What do you use a mute in the most?

[imperialbari]

Klaus, I have often thought about buying a used H&B Symphonic aluminum mute (the large one) for a 4/4 tuba, removing the corks and re-corking it like a practice mute, then cutting out about half of the cap and replacing it with very thin metal (like .5mm aluminum). Think this would work?

The air has to escape somewhere, and if it is around the thin inserted sheet metal, there may arise a harmonica effect. I rather would keep the corks, but shave them as much as possible without letting the mute touch the inside of the stack. Maybe a few thin corks should be added further up to stabilize the seating of the mute. The corks should not be shaved so much that the mute goes stuffy.

Mutes have their complex shape for a purpose: structural integrity. Cutting a hole might ruin that stability. If the said mute has an indentation on the top plane, then I would cut it into 6, 8, or more sections, radial pizza-style. Then the triangles may be doubled back on the inside without touching the mute inside. The edges of the octagon (or whatever) then may be compressed by means of pliers. That will give you a stable area to rivet the thin metal to the mute. Maybe hammered brass or copper may give the most alive sound.

This outline of course will need to be adapted to real life.

Klaus

[Eric B]

Rick "who has only been required to use a mute once in nearly 40 years, and that was for a big tuba" Denney

University of Michigan director (Wagner, I think) directed the 1989 Oklahoma All-State Band. He chewed the tuba section out because not one of the 6 of us came with a tuba mute. I think they found one at the near by University of Oklahoma. They gave it to the 1st chair player and the other 5 laid out in that section. I don't recall the piece, although I'll never forget that director.

[pierso20]

My television

[awaters]

i use a denis wick mute for big horn it sizzles and is in tune. played firebird on willson F last season with a trumcor"deluxe straight mute" plays in tune has unique internal "slide" for tuning.
wish i had a big wooden mute

[Steve Marcus]

A fair amount of Morton Gould's music contains some muted tuba passages.

You better not show up to brass band rehearsal without a mute, particularly if you're rehearsing one of numerous Test Pieces that call for it.

[imperialbari]

If bands want muted tubas, shouldn’t they provide them ready to use in the bandroom? Transporting a tuba is already a pest in its own right.

Klaus

[tuba kitchen]

Elektra!

[MartyNeilan]

For quintet my homemade one works very well and I will not seek another.

Would that by any chance be the one I made for the Cerveny, or are we talking about something completely different?

[Bignick1357]

The Husa comment made me chuckle cause I just got done play Music For Prauge and it was about 70% mute and it was all mezzo forte at most for the mute parts. Did husa just enjoy the mute