Straight and Narrow

The next sound altering piece we'll look at is the straight mute.  The straight mute is probably the first mute used.  In concert settings, majority of the group was winds and strings.  However, trumpets and trombones could outplay them all fairly easily.  Thus the mute was made to do just that, mute the louder instruments.  Straight mutes are inserted into the bell.  Modern ones have cork on the narrow end to help wedge itself in the bell so the player doesn't have to hold it.  This can create some back pressure on the player, but that is a sacrifice that must be made.  The mute only allows a small amount of air through, and not in a forward direction, thusly dispersing the sound from the audience.

Why don't those dang trumpets and trombones play softer?  Why mute them?  To play softer on a brass instrument, one must slow the stream of air moving through the instrument.  This slower air can affect the power and presence of the sound, almost sounding weak, which is not desirable. For master musicians, this is not a problem.  But for us common folk just trying to make sound, inserting a mute can get you the solid, strong sound without it being too loud that it covers the poor woodwinds.  There are straight mutes for trumpets, trombones, baritones, and even tubas.

NOTE: DO NOT CONFUSE STRAIGHT MUTES AND PRACTICE MUTES.  They are very similar in shape, but straight mutes still let quite a bit of sound through.  Practice mutes essentially muffle everything so no one outside a 5 foot radius could hear it.  This is for practicing in places like apartments, not for concerts.