Do practice mutes get a bad rep?

[JCBone]

Piggybacking on a previous thread about practice mutes, I wanted to know your opinions on the following topic: Are practice mutes really not as bad as people make them out to be? I play most of the time on a shmute, mainly because I don't have much time during the day. I probably should play more during the day but the problem is, I'm most focused at night. As far as the standards for a more advanced high school player go, I'd consider myself pretty succesfull. I don't feel much of a difference between the muted horn and open horn and I think that iv'e got a pretty nice sound. Anyways, what are your thoughts on this?

[robcat2075]

I don't feel much of a difference between the muted horn and open horn

what are your thoughts on this?

I think that is a troubling lack of discernment.

Either that, or something is seriously wrong such that those two do indeed seem not much different.

[harrisonreed]

Practice mutes are good for hotel rooms or off stage at your gig.

They suck, and hold you back.

[Burgerbob]

Practice mutes are good for hotel rooms or off stage at your gig.

They suck, and hold you back.

[hyperbolica]

To me, there's a huge difference between an open horn and a Shmute. But then I don't do it much. I think if I did it a little more, the mute would make me want to play louder in general, and maybe introduce some bad habits with articulation and intonation. But if I did it a lot, I might learn to bridge the difference in my head. I don't know.

You can learn to make a lot of sub-optimal things work. If I were putting together a list of great habits to get a student into, playing with a practice mute wouldn't be on that list without some extenuating circumstance. But if it's what you have to do to be able to play, then it's what you've got to do. Don't try to make excuses for it or to make it into more than it is. It's just what you've got to do to be able to play. If you could do anything you want, you probably wouldn't choose to use the mute.

[spencercarran]

Nearly all my playing in the last year has been through a best brass mute. It's not ideal, but it is better than not practicing.

[ithinknot]

For certain situations, it's worth having one with which you're broadly comfortable, but they're not ideal.

Some are better than others, sure, but the fundamental problems are the unavoidable result of physics, not inadequate product development.

[baileyman]

Lots of people have strongly held opinions on lots of things that are indefensible. Bottom line is if it helps you practice, if you think you make progress, then it's good.

[Cmillar]

Hmm...from my experience with various practice mutes, they're all the same in that they should only be used for minimal amounts of time. Like maybe no more than 30 minutes a day if you're really unable to play without one.

I'd agree that the Best Brass (or its variants) are only to be used as quick warmup mutes...not for full-on practicing.

The biggest thing I've discovered (at least for me) is this:

- if you're struggling with a mouthpiece or trying to find one that you like, a practice mute will just 'mess you up'
- if you're set up with a mouthpiece that is really compatible with you and your horn, then you can use a practice mute and not have any very harmful side effects (but, still don't play for more than 30 minutes with the practice mute)

One man's opinion.

[mbtrombone]

Playing without a practice mute is best. Playing in bigger rooms is best. In the end we have to practice and do so when and where we are allowed. This being the case I have some general things I do and don't do with practice mutes:

1) I never push harder or hold back when playing with one - I try to keep the feeling the same when playing in one as when I am playing without one.

2) I never play loud in one - this tends to give me a feeling of centered sound in the mute, and it transitions over to the open horn, but is very fleeting and leads to an overly open embouchure that is very inefficient and tiring to use.

3) I choose very carefully what I play in the practice mute - generally long tones, easy lip slurs, one octave scales, rochuts, and some easy arbans. This material is great for general endurance and chop maintenance with or preferably without mute.

4) I don't play my solos or excerpts in the mute - part of solos and excerpts is being able to play a perfect version of what is in your mind/ear during an audition, so the mute will distort that. If I want to work on something I am having trouble with in the solo or excerpt with the mute, I will either write or find an exercise that helps with the root problem rather than play the solo or excerpt. This could be applied to non-mute playing really.

5) I try to make sure to get some time playing to balance out the practice mute time - I really only use the practice mute when I have to because it is too early or too late. I also only use it if it is required in places like backstage, or out side of a teachers studio before a lesson, etc. If I play a lot in a mute during the week I will do the opposite as much as I can, ie: in a nice room like a church or hall.

In the end we all generally have to use a practice mute sometimes, but in the end it is a tool to help us, and we must learn to use it in an effective manner if we decide to use the tool.

[Fridge]

All practice mutes have a certain amount of back pressure. The kind that makes you start developing bad habits. Someone posted this earlier. Hotel rooms and warming up backstage are the best uses. Your articulation can get wonky from continuous use of these. Pitch can get off. Playing in extreme registers can give you bad habits. I’ve known more than a few people that have had these issues.

Fridge

[tbonesullivan]

I think of there being "warmup mutes" and "practice mutes", and they fall into those two categories. Those like the best brass really are "warmup mutes", and are for keeping you really quiet so you can warm up without annoying the strings.

Practice mutes like the Silent Brass system and the Bremner "Shhhhh" are designed so that you can actually "practice" with them in.

Is this practice as good as "real" practice? No, but it's far better than no practice.

[imsevimse]

I think of there being "warmup mutes" and "practice mutes", and they fall into those two categories. Those like the best brass really are "warmup mutes", and are for keeping you really quiet so you can warm up without annoying the strings.

Practice mutes like the Silent Brass system and the Bremner "Shhhhh" are designed so that you can actually "practice" with them in.

Is this practice as good as "real" practice? No, but it's far better than no practice.

This is also how I look at them. "Best brass" only for short warmup before stage not really for practicing and "silent brass" could be for practice. Could be good to practice improvisation with a play-along. The problem with any mute is you can not practice your "sound" and that's the number one asset to have a good sound on trombone. We can't play real high and not really fast but we can play real beautiful if we have a sonorous sound.

/Tom

[Kbiggs]

Yes, they do get a bad rep. I second what Fridge, tbonesullivan and imsevimse say.

My experience, FWIW: When my son was a newborn (20 years ago), I was working a day job and I had a lot of gigs. Weekday evenings were the most reliable practice time I had. I found, through trial and error (and after experiencing some of the problems mentioned by Fridge), that it is better to have limited time with a practice or warm-up mute, and to practice mostly piano to mezzo forte, rarely at forte and fortissimo.

[Gary]

They don't all suck, they just have different purposes. The problem in developing a good, clear, open-horned sound with a practice mute is where the problem comes in.