comeback_honker

I recently was able to buy a like-new silent brass mute/amp combo from ebay for less than $60. I figured I'd give it a try, and just re-sell it if it was not for me.

Well for me at least, it's wonderful. I can practice much later in night, and not wake up the significant other. Another benefit is that I don't feel all self-concious when learning/repeating a few bars of music OVER and OVER.

I have read the threads and I note that many people really dislike this system, but for me it is a winner. Yes there is 'backpressure' but it's really not that bad.

Overall I've increased my practice window of opportunity by hours, and that's the bottom line for me.

Brekelefuw

Living in a basement apartment, I can only practice with it in.
I do however go to my parents house on weekends and play without it.
It messes with the tuning of the horn, so I am worried that I will develop band compensation habits that aren't needed when playing open.

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Schilke B3L
Schilke XA1
Bach 37 180 ML
Chinese custom horn
Yamaha 6310G
Wedge 5B, 5A and 5FLG

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. ~Aldous Huxley

gglassmeyer

The back pressure thing is worse if you just use the mute, but if you hook it up and listen through headphones you don't push as hard. For me I like it when I need to be quiet, I use the mute only if playing at church and I can warm up a bit without anyone hearing it, I do prefer to play without any mute at all. I wish I had the smaller module. Mine is one of the older ones that's bigger than a personal CD player. The new modules are so much smaller.

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Greg Glassmeyer