doesn't even flinch when I practice with it. For what its worth - all of the TrumCor products are fantastic.

Hope that helps.

Richard Oliver

I don't know if the Wick practice mute is the best, it's the only practice mute I've owned. I like it.



Richard

Tootsall

Try this:

http://www.dallasmusic.org/gearhead/...ce%20Mute.html

It should fit your budget!

Eclipsehornplayer

I use the ssshhhmute for Trumpet or Cornet:

http://www.bremnermusic.com/shop.htm

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Firestas'1

I also use the ssshhhmute. Works well.

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Stan J.

What is to reach the heart must come from above. If it does not, it will be nothing but notes, body without spirit.
--Ludwig van Beethoven

Music is God's best gift to man. The only art of heaven given to earth, the only art of earth we take to heaven.
--Letitia Elizabeth Landon

Manny Laureano

I'll put a vote in for the Sotto Voce mute by Dave Hickman with the caveat that you have to be very careful not to push it in far. Just enough so that the "corks" cling. Otherwise, a lot of the notes go false and it's not good. But, properly used, I think it has a very good sound without the resistance or back pressure that other mutes provide. That's why I like it, because the sound flows more freely.

ML

trumpetmike

I am a fan of the Wick practice mute. I use it to warm up most days. Not only is it quiet but I find that the added resistance helps me play with a more open sound when the mute comes out.
This is something I know Denis uses in his trombone teaching and it works very well - one of the bonuses of practice mute practising.

I know a lot of people who have had very happy experiences with the Wallace practice mute as well.

I have also heard some people using just a beer towel to warm up with. The pitch is terrible, but it is very quiet.

lonelyangel

Last month I hooked up with NY jazz trumpeter, composer and band leader Steven Bernstein - he also plays a mean slide trumpet btw.

He pulled the smallest mute I've ever seen out of his pocket and said try this.
It was a TPTWU - trumpet warm up - mute made by best brass.

Its been created by the guy who developed the silent brass system for yamaha and its brilliant.

It fits right inside the bell so you can easily carry it in any case. It is really well in tune and it does not seem to alter the resistance - the trumpet feels quite normal to play. That goes from the whole range from double pedals to double high. You can play from whisper tones right up to FFF and it is still amazingly quiet.

I was very impressed and ordered one straight away from a trombonist in the UK who had bought a case of them back from a trip to Japan. The other guys in the show all bought one too, tpts and tbns - in fact the small tenor trombone model works really well in my flugel.

I won't leave home without this mute now - its replaced my trumpet stand in the bell of my horn when its in the gig bag. I have found that I can play the trumpet with this mute in during breaks in the show - I'm only 4 feet from the conductor and he hasn't raised an eyebrow. This is really useful if you have long breaks or want to play some long tones or flow studies to keep your chops mobile.

Its also the first practice mute I've tried where I would feel happy doing some serious practice on chop maintainance and general consolidation routines - because the blow and response feels so normal. FWIW I also have a Wallace, a Wick and a Peace Maker (which was like an accoustic version of the silent brass with a stethoscope attachement - great fun and a great name) - but the TPTWU beats them all hands down in my opinion.

I think they might cost around $90 in the US - I paid £35 here - cheapest place to get one would be Japan where they are made - well worth tracking one down.

All the best. Noel.

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John P

I tried the renuzit mute and didn't like it very much. Even with the plug at the end pulled out, it was extremely stuffy.

I really like the Wick and Trumcor mutes.

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JP