[TPIN] Re: Bucket Mutes

[Eric Bolvin]

<As for substituting flugelhorn for buckets and vice versa, I'm strongly (yet
very civilly, MA) against it.  The muffling properties of a bucket mute reduce
the volume of a trumpet.  A flugelhorn, with its conical bore, changes the
overtone series (this is why it sounds more mellow to our ears).  No way would
you see the Basie band (the best examples of extended bucket mute use in my
experience) use flugels when buckets are scored.  The signature of that Basie
sound is for the intensity (and hard swinging feel) to be there, but at a
reduced volume (this adds to the tension/anticipation).  That can't be
duplicated with flugelhorns... not even close (and I love my flugelhorn!).>

Perhaps you're right here, but many charts were written before flugels were common, so the arranger would substitute 
bucket when he really wanted flugel. So It all depends on the age of the chart. Flugels weren't really the "norm" until Kenton's band in the late 6o's.
 All I know is that I've never been shot for using a flugel when it says bucket.

Eb


Eric Bolvin
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