We recently polled the Denis Wick artist group asking who had the oldest mute. What we received were a series mute pictures ranging from just a few years old to over 30 years old, and a variety of stories to go with them. Do you have a mute that has stood the test of time (let us know below!)?

Meet Jay Jennings, trumpeter for Grammy award winning group Snarky Puppy, composer, and teacher. Learn about Jay's early inspirations, the product that supports his many musical adventures, and insider detail on his newest album that was just released in March 2023.

While every gig has its challenges, the Sunday morning church gig has some unique surprises that you won't find anywhere else. First, the sanctuary where you will be seated is a big echo chamber where the smallest sound carries forever. Sanctuaries can be drafty, be too hot, too cold, have horrible site lines, and a host of other surprises. Pack these supplies to keep you prepared for every scenario at your next church gig.

When preparing to perform a solo or a whole recital, there are a lot of factors that motivate our practice. To have a polished end product we meticulously learn notes, rhythms, and technique, with metronomes, recording devices, and more.  And, if you are like me, I practice getting through the complete solo or program to make sure I have enough endurance.

What happens when your endurance hits a wall?

The focus of mute usage has shifted from changing dynamics to manipulating the colour of sound in a variety of directions. Composers expect you to use mutes through the full range of a brass instrument, and require an ever growing need for blending with different instruments and effects. With all these challenges in mind, Denis Wick has created a wide variety of mutes to help fill out your colour pallet and get the job done with minimal work for you.

Since the straight mute is possibly the most commonly used mute in composition, let’s take a look at the full colour pallet the Denis Wick line offers you.

The key to progress is often what we as musicians do between lessons, not what we do during lessons. Musicians often assume the more time they spend practicing, the better they will become. While we know that practice is needed to progress, how we go about this practice is key to how quickly the progress is made.

Quick mute changes can very quickly turn a perfectly good brass player into a solo percussionist in the middle of a performance. Has this happened to you? Test-pieces for wind and brass bands often have a situation where whole brass section is muted and indeed many brass players are increasingly called upon to change mutes quickly. Use these tips to prevent your next mute change from becoming a percussion solo!

Straight mutes come in all sizes and materials, and understanding how they can work for you will make your life a lot easier. Tom Hutchinson, principal cornetist of the Cory Brass Band, play-tests 3 of our straight mute options: the aluminium straight, copper bottom, and pianissimo mute. Which one will work best for you next muted section?

If you are going to focus on improving your buzz to get more sound, you have 2 options: free buzzing, and mouthpiece buzzing. Are both beneficial? Denis Wick artist Chris O'Hara provides some insights on free buzzing vs. mouthpiece buzzing and best practices in this Denis Wick Quick Clinic.

What does buzzing on your mouthpiece have to do with your tone? A lot! The sound starts with you and your mouthpiece and your trumpet magnifies that sound. Learn more about this concept, and get some buzzing exercises to improve your buzz and as a result, your tone