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Can anyone explain how a practice mute works? Specifically, what parts of it cause the sound to be quieted, what material those are, how a buildup of air behind the mute is prevented, etc.
Thanks

Can you supply any guesses as to what the thick material would be?

Tuba Guy wrote:Can you supply any guesses as to what the thick material would be?

It is a compressible, cell foam product, such as the "Ensolite" (R) used in sleeping pads for camping.

For examples, read the patents. Register, and you can download the patent drawings.
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5309808.html" target="_blank" target="_blank

Acoustic practice mute

"Means 24 are provided for sealingly securing the body 12 to the bell end 26 of the brass musical wind instrument 28 diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4 as a trumpet. The means for sealingly connecting the body 12 to the bell end 26 of the brass musical instrument 28 is preferably formed of a compressible cork or rubber material which provides for simply pressing the means 24 into the bell end 26. This has less potential for instrument bell damage as only a compressible material touches the bell 26 of instrument 28. Any desired means of connecting the body 10 to the bell 26 of the wind instrument, however, can be utilized such as illustrated in the patents previously set forth."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5569864.html" target="_blank" target="_blank
Mute attached to brass instrument without change of pitch of sound