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Mute to imitate harmonica?



 
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drvtrumpet
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 10:11 am    Post subject: Mute to imitate harmonica? Reply with quote

I'm playing in a group that plays 50's/60's tunes, including some Neil Young numbers. So, I get to play harmonica parts! Has anybody found a mute for Bb trumpet that sounds most like a harmonica? I've tried a couple different cup mutes, straight mutes, and a TrumCor Zinger but haven't found anything yet that sounds right.
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nltrumpet
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stumped me. If you bought a Yamaha Silent Brass, you could plug it into an effect pedal with an amp. Might be more trouble than its worth...
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That would be my first try. Get a simple guitar effects processor or other electronic device and play your trumpet through it and out into the board.
BTW, if you're competing with other electric instruments, this gives you more parity.
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drvtrumpet
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nltrumpet wrote:
Stumped me. If you bought a Yamaha Silent Brass, you could plug it into an effect pedal with an amp. Might be more trouble than its worth...


Thanks! An interesting idea. We talked about micing my trumpet and running through the guitar amp but capturing the sound via YSB could work. But, you're right, it may be more trouble than it's worth.
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Andy Cooper
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you play piano - the answer is not a mute for your trumpet but a Melodihorn or Melodica. You blow into it but have a small keyboard - one or two handed operation. About 1/3 the cost of YSB and it plays chords like a harmonica.

Funny - harmonica players are trying to figure out how to sound like trumpets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=461gn6Fuqmg
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nltrumpet
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Andy Cooper wrote:
If you play piano - the answer is not a mute for your trumpet but a Melodihorn or Melodica. You blow into it but have a small keyboard - one or two handed operation. About 1/3 the cost of YSB and it plays chords like a harmonica.


Forget my dumb idea- try this!
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Didymus
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 3:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Andy Cooper wrote:
If you play piano - the answer is not a mute for your trumpet but a Melodihorn or Melodica. You blow into it but have a small keyboard - one or two handed operation. About 1/3 the cost of YSB and it plays chords like a harmonica.

Funny - harmonica players are trying to figure out how to sound like trumpets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=461gn6Fuqmg


Another plus: Some melodicas come with an optional trumpet (-like) mouthpiece.

Or, you can try a trumpet mute with a reed resonator, like Hirschman's Stinger or Huber's straight with buzzer.
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Crazy Finn
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I feel like there's one of those goofy, obscure H&B mutes should work. I feel like some of them have some sort harmonica like thing.
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Didymus
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Crazy Finn wrote:
I feel like there's one of those goofy, obscure H&B mutes should work. I feel like some of them have some sort harmonica like thing.


H&B discontinued both the Buzz-Wow and the Raspy mutes. It was oft-claimed that they simply didn't sell, and were troublesome to play in tune, but they remained in H&B's catalog for decades. Now they are unicorns whose bid price starts at $200 on eBay.

The harmonica-like thing you mention are the wax paper resonators at the bottom of those mutes.
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chapahi
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 3:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Although this doesn't provide a short term solution, I suggest you see if you can actually play harmonica. I find it challenging but not too difficult really. It's a wonderful instrument.
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Mike Prestage
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rather than pursuing a harmonica-like tone, I'd be inclined to use a plunger (plus pixie maybe) and go for something that broadly evokes a harmonica solo.

Mike
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dr_trumpet
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Closest? Maybe a solo-tone mute, or adjusting the stem on a harmon mute? The guys in Maniacal 4 Trombone Quartet use a Yamaha Silent Brass System will guitar effect pedals for the guitar solos in their arrangements, which is another possibility.

The mutes require only experimenting. The silent brass requires mute, pedal, amp.
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jicetp
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2022 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was once asked by the conductor to play the intro of a Morricone's tune, originally played by an Harmonica. I pulled out my Harmon, kinda played with half-valves.....
Some people in the audience looked for the Harmonica player
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GizB
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 26, 2022 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I second the suggestion of a harmon mute. I used to play in a blues band, and the harmonica player and I would play riffs together - the harmon proved a nice complement, and is way cheaper and easier than electronics. I doubt your audience would care that much. Don't forget, the harmon is 66.6% of a harmonica!!!
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drvtrumpet
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:24 am    Post subject: Thanks Reply with quote

Thanks to all for the suggestions! For now, I'm using the Zinger (Doc Severinsen style which I bought at ITG a couple years ago) with the stem pulled halfway out. My band members thought that sounded great.
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GizB
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The paisley always makes the difference!
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Mac Gollehon
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 6:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I’ve done harmonica sounds several times on trumpet for blues artists and my own release Mac’s Smokin Section in 1995 ifor recording reference. I used piccolo trumpet with Tom Crown Harmon stem in. Run it into Eventide harmonizer and a treble booster pedal. Hand over stem to get Wawa sound. Or you skip the treble booster and run from harmonizer into a small Tube amp on high gain.
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Tpt_Guy
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mac Gollehon wrote:
I’ve done harmonica sounds several times on trumpet for blues artists and my own release Mac’s Smokin Section in 1995 ifor recording reference. I used piccolo trumpet with Tom Crown Harmon stem in. Run it into Eventide harmonizer and a treble booster pedal. Hand over stem to get Wawa sound. Or you skip the treble booster and run from harmonizer into a small Tube amp on high gain.


This seems like the best option. I have a Tom Crown picc harmon and I've often wondered what I would use it for. Now I know...
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