TromboneChat

I have a university audition for jazz ensemble coming up. One of my improv pieces will be It Could Happen To You, ballad tempo. Play head from memory and improv a chorus or two. Any thoughts on using a straight mute in this audition context? Likely one time through, playing the second A freely (ABAC).

I'm not sure of the musical context, but to my thinking a straight mute doesn't show you off. A cup mute might. Why are you thinking straight mute? For what purpose?

I tried both and like the sound of the straight. Maybe I’ve got Miles in my head, and a straight mute captures that Harmon sound better. I’m open to either, or unmuted. Is there audition lore about this? I’m new to auditions.

If I were listening to someone play a ballad for an audition, I would want to hear the open horn. A ballad is an opportunity to showcase your beautiful sound, and I think a mute is more likely to get in the way than help.

Why don't you use a Harmon style mute if that's the sound you have in your head? A Harmon with the cup replaced with a straight stem has some of that sound the trumpet guys get.

Mutes are mostly unimpressive until they aren't, if you know whuttum talking 'bout. If you can own it on the mute you'll probably pass no problem.

I saw a recital where the guy used Ullven cup and Harmon mutes, and the cup mute also acted as a straight and "soft" straight mute. He was switching them between phases on some pieces that were orchestral transcriptions (t bone and piano). It got to the point of being like, "what the heck will be the next sound he can come up with??" Awesome.

I wouldnt use one, but you know your situation better than I do. I'm sure you could email the head of jazz studies about it, but I know a lot of people who sound different than each other without the mute sound the exact same with the mute in. Sound is a big part of the audition in my experience

Good points about not sounding like myself. I guess a mute my by the OG autotune.