Hi all,

I am a composer and am trying to find out which sort of mute would give a warm, mellow sound to a trumpet without a sharp bite at the start of a note?

I have read things about the bucket and the cup mutes - would either of these work or can you think of a better one which most professional trumpeters would have?

Thanks!
Amy

yeah you could do that cup and bucket mute produce a quieter sound - with less bite also you could use hand over bell (HOB) which produces a muffled sound - depending how far the hand is interted in the bell - also there are many other methods of muting - including putting cloths over the bell.

hope this helps
jonscott14

im no trumpet player; im a trombone player. but i find that if you can't use the normal plunger mutes, a heavy flat object muffles the sound and works almost as well. large chemistry exercise books also work. however if you are a composer, then your average professional trumpeter is going to look ever so slightly unproffesional, using a chemistry textbook as a mute

just a thought...

Yes! someone else who uses everyday objects as a plunger! I usually use some kind of folder, I used a pencil pot in a school concert once - wouldn't normally in a concert but seeing as I don't have one.....

To be honest you're safest going for a cup mute, but depending on what kind of mute the section playing it use then you're going to get a different sound every time. The Tom Crown All Copper Straight mutes make a beautifully warm sound, but they're expensive and a lot of people just use aluminium straights that give a very different feel. Cup mutes have about as many varieties as Heinz I'm afraid and they all make different sounds. I've got a Humes and Berg Cup which I use for jazz and a Denis Wick Adjustable cup which I use for orchestral and symphonic purposes. I've never used a bucket mute... the Jo-Ral ones look... intriguing. I do own a "proper" plunger, it's the Denis Wick one, though I would never recommend buying one; it's meant to be a sink plunger basically- get one of them! That said, I can only imagine what my band master would say if I turned up with a chemistry textbook to a gig or even a rehearsal. Anyone got any preferences for mutes? I hear the Dave Hickman Sotto Voce is a good one for the purpose you're describing.

my preference for mutes would be: humes and berg cup mute - the good old red and white ones! - i think the denis wick streightmutes are good - i have only used that at and old humes and berg paper one - so the metal one wins it for me, and for plunger it has to be the Stone lined Trixie mute- humes and berg again - and for harmon mute - you cannot beat a jo-ral bubble mute - they are so zingy!

Agree with most of that though I don't have a bubble... want want want!! Jonscott what's the H&B Paper mute like out of interest?

Stephen

Its ok, it produces a less sustained sound that a metal streight mute - and has a softer tone - nice for playing in brass bands along side cup mutes

Correct me if I'm wrong- sounds like a good choice for Copland's "Quiet City" or Shostakovich's Piano Concerto no.1 or Debussy's "Nocturnes" then?

Stephen

Humes & Berg Bucket Mute

On the subject of buckets does anyone know about the Jo-Ral ones? They come in a variety of materials so I'm sure you could find out for a nice warm sound... Brass perhaps??

Stephen

having never played these peices i cant be sure - there is a orchestral streight mute - i think its a jo-ral - but i cant remember

Hi - cup mute no question about it...but if its a whole section make sure theyve all got the same make. I've got one with a this linign of velvet inside the cup which i think produces a much softer less tinny sound than the dennis wick ones.
Alison

oh - have you ever tried flugel - with a plunger mute? (an idea of jonscott14's)

Definately agree. Though I'd be interested to hear who yours is made by Alison. I personally prefer H & B Cup mutes especially for the sound mentioned here.

Stephen