PRACTICE/TRAVEL/WARM-UP MUTE GENERAL IMPRESSIONS
EQUIPMENT USED:
WILLSON 2900BS (DECEMBER 1985)
KARL HAMMOND 11L
DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE MY OPINIONS BASED ON HAVING SPENT MANY HOURS ON EACH MUTE. YOUR EXPERIENCE MAY BE DIFFERENT, AND YOU MAY DISAGREE.
1ST PLACE: BEST BRASS WARM-UP MUTE - $167 Shipped
First impression from several weeks ago: Very even response. No major tuning issues. Blows very well. Super light and compact enough!
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS THE BEST COMPACT PRACTICE MUTE FOR EUPHONIUM.
2ND PLACE: YAMAHA SILENT BRASS PM2 (DISCONTINUED MODEL) About $80 used.
First impression from years ago: a little stuffy, well muted, but I was very impressed with the evenness of the blow. Kinda heavy, and a hassle to put it in and take it out. I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW DESIGN.
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS THE BEST FULL-SIZED PRACTICE MUTE FOR EUPHONIUM.
3RD PLACE: STEVEN MEAD TRAVEL MUTE - $150 Shipped
First impression from 3 months ago: a little stuffy, kinda metallic, very uneven, and pretty concerning pitch issues. Super light and compact.
SOLD IT AFTER 2 MONTHS. I DID NOT ENJOY PRACTICING WITH IT.
4TH PLACE: WALLACE M24C COMPACT WARM-UP MUTE - $140 Shipped
First impression from a few weeks ago: It looked like it would get swallowed up by my bell, and I was right. The neoprene rubber gasket is too small. Mute top edge nearly touches (metal to metal). I fits a little better in Yamaha 321/421 and an older Besson I was able to try, but not my Willson 2900BS bell. I was able to create just enough of a seal to give it a try, but after a few moments it wiggled loose and started vibrating against my bell. I assume I would have to add a layer or two of neoprene foam sheet, or wrap several layers of self-stick athletic tape. Too much work for a mute I dislike for other reasons.
EQUIPMENT USED:
WILLSON 2900BS (DECEMBER 1985)
KARL HAMMOND 11L
DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE MY OPINIONS BASED ON HAVING SPENT MANY HOURS ON EACH MUTE. YOUR EXPERIENCE MAY BE DIFFERENT, AND YOU MAY DISAGREE.
1ST PLACE: BEST BRASS WARM-UP MUTE - $167 Shipped
First impression from several weeks ago: Very even response. No major tuning issues. Blows very well. Super light and compact enough!
- Fairly even response
- Thins out in low register
- Upper register is fairly resonant
- Metallic sound, but not too buzzy
- Tuning issues include slightly uneven octaves, but overall fairly even. Ab3 to D4 a little flat compared to mute sharpness, but not unbearably as in the Wick Travel
- Very light, almost in-bell compactness (200 Grams/7 Ounces), weight is well-centered on the instrument
- My Willson 2900BS still fits in a gig bag AND its hard case with the mute in. The mute sticks out about 1 inch/25MM.
- Reduces decibel level by about 15dB.
- Wrapping 2 layers of self-grip athletic tape on the neoprene creates a warmer tone, reduces sharpness by a few cents, reduces decibel levels maybe another 3dB, but does not significantly affect overall performance.
- Another method is to add something dense inside the round dimple (I used a small quarter-sized piece of wall mounting putty). This reduces the volume by 5dB, but causes Eb3 & 4 and E3 & 4 to have a very live buzzy presence. I'm going to continue working on this dampening method.
- Almost 2nd place. I like it just as much as the Silent Brass, and it is my top choice because of it's compactness and even-ness of blow.
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS THE BEST COMPACT PRACTICE MUTE FOR EUPHONIUM.
2ND PLACE: YAMAHA SILENT BRASS PM2 (DISCONTINUED MODEL) About $80 used.
First impression from years ago: a little stuffy, well muted, but I was very impressed with the evenness of the blow. Kinda heavy, and a hassle to put it in and take it out. I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW DESIGN.
- A little back pressure, but very even response throughout full range in blow and pitch center
- A little thin in the upper register.
- Hollow sounding in low register
- Generally a warm sound
- No major tuning issues aside from being sharp, slightly uneven octaves
- Very top heavy, not compact, (800 Grams/1.8lbs),
- Reduces decibel level by about 20dB
- My favorite, except for the weight, so this is 2nd place.
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS IS THE BEST FULL-SIZED PRACTICE MUTE FOR EUPHONIUM.
3RD PLACE: STEVEN MEAD TRAVEL MUTE - $150 Shipped
First impression from 3 months ago: a little stuffy, kinda metallic, very uneven, and pretty concerning pitch issues. Super light and compact.
- Surprisingly free-blowing, but very uneven response throughout full range in feel and pitch center
- Thin upper register above F
- Tinny lower register, a challenge to center
- Generally a metallic sound, but not buzzy.
- In-bell, compact, light weight (200 Grams/7 ounces), weight is well-centered on the instrument
- Low Bb and below, very sharp unless you reshape mouth
- Ab3, A3, Bb3, B3, C4 very flat relative to muted sharpness unless you reshape mouth
- D4 is dead and unresponsive
- Very uneven octaves
- Reduces decibel level by about 15dB
- Not my favorite, but love the compact-ness. 3rd Place!
SOLD IT AFTER 2 MONTHS. I DID NOT ENJOY PRACTICING WITH IT.
4TH PLACE: WALLACE M24C COMPACT WARM-UP MUTE - $140 Shipped
First impression from a few weeks ago: It looked like it would get swallowed up by my bell, and I was right. The neoprene rubber gasket is too small. Mute top edge nearly touches (metal to metal). I fits a little better in Yamaha 321/421 and an older Besson I was able to try, but not my Willson 2900BS bell. I was able to create just enough of a seal to give it a try, but after a few moments it wiggled loose and started vibrating against my bell. I assume I would have to add a layer or two of neoprene foam sheet, or wrap several layers of self-stick athletic tape. Too much work for a mute I dislike for other reasons.
- Okay response, fairly even blow, with a little extra resistance in the lower register. Resistance is supposed to be adjustable, but I am not sure how to do it.
- Good muting, nice warm sound.
- Pedal register responds very well due to extra resistance, but is a little sharp relative to mute sharpness.
- Mute plays a whole step sharp, as indicated on their website. Tuning is mostly even from Bb2 to F4, relative to sharpness, but unlike other mutes, I felt like all my pitches were too high (because they were) and kept second guessing my pitch slotting. Then, F#4 and above are a half step flat relative to mute sharpness. I had to go up one fingering to fix it. So after F4 on a Bb major scale I was finishing with a B major scale fingerings.
- Completely in-bell and very light (maybe a little lighter than 200 Grams/7 Ounces). Weight is well-centered on the instrument.
- Decibel reduction is very close to the Silent Brass. About 20dB.
- If it wasn’t for the poor fit, flat upper register, and the odd whole-step-higher tuning I would rank this above the Mead Travel Mute, but it is simply not useable on my Willson 2900 without modification.
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