Bucket mute

Trumpjerele · Posted: Tue May 30, 2023 11:45 pm Post subject: Bucket mute

Lately I've been fascinated by the sound of the bucket mute.

Everyone wants to play dark, and all you have to do is place a bucket mute on the bell and enjoy the velvety sound of the trumpet.

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plunkett · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 4:40 am Post subject:

I use mine at church quite a bit. It takes the edge off and makes my choir director happy!
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trickg · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 7:27 am Post subject:

Riojazz · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 7:53 pm Post subject:

That would certainly give me another option in my chamber orchestra besides a cup mute or flugelhorn. Good idea. I haven't used one in about 45 years.

Those of you who use bucket mutes, what brand do you like? We've had discussions here about cup mutes, but I don't recall one on bucket mutes. It would be nice to hear about intonation, range, tone, and volume.
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MarkZ · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 615

Favorite bucket mute by far: Peter Gane
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Brassnose · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 8:45 pm Post subject:

I have been pondering a bucket pretty much for church use for awhile but haven’t actually ordered any. Been able to try a H&B and a Peter Gane so far.

The H&B is easily the worst piece of trumpet gear I ever touched. Intonation is all over the place, it feels stuffy, scratches the trumpet, and is a mess to put on the horn.

The Gane is actually very nice but to me does not sound very bucket-y. My YouTube video favorite currently is the Eazy bucket but I can’t find any European dealers, so there is that. Might order one directly at some time.

Be interesting to hear more practical experience feedback.
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Zed · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 9:34 pm Post subject:

I'm a vote for the Eazy bucket - proper bucket sound and much easier to get on and off the bell without damage than the H & B.
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JWG · Veteran Member Joined: 27 Jul 2011 Posts: 257

Didymus · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 10:53 pm Post subject: Newer H&B Bucket

FWIW, the newer H&B bucket mutes ("Velvet-Tone") have rubber-covered legs instead of a thin layer of felt. There is also a particular technique one can use to get it on and off fairly quickly, just not as quick as the EZ.

The bucket mutes that insert into the bell, like the Peter Gane or the Jo-Ral, will have a different sound than the bucket mutes that clip or slide onto the rim of the bell. I think the older design is the latter. I prefer to hear the sound of the older design over the newer. IMO, they sound different enough to be considered two different types of mutes.

But, there is the saying, different strokes for different folks. Bucket mutes do not seem to be called for nearly as much as cup mutes in ensemble playing, and do not seem to have one or more standards associated with them. Since the two designs or even different brands of the same design can sound so different, it may be even more important to have everybody on the same design and brand when using them in a whole section of trumpets or cornets.

H&B also makes a bucket mute with a shallower body than their Velvet-Tones. It looks like a felt-lined plunger mute with the 3 bucket mute legs. I think they call it the "Satellite" in their catalog. I tried it once, and I found it took the edge off the sound while also retaining a more open sound.
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cheiden · Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2023 7:55 am Post subject:

I like the EazyBucket. Right sound, easy to use. My first generation broke but I'm told newer ones are sturdier.
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Leatherlip · Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2023 5:17 am Post subject:

I'll probably catch a lot of comments, but years ago when I played my large bell Wild Thing, I just used a Crown Royal Bag. I also used it during Covid when the local community band required a bell mask.

ljnev · Regular Member Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Posts: 31 Location: NJ

+1 for Peter Gane bucket mute as the best bucket mute that inserts into bell. Are these still available?

+1 for Eazy bucket mute as the best bucket mute that hangs on your bell. The leather is pretty cool, too.

Their sound is different.... I own one of each along with the traditional (horrible) H&B to match whomever I am playing next to.

rjimison · Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2023 6:45 am Post subject: bucket mute

In my use, the Soulo is a great sound and provides some adjustment as to how much the bell is closed. Plus it is easy on/off for quick changes.

trpthrld · Heavyweight Member Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4806

cheiden · Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2023 8:29 am Post subject:

plankowner110 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Jun 2003 Posts: 3620

Herb Alpert plays all his live shows using a Soulo Mute (that's the brand name: Soulo.) You can see the black mute clipped on Herb's horn in recent live concert pictures. It is so lightweight and has a nice velvety sound with two mounting positions for either a closed or more open sound enabled by the bell clips. I use one a lot.
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cheiden · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 1:42 pm Post subject:

I like the Soulo plenty, it's very nice, but feel that it's not really the familiar bucket sound I'm accustomed to that is largely defined by the H&B and is really closely approximated by the EazyBucket. I do prefer the Soulo over the in-bell models I've tried.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

chef8489 · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 2:55 pm Post subject:

What do you guys/gals think of the leather easy buckets? I'm replacing all my Jo-ral mutes and need a bucket mute.
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zaferis · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 7:47 pm Post subject:

Brassnose · Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 8:00 pm Post subject:

Good to know, visually I prefer the leather one but there is no place to try them over here.
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier