Denis Wick Former President of the International Trombone Association, he served as principal trombone of the prestigious London Symphony Orchestra for 31 years, and is known for his contributions to the development of musicians at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the Youth Symphony Orchestra, as well as for his authorship of trombone textbooks. He is also active as a conductor of brass and wind ensembles, and has used his extensive knowledge and experience in musical instrument performance to develop mouthpieces and mutes at Dennis Wick, a company he founded. Dennis Wick mutes are handcrafted by skilled craftsmen to ensure that the quality of their sound and pitch is always kept high. When Dennis Wick was still active with the London Symphony Orchestra, he would build prototypes and test them out with the orchestra. When composer B. Britten was present, he commented, "This is exactly the tone I was looking for!" and this is the design of the current straight mute. ■Straight Mute Dennis Wick's aluminum mutes are loved by brass players around the world for their traditional straight mute sound. ■DW5504 Straight mute for trumpet DW5504 Aluminum Straight Mute This is the traditional mute sound. It features a metallic, beeping tone. When playing FF in tutti, this is by far the best! It features a sharp, metallic, and penetrating tone, allowing you to create a sound that stands out even in loud tutti performances. It is relatively lightweight, so even when worn while playing, it puts less strain on the instrument's balance and on the arm. Sato Hidenori's review: "Aluminum straight mutes are very popular and are often used at school! I have one myself. Of the four Dennis Wick straight mutes, this is the lightest, with a brilliant, vibrant sound. Its light weight and excellent response are also its special features. It can be used in a variety of genres, from classical to pop, and is the perfect mute for brass bands.