Klarinet Archive - Posting 000576.txt from 1997/07

From: "Cadenza " <Cadenza@-----.com>
Subj: RE: Practice mute
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 16:57:32 -0400

Yes I have seen clarinet mutes. It was a long time ago on TV. There was some
sort of swing band with the typical 5 reeds in front. I think it was Kay
Keyser (or one of the other "sweeter bands" For one piece all of the sax
players picked up clarinets and put on these megaphone shaped mutes. There
were inserts for the hands. Even at that time, I was probably about 12, I
thought it was stupid and didn't seem to change the characteristics of the
clarinet sound all that much.

I expect they were made by the band leader and he probably took a megaphone,
put a bottom to it, and painted it white. I expect Buddy DeFranco's was one
of these. I don't think they were ever available commercially.

Cadenza

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From: owner-klarinet@-----.net
Subject: Re: Practice mute

A friend once told me about a visit he made to Buddy DeFranco's hotel room
when he was on the road. DeFranco had a device shaped like a megaphone on a
folding stand which he played into allowing him to practice without annoying
other guests. I don't know if this was a commercially available device or of
DeFranco's own invention.

Frank Powers