Posted by tubagoo on July 16, 1999 at 10:44:07:
In Reply to: Homemade mute info posted by Tom on July 15, 1999 at 13:08:38:
If you are looking for a mute for a performance(especially orchestra or band) look no further than your music stand. The heavy black "leather" music folders do a great job muting the sound with out the stuffyness of traditional mutes. Compact, affordable, readily available. If you don't believe me, try it in comparison to a real mute. Stand 20 feet away and listen. For ensemble purposes I think it work great; soft, clear sound.
If you are looking for a practice mute, this won't work. The tuba, because of its size and range of overtones, is a difficult instrument to soften. That is why nobody has made a compact, effective, cheap tuba mute. Let's demand of mute manufactures that they stop trying to be fancy, and make a compact mute. How about something that will fit in the bell when it is in the case. They would make lots of $$$$$$$$.