Best Combination of Mutes

[Jagger99]

Might have been asked before,
If you could only have 4 mutes that covered all aspects of your playing, what would they be?

[ldmitruk]

I always have the following in my bag:

Straight, cup, bucket, and plunger.

[BGuttman]

For classical (orchestra) and community band playing a straight and a cup will serve, although I had one piece in orchestra that required a "Wa-wa".

For most Big Band a straight, a cup, a plunger, and a bucket will cover most requirements, although additional mutes are often called for: Solo-Tone (Mega Mute), Wa-wa (Harmon), sometimes a metal straight, sometimes a "Pixie", etc. The collection can get large if you let it.

When I played Dixieland I used a plunger often and sometimes a straight. Jack Teagarden used to play with a beer glass and his slide (no bell) but I'm not sure that qualifies as a mute.

A Practice Mute can be useful when you must warm up in a crowded Green Room and don't want to annoy others. Note that most practice mutes change your sound and feel and should not be used for all your practice.

[WilliamLang]

straight, harmon, practice, plunger. i would miss cup mutes a little though

[BGuttman]

straight, harmon, practice, plunger. i would miss cup mutes a little though

You could substitute an adjustable cup for the straight since you can remove the cup and it becomes an acceptable straight.

[WilliamLang]

yep, i'm aware of them. i've just never found an adjustable cup that i've liked for both sides. the fibre trumcor comes closest, but a good metal straight is more useful to me.

[OneTon]

In the interest of full disclose, my large bore and bass gear box has a straight, cup, and plunger with an Al Grey hole in it. The small and medium bore gear box has the same mutes with the addition of practice mute, plunger without a hole, and a straight trumpet mute for use as a pixie mute, all of which could and perhaps should be pulled. My fourth mute is a Manhassett stand that I close in on with the bell as I play below metzopiano, and simulate hat and bucket mutes.

[baileyman]

I believe Alan Kaplan carries at least two mute bags to cover all possibilities.

[BGuttman]

I believe Alan Kaplan carries at least two mute bags to cover all possibilities.

Yeah, but that's a lot more than 4. And he works in a field that often requires a wide variety of mutes (movie soundtracks).

[Posaunus]

Cmon folks - this is the usual TC overkill.
He asked for the top 4. Assuming Jagger99 is not playing in a Hollywood studio or exclusively in a symphony orchestra, Idmitruk9's response is right on. [I use a Softone mute as an acceptable alternative to a big clumsy bucket.]
Anything else is "special occasion!"

I always have the following in my bag:

Straight, cup, bucket, and plunger.

[harrisonreed]

You can get away with two. The Ullven combo cup mute (which is also a straight mute and plunger) and the Ullven version of the Harmon mute.

But I would also carry a plunger, because using a reversed cup mute as a plunger is lame. So 2-3.

I guess the practice mute in the bell might make 4, for warming up off stage.

[BGuttman]

With a real small bore (like a Conn 4H) I could get away with a Harmon "Triple Play" which works as a straight, cup, and plunger. That takes 3 out of the list. It won't work on a large bore tenor like a Bach 42, though.

One other wrinkle is that often you need to match mute types with the other players. Some groups will not accept a fibre mute alongside a metal one. And the Harmon Triple Play I mentioned doesn't even blend well with regular metal mutes.

Limiting yourself to 4 mutes is a challenge. One that may only be reasonably met as a part-time player.

[Burgerbob]

I have yet to hear an adjustable cup that sounds anything like a straight mute with the cup off. Buy a real straight.

[BGuttman]

I have yet to hear an adjustable cup that sounds anything like a straight mute with the cup off. Buy a real straight.

For that matter, there is a difference in sound between a pear shaped mute and a conical shaped mute. There are lots of reasons you can't use just 4 mutes for all playing if you are particular about your sound and fitting in. The original post was intended to be an exercise.

I have several mutes of each type which I use as appropriate. Mutes are relatively cheap ways to change your sound.

[harrisonreed]

I thought the idea was to get away with as few as possible. Obviously, you need the right tool for the job. That's why I have my bucket boss wide mouth mute bag from hell, full of mutes.

[OneTon]

I think Bruce and Harrison have by and large captured the OP’s intent. It is interesting to survey the various ways people handle the calls for a mute. One community band director seems to be satisfied if anything but a hand is inserted into the bell. The majority of (unpaid gig) music directors that I have played under were satisfied if some kind of mute were utilized proactively. As opposed to doing nothing until one was called out for doing nothing.

The one director that was not satisfied could hear the difference. He also demanded that I install a cup mute in a bass trombone without holding it in place until the mute fell out of the bell and rolled across the floor. He later came to realize that I was unable to hold the bass trombone up with a cup mute installed without hanging onto the mute. My straight mute is lighter and stays seated better. My sense is that mutes are not called for as often on bass trombone parts.

Even though mutes are relatively cheap ways of altering sound, the cost is cumulative. Some of mine have only been used once or a handful of times.