Is a mute assistant a mutant? Sorry,
Chuck Sent from my iPhone On Apr 5, 2011, at 6:22 PM, John Howell <john.how...@vt.edu> wrote: > At 6:39 PM -0400 4/5/11, Christopher Smith wrote: >> On Tue Apr 5, at TuesdayApr 5 4:20 PM, William Huber wrote: >> >>> Other than that, if one must stand up to play the job, the mutes have to be >>> "prepared" for a fast change, placing the next mute on one's music stand >>> where, one hopes, it doesn't interfere with seeing music. It is helpful to >>> have the phrase "Prepare ____ Mute" written over a multiple bar rest >>> shortly ahead of time so that the mute can be located amongst its fellows >>> and set in place. >> >> I can't tell you how many times I've put a mute between my thighs while >> standing, either in preparation for a quick insertion or after a quick >> removal. Of course, bucket is whole 'nother proposition... > > Isn't the bottom line here that arrangements calling for multiple mutes > (especially a bucket mute!--and there is no real substitute), a producer who > requires the players to stand, and no ability to use tables, music stands, or > anything else to put the mutes within reach, is simply an impossible > combination. A trombone bucket has got to be THE most awkward mute to use > this side of tuba mutes. > > So which is more important, the musical use of the mutes called for, or the > visual requirement of standing up to play? THAT'S the choice to be made. If > it's the latter, then a substitute for the buckets will have to be made. (Or > maybe a flock of boy scouts to handle the mutes and mute changes!!! Now THAT > would be kind of fun! But organ players have been using registrants as > assistants for many years, just as pianists have been using page turners.) > > John > > > -- > John R. Howell, Assoc. Prof. of Music > Virginia Tech Department of Music > College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences > Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 > Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 > (mailto:john.how...@vt.edu) > http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html > > "We never play anything the same way once." Shelly Manne's definition > of jazz musicians. > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > Finale@shsu.edu > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
