Mute Selection

swillafew · Post by **swillafew** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:35 am

I have a B&S GR51 aka PT 605, and a need to select a mute. This horn has a 17.75 bell, and shares the same bell as a Thor, according to posts on this forum. If anybody can educate me on selecting a mute with an appropriate volume, taper, etc, and the desired tone, projection, it will be most appreciated! I live about an hour west of Chicago if anybody is selling one.

I also have an F tuba with an old style small bell, 12.5 inches, and if there's a recommendation for a small, narrow mute, I'll appreciate that, too.

I haven't used a mute since college, it was a Humes and Berg in a Meinl Weston, and I didn't covet the sound.

swillafew · Post by **swillafew** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:05 am

Thanks for the info! I think other brasses often sound wonderful with all manner of mutes. Tuba mutes I am far less sure about; I think the horn loses a lot with the obstruction.

tclements · Post by **tclements** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:18 am

The trick with mute selection is the amount of cork on the mute. I have 2 large H&B aluminum mutes and two small ones. On one of each, I have the original corks. On the other two, I have built up the corks so that they will both go into tubas with larger throats. In any case, I have YET to find a mute that works on all notes in any tuba. All my mutes have a handle on them so when a note doesn't speak quite right, I reach up and pull the mute out a bit, so THAT note speaks like the rest. One one mute, I have SO much cork that the tuba isn't really muted. I call this my 'conductor's friend.' When a conductor INSISTS on muting something, this is the mute I use. The instrument isn't muted, but it LOOKS muted. Works every time!

cambrook · Post by **cambrook** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:07 pm

I used the large and small H&B aluminium mutes for many years, and found the smaller one to be more successful. I still use that mute in my smaller tuba, but in contrast to Tony I have found an excellent mute that does work on all notes in my big tuba - for the first time I actually enjoy playing muted sections too!

The mute in question is made by Johann Schlipfinger, the only negative about it is the price.

http://www.tuba-mute.com" target="_blank

Johann has many different sizes, it's best to contact him and ask which is the best fit for your GR-51.

tclements · Post by **tclements** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:11 pm

@ Cameron - I was interested in this mute. I am not able to find one. If anyone knows where these are, can you post here? Thanks!

cambrook · Post by **cambrook** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:32 pm

I bought mine when I was in Europe. I had emailed Johann and planned to meet up in Munich - a 2 hour drive from his place. Unfortunately my plans changed and I couldn't make it to Munich, and I had to go back to my friend in St Gallen, Switzerland. I was resigned to missing out on getting a mute, and had my German-speaking friend call Johann to let him know.

Undeterred, Johann offered to drive to St Gallen instead! This was a 4 hour drive for him and his lovely wife, so he left work early, put some mutes in the car and arrived for dinner. Johann takes great pride in his mutes; he proudly showed his photo album of famous tuba players with him (and his mutes), we shared a few pizzas and good laughs and then the Schlipfs hit the road to be home by about 1:30am, ready for work the next day.

That's customer service!

I don't know if anyone carries these mutes in the US, I have heard that Lee Stofer has some at times. I'd contact Johann directly first.

swillafew · Post by **swillafew** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:57 pm

Thanks for the great help; I see there's a Jet Tone plastic mute. I wondered if a person here can comment on this product.

Maurice · Post by **Maurice** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:53 pm

I believe Lee Stofer sells the Schlipf mutes.

tubahero300 · Post by **tubahero300** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:41 pm

i dont no how small they go, but balu mutes are adjustable. and sound great

Lectron · Post by **Lectron** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:07 am

Anyone tried the Tools4Winds adjustable?

Lectron · Post by **Lectron** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:33 am

bloke wrote:
To me, a mute that works for "everything from an F tuba to a BBb tuba" is an "F tuba mute".

Yeah, that's really why I ask....

I can get it shipping included from Thomann for ~$300, so if it would in fact do everything from F to BB
.
.
looks good thou

With that handle it better come with a stand.....

Jeff Anderson · Post by **Jeff Anderson** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:07 pm

Lectron wrote:Anyone tried the Tools4Winds adjustable?

It works great on my B&S F, not great on my B&S PT-6.

Jeff Anderson
San Francisco Symphony

Lectron · Post by **Lectron** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:20 am

Thank you mr. Anderson

I'll try out the tools4winds as it will probably give me good results on my Ebs and F
knowing thou I need to get a real Dolly Dimples tampon for my BBb and CC

Lectron · Post by **Lectron** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:26 am

bloke wrote:...and the quest for a truly great large-5/4 - 6/4 mute continues...

(but why...??)

bloke "who has noticed that, most of the time, if I don't demonstrate to conductors that passages for the tuba are marked as muted, they don't notice"

Only times that didn't work was when we had James Gourlay as conductor.

Other than that, yeah...It's inventing a problem

TubeNet

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