Original. Innovative.
With apologies for the delay: Current lead time for mutes is about 2 weeks, due to my many happy travels in playing recitals and with several orchestras, but this has put me a bit behind and I'm sorry for the added delay on my part. With thanks- Ilan
Morningstar Custom Mutes
Trombone Mutes
NEW! Bass Trombone Harmon Mute
NEW! I'm very excited about this. My goals in designing this mute has been to:
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Get a characteristic Harmon Mute sound
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Have the entire range of the instrument easily available to me
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Have a secure fit in multiple standard bells
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incorporate a handle for quick mute changes
It took A LOT more than I thought it would, and required a variety of techniques to achieve these goals: From a unique approach to interaction with the instrument, testing a wide variety of foam products, then balancing the results with a mute body and stem that help create a sound and ease that I'm proud of.
Like the rest of my mute line, I am using a carbon-fiber composite for the body of the mute, both for sound quality and durability.
I'm proud of this design process and resulting mute: It's a fine addition to my toolbox, and I hope it will be for your own toolbox as well.
- Ilan Morgenstern, Founder, Morningstar Custom Mutes
Morningstar Trombone Straight Mutes
Available for Alto, Tenor Bass and Contrabass Tromobne, and with or without handle in Aluminium, Brass, Copper, Rosewood, Fiber, and Plastic bottoms, This mute is to me the easiest playing mute I've ever owned. By a mile. After years of struggling to get through pops show mute changes, low register muted section in movie scores, and even standard rep like Ein Heldenleben not spaking easily, I can finally just play my instrument and let it do the work.. Why? Becasue Morningstar Mutes have ALL THE NOTES. Don't belive me? Just check out the testimonials page!
P.S. My fav is the Copper. Warm and clear. But I really do like them all!
Morningstar Trombone Cup Mutes
This one took some doing! Three features make
this mute special: The semi-soft cup that can be stuffed into any backpack, the neck design that helps give more focused feedback, and the blended cup shape, giving both the traditional sound and modern clarity. Actually, there's a couple more but I'll keep those to myself.
Tailor your Morningstar Bass Trombone Cup Mute sound with the available with LW Fiber Bottom, Aluminium, Brass, Copper Rosewood or Fiber bottoms
Skyline Bucket Mutes for Trombone
Available in compact (in bell) or standard (fits over bell), and for all trombones. These things play GREAT all over the horn, because Morningstar mutes have all the notes! The compact bucket is designed to fit into the overall footprint of a cup mute as to fit into a standard mute bag. As a result the compact bucket comes with the addition of an adjustable and removable cup, giving the player more control and possibilities over how open a bucket sound they wish to have.
Please note, the standard over bell buckets is designed for 8.5, 8, and 7.5 inch bells. Please contact me for other seizes at no additional cost.
For the body of all my mutes I prefer a carbon-fiber composites To me it has a texture that's easy to handle, gives the sound a nice color, and gives the player good feedback. This also gives the mutes a level of durability that is enhanced over regular plastic mutes.
The "corks" I prefer to use are synthetic. This gives me consistency in material properties and a playability I prefer. I also mount the "corck" to the mute with adjustable connectors to allow the players to find where the mute plays ultimately for them.
All Plastic mutes have a nice warmth and a sound quality that I still find surprising: somewhere about half way between fiber and metal mutes.
The Aluminium Bottom mutes provide a clarity of articulation and projection to the sound, but still with a degree of warmth I prefer in all my mutes in order to blend with muted trombones, trumpets, and horns.
Brass Bottom mutes provide a body to the sound that is wider and more dense than aluminium. This mute still responds with immediacy but has a wider articulation profile.
The stock I use for my Copper Bottom mutes is lighter weight than other makers. I find it gives me my favorite balance of clarity and warmth. They play with clarity of articulation and pitch as all my mutes do, but for me give an added dimension to the sound that I find beautiful.