Con Sorda is the Italian translation of with mute. Mutes add new dimensions to the sounds that a trumpet can make--they can make the trumpet buzz, wah-wah, do-wah, growl, fuzz up the sound, and even eliminate the sound entirely. There are dozens of mutes available, but there are really only about three or four that are called for on a regular basis in most music--the straight mute, the cup mute, and the harmon mute and the plunger mute

Straight mutes are the most common mutes called for by composers. These mutes give the trumpet's sound a "buzz." Straight mutes can be constructed from a variety of materials, but a metal such as aluminum seems to give the best results. It is important to remember that when an entire section of trumpets is playing a muted section that they should be using the same construction of mutes--all metal or all stone lined, etc. The mixture of material makes for a mixture of sounds and it is not as pleasing to the ears.

Straight mutes work by putting an "echo chamber" on your bell, in very basic terminology. The mute has cork strips on its top that allows the mute to be gently placed inside the bell, and with a quarter turn of the hand, it will remain snug in its place. By placing any mute in the bell of the trumpet, the instrument will tend to go sharp, so it is always a good idea to pull out on your main tuning slide about one quarter of an inch to adjust for the change.

Cup Mute

Plunger Mutes are liteally that--toilet plungers saved from service. A different "Do-Wah" sound is acheived by the plunger mute that the others. The sound can be changed by changing the plunger with your hand--opening it, squeezing it, and "growling" with it. With a little practice, it is very easy to use this mute to acheive good results, and it is definately the most inexpensive mute (but please don't try to save too much--we recommend buying a new one that has yet to see service!)