Video Description: Type of Video:  Topical*

On this Building Blocks of Jazz, Phil Dunlap and his guest Adam Hucke from Southwestern Illinois College explore ways to change the sound and personality of a trumpet using mutes. The musical concept of timbre is discussed and Adam plays examples illustrating the differences in the sound using the straight, cup, Harmon, pixie and plunger mutes – followed by a short jam session with Phil.

This video is one of many in our “Building Blocks of Jazz” series.

In addition to the lesson plans and activity ideas included with the Teacher and Student Tools below, here’s a quick suggestion for use of this video:

• Have students experiment with changing the sound of a variety of musical instruments, with the trumpet being one of them.  Have students bring in objects they believe could help mute or change the sound for each and experiment with what happens.  What do they hear?  What do they like?  Why do they like it?

*Topical Videos (1-20 minutes) are filmed on location in the classroom/ workspace/laboratory, in studio, or a combination of locations to explain and/or demonstrate specific concepts, events, topics, or processes.  For more information on different types of videos available in the Educate.Today collection, download “Educate Today Types of Videos.”

To view additional sample videos from the Educate.Today collection, click here.