Trager Trumpet Talk

Trager Trumpet Talktm.

presents

To Mute Or Not To Mute?

(That is the Question)

I was sitting in my office this morning trying to get some organizing completed before school starts, when I noticed the shelf where I keep some of my unique mutes. It was very dusty, so I decided to clean it up. I then started to think about all the mutes I own. I have mutes eveywhere. I even have some in the trunk of my car (in case of an emergency - yeah, right!). Many of the more unique mutes that I own, I inherited from my father and his colleagues.

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I started pondering; bad habit I have; Why don't I see these unusual mutes in music stores and catalogues? We trumpeters are a unique breed. We control a huge market of manufacturers that are vying for our business. We have everything one can imagine available to us. We have everything from the best smelling valve oil, the easiest to clip-on microphone, mouthpieces that guarantee an additional half an octave of range, mouthpiece extensions that allow us to buzz our mouthpiece while it is still attached to our horn, and special gloves that have anti tarnish properties to shine up our silverplated babies. We even have gadgets that can be installed on our instrument by a qualified technician , to eliminate the need to turn a screw to remove our third slide. We are a pretty influential buying group, and manufacturers are cognizant of this fact. Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that all of these nifty items exist, but sometimes I wonder if we haven't lost our focus - Let me explain.

I read the TPIN and The RMMT newsgroup posts on a daily basis. I see questions posed all the time asking for opinions on "the darkest sounding flugelhorn", or the "mellowest sounding cornet", or what mouthpiece would make that cornet sound even mellower, and on and on and on..... Then I read the responses: If money is no object, then you should consider the ______, or, I know it's costly, but I bought the ______.

Well folks, money is an object, and it has always been an object, and it will always continue to be an object. Back in the 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's; trumpet-cornet players didn't have the options that we have today, so they (knowing money is an object) found alternate ways to alter the sound of their instrument without spending a small fortune. How did they do it? Simple - THEY USED MUTES.

There are mutes available today from various manufacturers but are for the most part, your typical "garden variety". They would consist of the straight mutes available using a variety of different materials such as cardboard, fibrous alternatives, aluminum, copper, copper bottom and plastic ; cup mutes, also available using a variety of different materials; wah-wah mutes which are available in aluminum, copper, or copper and aluminum; and the plunger mute, also available using different materials (I prefer the standard toilet type).

The more exotic types of mutes (which are getting more difficult to find) are usually discovered by the player when he/she sees that they are called for in the music. These would include the "bucket" mute, the "hat" or "derby" mute, and the "solotone" mute. The "bucket and solotone mutes were very popular in the 40's and 50's big bands. I love the sound of the solotone mute, and still use it quite often.

I own mutes that were manufactured years ago that I use all the time. Not too long ago, I played a job that called for a flugelhorn solo. I didn't have my flugelhorn with me, so I reached into my mute bag, and pulled out a felt mute. The effect was so pleasing to the band leader that he made a point of telling me not to forget my felt mute at each job. What is a felt mute? It is a round piece of felt the had elastic sewn in the edges, and strategically placed holes punched out in a circular pattern. The mute simply slips right over the bell. This mute was very popular in the 60's, but is very difficult to find today. Another mute which I use a lot is a "foam mute - similar to the felt mute it slides around the bell. It sounds somewhat like a cross between a wah-wah mute and a bucket mute. I find that using these various mutes have in most cases, eliminated the need for me to change mouthpieces for tonal effects, and have also eliminated the need for me to use flugelhorn.

Mutes don't always have to be used to change sound timbre. I own two different mutes that were manufactured by the"Callichio Co." I don't know if these mutes are still available, but they have proved to be life savers (or should I say lip savers). The mutes are called "reflector" mutes. They look like miniature drum heads that have three clamps attached to them. One of the reflector mutes has a 3-4 inch circular cut out. I use this mute extensively whenever I do outdoor concerts. The majority of the sound passes through the 3-4 inch cut out, but enough sound is reflected back into my face, so I can hear myself. Many players have a tendency to over blow when playing outdoors, this mute is the perfect remedy. The other reflector mute does not have a cut out, and the inside portion which faces towards the bell is lined with "acoustic" foam. This mute allows you to truly hear your core sound since it absorbs most of the reflective sound. This mute is also great for playing situations where you might disturb neighbors during practice time. It doesn't affect the resistance of the horn, and it doesn't cut out so much of the sound that you can't hear yourself play. By the way this reflector mute also makes a great "play in the stand" mute, and allows you the ability to still be able to read the music on the stand.

The points that I have tried to make in this short article are:

1 - We trumpeters shouldn't always look for that "magic horn" or "magic mouthpiece, but rather, find creative alternatives that work just as well. Perhaps constructing your own mute out of a sock, or a nifty straight-type mute out of a discarded Renuzit Air Freshner container.

2 - We should contact manufacturers of mutes, and find out the availability of certain mutes, and their plans if any to make new types of mutes available.

3 - We, being the powerful lobby that we are should present various ideas (such as mute designs and suggestions) to manufacturers and entrepenuers.

So, to answer the question - "To mute or not to mute ?" Definately "MUTE"