This is my third installment on sound altering items used to morph the sound of instruments into something unique. This week, we will discuss the plunger mute. Yes, you read that right, and no, it isn't a metaphor. It is literally the head of a plunger, ideally unused. They are mainly used by trumpets and trombones. Trumpets should get a smaller sink plunger that fits their smaller bell where as trombones need a full sized toilet plunger.
The plunger itself doesn't have an inventor, but it started popping up between 1850 and 1900, when rubber became more common place in the home. Trumpets and trombones have been using mutes since the 1600s. During the Jazzy era in the 1920s, musicians were constantly looking for that new sound that would get them the edge needed to be the next big thing. The hat mute, essentially just a bowler hat held in front of the bell, was made popular by King Oliver in the early 1920s. This was the predecessor to the plunger mute. All the factors were in place, it just needed a brave soul to used the rubber suction cup meant for the toilet and put it on the end of their bell.
There may have been brave souls before trombonist Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, but he's definitely the one who hit it big. Being part of Duke Ellington's Orchestra helped as well. He joined the group in 1926 and along with trumpet Bubber Miley, revolutionized swing music. When Miley left in 1929, Tricky Sam trained his successor, Cootie Williams, the growl and plunger techniques he and Miley had used, and Cootie became a plunger master himself. Together, they took the plunger to a whole new level.
The timbre created by the plunger mute is described as buzzy when closed against the bell, and if opened while playing, gives a distinctive "wah" sound that Nanton was so good at. Some musicians poke holes in their plungers to give it a slightly different timbre. If played by a skilled player it could even sound almost human-like.
As heard in the video on the left, that wah wah sound is remenisent of a human saying wah. And the growl that he does is done with just rolling the tongue like for Spanish r's but into a plunger, and it makes a real jungly sound. This sound and style was big in swing music.
Plungers have definitely made their way into Jazz and into Jazz Musicians hearts. It is a style and feel unlike most other mutes. Its got a heart of its own. And if push came to shove, its handy around a clogged toilet...
Your comment about the historical use of mutes was interesting. As surely as there were players of the sackbut, one must assume that they would have muted the sound at times. I wonder if they did and when and why. Make sure that you provide comments on a listening selection each week.
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