TromboneChat

I am playing in a musical requiring very quick mute changes, it’s the biggest challenge I face with this gig. I try having the music marked and mutes at the ready but I still make a bunch of noise and often fail to play the next line cleanly. My nightmare is the dreaded mute drop out Any encouragement and help is appreciated.

First thing is to practice mute changes.

Some mute changes just won't be possible, and be ready to choke your sound to the requirements of the tune.

Insert the mute and give it a quick quarter turn while pressing it in. That eliminates the dreaded "fall out" Sometimes wetting the corks before insertion will make them go in faster

We had a really bad mute change to straight in one piece ("Mississippi Suite" by Grofe) and my 2nd taped a mute to a music stand post and just played into the mute for the few muted notes and played away from it the rest of the time. I didn't need that ruse since I could put the mute in fast enough (lots of time playing in Big Bands -- it's a survival skill).

One classic trick is to tuck the mute behind your left knee so that it's easy to grab with your left hand.

Rule #1
It's more important to play the part than to have the right mute in. If it's an impossible change, play it open or with a different mute. I often manage to shape my open sound to approximate the muted sound.

Behind the knee works great for some mutes.

I always handle mutes with my left hand, never the right hand.

Straight, cup, Harmon, or solotone I hold in with my left hand - unless it's needed for an extended time I never twist it in.

Arrange all mutes in a specific order on the left so you can grab the right one without looking, and put it back in the same place every time.

Hang a plunger on your trombone stand.

Mark the part clearly so you're never surprised by what's next.

Doug's suggestions are spot on!

I like holding my mutes if at all possible.

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 12:20 pmMark the part clearly so you're never surprised by what's next.

If you really want to be on top of things...
Mark each chart at the top with whatever mutes are needed (or "No Mutes", if that's the case), AND
Go through the chart and figure out where you'll need to get the mute ready and mark that spot with something like "prep straight" or "prep cup".

If you're a bass trombone player, it's a good idea to have a plunger rigged on a stand so you can just lean into it; there's always those wiseacre arrangers that expect you to play do-wahs in the trigger register.

I play in a big band and do a lot of pit gigs where there are many mute changes. I highly recommend the Hercules HA100 Clamp-on Four Mute Holder. You can add "arms" if needed.

officermayo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 4:22 pm I play in a big band and do a lot of pit gigs where there are many mute changes. I highly recommend the Hercules HA100 Clamp-on Four Mute Holder. You can add "arms" if needed.

I second that motion. Very handy.

There is a bad bass trombone harmon mute change in Husa’s “Al Fresco” that I rigged this up for. The mute stuck to a metal plate on the armature with magnets so I could take it off and use it for the rest of the piece.

❤ people using the left hand. For some reason, everyone I work with in this town uses their right hand and has to reach around the slide. Makes no sense to me, but I usually have to do it that way as well or we end up smashing our horns into each other turning them in opposite directions, and don't have room for the mutes to be on opposite sides of our chairs.

Yeah mute behind leg and use left hand. Works great.

The dang Maslanka 4 has a mute change to "open" mid note during a crescendo on like a low G or something. We worked it out so that the third (who has rests) played that note. Pretty silly.

Kdanielsen wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:40 pm The mute stuck to a metal plate on the armature with magnets so I could take it off and use it for the rest of the piece.

Smart! And presumably lightweight, with today's high strength magnets. I've got a few cases where something like this might be helpful. Thanks for sharing.
--Andy in OKC

I understand the logic behind using your left hand, but I actually find I’m faster with my right (except plunger, obv.)—perhaps something about not having to change which hand is holding the weight of the horn.

If I have to insert a mute quickly, I have the best luck with either putting it on the floor just in front of & to the right of the music stand (grasp the mute underhanded near the bottom, and stick it in the bell in one motion), or the behind-the-knee trick. For plunger, I’ll hang it on the left corner of the music stand.

Of course there are times when I have to just hold the mute with the left hand, as well.

I have a hat with a hat stand. This provide full flexibility to use all positions and + - without problem. A stand that could hold the problem mute ready would help.

I can't remember the last time I needed a mute. And I can't remember when anyone really cared.

On a gig with many and mandatory fast mute changes, the satisfaction of a paycheck (if any) could well be tainted by a big patch of "mute pimples" on the thin part of the bell flare by the time all rehs and concerts are done. Proceed with caution. I've seen some mute tops wrapped in rubber for presumably that reason. Not lately though.

I am famous in my local theater orchestra for dropping my mute in shows. One time it ended up halfway across the pit. I do bring a mat or towel these days to muffle the occasional drop. Sometimes the orchestrator writes a change that is next to physically impossible. On those occasions, just do your best. Maybe play into the stand or something. FWIW, most times the music director has too much going on to know or care if you are playing the the correct mute and the audience certainly has no clue.

A trick I use, when applicable, is to use my trigger to get whatever note I need and insert/remove the mute with my right hand. Highly situational but it's worked great for a few fast mute changes in the pit

Adding to the fray, yes to all of Doug’s notes.

I always have a towel in my bag (often more for hitchiker’s guide reasons than mutes, but it works for that, too).

I have a mute hook for a single mute, only use if REALLY necessary, but sometimes it helps.

Also, just smile and nod when they ask for things, but don’t play anything more than straight, cup, and plunger unless it is really specific and needed. (It is never needed, it is compositional masturbation for the most part)

Cheers,
Andy

Doug Elliott wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 12:20 pm Rule #1
It's more important to play the part than to have the right mute in. If it's an impossible change, play it open or with a different mute. I often manage to shape my open sound to approximate the muted sound.

YUP.

I'm tending to ignore written calls for plunger mute. Lots of big band arrangers seem completely ignorant of the fact that when you ask a bass trombonist to play Db below the staff, both our hands are already in use.

JoshE wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18, 2023 6:08 am A trick I use, when applicable, is to use my trigger to get whatever note I need and insert/remove the mute with my right hand. Highly situational but it's worked great for a few fast mute changes in the pit

Normally I don't go along with reaching across the horn for mute changes, but this makes sense. It's also why trumpet players are quicker than we are with their mutes...small and easy to handle and they can keep on playing one-handed, obviously. Problem is, too many composers/arrangers don't take that into consideration.

Golfinn wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 10:14 am I am playing in a musical requiring very quick mute changes, it’s the biggest challenge I face with this gig. I try having the music marked and mutes at the ready but I still make a bunch of noise and often fail to play the next line cleanly. My nightmare is the dreaded mute drop out Any encouragement and help is appreciated.

What show? (If I missed that sorry)

I use all tricks mentioned above about marking what mutes will be necessary in each tune, etc. The Hercules trombone mute holder is OK, but won't hold bass trombone mutes very well. The MUTE MATE is available from eBay.
It will hold tenor OR bass trombone mutes easily.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/352819646324?h ... R7bokP-5YQ

I recently did the Addams Family musical that doubles on tenor and bass bone. It required 7 different mutes between the 2 horns. I used a mic stand and 2 MUTE MATES to make a mute tree to my right so I could grab mutes as necessary and use them. Some places the changes were quick from one to another mute so I also used the back of my left knee to hold the really quick change mute needed. Also you need to learn to fake a plunger sound when you see a passage marked + or 0. If its a fat wah they want, the plunger is the only way and you can drop it at your feet quietly. BTW, I use 2 different sized plungers for my horns: the plumbers helper type on tenor, and the large Trixie Rubber Plunger (B&H) for the bass bone.

And if you think this stuff is bad, just get stuck with a tuba mute once!