best mutes for legit player

dannystone10 · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Mar 2002 Posts: 222

Hello,

I'm looking to get myself a new set of mutes, so my question is this: Which ones would you recommend for legit applications? I'm definately looking to get rid of my Wick Straight mute, I have played much better straights! Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Warm Regards

riffdawg2000 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:41 am Post subject:

JoRal ... hands down ...
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pushyred · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:48 am Post subject:

Hi Danny,

I really like my Tom Crown with the copper bottom. It has a nice warm sound for "legit" playing. For my money the Tom Crowns play easier and more in tune than most. I'd advise against "getting rid" of your Wick. Perhaps it just needs the corks adjusting. I had to file mine down quite a bit to get the response I wanted. I use the Wick in Jazz Band and would probably use it in orchestra for loud cutting passages like Pines of Rome. I've heard good things about the Jo-Ral straight mute as well though I've never tried one. You can never have too many mutes.

riffdawg2000 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:08 am Post subject:

Ditto what pushy said .... I like the JoRal a little more than the Tom Crowns ... BUT .... as Phil Smith says ... you need a WHOLE collection of mutes! Keep everything! There may be situations where the JoRal sounds better than the Wick or Tom Crowns ... and then times when the exact opposite is true ...

Get a Bag .... a very big bag

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TrentAustin · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 6:21 am Post subject:

I love Phil Smith's comment before the Pines of Rome opening on his Orchestral Excerpts CD (soon becoming my model of trumpet playing, wow!):

"You will need a VERY LOUD mute!"

YEAH!

-T
http://www.trentaustin.com
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dannystone10 · Veteran Member Joined: 14 Mar 2002 Posts: 222

thanks for the suggestions so far - I wasn't going to get rid of the Wick altogether, just relegate it! I can see myself needing:
1 good all purpose straight mute (Jo Ral? Tom Crown?)
1 Loud straight mute (Wick?)
1 quiet, warm straight mute

1 good harmon mute
1 Wick adjustable cup mute
1 good standard cup mute

Any more ideas?

Warm regards to all of you

unttrmptplyr · New Member Joined: 17 Nov 2003 Posts: 7

Go with TrumCor mutes, the don't change intonation and they sound awesome. Hands down the best mutes out there.

Lawler Bb · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 9:46 am Post subject:

TrumCor mutes are phenomenal, but a bit pricey. I have good luck with my Marcus Bonna straight mute, but it doesn't blend as well with metal mutes. The Tom Crown mutes are good, but lack the "balls" of a Wick. Here's my ideal list:

Loud Straight: Wick or MB
Reg. Straight: Tom Crown or MB or TrumCor
Soft Straight: TrumCor

Cup: Wick or MB or TrumCor plus a Stonelined for jazz
Harmon: Charley Davis Copper
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trumpetmike · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 3:01 pm Post subject:

Danny
Have you tried one of the wooden Wick mutes?
I acquired one earlier this year and have been very impressed with it.
For my playing I usually use a Wick metal straight, a Bach black plastic, a Wick copper bottom straight (fantastic sound - love it!) or the Wick wooden mute, depending on the style of music.
The most popular mute for when we are playing in Surrey Brass is the black plastic mute for softer playing and the metal Wicks for louder, more brittle sounding music.

One thing I will say about the Wick mutes is be aware that they are about to improve. The shape has altered slightly since the first design (the joy of machinery wearing down, I am told) and they are now reverting to the original shape, which is slightly larger.
The Wick metal mute I use on a daily basis is a prototype of this new design and is a huge improvement on what is currently available in the shops. The tuning is much better and I have found the sound to be easier to control when at extremes of dynamics.

Which Wick metal mute I use depends on the context. If I am in an ensemble situation I tend to go for the plain mute (for the blended sound) but if I am looking for a metallic solo mute, I have fallen for the copper bottomed Wick in a big way.

You may have seen the size of my mute bag - if you have everything it gives you the choice!

Tom K. · Veteran Member Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 483

Are there some pictures of these new Wick straights vs. the old ones?

trumpetmike · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:29 pm Post subject:

To be honest, if you can tell the difference between the mutes just by looking at them I would be quite surprised, unless you get the angle right. It is a very slight change in the size.
The "new" design (in "s due to it actually being the original design!) will be around from the beginning of next year (I am told by the people that will know).

If I can work out how to post a picture I will attempt to take one and see if you can tell the difference - no promises though - I'm not the greatest when it comes to computers!!

smokinschilke · Regular Member Joined: 15 Oct 2003 Posts: 43

That is easy......
Best Brass of Japan. I have their straight and harmon and they are the best. Contact Flip Oakes to buy these STUNNING mutes. I have yet to play a mute that holds a candle to these........

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[ This Message was edited by: smokinschilke on 2003-11-19 04:00 ]

mi trompeta · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 4:26 am Post subject:

Jo-Ral copper bottom straight
Wick Adj. Cup
Jo-Ral alu/copper bubble (harmon) mute

_dcstep · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:08 am Post subject:

Are the Leblanc Vacchianos no longer available? I love mine, but they're old. I've got the straight and the harmon.

Dave
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trumpeternick · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:40 pm Post subject:

And for Pines of Rome on that Excerpts CD(a very good CD by the way) Phil uses a Tom Crown.

I really like my Tom Crown straights. I've had the aluminum straight for a few years and it was all around good. I just got an all copper straight. It's heavier and has a little less response, but it sounds so good. In my opinion, it can be very lyrical as well as loud and peppy. However I dont like my Tom Crown cup. It sounds so stuffy. You're probably better off with something else (I like stonelined cups actually). But it's really all just a matter of what works best with your style and your horn. If you have the opportunity, bring your horn to a store and try some out. Happy hunting.

MoeTheCat · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 4:58 pm Post subject:

I agree - after buying some expensive cup mutes, I realise that none of them sound as good or play as well as my old stonelined...

I have a copper tom crown for loud orchestral and wind ensemble situations. I also have an old leblanc aluminum straight mute for parts that require a little more delicacy. My professor recently lent me a Manhattan Mute? I think you get them from Kanstul, but not %100 sure. In anycase, I liked it very much - especialy for the big muted call in the golden cockeral. If you go shopping you should try one out IMO.

A question of my own - any of you tom crown owners have mutes for different keyed trumpets (aside from picc). My straight mute says Bb on it. Are there C mutes or Eb mutes? Does it make any difference you can tell? I have noticed that My Bb mute resonates a Bb if you blow over the opening...
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Brewblue1 · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2003 5:03 pm Post subject:

Wow, there have been lots of great suggestions made here. However, the answer to your question, Dannystone, is...there is no BEST mute for 'legit' playing.

To reiterate what's been already said, find the best mute for the situation. In a performance of "Rite of Spring" I had to use a Wick straight, a JoRal aluminum straight, a Tom Crown Model A straight, a Vacchiano straight, and a Montreal mute. Thats four DIFFERENT metal straight mutes and a fiber mute. And all had the perfect sound for what the principal wanted in the particular situations. We tried using the Wick in spots, but it didnt sound as good as the JoRal did in some, and the Vacchiano in others.

Follow the aforementioned advice of Mr. Smith and get as many as you can. You'll use them all. That includes harmon-style and cup mutes as well. I try to contact the principal trumpeter of the orchestra I play with to find out ahead of time what mutes he may be using.

If you're a sub, having the matching mute can send a pretty strong message that you are on the ball. Sure having a matching mute may not have any bearing on whether or not you get called back, your playing will have the most to do with that. But taking notice of the details, such as mutes being used, sure cant hurt.

Good luck with the mute hunt. It probably will never end.

John

PS - Why do we all insist on calling classical music 'legit'? Is jazz or commercial playing any less legitimate than classical? I think not! But I guess thats another thread.

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no_tone · Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2003 6:20 pm Post subject:

Trumcor makes metal mutes now. I tried a few last week and they play great. They sell one with a brass bottom and another with a aluminum bottom and I think they're about to make one with a copper bottom.

I have an altered wick that I use quite a bit. I replaced the corks with thicker pieces of cork from wine bottles. All it takes is some Contact cement, sandpaper and a rubber band. It seems to be a more open mute, easier to play and still has some metallic quality in the sound.

Thats some great advice John about calling ahead. Its cool when eveybodys on the same page from the get go.

GO BLUE!
-Steve

hazmat · Heavyweight Member Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 669

My opinion:
I love the Jo-Ral straight mutes.
Denis Wick Cup Mutes are my fav for cups.