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Sotto Voce Straight Mute - someone tried it?


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axel_sjostedt
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Joined: 08 Jul 2005
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:20 am    Post subject: Sotto Voce Straight Mute - someone tried it? Reply with quote

I got curious of the "Sotto Voce" Straight Mute at Mr. Hickman's website. And I'm just wondering if anyone here have tried it? Seems like a great mute? Any experiences?
Thanks

/Axel Sjostedt
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trumpetmike
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just placed an order (along with a mass of music from HME - guess what I'm working on over the summer ) - I will leave a review here once I have received it and had a chance to play.
This could be the first one into the UK, if not Europe.
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trpt.hick
Rafael Méndez Forum Moderator


Joined: 16 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know how difficult it is to purchase a horn or mute without trying it first. Lots of these mutes are now going out to key stores and people, so maybe you will find one to try. People's comments here would be very helpful as well.

If you send me a PM, I will inform you of what sort of GUARANTEE I can offer THers. I am that confident about these mutes!

Dave Hickman
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trpt.hick
Rafael Méndez Forum Moderator


Joined: 16 Jul 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not really trying to toot my own horn (or mute), but I know that some of you are wanting more feedback on the SOTTO VOCE straight mute.

David Krauss (Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) sent me this response after receiving his mute in the mail. (Used by permission.):

"I received the mute this afternoon. Thanks you. While I was trying it, I couldn't help but think of all the repertoire I could have used it on over the past four seasons at the MET.

Most recently, we performed Debussy's 'Pelleas and Melisande.' The trumpet parts are sparse until the very end where I have to play a very exposed sustained pppp solo with a mute that ends the opera. I tried practice mutes, soft mutes, cotton balls, velvet bags and baseball caps to get the sotto voce quality that the singers have. It worked out OK, but it would have been a lot easier and better if your mute showed up on my doorstep six months ago.

My other soft mutes were either too buzzy, or too stuffy sounding. Also, the softer they were, the more obscured my sound became. With this mute I can sound like myself and more confidently approach the dynamic level of the sotto voce singer.

I'll be ordering some for the rest of the section in the Fall. Thanks, again!"

DH
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disabled account
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Joined: 25 Oct 2004
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got my new mute this morning and immediately compared it to the rest of my soft straight mutes (Lyric, Chicago, Endsley wooden tunable). It is much softer than the others in my collection. The Lyric mute sounds very buzzy, then the Chicago, followed by the wooden then the new Hickman mute. It's a very round, soft, dulce sound. Would be great for all of the mentioned excerpts and solo muted parts.

This is a great mute! Job well done, Mr. Hickman!
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trumpetmike
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I received mine today as well (alongside a stack of music - all looks fantastic - even with a hand amended part ), unfortunately too late for me to try out properly immediately.

I am looking forward to having a good session tomorrow

Fantastic service and I will be posting more as I get to know the mute (and music) better.

Out of interest - Dave, is mine the first in the UK?
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trpt.hick
Rafael Méndez Forum Moderator


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mike - Yup, you have the first Sotto Voce in the UK (because you are the leader!).
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LittleRusty
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got mine. My son thought it was carpeted.

I find it to have a very slight straight mute sound. Other than that I don't know how to describe it.

Dave,

Are you concerned about the corks coming off?

Also, perhaps you should consider a hot pink exterior for our friend in the UK and others here.
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trumpetmike
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LittleRusty wrote:
Also, perhaps you should consider a hot pink exterior for our friend in the UK and others here.


Don't tempt him - I wil end up with having to obtain another one

I will be taking advantage of mine being the only one in the UK - time to spread the good word - I wonder if I can persuade the rest of Surrey Brass to get them - we do like our matching mute sets (yes, we have matching mutes - nobody uses the same sort of trumpet, but the mutes are all the same)
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trumpetmike
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As Promised - a fuller review.

Well, it is now 24 hours since I first came into contact with my sotto voce mute and I have had the chance to give it a good workout. During today I played it alongside my normal mute selections (Wick metal, Wick wooden and Bach plastic) in a variety of pieces and excerpts, at varying dynamics and on both trumpet and cornet.

I love this mute.

If you want a mute that is going to cut through an orchestra - look elsewhere.
This has been designed for soft playing and it is simply superb at this. The tone is like having the volume control, on the muted part of your tone, being turned down. You know it is muted, but it doesn't feel the need to shout this fact at you, neither does it hide the fact like many practice mutes.
The tone is very easy throughout the range of the instrument and remains the same from below the stave to above it. Even when right down on bottom F#, the intonation is still excellent and it still sounds like a muted trumpet - something I have noticed about some other mutes is that when you play low and quiet with them, it sounds almost open - not with this one.

This is the perfect mute for places where you need to be playing quietly, yet still be muted - Bernstein is going to be made a great deal easier with this one (the end of West Side Story, for example) as well as all the works/excerpts that everyone else has mentioned.

Price wise, this is an amazing mute. $35 compares very favourably with just about every other mute you can buy - cheaper than the Wick, Tom Crown or JoRal ranges - even with shipping costs being added on!

My only concern about the mute is transporting it. My mutes all live in a big bag and they do hit against each other. With the number of metal mutes in there, I can see the cloth covering of the sotto voce getting torn, if not going straight through the whole mute. I might have to carry this one around in a box, just to protect it - it is worth protecting.

I am now trying to plan a recital where I can use this mute - just because I can

If you haven't got one - you should probably get one. You might not use it every time a mute is asked for, but when you want to play a ppp muted passage, you will want one at your fingertips.

I should also mention the service - you are dealing with Dave Hickman - need I say more? The service I received from HME has been simply superb - ordered and received within a week (shipped to the UK), no hassles, no problems - I look forward to ordering more from HME (if there is anything left ).

Are there any plans to release sotto voce mutes for other instruments - Eb/D/piccolo trumpets? With some of the contemporary brass ensemble literature, a piccolo mute than can play like this would be a huge benefit to the piccolo mute bags.


btw - this is post 5000, for those keeping count - I thought I would make this one a proper post that actually means something - the sotto voce mute is a subject worthy of a major post
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trpt.hick
Rafael Méndez Forum Moderator


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the nice review, Mike.

I just found out this morning that the New York Philharmonic has purchased a set and are using them this week in the Mahler 5. Wish I was there!
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timcotetpt
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Joined: 01 Dec 2004
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Osmun Music now carries the Sotto Voce mute. We'll try to keep at least one in stock at all times for anyone who wants to try it(It really is as good as these guys say it is).
Call Tim at Osmun Music* if you're in the Boston area and want to try one out.

*781 646 5756
P.S. We'll also be carrying the Hickman Music Editions as well.
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gmaxe
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jens Linderman used one in his solo recital at ITG in Bangkok. It sounded beautiful! The best solo straight mute sound I have heard. I am a jazz player mainly and I was thinking about how it could be easily used in a small group context.
By the way Trumpetmike, I still owe you a beer. It is in the fridge waiting in Melbourne!
Also .Mr Hickman, it was an honour and pleasure to hear you play at ITG this year.Thankyou.
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trumpetmike
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gmaxe wrote:
By the way Trumpetmike, I still owe you a beer. It is in the fridge waiting in Melbourne!

Don't tempt me

Are you going to make it to next year's ITG?
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gmaxe
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Trumpetmike,
Don't think I will be able to come next year. We will see how it goes.I certainly will not want to catch up with you if England wins the cricket! Hows that eclipse flugel coming along?
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mathewsj
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I heard Mr. Hickman himself use one. It really has a beautiful sound (it was David Hickman of course). It was just like he had a very soft, edgeless sound, almost like hearing somebody sing from afar. sotto voce = half voice
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gregtrum84
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm interested in the Sotto Voce, but I've already got a really good soft mute, the Montreal Mute from Canada. I'm wondering if this mute has a different color then the Montreal. Could someone whose got both compare?

Greg
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BigBadWolf
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gregtrum84 wrote:
I'm interested in the Sotto Voce, but I've already got a really good soft mute, the Montreal Mute from Canada. I'm wondering if this mute has a different color then the Montreal. Could someone whose got both compare?

Greg


They have them at Osmun, you can compare for yourself.
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trumpjosh
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gregtrum84 wrote:
I'm interested in the Sotto Voce, but I've already got a really good soft mute, the Montreal Mute from Canada. I'm wondering if this mute has a different color then the Montreal. Could someone whose got both compare?

Greg


Greg -

I played them both back to back and this mute is considerable softer both in volume and timbre than the Montreal Mute (also a great mute). For the price, it would be worth having just to have another color to choose from.

- Josh

Disclaimer - Yes, I'm a Hickman student. Yes, I have one of these. No, he's not making me post this.
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BigBadWolf
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, after hearing everything about this mute, I went over and bought one. I played it side by side with my Chicago mute on the Shostakovich Piano Cncto. The Sotto Voce is, by far, a better mute. Overall, the sound was just much more pleasant and I am seeing what was said about the back pressure. With the Chicago mute there is significantly more back pressure. I guess I just never had a better mute to test it against. I also really like how it has a little brass(?) ring in the top so it does nto get crushed. I highly recommend this mute.

BTW, I also got volume 1 of the excerpts... seems like it will be good.
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