Muted Trumpet 02 WAV
Cleta Creech
A mute is a device attached to a musical instrument which changes the instrument's tone quality (timbre) or lowers its volume. Mutes are commonly used on string and brass instruments, especially the trumpet and trombone, and are occasionally used on woodwinds. Their effect is mostly intended for artistic use, but they can also allow players to practice discreetly. Muting can also be done by hand, as in the case of palm muting a guitar or grasping a triangle to dampen its sound.
For hand muting that changes over time, o is used above the music for open (unmuted) and + for closed (muted). For dampening on percussion or harp, the étouffé symbol (resembling a coda symbol) or a diamond-shaped notehead is used.[9][10]
Mutes are widely used on brass instruments to alter their timbre.[4][6] They are often directly inserted into the instrument's bell, but can also be clipped or held onto the end of the bell.[11] Mutes of various types are available in many sizes for all brass instruments, including the tuba; trumpet and trombone players have the widest selection of mutes.[6][12][13] They are made of a variety of materials, including fiber, plastic, cardboard, and metal (usually aluminum, brass, or copper).[14] In general, mutes soften the lower frequencies of the sound because they nearly close the bell, but accentuate higher ones due to resonances within the mute.[15]
Stoppers for natural trumpets (the predecessor of the modern valved trumpet) were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun dating to around 1300 BC, but they were most likely for protecting the instrument from moisture or damage during transport.[11] The earliest known mention of trumpet mutes dates to a 1511 account of a carnival in Florence.[11] Claudio Monteverdi's 1607 opera L'Orfeo opens with a muted trumpet ensemble, which musicologist Wolfgang Osthoff suggests is because the piece was first performed in a small, intimate chamber.[16] These early mutes, known as Baroque mutes, were fashioned from wood and had a hole in the center to permit airflow.[17] They raised the pitch by a semitone or more when inserted, which could be corrected by adding a piece of tubing of appropriate length, known as a crook.[18] Besides musical use, Baroque mutes were used for secret military retreat, funerals, and practice.[18]
The modern straight mute was in widespread use by 1897, being used on tubas in Richard Strauss's Don Quixote.[18] Until the 20th century it was the only mute commonly used in orchestras, but new mutes were eventually invented to create novel, unique timbres, largely for the works of jazz composers.[15][18] Jazz big band composer Sammy Nestico wrote that mutes can "inject a much needed color change into an arrangement".[19] A well-known example of brass mute usage is the "voice" of adults in The Peanuts Movie, which is actually the sound of a muted trombone.[20]
The straight mute is roughly a truncated cone closed at the end facing outwards from the instrument, with three cork pads at the neck to allow sound to escape through the space between the bell and the mute.[21] The mute acts as a high-pass filter.[22] In trumpets, it lets through frequencies above about 1800 Hz, producing a shrill, piercing sound that can be penetrating at high volumes.[6][22] Straight mutes made of materials like plastic or fiberglass are generally darker and less forceful in sound than their metal (usually aluminum[23]) counterparts.[6] The straight mute is among the few that can be played at a true forte dynamic.[6]
The most commonly used brass mute in classical music, straight mutes for trumpet (and sometimes trombone) are also used in jazz.[6][24] It is the only type of tuba mute regularly used and is available for all brass instruments.[12][25] In classical music, when the mute type is not specified, it is assumed that the player should use a straight mute.[12][26][27] Sammy Nestico wrote that straight mutes can "shade and soften vocal backgrounds", but opined that they were "a bit harsh".[19]
The cup mute is similar to a straight mute, but includes an extra inverted cone on the end opening towards the bell of the instrument.[22] Mostly used in jazz and on trumpet or trombone, it has a more subdued and darker tone than the straight mute.[29][30] The cup mute in trumpets acts as a band-pass filter, permitting frequencies between 800 and 1200 Hz.[22] The distance between the cup and the end of the bell is adjustable in some cup mutes: a half-closed mute permits more air to escape and thus more volume, while a fully-closed mute produces a quiet tone and is therefore mostly used soloistically.[29]
The harmon mute, also known as the wa-wa, wow-wow, or wah-wah mute, is available for trumpet and trombone and is mainly used in jazz.[29][34] Unlike the cup and straight mutes, it has a cork that completely blocks airflow around the mute. Instead, air must go into the harmon mute's chamber and escape out a hole, which protrudes into the mute. A "stem" (a tube with a small cup) may be inserted into the mute, which changes the instrument's sound and path of airflow.[22][29] The mute is made of metal (usually aluminum or copper) and has a cylindrical or bulbous shape;[23] mutes of the latter type are sometimes called "bubble mutes".[35]
Depending on the stem's presence and position, the mute has a variety of sounds. In trumpets, the mute without a stem ("stem out") acts as a band-pass filter permitting frequencies between 1500 and 2000 Hz,[22] making a subdued, distant sound.[19][29] Playing with the stem fully inserted ("stem in") produces a unique, penetrating sound, while playing with the stem halfway out ("half-stem") has characteristics of both "stem in" and "stem out" playing. Players can also move their hand in front of the mute to produce a "wa-wa" effect by alternately closing and opening the bell.[29]
The bucket mute, also known as the velvetone or velvet-tone,[1] resembles a bucket attached to the outside of the bell. The mute is filled with absorbent material which dampens the sound,[48] resulting in a "covered" sound similar to that of a French horn.[29] The mute can be clipped to the rim of the bell, but a model manufactured by Jo-Ral Mutes is instead inserted into the bell. Originating with early jazz trumpeters who held empty lard cans in front of their instruments, the first bucket mute was made by William McArthur in 1922.[48]
The derby or hat is a bowler hat or similarly shaped object held in front of the bell, like the plunger. Alternatively, it can be attached to a player's music stand and the trumpet pointed into it.[51] Its larger depth means that it does not distort the trumpet's sound, but does reduce its volume.[29] A similar effect can also be achieved with a piece of felt or thick cloth that covers the bell.[52]
Snare drums can be muted with a piece of cloth laid on top, or placed between the snares and the lower membrane.[75] Undesirable ringing overtones can be suppressed by placing a variety of objects on the drumhead, including wallets, self-adhesive pieces of gel, and a circular piece of plastic with the same size as the head.[76] Struck idiophones (e.g. xylophones) can be muted with the hand or a device, which results in short tones lacking resonance; cowbells can be muted by placing a cloth inside them.[77] Maracas and similar shaken idiophones can be muted by holding their chamber instead of their handle.[78]
Some percussion instruments, such as the triangle, timpani, and suspended cymbal, are intended to be muted or dampened by hand. A triangle can also be dampened by placing it inside a sack and striking it from outside.[79] Muting a timpani can be done with a handkerchief, cloth, or piece of felt; the muting device can also be struck directly.[80]
Not sure whether this is a controversial opinion, but I hate muted trumpet with all my soul. It's shrill, thin, super undynamic (almost as if super compressed) and it's generally just incredibly uncomfortable to listen to. There's tons of jazz albums of amazing quality I just can't enjoy because of that freakin muted trumped screaming it's way through everything. It's such a waste..
Here's a question for any trumpeters or jazz composers: I've noticed that a bucket-muted trumpet nicely approximates the sound of a Flugelhorn (as long as the part doesn't require the bucket-muted Trumpeter to bend and weave around pitches like only a Flugelhornist can). I've also noticed that the union rates for Trumpeters who double on Flugelhorn could add up - making me wonder why on earth anyone would ever write a Trumpet/Flug double instead of just writing "to bucket mute." So I ask you: What can the Flugelhorn do for me that the bucket-muted Trumpet can't? Does the Flug really handle so much better in the lower register? (I'm often using it between F3 and C4 to mimic a French Horn.) Can it really play so much louder than the bucket-muted trumpet?
As a trumpeter, I can say a bucket is similar, but not what you want ideally. With mutes that block the bell, projection is not as good, so by using a flugelhorn not only will it be a more authentic sound, but it will project and fill the room much better. But this would only really apply it was playing the melodic line I suppose? Tuning will also be better on a flugelhorn, mutes generally put off a trumpets tuning.
Depending on the question of who should play the flugel, it depends on the difficulty/flashiness of the music. If it is just relatively simple harmonic developments or a background motif or something like that, the 2nd trumpet is fine. But if it is front of house solo, then it should definetly be taken by 1st trumpet.
Hello everyone, I need some help. I have a great idea for a song but it requires a muted trumpet sound. Im a begginer with bandlab and was wondering how to give the trumpet instrument a muted effect. Any help is welcome thank you
You can try the Apple DLSMusic Device which has a generic General MIDI set, there's a muted (Harmon) trumpet at patch 59 (counting 00 as patch 1). Load the DLS Music device into an instrument slot like any other virtual instrument.
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