Trumpet Mutes Part II: Specialty Mutes (Solotone, Pixie, Hat, etc.)

Trumpeter Bobby Spellman discusses and demonstrates several specialty mutes including the Solotone Mute, Pixie Mute, Hat Mute, and the dreaded Practice Mute.
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Twitter: @bobby_spellman
Ridgewood School of Music FB: ridgewoodschoolofmusic
Mutes featured in this video:
Solotone Mute: Humes & Berg New Stone Lined Clear Tone Mute
Pixie Mute: Huber Music Kellso Pixie
Hat Mute: a hat
Practice Mute: doesn't matter, don't buy this

[@KD-iq2tx]

My school band is pretty good at the in stand option when it's not written

[@theonefrancis696]

I have been using a pillow to muffle the sound of my trumpet during home exercises and after switching to a the practice mute I can say it works exactly the same, requires almost the same amount of additional energy to be played.

[@BlurredTrees]

FYI - You’re my go to online trumpet instructor. 👍

[@xiaoyiyingmusic]

Great video! Super helpful :)

[@art.tarakanow]

Thanks! Great demonstration of less common mutes!
I've got a few words to add. Playing in stand doesn't mean smashing a bell into your sheet music. Trumpet needs some distance from the stand, about a fist size, to keep the intonation clear. That's the advice I recieved many years ago from a lead trumpet player the very first day in my college big band, and it really helps.
Another thing is kind of funny story. The day I bought my first mute (Jo Ral copper harmon just like in your video) I was so exited that I played with it until about 1 AM. I would have played all night, but some angry neighbour from apartment above started smashing the heat pipes and yelling through the walls. So replacing practice mute with harmon is probably not always an option.
By the way, can you name some big band pieces that require a solotone mute?

[@gerhardhofer7505]

In my opinion, it very much depends on the intended effect. If the composer is going for a timber change, the bell should absolutely be about an inch or two from the stand. If it’s just to give the effect of a distant or less direct sound, you can stay close to a couple of feet away from the stand. Especially so if you’re far from the audience, like in an orchestra.

[@donaldmacmillan3198]

Great video Bob, thanks 👍. Just thought I would add a few positive words about the maligned practice mute …. The one you demonstrated (Protech?) is a tough one, certainly. I’ve got it too and it’s my least favourite. But there are other practice mutes that are definitely superior, I promise you! Check out the Wallace (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿) ‘Studio’ practice mute, or the Bremner ‘Sshhmute’, or the ‘Upmute’ …. Just this very morning the postman has delivered to me, all the way from Toronto Canada a lovely snazzy Divitt trumpet practice mute …. It’s superb and highly recommended! 😃👍🎺. But all the ones I’ve mentioned are very good, seriously quieting our majestic instrument but gentle on intonation 👍🎺. I do agree too though that the Harmon minus stem also makes a great practice mute, I haven’t yet tried it with a tube-stopper yet though …. Hope my suggestions are of interest to people …. Best wishes from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🎺.

[@ines6804]

😊😊😊

[@ilikzim]

This video came at a perfect time, do you have any suggestions for a solotone mute substitute in a pinch?

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

It really depends on what you're going for. The solotone has a pretty unique sound, but if you're just going for a quirky old-timey effect, I think a harmon with the stem all the way in would make a good substitute. Good luck!

[@bobbyparker9168]

Good video but you should add the information that by using the solotone and pixie mutes, the trumpet is no longer in tune and that it is essential to retune it.

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

Good point! Also true of the harmon in the previous video, and each mute will have a slightly different effect on intonation. Oh well, I can't always cover everything. They'll figure it out.

[@JonErikKellso]

That depends on the particular mute you have and whether you’ve filed or sanded the corks to the optimal height. True, most of these type of mutes tend to have problematic intonation, but the Huber Music Kellso pixie and Huber Solotone are very in tune.

[@serpentinesecrets6771]

I had a practice mute it was basically a plastic straight mute with a block of styrofoam in it I hated it and it was my least favorite mute. I’ve had all the mutes you mentioned but have lost them after I quit playing for a while