Joined: 25 Nov 2001 Posts: 5734 Location: Savoy, Illinois, USA
Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 7:36 am Post subject:
They show up periodically on ebay.
Frankly, for general gigging, the H&B 120A Stone-lined derby is perfectly serviceable.
I've got metal one and the H&B and I doubt the audience can tell the difference in sound. _________________ Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10205 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:20 am Post subject:
Thanks, Jeff!
Really struggling to find a banjo player in the West burbs. Put an ad on Craigslist and posted on the banjo version of TrumpetHerald.
Know any players up here? We need someone, probably retired, who can gig and rehearse daytimes when the rest of us are awake. _________________ Jim Hatfield
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2665 Location: Anacortes, WA
Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 9:07 am Post subject:
You know there are things that work really well called hats? You can wear it on your head, take it off, use it as a mute and then put it back. The coolness factor also makes you the hit of the bandstand. _________________ Richard
Joined: 25 Nov 2001 Posts: 5734 Location: Savoy, Illinois, USA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:00 am Post subject:
jhatpro wrote:
Thanks, Jeff!
Really struggling to find a banjo player in the West burbs. Put an ad on Craigslist and posted on the banjo version of TrumpetHerald.
Know any players up here? We need someone, probably retired, who can gig and rehearse daytimes when the rest of us are awake.
I don't, but were it me, I would talk to Andy Schumm and see if he has any recommendations. _________________ Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!
Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 2123 Location: Atlanta GA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:22 am Post subject:
jhatpro wrote:
Really struggling to find a banjo player in the West burbs. Put an ad on Craigslist and posted on the banjo version of TrumpetHerald.
Know any players up here? We need someone, probably retired, who can gig and rehearse daytimes when the rest of us are awake.
I expect it would be difficult to find someone who specializes on tenor banjo and is looking to join a jazz band. Like searching for a needle in a haystack.
However, many guitar players like to double on a variety of stringed instruments, e.g., bass guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, etc. You might have better luck if you expand the field to include guitar players who would be interested in doubling on tenor banjo. Show them this video and see if they're interested:
1. I found a metal hat on ebay after a month or so of searching. The new plastic ones work ok. The sound is different than simply using a cloth hat from your head. The hard metal or plastic surface reflects the sound making it louder. Once you get one, you find videos of the early Basie and Ellington bands for tips on hat techniques. I'll add a video example.
Look for the old metal ones that have a wire loop clamp that you can put on a vertical music stand tube. You can then use it without holding it for certain roar-like effects, moving your horn slightly into the mute to play a phrase and then out of it. Marla Dixon of the Shotgun Jazz band in NOLA does this effectively on some youtube clips. She's modeling the playing of Kid Thomas Valentine. Check the use of the hat at 1:16 or so.
2. Tenor banjo players are hard to find. Moving a guitar player to a six string banjo can work fine though and is still authentic to many of the old recordings with players like Johnny St. Cyr. Or you can use an archtop guitar for a more Chicago like sound. It takes some time to learn how to play banjo for a trad band and there are lots of videos online that you can show to a novice.
[youtube][/youtube] _________________ Getzen 800DLX cornet
Selmer Sigma trumpet
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2665 Location: Anacortes, WA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:32 am Post subject:
jhatpro wrote:
Thanks, Jeff!
Really struggling to find a banjo player in the West burbs. Put an ad on Craigslist and posted on the banjo version of TrumpetHerald.
Know any players up here? We need someone, probably retired, who can gig and rehearse daytimes when the rest of us are awake.
I found a ukulele player with a banjo-lele who had never done jazz before. It has been a learning process but she is coming along. It really does work. Not as loud as the traditional banjo but with amplification it gets close. My area is so much smaller than yours, so I must do with what I find. We may have found a guitar player who will work. If so that rounds out our rhythm section. Of course that is with me doing bass drum with my right foot and another guy doing tambourine with his right foot. Welcome to the Sierra Foothills of California.
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2665 Location: Anacortes, WA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:16 pm Post subject:
jhatpro wrote:
Found a banjo player?
Ensembles so far: cornet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, drums/washboard.
We gonna sound thin without a bass or tuba?
I think so. A solid rhythm section can't be overemphasized. I'd love to have a tuba player but mine doesn't want to drive the hour to rehearsals and gigs. So we have a electric bass. When the time comes, I'm going to have him also do standup bass with bow. So many ideas. _________________ Richard
Joined: 25 May 2013 Posts: 2123 Location: Atlanta GA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:45 pm Post subject:
jhatpro wrote:
Found a banjo player?
Ensembles so far: cornet, clarinet, trombone, banjo, drums/washboard.
We gonna sound thin without a bass or tuba?
Not thin, and you don't really want it "thick," but the sound would benefit from that pulse on beats 1 and 3. You need the "oom" to go with the "pah." Hey, you're well on your way to building an instrumental ensemble like the band Tuba Skinny. (They use a Sousaphone--sounds great!) _________________ Bb Yamaha Xeno 8335IIS
Cornet Getzen Custom 3850S
Flugelhorn Courtois 155R
Piccolo Stomvi
Joined: 22 May 2007 Posts: 2665 Location: Anacortes, WA
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 4:35 pm Post subject:
jhatpro wrote:
Love Tuba Skinny!
Huge fan here too. We saw them twice on our recent visit to NOLA. I use them as the example to my band on where I want us to go. _________________ Richard
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10205 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:55 am Post subject:
Had to replace the banjo player. Did't know his chords, couldn't solo, said he didn't know many of the tunes. Found a Freddie Green style guitar player who's terrific!
Now we're trumpet, clarinet, bone, tuba, guitar, drums.
Unable to find a metal derby so am using a small aluminum sauce pan. Hey, if you can't hunt with a dog, get a cat! It fits perfectly in the open end of my Outlaw case so I can just tilt down and get a nice soft, resonant sound when I'm playing behind someone. _________________ Jim Hatfield
You're set to go with that combination of players. Be patient and you'll eventually find a metal derby on ebay.
For an interesting mute, try to find a canning funnel intended for filling mason jars with jam or fruit. It's shaped like a cup but with a large circular opening on the bottom. The opening fits the mouth of a jam jar. Shaye Cohn uses one sometimes. It can make a wa-wa effect but also you can play it like a hat to get that metallic woof sound. _________________ Getzen 800DLX cornet
Selmer Sigma trumpet
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum