The Silent Mute Tray: an update

As we’ve said on many occasions, PartTimeMusician.com is run by our family on behalf of the greater Part-Time Musician (PTM) family. We consider this an extension of your trust, and we take it very seriously…even in terms of whom we accept as advertisers.

One of our first PTM advertisers, Roger PetroRoy of Trumpeter’s Ink, is the kind of person you feel privileged to have met. Roger and I struck up more than a “business deal” when I ordered my first Silent Mute Tray; we began a friendship. As much as I love his Mute Tray – and I’ve used several over the years and know of none better – Roger is the icing on the cake: and he’s a member of (your) PTM family!

Roger continues to innovate, developing new “tools and toys” for brass players and providing superior value to those of us on the other end of the transaction. As such, he’s offering FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS between now December 29th! If you’ve been thinking about getting the best mute tray on the market, doing so now can save you some serious jack.

Lest anyone think I might be doing this for selfish reasons, let me set the record straight. Roger does advertise here, but the rate doesn’t change regardless of how many Mute Trays ship to satisfied customers. This notice is strictly to pass along the good news to you and won’t affect my Christmas one bit…just yours and Roger’s. Consider it my gift to you!

Along those lines, if anyone knows of a good deal they’d like to share with the rest of the PTM family, please drop us a line and we’ll pass it along! Hey, we all like a good deal… 

Keep playing,
Mark

Related Articles:

• The man behind the mute tray
• Update on the Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™
• Review: Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™

The man behind the mute tray

I was so impressed with the look of Roger PetroRoy’s Silent Mute Tray™ that I had to have one…and once I tried it, I had to write about it. Not only did the tray eliminate a problem that had irritated me for years, but I found Roger to be a genuinely nice guy. He’s since become an advertiser here at PartTimeMusician.com, and we’re glad to have him on board.

Late last week, Roger sent me a clipping from a local newspaper. It tells a bit more about Roger and includes a picture of him with the Silent Mute Tray (and PartTimeMusician.com got an honorable mention!). Through the years, Roger has been a dedicated PTM, just like you and me…and now, he has given the larger community of musicians something more than “just” his music: he’s given them a tool to help them with their music.

Hats off to Roger. May he continue to play, to invent, and to share his insights with the rest of us. And any other PTMs out there who are struggling with a problem and think they may have a solution, take note: you could be the next person to “find a need and fill it”. By all means, go for it…and know that the rest of us are cheering you on!

Keep playing,
Mark

Related Articles:

• The Silent Mute Tray: an update
• Update on the Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™
• Review: Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™

Update on the Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™

Loyal PTM readers know that one of my favorite trumpet accessories is my Silent Mute Tray™ from Trumpeter’s Ink. Roger PetroRoy is a great guy to deal with, and his mute tray completely eliminated any repeats of the various hassles and mishaps I’d had with mutes in rehearsals and performances…and yet folds down to next-to-nothing. Below is a picture of the tray I proudly own and use:

Roger dropped me a line recently to let me know that he’s releasing “version 2″ of the Silent Mute Tray™. It still works the same as the original (thank goodness!), but it includes a neat little “extra” for trumpet gearheads everywhere. The picture says it best:

As much as I like to think of myself as a practical person, I have to admit that the trumpet logo would look so cool hanging from the front of a stand. Matte-black bling for the trumpeter.

Here’s the best part: Roger is selling the new trays at the same price as the originals…and to clear out the last two originals he has left, he’s selling those for 10% off. So if you want one of the first of the new models, you can get it at the same great price as before. If you’d rather save a few bucks and get the original, you can do that, too. With only two left, though, you may not want to wait too long to decide!

Full disclosure: Roger does have an ad here at PTM, but I don’t make a dime from the sale of these trays. I just love the product and think Roger’s a great guy, too.

If you do manage to snag one of the last two original Silent Mute Trays, Roger said he’d need your email address so he can send you an adjusted invoice reflecting the discounted price. Seems like an easy enough way to put $3.50 back in your pocket and get a great mute tray in the process. Check it out here, and say ‘hello’ to Roger when you order!

Keep playing,

Mark

Related article: Review: Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™

Related Articles:

• Review: Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™
• The Silent Mute Tray: an update
• The man behind the mute tray
• Keeping it fresh: learning a new instrument
• A peek inside the PTM machine

Review: Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™

Have you bumbled and fumbled over the years for your mutes? Ever drop one during a performance? (Cringe) Have you ever said to yourself that “there must be something out there that’s better than this?”

So have I. Over the years, I’ve used various means and mechanisms to hold my mutes during rehearsals and performances, and I’ve lived with the shortcomings of each of them. I’ve tried portable-but-too-flimsy solutions, and I’ve tried sturdy-but-too-bulky ones. No one seemed to be able to get the right combination of usability and transportability…until now.

The last mute holder you may ever want to buy

I recently ordered a Silent Mute Tray™ from Trumpeter’s Ink. From discussions with Trumpeter’s Ink owner Roger PetroRoy, it became clear that he had been down the same, frustrating path and had worked out what could be the ideal solution. I decided to give it a try, and I’ve been nothing but impressed. Here is how the Silent Mute Tray™ stacked up.

Shipping

One word: fast. From the time of order to time of receipt was only a couple of days. Why can’t all vendors do this?

Setup

One instruction sheet covered everything. Unfold, hang from your music stand, stock with mutes, and you’re ready for a smooth rehearsal or performance…for a change!

Portability

The Silent Mute Tray™ folds flat. It’s barely longer than the tray on a Manhasset music stand, and it collapses to less than 1/4 inch thick in most places – about 1/2 inch on the hinged corners. I slide mine in the zipper pocket of my case with my music folder.

Design and construction/durability

You can tell this was designed by someone who actually uses it! The Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™ has a powder-coated, steel frame; the Silent Mute Tray™ is coated with a plastic covering for even quieter mute insertions and withdrawals. Construction is solid, and you never worry about it “catching” on a mute or coming apart when you’re doing a quick mute change in a tight passage.

Price

This is the icing on the cake. I’ve bought and built solutions over the years, and even the cheapest home-built wasn’t that inexpensive…not to mention the practice time I sacrificed to build the thing. As of this writing, the Trumpeter’s Mute Tray is only $29.95, and the Silent Mute Tray™ is only five bucks more. You can add a narrow mute clip (for H&B straight mutes, for example) for a whopping $2.50 – highly recommend.

Total price, shipped to your door in record time, is about $40 ($45 for the Silent version). Not bad for the best mute holder you may ever own!

If you want to stop fumbling for mutes and just play, go to Trumpeter’s Ink and order one. Get it, check it out, and drop Roger a line and tell him how much you love it. I did.

Keep playing,

Mark

Related Articles:

• Update on the Trumpeter’s Mute Tray™/Silent Mute Tray™
• The Silent Mute Tray: an update
• The man behind the mute tray
• How to make a “silent” trumpet practice mute