PRACTICE MUTE GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

[euphobone]

PRACTICE/TRAVEL/WARM-UP MUTE GENERAL IMPRESSIONS

EQUIPMENT USED:
WILLSON 2900BS (DECEMBER 1985)
KARL HAMMOND 11L

DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE MY OPINIONS BASED ON HAVING SPENT MANY HOURS ON EACH MUTE. YOUR EXPERIENCE MAY BE DIFFERENT, AND YOU MAY DISAGREE.

1ST PLACE: BEST BRASS WARM-UP MUTE - $167 Shipped
First impression: Very even response. No major tuning issues. Blows very well. Super light and compact enough!

• Fairly even response
• Thins out in low register
• Upper register is fairly resonant
• Metallic sound, but not too buzzy
• Tuning issues include slightly uneven octaves, but overall fairly even. Ab3 to D4 a little flat compared to mute sharpness, but not unbearably as in the Wick Travel
• Very light, almost in-bell compactness (200 Grams/7 Ounces), weight is well-centered on the instrument
• My Willson 2900BS still fits in a gig bag AND its hard case with the mute in. The mute sticks out about 1 inch/25MM.
• Reduces decibel level by about 15dB.
• Wrapping 2 layers of self-grip athletic tape on the neoprene creates a warmer tone, reduces sharpness by a few cents, reduces decibel levels maybe another 3dB, but does not significantly affect overall performance.
• Another method is to add something dense inside the round dimple (I used a small quarter-sized piece of wall mounting putty). This reduces the volume by 5dB, but causes Eb3 & 4 and E3 & 4 to have a very live buzzy presence. I'm going to continue working on this dampening method.
• Almost 2nd place. I like it just as much as the Silent Brass, and it is my top choice because of it's compactness and even-ness of blow.

IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS THE BEST COMPACT PRACTICE MUTE FOR EUPHONIUM.

2ND PLACE: YAMAHA SILENT BRASS PM2 (DISCONTINUED MODEL) About $80 used.
First Impression: A little back pressure, but very even response throughout full range in blow and pitch center

• A little thin in the upper register.
• Hollow sounding in low register
• Generally a warm sound
• No major tuning issues aside from being sharp, slightly uneven octaves
• Very top heavy, not compact, (800 Grams/1.8lbs),
• Reduces decibel level by about 20dB
• My favorite, except for the weight, so this is 2nd place.

IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS THE BEST FULL-SIZED PRACTICE MUTE FOR EUPHONIUM.

3RD PLACE: STEVEN MEAD TRAVEL MUTE - $150 Shipped
First Impression: Surprisingly free-blowing, but very uneven response throughout full range in feel and pitch center.

• Thin upper register above F
• Tinny lower register, a challenge to center
• Generally a metallic sound, but not buzzy.
• In-bell, compact, light weight (200 Grams/7 ounces), weight is well-centered on the instrument
• Low Bb and below, very sharp unless you reshape mouth
• Ab3, A3, Bb3, B3, C4 very flat relative to muted sharpness unless you reshape mouth
• D4 is dead and unresponsive
• Very uneven octaves
• Reduces decibel level by about 15dB
• Not my favorite, but love the compact-ness. 3rd Place!

SOLD IT AFTER 2 MONTHS. I DID NOT ENJOY PRACTICING WITH IT.

4TH PLACE: WALLACE M24C COMPACT WARM-UP MUTE - $140 Shipped
First impression: It looked like it would get swallowed up by my bell, and I was right. The neoprene rubber gasket is too small. I might/should fit in narrower-tapered bells, but not my Willson 2900BS bell. I was able to create just enough of a seal to give it a try, but after a few moments it wiggled loose and started vibrating against my bell. I assume I would have to add a layer or two of neoprene foam sheet, or wrap several layers of self-stick athletic tape.

• Okay response, fairly even blow, with a little extra resistance in the lower register. Resistance is supposed to be adjustable, but I am not sure how to do it.
• Good muting, nice warm sound.
• Pedal register responds very well due to extra resistance, but is a little sharp relative to mute sharpness.
• Mute plays a whole step sharp, as indicated on their website. Tuning is mostly even from Bb2 to F4, relative to sharpness, but unlike other mutes, I felt like all my pitches were too high (because they were) and kept second guessing my pitch slotting. Then, F#4 and above are a half step flat relative to mute sharpness. I had to go up one fingering to fix it. So after F4 on a Bb major scale I was finishing with a B major scale fingerings.
• Completely in-bell and very light (maybe a little lighter than 200 Grams/7 Ounces). Weight is well-centered on the instrument.
• Decibel reduction is very close to the Silent Brass. About 20dB.
• If it wasn’t for the poor fit, flat upper register, and the odd whole-step-higher tuning I would rank this above the Mead Travel Mute, but it is simply not useable on my Willson 2900 without modification.

SELLING THIS ONE RIGHT NOW FOR SUPER CHEAP. TAKING A BIG LOSS ON THIS.
http://ebay.us/oEei9J?cmpnId=5338273189

[Sharp]

Got a picture of the athletic-tape wrapping job you did?

I've got both the Silent Brass and the Best Brass mutes and find the BB to be too loud for my apartment.

[euphobone]

Sure. It is 2" tape. Wrapped about 2 times snuggly, if I stretch it was 3 times. And I tried not to overlap the space between the neoprene. If you leave the slight overlap, you get a little additional muting. I removed it, since I preferred it without the tape, so that's why its so wrinkly...I was about to trash it.

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I did the same, maybe like 5 or 6 times on my tenor trombone sshhmute to fit my both my tenor and bass trombone bell.

I hope you get similar results.

[Sharp]

Thanks - much appreciated! Will give it a shot.

[euphobone]

A little more on the Best Brass Warm-up Mute:


Bb3, B3, C4, Db4 and D4 are a little flat relative to mute sharpness, but overall fairly even, and not as intrusive to the playing experience or as concerning as on the Wick Travel Mute.

On the Wick it felt like each of the flat pitches indicated on my initial review got progressively flatter upon ascension. On the Best Brass, the slight flatness is consistent on each pitch.

I still very much like this mute!

I hope these reviews prove helpful, your mileage may vary.