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babyfacechulo Regular Member
Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Posts: 45
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 1:40 am Post subject: Pocket trumpet with silent brass mute |
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These days I don’t normally practice everyday but I do practice for at least five out of the seven days daily. So my concern is why is my tone when I play the trumpet without the mute on is so small now? Before my tone used to be bigger but now it’s much smaller. Is it the mute itself? |
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Don Herman rev2 'Chicago School' Forum Moderator
Joined: 03 May 2005 Posts: 8951 Location: Monument, CO
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 4:48 am Post subject: |
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Practice muted and you will play like you are muted. Try to get in a little "open" time every day. You can play into a closet of clothes or something to reduce the volume reaching neighbors.
You can also try playing open with the tone you want, then play with that same "feel" with the mute, to establish what you need to do playing muted to maintain your "open" sound. _________________ "After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley |
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zaferis Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2011 Posts: 2331 Location: Beavercreek, OH
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 4:48 am Post subject: |
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pocket trumpet + silent brass.
You reap what you sew!
Ive been playing pickleball every day but can't figure out why my tennis game isn't getting better. _________________ Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9030 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:53 am Post subject: |
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Both of these.
I have experience with all of that. I have traveled, for convenience, with pocket trumpet and practice mute because I was staying in "practice challenged" environments. But I also sat in with bands where I played open.
Additionally, I now am mobility-challenged, in a wheel chair, and live in a senior living community, which is code word for "don't you dare make any extraneous noise". _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn |
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babyfacechulo Regular Member
Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Posts: 45
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:12 am Post subject: something to consider |
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I've been practicing the pocket trumpet with the mute with a 20c mouthpiece (that's an extremely small mouthpiece) and I blow softly into the trumpet with the mute on. Just something to wonder about if thats the case with my softer tone that I have now. |
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cgaiii Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jun 2017 Posts: 1548 Location: Virginia USA
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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I recently spent two weeks traveling and playing a pocket trumpet with a practice mute, playing softly. One of the things I did was keep in mind that I was playing softly. When I got back to where I could blow out loud again, I found that I definitely had improved my soft playing skills. I did not feel it diminished my louder side. Part of it may be the way you approach it mentally. Think of it as playing softly and remember playing loudly.
I am not sure what would happen if I only practiced that way for several months, but I think we can do a lot with mental focus. _________________ Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales |
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babyfacechulo Regular Member
Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Posts: 45
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2020 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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I now know why my tone was smaller, it’s because I wasn’t using the headphones with the studio thing. So now I could hear myself better now with the electronics. I was always using it without the electronics. Just the mute itself. |
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mdarnton Veteran Member
Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Posts: 122 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:26 am Post subject: |
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When I practice with a practice mute I blow so hard I had to get thicker slide grease because I was blowing out the tuning slide. Result:fast tone improvement, larger sound. Its easier to pull back when without the mute than push harder when you haven't been, as you learned. |
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cgaiii Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jun 2017 Posts: 1548 Location: Virginia USA
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:27 am Post subject: |
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mdarnton wrote: | When I practice with a practice mute I blow so hard I had to get thicker slide grease because I was blowing out the tuning slide. Result:fast tone improvement, larger sound. Its easier to pull back when without the mute than push harder when you haven't been, as you learned. |
Interesting idea.
When I have used a pocket trumpet with a practice mute, I keep in mind the situation and work on things that it helps -- playing small, playing with small air, etc. I have found it improves my playing because I am concentrating on things I normally do not have to concentrate on. I think as someone above pointed out, awareness is a big part of the process. My longest stretch is about 3 weeks though, not months at a time. _________________ Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales |
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khedger Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 754 Location: Cambridge, MA
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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I practice with a harmon mute a lot. But then, I've been playing a long time and spent years doing open horn practicing to develop my fundamental technique and tone. So, I think that if you're an experienced player, spending some of your time with a harmon (I don't care for practice mutes, they're too 'stuffy' for me) is okay. I like it because it allows me to practice late in my apt. and I tend to keep vampire hours. Open horn practice IS important though. If you can't practice in your home try practicing outside if possible. I used to practice outside at the waterfront at 1:00 in the morning......
keith |
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mrhappy Veteran Member
Joined: 03 Dec 2018 Posts: 371 Location: Port Jackson, NY
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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For me, using the ‘newer’ style S.B. mute rendered the pocket tpt unplayable... as the intonation was sooo bad!! Works fine with a Pampet mute... haven’t tried the older style SB mute though... that might work better? _________________ MH |
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