TromboneChat

Hey all,
I’m looking to purchase a Harmon mute for tenor trombone. Being your average poor high school student, I’m on a budget so the cheaper the better  . PM me if you have one you can sell me.

Thanks!

I've mentioned this before, but Harmon is a brand.  I have the Wa-Wa mute and something else called "Triple Play" which is a straight mute with a solid cup attachment (doubles as a plunger).

Are you looking for the Wa-Wa?

Caution: my Wa-wa only fits small bores.  If you have a typical symphonic bore like most kids, it won't fit.

Quote from: BGuttman on Dec 11, 2017, 03:39PMI've mentioned this before, but Harmon is a brand.  I have the Wa-Wa mute and something else called "Triple Play" which is a straight mute with a solid cup attachment (doubles as a plunger).

Are you looking for the Wa-Wa?

Caution: my Wa-wa only fits small bores.  If you have a typical symphonic bore like most kids, it won't fit.

My teacher suggested I look for a Harmon mute. He didn’t say anything about a Wa-Wa mute. And yes I do have a large bore tenor.

I really hate second-guessing your teacher, but why?  I think I use mine less than once a year.  It's a cute toy, but I don't get call for it very much.  Is your teacher a trumpet player?  They seem to use Harmon Wa-Was a lot more.

It's a nice practice mute with the stem out -- I can barely hear myself play.

Quote from: BGuttman on Dec 12, 2017, 07:52AM... I think I use mine less than once a year.  It's a cute toy, but I don't get call for it very much...

A point well taken - I borrowed one last week to play a single eighth note in the musical 'Annie.'  Plenty of straight, cup, and even solotone/cleartone, but only a single note with the Harmon.  Another trombonist in our band commented that he hasn't used his in 25 years playing in German, Jazz, and Symphonic bands. 

Also fair to mention that an aluminum Harmon with cause loud noises and dent when dropped.   Good luck. 

You can get an almost identical sound by blasting with a plunger tight against the bell.  I use that technique a lot to blend with trumpets in Harmon.

I think the Jo-Ral bubble mute is a much better choice than a traditional Harmon,but I don't have one.  I think there are one or two other brands but I haven't tried them.  I do know that an unmodified Harmon will not fit a large bore horn, you have to add cork to it.

Either way, they like to fall out.

Quote from: BGuttman on Dec 12, 2017, 07:52AMI really hate second-guessing your teacher, but why?  I think I use mine less than once a year.  It's a cute toy, but I don't get call for it very much.  Is your teacher a trumpet player?  They seem to use Harmon Wa-Was a lot more.

It's a nice practice mute with the stem out -- I can barely hear myself play.

A song that I’m playing in an upcoming concert calls for one. He did say that it doesn’t get used much though but if I was able to get a used one for a good price it would probably be worth it. And no he’s not a trumpet player 

I wonder if you might be better off getting a ClearTone mute instead.  When my orchestra did "Rhapsody in Blue" I auditioned both my Jo-Ral bubble and my ClearTone and the general consensus was the ClearTone (with my hand over it to do the Wa-Wa effect) sounded better.

In many Big Bands (at least the amateur ones I play in) when a chart calls for Harmon we often just play in cups or plungers.  It's quite rare to have a section of 4 all with Wa-Wa's.

Quote from: BGuttman on Dec 12, 2017, 09:00AMI wonder if you might be better off getting a ClearTone mute instead.  When my orchestra did "Rhapsody in Blue" I auditioned both my Jo-Ral bubble and my ClearTone and the general consensus was the ClearTone (with my hand over it to do the Wa-Wa effect) sounded better.

In many Big Bands (at least the amateur ones I play in) when a chart calls for Harmon we often just play in cups or plungers.  It's quite rare to have a section of 4 all with Wa-Wa's.

Is this the mute your talking about?

https://www.wwbw.com/Humes-Berg-153-Trombone-Cleartone-Mute-360073.wwbw?source=TWWR5J1BB&cntry=us&currency=usd&gclid=CjwKCAiAmb7RBRATEiwA7kS8VKIuhcc9iawqkJaO6TTV0UqVFmlFzZNXD25PGTxPnqPTXkMmz-3RmBoCxi4QAvD_BwE

That's the one.  It's the mute you use for "Song of India" (the Dorsey solo).  Dorsey used a Solotone, which is not made any more and is hard to find (and expensive when you do).  Most of us use the ClearTone.

Quote from: Doug Elliott on Dec 12, 2017, 08:50AMYou can get an almost identical sound by blasting with a plunger tight against the bell.  I use that technique a lot to blend with trumpets in Harmon.

I think the Jo-Ral bubble mute is a much better choice than a traditional Harmon,but I don't have one.  I think there are one or two other brands but I haven't tried them.  I do know that an unmodified Harmon will not fit a large bore horn, you have to add cork to it.

Either way, they like to fall out.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdWamsaFPT4

5 hours, 30 minutes in, that's me in the middle-right there when my mute dumps out of my bell...


And no, it wasn't my mute either...


I don't know of a Harmon style that works very well with a large bore, so I have never bought one.

If you need the wa-wa sound of a Harmon with the stem in, there's no substitute for that type of metal mute.  If I remember right, American in Paris has that (at least for trumpet).  Other that that and some solo literature you almost never need it.

Harmons work on trumpet and small bores because of their brighter sound, but they sound pretty bad on large bores.  They need to emphasize higher frequencies that just aren't there.

Quote from: crazytrombonist505 on Dec 11, 2017, 03:26PMHey all,
I’m looking to purchase a Harmon mute for tenor trombone. Being your average poor high school student, I’m on a budget so the cheaper the better  . PM me if you have one you can sell me.

Thanks!

Too bad you didn't ask back when I shipped you the cup mute!   I have an aluminum mute, no markings on it, but it has the tube that looks like a tuba mouthpiece that pulls in and out like a Harmon.  It fit my King 4B great, two big for my small bore tenors.  PM me and I'll send pics.

Quote from: gregs70 on Dec 12, 2017, 02:43PMToo bad you didn't ask back when I shipped you the cup mute!   I have an aluminum mute, no markings on it, but it has the tube that looks like a tuba mouthpiece that pulls in and out like a Harmon.  It fit my King 4B great, two big for my small bore tenors.  PM me and I'll send pics.

PM sent 

Here's one:
http://tromboneforum.org/index.php/topic,103504.0.html

Quote from: BGuttman on Dec 12, 2017, 09:00AMI wonder if you might be better off getting a ClearTone mute instead.  When my orchestra did "Rhapsody in Blue" I auditioned both my Jo-Ral bubble and my ClearTone and the general consensus was the ClearTone (with my hand over it to do the Wa-Wa effect) sounded better.

In many Big Bands (at least the amateur ones I play in) when a chart calls for Harmon we often just play in cups or plungers.  It's quite rare to have a section of 4 all with Wa-Wa's.
Good suggestion Bruce. I've seen a ClearTone used with a plunger. Seems like it would be a little awkward, but nice effect.

Got one! Thanks, everyone, for the offers and suggestions. Much appreciated.