TubeNet

Hi TubeNet,

I live in an apartment, and I want to practice in the mornings and evenings without driving back and forth to my college. I'm not thrilled with the Yamaha Silent Brass, so I'd like other's experience with other brands. I'm looking at Dennis Wick, Trumcor, and Schlipf, but I'm certainly open to other options. I know I'm not going to find a practice mute that has perfect intonation, etc. but I'd like to come as close as possible.

Thank you for your time and expertise!

The best practice mutes that I've found for tuba are the Voigt Brass 'Wallace Mutes'. They aren't small, they are expensive, but they are the best blowing mutes around. Message me and I can send you some information about where to acquire them.

I've found that 'suitable' practice mutes are horn-specific (like suitable mouthpieces are face-specific) and that general recommendations, although provided with the best intentions, aren't useful. I've unloaded practice mutes that were simply lousy with a specific horn only to try the same models later to find that they worked well (well... as well as can be expected) with another horn. I've purchased a handful (Silent Brass, Denis Wick, Best Brass) more than once. If possible, try/borrow before you buy.

Having said that...

If possible, try/borrow for a practice (and performance?) cycle before you buy to be sure the mute will suit your needs over time. Practicing with a mute can be a terrible way to play as your familiar horn becomes something else with different intonation, back pressure, response etc. Regular practice mute practice also impacts your interaction with the horn when playing mute-free. In my experience, it's worse than not practicing at all. There have been times when I would have been grateful to have a practice space within a commutable distance.

I find that practicing with a silencing mute helps me with several aspects of my playing by reinforcing certain skills. I try to use it frequently even when there are no issues about disturbing others.

The two most significant benefits 'for me' are connected with "pitch centering" and "breath control."

The added resistance of the mute helps me define "exactly" where I need to place the pitch or buzz. (plus without the entire horn resonating I can feel the small movemenst of my embouchure much more critically.) This helps in very fine motor coordination with the anchor (or placement) of the mouthpiece, tongue placement, corners of the mouth, jaw position and finger precision.

Blowing against the resistance with the mute is also like athletic training with weight on. For me I feel it helps to identify the abdominal and thorasic muscles that are being used and exercises them a bit more so than just blowing into the open horn.

I try to listen, "solfege-wise", to what I am playing and this helps with making intelligent phrases that seem to go somewhere musically speaking.

Then, the real benefit comes when the mute comes out and I play on the open horn.
The sound is open and huge, very focused and I seem to have a greater ability to manage my air more efficiently and play longer and more interesting phrases.

Similar benefits occur with just mouthpiece "solfege" practicing, but with the mute, all the skills get worked on together building up a very fine level of coordination.

I was lucky in making one from an old aluminum mute that I had from years ago. A little foam to fit around the bottom where it touches the inside of the bell and "voila" and best of all it plays pretty well in tune with the open horn. I think that is what cinched the deal for me. An out of tune mute would be very annoying and probably counterproductive.