Shhh! This post is about brass mutes!

Their exact origin is uncertain, but mutes for brass instruments were first described in the early 1500’s, then appeared in scores from as early as Monteverdi’s 1607 opera Orfeo. They appeared in the illustrated encyclopedias of music by Michael Praetorius (c.1618) and Marin Mersenne (1637).

Mutes in the slightly overlapping “Renaissance” (roughly 1500-1650) and the “Baroque” (1600-1750) periods of music were made of wood and resembled bottles or drinking glasses in shape. By the Romantic period (19th century), the shape had changed slightly and new materials were being used in their manufacture.

These days, mutes are available for all brass instruments, and—especially since the early jazz age—they are made in many different shapes according to their function and sound, and are made from a wide variety of materials from wood and cardboard to aluminum, copper, and carbon-fiber, and some are even 3D-printed. And before you ask: yes, there is a tuba mute and it is about the same size as a standard traffic cone.

In their music, depending upon the composer, musicians may see markings indicating the use of mutes…

Con sordino (Italian)
Sourdine (French)
Mit Dämpfer (German)

…then removing them:

Senza sordino
Otez sourdine!
Ohne Dämpfer

Many mute changes need to happen very fast, so audiences will see brass players throw mutes into their laps or even tuck them behind their knees for quick access!