Types

• There are five main types of trumpet mutes: straight, cup, Harmon, plunger and practice mutes.
  
  

Straight Mute

• Straight mutes produce a "buzzing" sound and are often made of aluminum. Straight mutes are inserted into the bell of the trumpet.
  
  

Cup

• The cup mute is similar to the straight mute, except it has a large "cup" on the end of it. It is inserted into the bell of the trumpet and produces a somewhat softer, or muffled, buzzing sound than the straight mute.
  
  

Harmon

• The harmon mute is a large metal cylinder that is inserted into the bell of the trumpet. The harmon mute has a small slot where a very small plunger can be inserted to increase the "harmon" sound. Miles Davis was famous for using this sound.
  
  

Plunger

• Plunger mutes, which look like the rubber end of a toilet plunger, produce a "wah-wah" sound. Plunger mutes are not inserted into the bell but instead are used to cover the outside of the bell.
  
  

Practice

• A practice mute is a mute that can be inserted into the bell of the trumpet in order to lower the volume of the instrument for practice purposes. Some practice mutes come with attached headphones so that players can hear themselves better while in the practice room.