mutes & high notes

[proton]

The only mute I currently own is a Humes & Berg practice mute--called something like "Ssshh-Quiet Manny Klein" model--a big heavy sucker. I don't really like practicing on it as it I get run down really fast--and not in a good way. I don't know quite how to explain it, but I think maybe I'm unconsciously playing too loud to compensate for being muted. Or maybe I'm using more pressure because I have to tense my left arm just to hold the dang horn up. Luckily, I use it quite rarely. But I was playing it tonight and noticed (or rather, my wife noticed, annoyed) that it becomes less and less effective (at muting) the higher I play.

So I have two questions.
1. Why is it less effective on high notes? I'm sure I could look it up in a physics book, but I'm far too lazy.
2. Are there any practice mutes out there that won't exhaust me as fast as this one? I've seen the "silent brass," but I don't really wanna drop big dollars on something I don't use much.

[BigBadWolf]

Some good, relatively inexpensive practice mutes are: Denis Wick and The Peacemaker.
_________________
Kevin

[_Don Herman]

1. It affects the physics of how the horn plays. You are probably getting run down because you are overblowing into a much higher resistance than when playing open.

2. Any mute is going to affect your playing. If you want to learn to play muted, fine. Otherwise, it's really vital that you spend most of your time playing an open horn. Playing muted all the time really messes me up.

The Peacemaker and Silent Brass both have the advantage of allowing you to hear yourself, which really helps curtail the overblowing.

YMMV - Don
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Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[somedaylikechet]

I have the Silent Brass. It is also exhausting. Unfortunately, I'm forced to play with it 90% of the time because of neighbors and family. The 10% of the time when I take it out, it feels so free and easy and I can play much higher all of a sudden. But it's still an OK system for practicing.

[redface]