Opinions on Silent Brass

[YSUTuba]

Hey everyone, long-time lurker

I'm thinking about purchasing a Silent BRass so I can practice at night in my new apartment. I was just wondering what everyone thought of them. Are they good for your playing, bad for it or what?

any opinions would be appreciated!

[geneman06]

I got one (used) over the summer and I can say it is satisfactory, however I would not pay $350-$400 for one. I find it adds a bit of resistance to the horn and makes high register playing obnoxiously difficult. On CC: Everything above E above the staff doesn't slot properly, F: Db and Gb above the staff do not slot properly. That being said, I love practicing with the Mute for added resistance for a couple of days because it makes playing open feel so much easier. You just have to remember to still use big air with the mute in, it is too easy to get lazy with your air with a mute in. Another plus is the mute will fit in (almost) any horn, I can switch it between my PT606PS and MW 45sLp without having to readjust anything.

As for the electronics... I find the "digital studio" module to be unnecessary. you can hear the horn just fine without it and the built in mic and room effects don't really sound all that great (I own an older model so maybe they've improved this). Also, I hate the wire that goes from the mute to the module and wearing headphones when I play. All those wires make me nervous with an expensive horn in my lap.

Hope this was informative,

Gene

[Paul Tkachenko]

It's just too damned heavy for a longer practice session ... cuts the blood supply off to my leg after a while!

[MartyNeilan]

A) Toss the electronics (closet or squeezebay.) Don't need 'em, don't want 'em.
B) Get a wrench and remove the big "microphone" plug. Makes the mute play less stuffy, and lets you hear your sound just a little more (see letter A.)
C) Search the archives. Lots of reviews on SB, both good and bad.

[Tubaryan12]

A tuba playing stand is a must when using a Silent Brass for tuba. I also agree the electronics are not needed. I used them one day and never again.

[JB]

A tuba playing stand is a must when using a Silent Brass for tuba. I also agree the electronics are not needed.

Complete agreement with these two statements from me.

If this is the route you decide to take, save yourself the $ and get only the mute, not the electronics.

Realize that any practice mute will affect intonation in "extreme" ranges, and also that it will also add some resistance to blowing the horn (not necessarily a bad thing, IMO).

[YSUTuba]

Thank you very much, everyone! Those were exactly the answers I was looking for. I plan on practicing without it during the day, but after 8:00 or so I would use the mute. I just wanted to make sure people weren't like "OH NO!! IT WILL DESTROY YOUR PLAYING!!!"

thanks!

[b.williams]

I agree. Mute good - electronics not needed. I practice euphonium, trombone, and tube with practice mutes. Is it different than without a mute - YES, is it a bad different - NO. I heard all kinds of horror stories about what was going to happen if I used these mutes for an extended period of time (every day). Not true.

[pgym]

Thank you very much, everyone! Those were exactly the answers I was looking for. I plan on practicing without it during the day, but after 8:00 or so I would use the mute. I just wanted to make sure people weren't like "OH NO!! IT WILL DESTROY YOUR PLAYING!!!"

If you do most of your practicing BEFORE 8:00, it is not likely to destroy your playing (unless you mean 8:00 AM ), but if you end up doing most of your practicing AFTER 8:00, it could very well do so.

I heard all kinds of horror stories about what was going to happen if I used these mutes for an extended period of time (every day). Not true.

Here's an experiment for you: spend the next 60 days doing ALL your daily practice and playing using the mute, then report back to us on whether or not it negatively affected your playing.

[b.williams]

Dear PGYM,

I already do all of my three hour daily practice with Silent Brass and Denis Wick practice mutes. That's because I practice at odd hours and I wish to stay married and remain in the same condo. I am a very seasoned player with a firmly established sound concept on all three instruments. Practice mutes are a God send for me. Gone are the days when I would have to drive to a mall parking lot or to the local college music building to practice. I practice each instrument for about an hour every day. Practic mutes were never intended to be used for all of your playing. They can be used for most of your practicing with no adverse effects. They are also great to warm up with before a performance or to use in the hotel when you are on the road or traveling to an audition.