Posted by David on March 21, 2001 at 00:10:41:
In Reply to: Tuba mutes posted by james on March 18, 2001 at 07:05:47:
Seems to me the question was, "What brand of tuba mutes are out there?"
Humes and Berg makes several different types, an aluminum and the fiber style in straight, cup, and practice; Mirafone used to make a mute; Tennessee Tech makes one; TrumCor makes some; Denis Wick makes a straight and practice; Yamaha makes a couple; and there are others as well.
If you play a mute, you can tell pretty quickly whether it is good or not. Are notes noticable stuffy? Does it sound like a tuba but softer? Does the mute not affect the sound whatsoever? Does the instrument still play in tune in all registers? Mutes are just as different as players and instruments. What works for you will not necessarily work for me, even if we use the same equipment. It's really all about the sound concept you have in your head and that usually has to be developed over several years.
If you find the 'sound' you like, buy the mute. In a couple of years, you may find a new mute more to your liking, so buy it.
Over the years I have had 5 mutes. Some work, some don't. What worked with my Cerveny, doesn't with my Meinl Weston and the same with a Mirafone F and a B&S Perantucci F. So what mutes do I have? A Humes & Berg aluminum straight, 2 Mirafone wood mutes, 1 home made that looks surprisingly a lot like the Tenn Tech mutes, and a TrumCor mute. Right now the TrumCor works real well with my Meinl Weston 2000 and the Humes and Berg works well with the B&S F. Individuality makes all the difference.