Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:54 am Post subject: The Whisper-Penny is wild.
Hey TH, here's yesterday video with a very interesting product I had never played - the Whisper-Penny. Have any of you ever used/seen this? It alters your sound to make it super airy/fuzzy.
It's actually rather remarkable how it affects your sound, a cool concept.
Through a comment on my YouTube video I learned that Ole Edvard Antonsen had a mouthpiece builder make him a mouthpiece that achieved a similar effect that he put to use on his 1992, "Tour de Force", so I am curious if anyone here has knowledge of other instances of others playing with this idea.
Joined: 19 Dec 2017 Posts: 306 Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 11:05 am Post subject:
Hi Josh,
I heard of it and even bookmarked their website.
I guess it occupies the same category as mutes, but one places it in the mouthpiece instead of the bell.
Since I'm at the stage in my playing where an airy tone is something to correct instead of cultivate, I likely will never buy one. Nonetheless, thank you for your review! _________________ Enjoy the journey.
Last edited by Didymus on Thu Feb 02, 2023 5:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
Our Trumpet Herald friend, Lex Samu, was into the Whisper Penny concept a number of years ago. That's where I first heard about it. He experimented with just placing a small washer in the bottom of the mouthpiece cup.
I am a big fan of the Whisper Penny for flgl, to the point that I bought a second one when my original purchase was temporarily unfindable.
For me, I like it best in the biggest-deepest piece that I use.
I didn't try to defend it against the diatribe from the Philistines — in the previous thread on this topic — because, as is often the case on TH, it's futile to argue with someone who has a definite opinion about something that they have never tried or even heard. I did communicate, privately, with Lex about it at the time.
It's a mute — it changes the sound, intentionally and in a specific way.
Ole Edvard use a pushpin like this https://free3d.com/3d-model/flat-head-pushpin-9609.html I’ve tried both Whisper penny and the push pins, exact same effect! But the push pin will kill you if you inhale too quickly though … _________________ Van Laar OIRAM light I
Van Laar OIRAM Ack
Bájoc mouthpieces Lead and Pops
Not as pronounced an effect as the previous videos I've seen - I don't know if it's the horn & mp, the recording gear or both. I find it irritating but to each their own.
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:18 am Post subject: Whisper Penny
The posts, and accompanying opinions related to the "Whisper-Penny" device may be of interest to some, but again demonstrate the historic repetition of various elements related to trumpet design, construction, history, technology, performance, and pedagogy, etc.
Devices that are placed within the mouthpiece have a long history of documentation in the form of United States patents, and even longer when viewed from a more global perspective and time span.
Widmayer was granted a United States patent on 4 November 1924 for a mouthpiece (#1,,513,950) having a "vibratory mechanism" in the cup. One year earlier, Miller received a patent on 9 January 1923 (#1,444,596) for a , device to prevent "whirling motion" in the throat, and on 18 February 1942, Hulsaver was granted a patent for a "step-tapered" cup design (#2,232,605).
For those who view the Whisper-Penny as a mute, not a mouthpiece, one may refer to Patent #2,263,665, of 25 November 1941 that describes a "mute" placed within the leadpipe, by Edna White (the cornet soloist, not wife of H.N. White of the King Company).
The "mute" by Ms. White is described in a book I wrote several years ago about mutes that describes another 112 mutes that have been the subject of United States patents. Another book about mouthpieces is now being completed, and will describe the above referenced mouthpiece patents.
As has been stated, "The best predictor of the future is history". In nearly every aspect of brass instrument design there exists examples to support this truism.
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:42 am Post subject: What's new is old
Thank you Dale for your post. No one knows more about this than you.
Living in Nevada where the area formally known as The Nevada Test Site, where years of testing nuclear devices took place, the common saying was, "the secret is, there are no secrets". Perhaps a bit of a stretch to compare this gadget with a bomb but you have pointed out the history of similar devices in years past which while claims for a new invention today that were done years ago with patents to prove it have shown a definite lack of historical research.
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Whisper Penny
R. Dale Olson wrote:
The posts, and accompanying opinions related to the "Whisper-Penny" device may be of interest to some, but again demonstrate the historic repetition of various elements related to trumpet design, construction, history, technology, performance, and pedagogy, etc.
Devices that are placed within the mouthpiece have a long history of documentation in the form of United States patents, and even longer when viewed from a more global perspective and time span.
Widmayer was granted a United States patent on 4 November 1924 for a mouthpiece (#1,,513,950) having a "vibratory mechanism" in the cup. One year earlier, Miller received a patent on 9 January 1923 (#1,444,596) for a , device to prevent "whirling motion" in the throat, and on 18 February 1942, Hulsaver was granted a patent for a "step-tapered" cup design (#2,232,605).
For those who view the Whisper-Penny as a mute, not a mouthpiece, one may refer to Patent #2,263,665, of 25 November 1941 that describes a "mute" placed within the leadpipe, by Edna White (the cornet soloist, not wife of H.N. White of the King Company).
The "mute" by Ms. White is described in a book I wrote several years ago about mutes that describes another 112 mutes that have been the subject of United States patents. Another book about mouthpieces is now being completed, and will describe the above referenced mouthpiece patents.
As has been stated, "The best predictor of the future is history". In nearly every aspect of brass instrument design there exists examples to support this truism.
Thank you for all of this terrific information, Dale!! I've heard about your book, I'll have to pick up a copy sometime sooner than later - it looks to be a tremendous resource.
- Josh _________________ On the road with Under the Streetlamp
@JoshRzepka - IG/Twitter
http://www.joshrzepka.com
Denis Wick Artist
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