Tuba Mute

[Benjamin]

I've allways wondered what a Tuba mute looked like, I figured it looked like a Trumpit mute but bigger. I looked it up online and was correct. But I have no idea how much. Because the pictures did not really show size, like compareing it to other objects. So if someone could like show me a pic of a Tuba mute compared to like a Trumpit mute or something that would be great. Thanks.
Benjamin.

[Rick Denney]

I've allways wondered what a Tuba mute looked like, I figured it looked like a Trumpit mute but bigger. I looked it up online and was correct. But I have no idea how much. Because the pictures did not really show size, like compareing it to other objects. So if someone could like show me a pic of a Tuba mute compared to like a Trumpit mute or something that would be great. Thanks.
Benjamin.

I don't have a picture handy. But my Ron Apperson mute is something like 28" long and 14" around on the fat end.

Rick "estimating from memory" Denney

[jmerring]

The one that I had in college was a little on the cheap side, but it was a simple, coniical aluminum tube (capped), with bumpers on the side to protect the horn. It was 28" long and 13" across, at the butt end. Boy, you should have heard the kids in the audience laugh, when I put that big sucker in the horn!

[dmmorris]

Tuba mute by Denis Wick...does look sorta like a trumpet mute 'cept a lot bigger and less bell flair:




What I really want is a tuba harman mute!

[OldBandsman]

My mute is an inexpensive one... made of sheet aluminum and wood... Wide end is just over 11 inches. Length is 26.5 inches, and narrow end is 3 3/8 inches. Has some sheet rubber (like cut from an innertube) around the small end to protect the bell lacquer. I've built the corks up to and inch high... there are three of them. I'm using it in a YBB641, and even that much bypass pushes the instrument way sharp, but generally within what I can correct with the tuning slide. Makes for some quiet practice around the house here.

[MartyNeilan]

Here are two Humes & Berg aluminum straight mutes: the symphonic and the large bore. Next to them is my son Jacob at 10 weeks, to give a size comparison.

[Rick Denney]

What kind of sound do you get when you put Jacob in the bell? I would think he would be a little too squirmy to be an effective mute.

Rick "is that multiphonic?" Denney

[Uncle Buck]

When I was studying at Arkansas State, the school purchased some tuba mutes, but I can't remember who made them. They were a hard black plastic, with adjustible rubber tips at the contact points for the bell, so you could adjust how far down the mute sat in your tuba. They looked kind of small, but as I recall they worked better than they looked. The adjustible contact points seemed like a really good idea to me.

I've tried to find this mute, but can't. Does anybody know who made/makes it?

[Matt G]

I have used the following as a mute on many occasions:



It works fairly well when placed correctly, and you can vary the damping. You do not need a mute assistant or any convoluted productions to get the mute in and out quickly and safely.

It does not sound the same as a good aluminum mute, but sounds close to the fiberboard and plastic mutes. In fact it sounds more mute-y than the R&S plastic mute I own.

I do prefer the orchestra sized folders for this application the best as they give the best coverage.

[Matt G]

When I was studying at Arkansas State, the school purchased some tuba mutes, but I can't remember who made them. They were a hard black plastic, with adjustible rubber tips at the contact points for the bell, so you could adjust how far down the mute sat in your tuba. They looked kind of small, but as I recall they worked better than they looked. The adjustible contact points seemed like a really good idea to me.

I've tried to find this mute, but can't. Does anybody know who made/makes it?

That's the R&S mute I have.

I am not sure if WW&BW still stocks them, but that is where I picked mine up.

[MartyNeilan]

Andy Loree asked me to put up this picture of a comparison between a trumpet and tuba mute. On the left, a Harmon trumpet mute, 5 7/8-inches long. On the right, a Humes & Berg #208 Symphonic aluminum tuba mute, 28 3/4-inches long.

BTW, Rick, my son Jacob is almost 5 and 55 pounds so he doesn't fit down the bell very easily any more. However, he does like me to put him in my 5/4 gigbag, zip it up, and carry him around the room in it a few times.

[MaryAnn]

I have used the following as a mute on many occasions:



It works fairly well when placed correctly, and you can vary the damping. You do not need a mute assistant or any convoluted productions to get the mute in and out quickly and safely.

It does not sound the same as a good aluminum mute, but sounds close to the fiberboard and plastic mutes. In fact it sounds more mute-y than the R&S plastic mute I own.

I do prefer the orchestra sized folders for this application the best as they give the best coverage.

I wish I had known that when I played Pictures. I didn't use a mute assistant but I sure could have used one....I had to put the tuba on the floor, grab the mute, stand up, put the mute in, sit down, pick up the tuba. Not exactly a fast mute change. Just whomping a folder on top and holding it there for a few notes would have been easier.

MA

[Tom Holtz]

Since most local music stores stock 30 or 40 different tuba mutes this should be easy to do even for that one-off 1934 small town in Austria E-Bay special......

I want to shop at your local music stores. I don't think Baltimore Brass Company has 40 tubas in stock, much less 40 mutes.