How to Practice Trumpet Quietly at Home

Trumpeter ‪@bobbyspellman‬ discusses ways to practice trumpet quietly in your apartment to avoid aggravating your neighbors.
The Ridgewood School of Music is now accepting new students online or in Brooklyn/Queens/NYC! ridgewoodschoolofmusic.com
Bob's IG: @bobspellman
FB: Facebook.com/bobbyspellmanmusic
Twitter: @bobby_spellman
Ridgewood School of Music FB: ridgewoodschoolofmusic

[@timloveless5193]

You forgot one alternative- the Malamute. Complaints of the dog’s howling will override any complaints re: trumpet. As a bonus for beginners- the worse you play, the louder the pooch.

[@uncletrumpet]

I have been playing for over 32 years. My best location to practice is to 'travel' to a secluded wood or garden. I have done this daily for decades

[@funsimulator7246]

Why is travel in quotation marks? Do you teleport or go through some sort of portal?

[@catherinewilson3880]

I don't play trumpet but I do play the euphonium and practice with a mute. I live in a tenement block in Edinburgh, however most of the apartments in my tenement are now given over to Airbnb holiday lets. If someone bangs on the wall I just remove the mute for ten minutes or so. That usually works just fine.

[@cofftps67yago94]

@祖堅の学生 haha I guess he said what he meant. It like he was removing the mute to show his neighbours that they had already blessed with his kindness and what they had lost😁

[@Carrnage101]

Played for many years up through High School. Gave it up for 30 years. You make me want to take it back up. What a joy. Thank you.

[@chrishamilton4999]

Similar story. I am 74 so closer to 50 years off with a couple of 2 year stints in between. Take it from me .... do it. It is just a fantastic thing to do. I found it took a while to get going, so I only practiced once every three days for the first year.

[@rdfoster10]

Another good trick is to play into a closet. Have your bell pointing into the closet toward the hanging clothes. You can experiment with moving the clothes around and/or spacing them out. For extra dampening, throw a few pillows, blankets or towels in there to soak up more sound. This works well if you have a closet that doesn't have a shared wall with a neighbor.

[@Skoopyghost]

I am a drummer so I get you. Don't you have an electric a trumpet. I can plug in a headphone in my yamaha piano, and drumset. Don't have it for my accoustic guitar.

[@jamesha175]

the closet method works great with a french horn because you can face outwards and watch silent movies at the same time

[@jjjjjaabari313]

Oh my gosh you genius

[@MrChuck365]

24-7 WITHOUT A MUTE. DIY sound absorbing projects made with rockwool, 2X4's, screws, and covered with inexpensive fabric did the job for me. I live in a senior citizens apartment building, Started on trumpet in 2010. Bought the rockwool at a home improvement store. Finished the project in half a day with and electric drill, a stapler, a carpenter's square, and a circular saw. Never got a complaint from side-by-side neighbors, cross-the-hall neighbors, nor the downstairs neighbor. I can play 24-7 without a mute. I play trumpet, flugelhorn, tenor saxophone, alto, and I just got a soprano sax.

[@apolloskyfacer5842]

I have a sshhmute which works just fine. But I often also just practice very softly without the mute. It's a really great way of improving your embouchure and breath control.

[@CornetBlues]

I hang my dressing gown over my music stand and blow softly or with my Harmon mute into it👏🎺😂🎺👏 This really dampens the sound and I never have any complaints 👏🎺👏 Thankfully my sweet neighbour thinks I’m brilliant and loves hearing me practicing🎺🎺👏 She doesn’t know I’m pretty average but a little compliment can go a long way to keep trying 🕺🎶🕺🎶🎺🎺

[@carycary5824]

I’m 66 years old and just starting the trumpet.

[@CORSODITROMBA]

Keep going 💪

[@tweddelltrumpet]

Soulo cup mute is great too bc it is adjustable, so you can dial in your volume to back pressure ratio. If you just leave it a little open the back pressure isn’t bad at all and the volume is quite soft. Plus you get that nice flugel type sound

[@wayneebeling7506]

I constructed a "mute tube" out of cardboard, duct tape, and two inches of acoustic foam. If you google mute tube you can see what commercial ones look like. I just made one on my own from an old bed topper. My decibel meter says it brings the volume down from "traffic noise" (yeah, real flattering), to "phone ringing".

[@Johnwilkinsonofficial]

backseat of my car. mobile practice studio 💥

[@IndianOutlaw1870]

The Divitt practice mute plays like a Harmon mute, at half the volume. Intonation is outstanding.

[@davidbarbero6212]

I second that. The Divitt mute is outstanding, in tune over all the register and little back pressure.

[@andrewtissington2722]

Try the Denis Wick cup mute. The intonation is good and the cup is adjustable so it can be moved closer to the bell which dampens the volume.

[@CornetBlues]

I have this one,best cup mute out there 👏👏🎺🎶🎺

[@garylee3861]

Thanks so much. I wish you 10 million subscribers. Your high register video explained the process in a way I think others have avoided so as not to truly give away the “secret “. Harmon mute is in the mail. I also liked your description of the awesome neighbour, I wish my wife would say those things.

[@rd40082]

Great explication of trumpetist options. Thanks

[@tomrees4812]

Many years ago I bought a Dennis Wick ‘harmon’ mute. This was because I didn’t know better and because they are relatively cheap it’s what your average UK music shop stocks. Then I was in London and visited the famous but now sadly closed Lewington’s where I bought the genuine article. This was before Jo-Ral started, or at least before they were imported into the UK. The difference isn’t huge but I prefer the tone of the Harmon. The genuine Harmon is constructed with much thinner aluminium sheet so has the timbre associated with Miles. I just weighed the two and the Harmon is about 20 grams compared to about 30 grams for the Dennis Wick. The biggest benefit I find from using a Harmon mute when practicing with it is that when you achieve that characteristic resonance, that is when the note is centred. If you keep the same setting and then play the note open you really hear the difference. I find it useful therefore as a sort of diagnostic tool. Ideally you would try before you buy as ever.

[@zivraviv7378]

I think a cap mute is sufficiently lowering the volume and it's easier to play with it than the harmon mute. I use one of Jo-Ral which has felt that gives nice sound.

[@gregemeka4056]

You can also use a mouth piece to reduce the sound of your trumpet by putting it the bell

[@TheMAU5SoundsLikThis]

Love the intro

[@ktang001]

Yamaha Silent Brass system is great, although most of the time when I use it, I just use the mute and I don't bother plugging it into the Personal Studio.

[@wookigzooks2755]

Totally agree that a harmon mute is the best practice mute, but I have to warn viewers against getting one of those Yamaha silent brass mutes. I have one & I found it's not worth the price. The problem is with the little amp they call a Personal Studio STJ. I was hoping for a clean unmuted sound in the earphones, but it still sounded a bit muted. There are also some intonation problems. Middle C sounds flat compared to low C. Everything in between sounds fine until you get to middle C. C# actually sounds more like an octave above low C. In addition it has some puzzling & unnecessary controls. There is a reverb feature that might be OK for an electric guitar, but just doesn't sound right for a trumpet. There is another switch for supposedly changing between how the trumpet sounds from the player's perspective or how it sounds from the audiences perspective. Yamaha would have been better to include a tone control or even an equalizer so that one could make the sound more natural. One tip if you already have one of these - I was able to connect the Personal Studio to my stereo amp & listen through a good pair of over-the-ear headphones.

[@Hakan_Derin]

Hello, thanks for the video. Can you please tell me what your trumpet is? If it is unlacquered how do you protect it from rusting etc. Thanks :)

[@BopWalk]

Hey man, what do you personally think about sound proofing chambers like the Mute-Tube for trumpet/cornet/Flugelhorn? It seems to cut noise out tremendously while still allowing free airflow and there is a built in mic too so you can hear yourself better and to record too.

[@BariBone]

One of my friends actually really likes his practice mute, he uses a trumcor and says that intonation is miles better than most practice mutes I personally cannot give an opinion on that mute because I only have a harmon and also don't play trumpet all that often

[@comilao8]

Good cheap solution is a cardboard box filled up with lightweight sound softener (such as bubble wrap, foam, etc) and a little hole/door for the trumpet on one side... no extra resistance at all. You should give it a shot. "Merci" for all your videos from across the pond.

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

Thanks, I’ll give it a try!

[@comilao8]

@@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic I love the spirit by the way !

[@Thetoad738]

I love my Yahama. However, I wish it had Bluetooth. I love my Harmon too! True story, the upside of this is I think I have inspired a few kids in my NYC to pick up the trumpet. I hear kids practicing throughout the building. It's awesome!

[@Ihbaworldsax]

I enjoy my practice mute as well as Love my Harmon.

[@TheBrewjo]

Also a classic tip- Letter drop your nearest neighbors with: "Hi, I'm YOURNAME in AP#. I'm a musician and I know what your thinking already... So what I'll offer for everybody's peace is M-F I'll only play for 1/2/3 hours between (sometime between 9am and 6pm) and weekends (12pm-7pm). I keep my cell with me while playing, so if I break my word, you're sick or a shift-worker TEXT me on #YOURNUMBER and I'll stop or work around your shifts. Have a great day." It's got two hooks, A: You're being nice and not surprising anyone. Even if you're really a beginner, by NYC standards it's honest. B: If you end up dealing with dickheads, you have a paper trail and probably a few new friends who'll back you up against complaints.

[@derminotauros]

Try the Divid Practice Mute. It sounds great and the response is perfect... Love peace and harmony Bernward

[@Android_Warrior]

I got all of those.

[@danilosuay6969]

What about a selfmade silent box? I saw that some trumpet players make a wooden box with sound absorbing foam 😊

[@user-vf3cs4oi1y]

My wife and daughter have misophonia ( hatred of sound) so i either practice with a mute or not at all. I use either a silent brass or a Denis Wicks cup mute (fully closed), while the silent brass is much quiter than the cup mute it also has a lot more back pressure and compresses the intonation of the horn -sharp below C4 and flat above C5. The cup mute is much freer blowing and better intonation. So i only use the silent brass when i absolutely have to. I had a ssssshhhhmute which was about 1/2 way between the silent brass and the cup mute, but i loaned it to a fellow trumpeter and haven't seen it since - there's a lesson somewhere there😂.

[@kathrynmannyng3885]

maybe they will go deaf and the problem will be solved...

[@cavemansam8400]

Which Harmon mute is that? They’re not all created equally! Sounds lovely.

[@peeemm2032]

Don't have a Harmon mute, so I use an orchestral straight mute (pretty quiet with minimal back pressure), and if I need it quieter, I hang a t-shirt or similar over the bell and mute. Tried a practice mute, but it kept popping out due to back pressure. Helps that my closest neighbour is also partially deaf.....

[@A34_R]

I’m actually currently saving up for the silentBrass System

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

I’d say it’s worth it.

[@ktang001]

Get it!

[@celito1755]

Hello what is the model at 1:14

[@terrys17]

Stomvi upmute -best practice mute I've owned

[@ramasawmysokanaden4298]

I play without mute at night without disturbing my neighbours because I play very softly do u think it's right

[@trevorfurness5695]

Yes, you're cool- I wish I lived next to Miles Davis!

[@GhostRyder2008]

I use a MuteTube in my apartment. Nice and quiet and you dont have to put in a mute that changes the back pressure of youe playing. Helps keep muscle memory intact

[@legendarium1127]

1:40 Truth lmao, I have the same one and bought another mute after about a month because it was so bad

[@trumpet_gabo]

I tried some kind of practice mutes, but the best was the Yamaha silent brass. I have and old version (like a hand granade :D ) and I like it without the headphone and receiver. I think the intonation is better without these stuff.

[@michaeljoefox]

I didn’t even have to watch the video, the second I saw this guy I knew he played trumpet.

[@j.h.iivariylinen4278]

I play sometimes also with mouthpiece and B.E.R.P. . f.ex with play-a-long tapes

[@AlejandroGonzalez-wo5fk]

if the front of my trumpet has a dent, will i still be able to use this equipment?

[@1zebbe3]

Just go undent it

[@Dave-nt3kz]

Late to the party here, but........get a cheap cat bed/house at one of the big box stores, or online, and play into it. The kind that is sort of like a cave, and has a hole in front as an opening for the cat. Same idea as the box filled with insulating material. No added resistance to the horn.

[@paulmullins4676]

What harmon mute do you prefer for quiet play? I checked Amazon and they had all sort of them.🤷‍♂️

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

I would recommend the Jo Ral bubble mute because it has a nice tone and is easy to play in the low register. Harmon brand will work well for the price.

[@paulmullins4676]

@@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic Appreciate the response.Following through on comments indicates a better KZbin channel.

[@ToddCook]

@@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic Copper or aluminum?

[@lupisalas9580]

I think Stomvi Upmute is the best choice for those trumpet players who need to play in silence

[@trumpetkaitlyn16]

I LOVE THE INTRO

[@dveydah]

Lol, Bob. I (very seriously) thought of hiring you as a teacher - saw you offering to teach - because you have a studio in NY, so we can aggravate your neighbors instead of mine😅

[@bibeauxxx]

When you are starting out the Yamaha silent brass mute with headphones is super sick - I can practice early in the morning, sounds great and nobody can hear you suck!

[@ibrajimenez2098]

You can go hiking and then practice outside.

[@petersan6041]

whisper tone？

[@RidgewoodSchoolofMusic]

Haven’t played one, but I’d give it a try!

[@douglasmooney3726]

I got a storage box cut a hole in the lid the size of the bell $15. got a mattress topper also about $15 glued the mattress topper inside and on the lid small hole with pizza wedges in the lid padding so the bell can slide in. With the lid on insert trumpet and play no back pressure and very soft sound about the sound of a practice mute with no back pressure and you can use the box for storage of trumpet stuff. Second benefit when you need to record audio remove lid and place microphone inside canceling almost all but the loudest background noise.

[@kartikm197]

I play into my pillow

[@Kontrabass66]

Never had a neighbor who knew Miles Davis. And to be honest I would not like the idea hearing MY neighbour polluting the air with trumpet noises, no matter what mute is used 🙂

[@SuperLber]

I found Wallace practice mute very good. Try it. Bye

[@RebeccaLoran]

Play under a blanket and a pillow in front of the bell but not stuffing it. Not perfect but good for playing in bed.

[@ariobintangnugraha2641]

This has got a lot of Rational Funk vibe in it 😂

[@h0rk3d]

Wind instruments are fascinating indeed. But I feel that this video is only relevant to someone who just took it up and know basically nothing about the instrument. I dont play winds but I knew about both the mutes. The electronic device was interesting, you could have made the video 3mins instead of 6. Just my thoughts.

[@Ares-vh9qz]

As a hornist i can simply put my hand in the hole

[@abrogard142]

Pretty disappointing. Missed a good opportunity to teach us beginners something. Like how quietly can the trumpet be played? We NEVER hear about that. But one time I saw a comment to a KZbin vid where a guy claimed he knew a guy played trumpet just like at 'conversational speaking' level. Now I am a total beginner and without talents, what's more. I can only get the first octave - G to G. So that's how much of a dunce I am. Okay? So I'm not pretending anything and I could be way wrong in anything I say. But I can play the first 'half' of that first octave all really quietly. Like in that 'conversation speaking' zone. Not well. Not super easy. But I can't do anything well or super easy, not at any volume. And I'm thinking that the 'quiet' playing has me 'feeling around' and quietly and gently looking for 'the knack' and I'm thinking that's good. So 1. I've got a belief that it can be played quietly and 2. I've got a belief that it's good to do it at least at beginner stage. That's my ten cents.

[@unknown_user6132]

I just don’t want to annoy my parents with the 4 instruments I play 😂

[@boileddd]

but what if you dont have any of these 😭😭😭😭😭

[@CornetBlues]

You can play softly in a wardrobe full of hanging jackets etc these absorb a lot of sound👏👏🎺🎺

[@kathrynmannyng3885]

staple pillows all over your walls...and ceiling...

[@woshjales]

Move to the boonies and have no neighbors. Make as much noise as you want.

[@DJ-hv4ju]

Play with a plastic trumpet!

[@diz7595]

Which Harmon mute are using and recommend?