Mute for BIG Tuba

Douglas · Post by **Douglas** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:21 pm

Well... I use an apperson mute on my Miraphone 186 and your bell isn't much bigger.

Doug Black

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:33 pm

thomaji wrote:a large cat

I had a chicken in my bell once!

jmerring · Post by **jmerring** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:39 pm

thomaji wrote:a large cat

No, my big cat (17 pounds) won't allow me to play below BBb...he has habit of, well....got any cat litter?

CJ Krause · Post by **CJ Krause** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 11:25 am

Lew · Post by **Lew** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:04 pm

Will Ferrell from a Saturday night live routine with Christopher Walken. More cowbell.... I love that avatar.

Jay Bertolet · Post by **Jay Bertolet** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 2:51 pm

Well, I have to disagree with Grooving for Heaven about the Humes & Berg 208. I own one and use it with my Nirschl 6/4 CC. I don't know of too many tubas that have a bigger bell throat than the Nirschl and the 208 I own works just fine with that horn. My experience with mutes has been that the HB Symphonic line is the best mute going. Getting the right amount of cork is something you have to do with any mute, though my 208 required no adjustments. Just try one out and see for yourself.

My opinion for what it's worth...

TonyZ · Post by **TonyZ** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 3:06 pm

My odl teacher used the big HB mute on his tuba, (4/4 Alex) and to get the right amout of cork, he created sliders made from wine corks, and clamped them on the existing cork. He could then adjust the mute to wherever he wanted. Quite ingenious, really, and there was no permanent change to the existing cork!

Z-Tuba Dude · Post by **Z-Tuba Dude** » Tue Aug 03, 2004 5:25 pm

TonyZ wrote:My odl teacher used the big HB mute on his tuba, (4/4 Alex) and to get the right amout of cork, he created sliders made from wine corks, and clamped them on the existing cork. He could then adjust the mute to wherever he wanted. Quite ingenious, really, and there was no permanent change to the existing cork!

I would be curious about the details, as I use the same HB 208 mute for two different tubas, and need to set the corks up for two different bell throat diameters.

TonyZ · Post by **TonyZ** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:02 am

Z-Tuba Dude wrote:
TonyZ wrote:My odl teacher used the big HB mute on his tuba, (4/4 Alex) and to get the right amout of cork, he created sliders made from wine corks, and clamped them on the existing cork. He could then adjust the mute to wherever he wanted. Quite ingenious, really, and there was no permanent change to the existing cork!
I would be curious about the details, as I use the same HB 208 mute for two different tubas, and need to set the corks up for two different bell throat diameters.

The teacher is Monty Burch of the Grand Rapids (MI) symphony. The parts that he had were metal, about 1.5 inches long, "U" shaped, and fit snugly over the existing cork. He attached wine corks to the metal, so that when you slid the new "spacer" onto the existing cork, you could adjust the depth of the mute. I suppose he had some way to make the sliders stay in place, but I can't remember that. He also cut his own mouthpieces when he worked for Schilke -- a well-rounded fellow, to say the least. Seems to me that many tubists are handy like that, but that is another post....

TonyZ · Post by **TonyZ** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:56 pm

I have an R&S but I like the sound of the H&B Symphonic much more. The R&S is quite adjustable, though.