Who makes the quietest practice mute?
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 2:00 pm
So based on where I'm gonna be working again this summer, I've decided that buying a quality practice mute is an absolute necessity if I want to be able to practice at all this summer. I worked at Cedar Point last summer, where the employee housing is very similar to a college dorm. Anyway, I didn't have a mute, and I received several noise complaints whenever I played until I just gave up trying to find time to practice, which then made band camp very rough since I had only practiced a handful of times.
I can't afford to have that happen again this year, so I'm looking into using a practice mute to reduce the sound output as much as possible. I've read some reviews of various mutes, but I wanted to see if anyone's opinion has changed or if there is a clear winner to you guys.
Right now, I'm looking at either a Silent Brass, Denis Wick, Schlipf, or Trumcor. I know the Silent Brass is apparently the best option, but I've read mixed reviews about them. Some say that they're simply the best, and people in the next room over won't hear you playing, while others have still had issues practicing, saying it doesn't cut down as much sound as advertised. I realize that they're rather cumbersome and awkward since they stick out of the bell so much, but thats something I could live with if it really cuts down on noise.
Since according to some of the posts I've read about the Silent Brass not being all it was cracked up to be, I found some better reviews of the Schlipf and Denis Wick. I like that most Schlipf mutes can be stored in the case with the tuba, as opposed to the giant Silent Brass, which seems horribly inconvenient.
And then there's the Trumcor's, which seem pretty decent too, and also at a very reasonable price.
So what's everyone's opinion on mutes? If you had to pick just one as the best mute for practicing in a very public area without being a nuisance, what would you go with?
Thanks!
I can't afford to have that happen again this year, so I'm looking into using a practice mute to reduce the sound output as much as possible. I've read some reviews of various mutes, but I wanted to see if anyone's opinion has changed or if there is a clear winner to you guys.
Right now, I'm looking at either a Silent Brass, Denis Wick, Schlipf, or Trumcor. I know the Silent Brass is apparently the best option, but I've read mixed reviews about them. Some say that they're simply the best, and people in the next room over won't hear you playing, while others have still had issues practicing, saying it doesn't cut down as much sound as advertised. I realize that they're rather cumbersome and awkward since they stick out of the bell so much, but thats something I could live with if it really cuts down on noise.
Since according to some of the posts I've read about the Silent Brass not being all it was cracked up to be, I found some better reviews of the Schlipf and Denis Wick. I like that most Schlipf mutes can be stored in the case with the tuba, as opposed to the giant Silent Brass, which seems horribly inconvenient.
And then there's the Trumcor's, which seem pretty decent too, and also at a very reasonable price.
So what's everyone's opinion on mutes? If you had to pick just one as the best mute for practicing in a very public area without being a nuisance, what would you go with?
Thanks!