Practice mutes

[DrinkinOuttaCups]

So, I want to take my french horn with me on tour this summer to practice during down-time, and I was hoping to get a practice mute so I wouldn't have to go off in some dark corner of the world so as not to be heard (and therefore be a nuisance). Currently, I'm only familiar with one kind of practice mute, and that's the Silent Brass mute. A friend of mine has it, and I definitely liked it. I found out that it's around $30-$40, which is pretty cheap. However, my horn teacher says that really good practice mutes typically go for about $80-$100. His logic is that it may be expensive, but they're so good that I wouldn't ever need to buy another one. Honestly, I just want one that isn't fragile and will mute my sound without making it stuffy. Any recommendations on brands? My birthday's coming up, so I'll pretty much be able to get whatever kind I decide on.

Thanks!

[jdostie]

So, I want to take my french horn with me on tour this summer to practice during down-time, and I was hoping to get a practice mute so I wouldn't have to go off in some dark corner of the world so as not to be heard (and therefore be a nuisance). Currently, I'm only familiar with one kind of practice mute, and that's the Silent Brass mute. A friend of mine has it, and I definitely liked it. I found out that it's around $30-$40, which is pretty cheap. However, my horn teacher says that really good practice mutes typically go for about $80-$100. His logic is that it may be expensive, but they're so good that I wouldn't ever need to buy another one. Honestly, I just want one that isn't fragile and will mute my sound without making it stuffy. Any recommendations on brands? My birthday's coming up, so I'll pretty much be able to get whatever kind I decide on.

Thanks!

You are talking "normal" french horn right? I'd doubt that you can pick up a silet brass for that for $50, I paid $99 for a trumpet silent brass (with the amplifier). It might be possible to pick up the mute only, but still that sounds too cheap.

I have silent brass, but prefer my best brass practice mute for trumpet. Follow this link, http://www.brassarts.com/horn_mutes.htm

which I think will get you to a french horn mute, at least is says it's for horn . . .

[mpron]

So, I want to take my french horn with me on tour this summer to practice during down-time, and I was hoping to get a practice mute so I wouldn't have to go off in some dark corner of the world so as not to be heard (and therefore be a nuisance). Currently, I'm only familiar with one kind of practice mute, and that's the Silent Brass mute. A friend of mine has it, and I definitely liked it. I found out that it's around $30-$40, which is pretty cheap. However, my horn teacher says that really good practice mutes typically go for about $80-$100. His logic is that it may be expensive, but they're so good that I wouldn't ever need to buy another one. Honestly, I just want one that isn't fragile and will mute my sound without making it stuffy. Any recommendations on brands? My birthday's coming up, so I'll pretty much be able to get whatever kind I decide on.

Thanks!

I have tried a slient brass on a bari. It felt like a cigar that was wound too tight and you head was going to blow trying to pass air through it. The benefit of silent brass is that you can hook it up as a system. What I did do was get a cheap $20 Bach plastic mute and got about a 3/8" piece of shipping foam, think in a track ball box. By putting the foam around it, you can make it as loud or as soft as you want. I play it in hotels and stuff and I haven't had anyone pointing at me saying "You suck!"

How does it sound? good enough to practice with. Can I tune with it? Can you really tune with any practice mute? It's iffy at best. It is also more freeblowing than the Yamaha at a sixth of the cost.

However, if you want to pay about $60 for a butt kicking practice mute, check out this one. My friend had one and I tried it and it was cool. If I ever decide to switch to my Bach, I will get one of these Shhmutes

http://www.sshhmute.com/shop.htm

Another one that would be great for tour because it is really portable. It is called the Softone mute. Think a bucket mute made out of neoprene with these foam pleasure rings that you stack inside ot cut down the sound. It is a little louder than both my Bach and the Shhmute.

Actually, you can take and mute even a Humes and Berg and by putting foam around the top either in one inch swatch or taking strips and gluing them in between the cork. I have used mine since I was getting ready for the BD alumni performance.

I hope this helps. At least it's a cheap solution.