New from Denis Wick - a new compact, ultra-light in-bell mute for the trombone. This mute is perfect for the busy player who needs a mute that stores easily within the bell of the trombone without protruding and fits easily in gig-bags and cases. By storing it in the bell it actually strengthens the instrument from the inside, thus helping protect it from knocks when stored in the gig-bag. It is free-blowing and resonant, but very soft indeed, making it perfect for both warming-up and for serious practice. The response is very even from pedal tones to the top of the range. It has excellent intonation in every register and is the most in-tune compact mute available.
You will not disturb the neighbours when practising with this mute! It is finished with an internal cork damper and has thick high-quality neoprene pads that give a secure grip and dampen the sound to a barely audible tone. It emits approximately 5db less sound than comparable practice and silent mutes. It is perfect for near-silent practice at home, for use in hotel rooms or for quietly warming-up without disturbing fellow musicians
This new travel mute is the most in-tune of any compact in-bell mute available.
I love the new travel mute! It is not only convenient for travel and practice at home, but also very well in tune. What I like the most is the quality of the sound - it made me feel so good about my playing. I can play in a completely natural way with this mute. It is as if it just turns down the volume of your playing but nothing else. It is the best travel mute I've ever played! I would like to thank you and your company for making this extremely good product.
Hao Jie, Principal Trombone of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Trombone at the Shanghai Conservatoire of Music.
Having a travel or practice mute is now seen as the norm. Whether its to warm up politely for a gig without interrupting other artists, or to squeeze a few more minutes of practice into an already hectic daily schedule by playing late at night, (trying not to wake the kids), practice mutes are almost standard equipment for the working trombonist. Over the years, I have tried the tenor and bass trombone versions of the Denis Wick practice mute, the Yamaha Silent Brass and most recently the Wallace Practice Mute. Each one has its own advantages, either offering better sound-deadening characteristics, or being freer-blowing.
The Denis Wick mute is a very good option, fairly open and has good sound deadening characteristics: I routinely use it to practise. Denis Wick now has introduced a new range of trombone travel mutes. The benefit is that the mute fits into the bell and is flush with the bell so you can take it with you rather than needing to carry an extra bag with mutes in, or put it in your suitcase and risk damage.
I do not go anywhere without a travel mute and I find it gets me thinking straight away about producing a deep open sound.
Although practice and travel mutes are now a necessary piece of equipment for many working musicians, they are no substitute for practice on an open instrument. However, the Denis Wick travel mute is definitely a good investment for those of us that are always on the move, need to practise in a variety of environments and never know when you might get another five minutes to try something out. It is a necessary purchase in the working musicians busy lifestyle.
Advantages: Light weight, excellent playing characteristics, compact size, performance-to-price ratio. The mute is not consistent throughout the whole range but plays better than most other travel mutes that I have tried so far. It really is a necessary investment.
Brett Baker, Principal Trombone , Black Dyke Band, reviewing the Denis Wick Trombone Travel Mute DW5582 in The British Bandsman
