Real Mute // Mute Monday Episode #55

In this video I demonstrate the brand new practice mute called: Real Mute. This practice mute is a brand new and unique design which is made is Israel.
This video is not sponsored
►Find out more: www.realmute.com (this is not an affiliate link!)
0:00 Intro
0:52 Close up
1:30 Inspiration for the mute
2:30 Prototypes and development
2:55 Attaching the mute / details
4:00 Design / Materials
4:45 Tips for use
5:15 Playing Demo
6:38 Final Thoughts
I've created a free "Mute Handbook" to help you play better 🎺🎺
►Get it here: www.JoshRzepka.com/mutehandbook
Buy the duet book I wrote with Roger Ingram 🎺🎺
►Get it here: www.versatiletrumpeter.com/store
Trumpet Gear:
►Trumpet: www.seshires.com/trahw
►Mouthpiece: Denis Wick MM4C bit.ly/3kzFMKO
Camera Gear:
Canon R6:
Sigma 18-35 f1.8
Rode VideoMic Pro
► Facebook: / joshrzepka
► Instagram: / joshrzepka
► Twitter: / joshrzepka
► Website: www.joshrzepka.com
Josh is a Chicago based trumpeter, composer, and author. He has been featured on NPR, PBS, and has been heard on jazz radio across the world.
Josh tours across North America with Under the Streetlamp.
Josh is endorsed by Denis Wick and Robinson’s Remedies.
► Robinson's Remedies: www.robinsonsremedies.com/?re...
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!

[@TheAdada4]

Great video! As Nevat’s wife, I must say that I can sleep well as he plays with the Real Mute 😊

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

That's great 1st hand proof! תודה רבה!

[@handmadehearts]

That is a great point. This mute can enhance domestic tranquility. Impressive! Josh, this series is really fun & informative. Thank you for creating *Mute Monday* 55 episodes. *WOW!!* I am very impressed.

[@AndrewHunterbahamas]

I need one now.

[@nevatbh]

@@AndrewHunterbahamas stock is updated

[@metabolicRobots]

Nevat is a great designer and musician, it's a much needed product for high end professional players

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the video!

[@nevatbh]

Thank you Ziv

[@nevatbh]

i want to thank Josh for his thorouth proffetionaly work .

[@lpcruz5661]

What is an example of hearing it through some kind of ear pods to listen to the resonance

[@genevadaddy]

Thanks for reviewing this. It looks interesting. It’s very quiet in the video. I just bought a Divitt practice mute from Austin Custom Brass that is also quiet when you back off of it. If you give it some gas it sounds like a quieter Harmon. The intonation is great and it stays in tune all the time. Great that there are more options for practice mutes now!

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks for checking out the video, glad you found it interesting. The Divitt is a certainly a very popular one, I'll be making a video on the piccolo trumpet practice mute sometime in the near future. This one plays and feels much different to me, but I believe this one is quieter - certainly less "highs" in the sound. The Divitt doesn't seem to make the horn very sharp like this one - but it's bigger and not as travel friendly. Every one has got some pros and cons, so yes, great that there are so many options!

[@johntsai1975]

Very interesting product!

[@tartinitrumpet]

Pretty cool. I wish you had done a contrast between playing with and without the mute to see how much it dampened it and how much intonation changed. Thanks for reviewing it!

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I may do a few shorts videos to address some of these, thanks for checking it out!

[@handmadehearts]

@@JoshRzepkaMusic I like your idea of doing some short videos. Especially about addressing questions. Great ideas!

[@SHADOW4301]

Decibel levels, with and without, would be a great addition @@JoshRzepkaMusic

[@AndrewHunterbahamas]

I need one now. Love it.

[@everyonesfavorite8238]

Another great video!

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks, I appreciate you being here and checking them out!

[@KrisJohnsonMusic]

This is WILD!! Great video bro

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thank you, Kris!

[@williamfairgraves4786]

Sounds great !

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks, I appreciate you checking out the video!

[@PaulTheTrombonist]

Great video!

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks Paul, much appreciated!

[@Quadstriker]

Interesting design and I'm glad people out there are continuing to innovate with practice mutes. It's a problem lots of people have and while a perfect solution may never exist, we can keep working on it. The tip of putting in an earbud while using a practice mute to hear yourself better was first described to me by Bryan Davis. It didn't take much of a leap for me to realize... you know you can do that an use a metronome app at the same time. It's definitely a great way to keep from overblowing while using a practice mute and I totally recommend it. At the 3 minute mark I would have liked a shot of how you are actually holding the horn while you are attaching the mute. Both hands are attaching the mute, so how are you holding the horn? It looks like somewhat of an awkward process for those of us with only two hands.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks - they way he recommends is actually holding it in your lap kind of against/laying on your knee. He does send a printed out user manual for the mute and has a video showing the process. I'm holding it in a way that made the most sense to film it as a close-up (under my arm/pressing against my torso) - so not specifically the easiest way, but better for the camera and my setup at the time.

[@handmadehearts]

Great point! Someone, somewhere, must be 3D printing additional hands for this. Hehehe...

[@xidram]

Wow; I want one!!

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@furcifer8218]

If you're going to test practice mutes, you really need a decibel meter. Testing from about 3 feet away is a good standard. Testing ALL my mutes with a db meter was really informative, just for my own playing. I now know just about how much more gas I can expect to need to balance up to an open horn at" mezzo-forte" with every mute I use in section work, as well as how much more mic gain to ask the sound man to kick in for a muted solo, etc. I mean sure, even most pros just stumble and fumble through all that strictly by ear and feedback from others and still get by just fine, but I find it's better if you really just know as much as possible about what you're doing, and there's really no reason not to anymore. These little meters are much cheaper than the mutes, LOL *BTW, I advise against using a cell phone app db meter. Most phones have a high db cutout that a trumpet can easily trip on their mic circuit that severely undermines the accuracy of those apps.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

It's on the list, but still trying to figure out the best way to do that and capture the data in real time and link it to my camera/audio recording so I can share it on screen as a meter level. As you know, the phone/app ones aren't reliable/good ... but one of these days I'll be able to do that. I appreciate you stopping by and checking out my video!

[@robertgreen3702]

I have to practice late at night and use a straight mute .... have ro force myself to play very softly. I like the sound of that mute as it is more natural sounding. Probably too expensive for me 😅

[@bonerici]

wow that looks cool as hell! watching your video right now i might have to get it. I have to be honest here I have used to wah plunger for a while and I would never use the strap I would just hold on to it.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks for watching! It may not work as designed if you just hold it, but it may have some effect.

[@zivraviv7378]

Cool.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Right? Gen 2 is coming out soon ... I should hopefully have an update in the coming months.

[@jacko.6625]

you can get a decible meter as a cell phone app.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I'll probably pick up a proper decibel meter sooner than later, I don't really trust that a phone app with the mic on the phone will have the accuracy that I want to publish in a video. New phones run filters, active noise cancellation, all kinds of things through their multiple microphones. A standalone unit will be directional, calibrated, and should provide the accuracy that I'd be comfortable publishing as "data".

[@nevatbh]

Won't work Cellphones have AGC (automatic gain control) and they also have compression.

[@georgeroberts442]

Has a decent tone quality.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Yup - it's not too bright which happens with some practice mutes.

[@tptmnc]

Where are these available?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I included a link in the description.

[@CityOfMozart]

Hi, what is your opinion about the bell diameter range? Mine is rather large. Thanks!

[@nevatbh]

Automatically adjust itself from 3.5" - 5" (130 mm )

[@davemurray5706]

How much back pressure is there on your jaw? I find a lot of practice mutes have has too much pressure for my TMJ. The Yamaha silent brass mute works best for me.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Let me try and compare it to a few different ones and get back to you. That's a tough one to answer as it's a subjective feeling, but I'll compare it to a few different ones and let you know.

[@apbernard]

Watching this like "shut up and take my money already" lol

[@Trumpetman12345]

It doesn’t sound like there is a mute. It just sounds like super quiet trumpet.

[@kn-qz7by]

Where are these sold? I haven't found any sellers online.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I believe I have it linked in one of the comments ... but it's just realmute.com

[@kn-qz7by]

@@JoshRzepkaMusicThanks

[@jtier11]

Where to buy?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I included a link in the description.

[@promepr]

Can it be used with a Flugelhorn?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I believe he was working on one ... not sure if it's available yet or not. I'll try and find out.

[@ThePollo234]

Compare this mute to the Yamaha silent mute?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I haven't compared this to any other mute, but maybe I'll be able to do a comparison sometime soon. I've reviewed them both separately, so you can hopefully hear them in the videos side by side if you open up two tabs.

[@gutentag5704]

Can’t find the link, where to buy? Thanks 🙏

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

There is a link to the website in the video description.

[@gutentag5704]

Found the link, thanks a lot for presentation, nice playing also, cheer’s

[@strawmangaslightfusion1399]

Are these available in the US?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I believe they are only available through their website at the moment, check the video description for a link.

[@paciaciak3986]

Is your last name from Poland?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Yup! I have a grandfather from Poland.

[@dmitryd9013]

How about resistance?

[@nevatbh]

Low backpressure, i use for years a few hours every day

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

It feels a lot more open to me than many other practice mutes I own. In particular the articulation feels less stuffy and more open than many others.

[@JonNewell]

There are plenty of DB apps for smart phones

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Yeah, I don't really trust the accuracy of them. The microphones on phones are not reliable or accurate IMO, and there's no way for me to calibrate and know for sure. One update from apple or android and the settings change, plus they run all kinds of internal processing. One of these days I'll get a proper one.

[@nevatbh]

DB Apps s Wont work cellphones have AGC (automatic gain control )

[@kevinhateswriting]

Where can I buy one?

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

There's a link to the website in the description.

[@johnwilder8517]

how much? jw

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

I included a link in the description, I'd check the website for all of that information. I never post the prices in my videos as some makers may adjust the prices over time, etc. That way people get the correct information from the manufacturer/retailer.

[@Zasil]

You can measure dB difference with any recording device. It sounds nice but I think it's much louder than other practice mutes. At least you could record sound with and without the mute for comparison. This mute is a very nice concept but I'm sorry to say that this video is pointless.

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Thanks for checking out my video and commenting. Measuring dB difference in a recording device is not going to be a useful or reliable metric as the microphone gain is variable. You do actually need a dB meter. If it sounds "louder than other practice mutes" it's likely because I've boosted the gain (as I mentioned in the video) so that as a viewer you can hear it better. I have to consider that people are watching on all types of devices (phone, laptop, desktop, etc.) and that KZbin does automatically apply some compression of audio in bit rate as well as normalization of audio levels (as do many digital devices on the user end). All that aside, this is certainly as quiet or quieter than a number of the other practice mutes I own (20+). I'm sorry that you found this video "pointless", I really am genuinely curious what I could have included that would have gotten that "point" for you. Personally, my goal with this video series is to help bring awareness and clarity to the brass community so that everyone can know about the different types of mutes that exist (old and new), generally how they sound (I play the exact same series of exercises in every video, so you can A/B them to other videos if you'd like), my experience and feedback with how they feel and play (as a professional trumpeter I believe I can make accurate assessments), and information about the mutes and their creators to tell the full story. It's a resource for the global community that many top orchestral players, jazz soloists, educators, and manufacturers have found to be extremely helpful. Considering that most music stores don't stock very many mutes, and that some can be very expensive or rare to acquire, it can be challenging for players to see and hear them in any capacity without buying or borrowing one. Additionally, not every manufacturer has capabilities to market globally, or to spend time acquiring global distributors - so many people have never seen/heard many of the mutes I've shared. Recording with/without is a valid suggestion, I may do that in the future. May I suggest you check out my interview series instead? You may find the "point" a bit easier to understand.

[@Zasil]

@@JoshRzepkaMusic by pointless I mean there is no reference point because of all the things that you mentioned (dynamic compression, automatic gain in recorder etc.). That reference point would be the trumpet without a mute. You can very easily compare two tracks recorded in DAW by RMS level. Just simple setting - one microphone, no compressor, no changes in gain, two tracks recorded with similar airflow. The information that is the most important is what is the difference in SPL and you don't need a SPL meter to do that. Actually the most important thing is how this mute feels when you play with this mute, but you know what I mean... Anyway I really appreciate your video, this mute is very interesting. Currently I use an old Yamaha silent brass that I bought more than 15 years ago. Everything is perfect, neighbours don't complain (I think they don't even know that I play the trumpet) but intonation sucks...

[@joseporcayo8518]

Im sorry to say but I know someone who just bought this mute. I tried it and was not happy at all, all of this hype for nothing. Money wasted

[@JoshRzepkaMusic]

Sorry to hear that - not every piece of gear is going to work for everyone. I'd be interested to know any specifics about what you didn't like?

[@newunderthesun7353]

Too loud. Why would you not compare to no mute and any other practice mute? Wasted review.