page_title: Mute (music)
section_title: Practice (whispa, whisper, or hotel)
hierarchical_section_title: Mute (music) / Brass / Practice (whispa, whisper, or hotel)
caption_attribution_description: English: A home-made trumpet practice mute made out of an air freshener and weather stripping. Decorated for no particular reason other than making it not look boring.
context_page_description: A mute is a device fitted to a musical instrument to alter the sound produced: by affecting the timbre, reducing the volume, or most commonly both. The use of a mute is usually indicated in musical notation by the Italian direction con sordino and removed with the direction senza sordino or via sordino. The spelling sordino is standard in musical notation, but in Italian, the proper spelling is sordina.
  On string instruments of the violin family, the mute takes the form of a device attached to the bridge of the instrument, dampening vibrations and resulting in a "softer", darker and more somber sound. On the cello and double bass, a wolf mute is often attached to the G-string and on the A-string between the bridge and the tailpiece to eliminate the wolf tone. On the guitar, players may palm mute their guitars. Some instruments, such as the Fender Jaguar and the Rickenbacker 4001 and 4003 electric bass guitars have built-in string mutes.
  A variety of mutes have been used on brass instruments, most of which either squeeze inside the bell of the instrument, or are hung or clipped to the outside of the bell.
context_section_description: Practice mutes, also known as Whispa, whisper, or hotel mutes, are similar to straight mutes in appearance, but have a solid ring of cork that prevents air from escaping from the bell like a Harmon mute. There are sound baffles inside the mute, and tiny holes in the sides of the mute that allow air to escape silently. These mutes are extremely quiet and are rarely used in performance. They are usually used for privacy and to avoid disturbing bystanders during practice sessions.
  The trumpet playing community has embraced a method for making an inexpensive practice mute out of a conical plastic "Renuzit" brand gel air freshener container filled with tissue or fabric. The mute is held in the bell with weatherstripping. The self-assembly allows players to custom-fit the mute to the bells of their trumpets, or alter the sound quality and muffling effect.
  Yamaha produces an electronic practice mute system known as Silent Brass, with models for tuba, euphonium, horn, trombone/bass trombone, alto trombone/flugelhorn, trumpet/cornet, and piccolo trumpet. It consists of a practice mute with a built-in microphone and 1/8th inch jack, which connects to a pocket amplifier with volume control and headphone output. It is sometimes used in combination with effects pedals or other devices to completely change the sound of the instrument.
caption: A practice mute made from a household air freshener and self-adhesive weatherstripping
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