Mutes
What do mutes really do?
A mute is an accessory that changes the sound quality, or timbre, to create different sounds in different styles of music. Some mutes will brighten the sound, while others dampen the sound, which means less overtones could be heard.
Types of Mutes
Trombone has several different kinds of mutes, each with their own special purpose.
Straight Mute
This is the most common mute written in the trombone repertoire. Traditionally, it is written out as "Sordino" or "sord", but it can also be written simply as "straight mute". Composers such as Stravinsky, Bernstein, Bartok, and Berg used the straight mute specifically to make the trombone sound pierce through the orchestra.
Demonstrated excerpt: Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
Cup Mute
The cup mute is much more of a mellow mute. This dampens the sound, lowering the overtones. This mute is mostly used more for solo works, such as DeFaye, or Broadway productions.
Demonstrated excerpt: Gershwin, "Summer Time" from the opera Porgy & Bess
Harmon Mute with Stem
The harmon mute has two components: the mute itself, as well as a removable stem. With the stem in, trombone players get more middle and upper overtones, while also using our hand to cover the hole. If we move our hand back and forth, we get a "wa-wa" sound
Demonstrated excerpt: sad trombone
Harmon Mute without Stem
Removing the stem dampens more of the middle overtones, which results in more difficult low ranges, and increases more of the higher overtones when played loudly.
Excerpt demonstrated: random notes at different dynamics & ranges
Plunger
Another common mute that is used, and one of the easiest to get a hold of! This is mostly heard in jazz styles, or jazzy sections in broadway tunes. It is also common to use the plunger as a more open "wa-wa", rather than the harmon mute's dampened sound.
Excerpt demonstrated: Gershwin Porgy & Bess
Soft-Tone
This floppy mute has multiple uses. It really dampens the upper overtones, giving a nice warm & dark tone. The mute can be partially covered, creating a similar sound to a "hat" mute sounds like (which is literally a hat), or can be 60% covered, creating an even more lush sound as a bucket mute can sound.
Excerpt demonstrated: F major scale
