DIY Tuba Mute Questions

[Oceantuba]

Hi all.

As far as things technical/working with my hands, I'm fond of saying I know enough to get in trouble but.....

I may need a mute soon. Never used/owned one before. Online prices (landed) seem high.

A cone seems easiest to make. Game plane: measure OD of bell with string at 2 or 3 points, allow for bell metal thickness and make corks oversize, reduce cork as needed. What is the typical length of a BBb straight mute? Any pointers on measuring or general mute dimensions are appreciated.

Goal: build a light, durable, playable mute that would fit close, or flush to, bell rim. I'm not concerned with the actual sound quality.

Oh yah. Is a tuneable st. mute that useful? i.e. can one effectively move any unplayable notes/ranges around? If so, any pics or pointers on making a tuneable mute would be appreciated.

Of these materials (I suck at woodwork), which would be best?

HVAC metal (type used for residential duct). Light. Easy to work with.
Aluminum? brass? I can solder or braze the brass seams. AL would be pop riveted.
I have a MIG. Mild steel?

This would be for a Mirphone 186 BBb (early 70's model)

TIA,

OT

[imperialbari]

A mute flush with the bell is bound to cause sharpness.

Klaus

[Art Hovey]

You can make a pretty good short mute out of a plastic flowerpot. You need to cut a large hole in the bottom, and make a top plate that does not vibrate like a drumhead.
(Quarter-inch plywood will resonate, making one note impossible to play and adjacent notes out of tune.) A dome-shaped or conical top plate works better.

If you make the end of the mute nearly flush with the bell rim it will play roughly a semitone sharp. That's no problem if you are good at transposing.

To make a mute that plays in tune you have to make its internal volume greater. I found that a BBb tuba mute must protrude roughly one foot.

Cheap linoleum floor covering is a good material to use. I am still using a linoleum mute that I made 45 years ago. Other possible choices are cheerleader's megaphone and red plastic traffic cones.

Use soft plastic foam instead of corks, so you can easily adjust the space between the mute and the bell's interior.

[imperialbari]

Art, you gave me an idea by mentioning the plastic flower pot. I have two identical large ones lying in my garden to be fetched when I get the glue off my behind.

I will find a way to join them after taking the bottom off one and closing the hole in the other one. Or I will make a bigger hole in the top one and finally get myself a crazy kazoo mute by covering the top hole with greaseproof paper or tin foil, or a combination of layers of these.

I will attach corks by means of velcro strips for easy adjustment.

Klaus

[Oceantuba]

Thanks guys.

I see what you mean about height beyond bell. (Makes sense. Other brass mutes do this as well). And I'm beginning to understand the idea behind shape and material. Mostly shape. I would imagine that having a curved, or bulbous end would help cancel out standing waves (something akin to the bathroom stall effect.... though those are obviously parallel walls). I imagine that having a curved shape to side walls also helps in this regard. But I'm really just guessing.

I'd be curious to shape something out of wire mesh then fiberglassing. Not the most enjoyable job, but it would likely allow one to more easily shape the sides in a curved fashion. Mind you the process might allow drips to form on inside wall.

OT.

[Oceantuba]

The H&B spun aluminum "Symphonic" #206 is, imo, ideal for a 186.

I can probably sell one for $160 (drop-shipped). Other outlets may beat this price...(??) I believe I saw one offered on eBay a few weeks ago (opening bid) for $100, but I don't know what the winning bid was...(??)

A less-expensive mute that will fit has - for several decades - been made by someone in Cookeville, TN (possibly tied in with Tennessee Tech). I'm not sure at all of the current price...(??) I bought one back in the 70's for $25, so I might guess (and this is completely a guess...??) that they are now over $75. edit: I just found them, and they are, indeed, $80: http://orgs.tntech.edu/tuba/default.asp?page=mutes These are the sheet-metal-and-wood-construction of which you imagine, except they already have a design, and can make them without hours-upon-hours of fiddling around (as you might well end up doing...??). With no demeaning of the Cookeville product intended, they are clearly (to me) not as good as the H&B spun aluminum.

Comparing all 4/4-fitting tuba mutes in all price ranges (including a tuba mute that is manufactured only twenty miles from me), I gravitate towards the H&B aluminum 206 for personal use.

The problem with bent-around sheet metal mutes (whether home-made or [sorry guys!] Cookeville-made is BUZZING. The large seam and the attachment to the wooden circle are opportunities for BUZZES. EVEN IF it is buzz-free when made, future transport and spills will - eventually - create places in bent-around sheet metal mutes that will BUZZ.

Hi Bloke.

Good pointers, thanks for offer and link. Didn't know a cone type mute was offered at that price range.

Really good point about the seams. I'm sure I could make it so seam was solid. But. Useful tip.

For sure. Time spent/material costs. $80 for what I assume is a basic mute, seems attractive (I really don't see the day that I'll need one for orchestral work..... just has to change the sound and have a given contractor see that I have the dang thing.... can you tell I'm a fan of mutes? ). Even with shipping costs/dollar difference, that's a good price.

Still a good thought process to go through. I see things differently know. (shapes of common objects and possible use thereof). But if I start thinking about stealing a traffic cone from a work site, well, that's where I draw the line!

OT.

[Oceantuba]

..... (I really don't see the day that I'll need one for orchestral work..... just has to change the sound and have a given contractor see that I have the dang thing.... can you tell I'm a fan of mutes? ).


.......

I should note that my sarcasm (what? A musician sarcastic? ) isn't intended to belittle the use of mutes with Tubas et al. They obviously do make a positive musical difference. Personally, I really enjoy the old school Stone Lined cup mute on the tenor bone. But, like some others I'm sure, I tend to see mutes as things that take up room, get dented, and make very unmusical sounds when not used properly. ("drops.... clunk clunk clunk")

OT.

[SplatterTone]

I know this is a topic that has come up in the past. And I know there is a thread or two that goes into considerable detail on homebrew mute making. But I'm too lazy to look for it. Just letting you know such thread is somewhere in the archives.

[Oceantuba]

I know this is a topic that has come up in the past. And I know there is a thread or two that goes into considerable detail on homebrew mute making. But I'm too lazy to look for it. Just letting you know such thread is somewhere in the archives.

For sure. I had done a quick search beforehand, but I too was likely a little lazy.

I'll get a little more creative with the advanced search.

Thanks,

OT.

[SplatterTone]

Yep. The old thread(s) get into materials, molding, all kinds of stuff. Very informative if you can find it.

[Oceantuba]

ok. so more searching.

Not a tuba mute, but points for creativity.

I like the weather stripping idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avYx6X8cK_s" target="_blank

OT.

[jmanning]

Some of my students have made their own mutes from different materials. The best seemed to be a four-sided tapered cone made from foam core mounting board. I blogged about it here:

http://tubahead.wordpress.com/2009/12/0 ... nium-mute/" target="_blank" target="_blank

[imperialbari]

Some of my students have made their own mutes from different materials. The best seemed to be a four-sided tapered cone made from foam core mounting board. I blogged about it here:

http://tubahead.wordpress.com/2009/12/0 ... nium-mute/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

I like this approach! If one would want a mute closing the bell even more, it could be made hexagonal. More cutting, but still the math would be simple. The edges provide stiffness, so that the material might be veneer.

Klaus

[tuba_hacker]

Some of my students have made their own mutes from different materials. The best seemed to be a four-sided tapered cone made from foam core mounting board. I blogged about it here:

http://tubahead.wordpress.com/2009/12/0 ... nium-mute/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

I like this solution. Does anyone have any idea of the proper dimensions for a Mirafone 186?