Where did Turk Murphy get his garbage pail tone?
- Buffalospiritgathering
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Apr 26, 2025
I TOTALLY understand how small bore instruments and small mouthpiece tend to break up at higher volumes, and that the old style tone is quite different from what people prefer from trombones now, AND the Lu Waters band is supposed to be LOUD and brash, but where did Turk Murphy get his tone? Did he replace his bell with dented trash can? Even after he left the band and started his own thing... His tone just never changed... Just SO loud.
<YOUTUBE id="p5rzHm1MCfU">https://youtu.be/p5rzHm1MCfU?si=8cpWxSFoOspXOues</YOUTUBE>
I have a .462 Conn 4h, which is about appropriate for the time, but just can't get that sound! Wow!
Any comments?
<YOUTUBE id="p5rzHm1MCfU">https://youtu.be/p5rzHm1MCfU?si=8cpWxSFoOspXOues</YOUTUBE>
I have a .462 Conn 4h, which is about appropriate for the time, but just can't get that sound! Wow!
Any comments?
- mwpfoot
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
You've got the small bore Conn; now smash your mouthpiece, puff your cheeks, and blow!
So many Turk Murphy albums in the used bins around here.
:cool:
So many Turk Murphy albums in the used bins around here.
:cool:
- dukesboneman
- Posts: 935
- Joined: Apr 02, 2018
I didn`t find his tone offensive at all. I thought that it fit the ensemble perfectly.
Why would he change his sound just because he left a certain Band??? That makes no sense.
If you quite band 1 and go with band 2 do you change your sound???
Why would he change his sound just because he left a certain Band??? That makes no sense.
If you quite band 1 and go with band 2 do you change your sound???
- AtomicClock
- Posts: 1094
- Joined: Oct 19, 2023
[quote="mwpfoot"]now smash your mouthpiece, puff your cheeks, and blow![/quote]
And touch the bell in third!
And touch the bell in third!
- Buffalospiritgathering
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Apr 26, 2025
Hahaha! Love it!
Yeah the Lu Waters Band was intentionally brash, loud and outdated. They performed Old style jazz when swing was all the fad. That old jazz was considered outdated at the time. I think that is possible that his tone came out of playing with that band for hours a day, many days a week. He must have had to play super duper loud all the time!
Side note: playing that way makes your face hurt and callous more, with less time playing. I used to take lessons with a well.known freak of nature trombonne player, and he played very smoothly, with a well formed embouchure, for many hours a day, every day, either lessons, classes or his performances. His chops were like... Gray and calloused. I hadn't seen that before then.
I love both bands. I listen to them almost every day at my repetitive day job! Many hours a day. They are one of my favorite bands.
Yeah the Lu Waters Band was intentionally brash, loud and outdated. They performed Old style jazz when swing was all the fad. That old jazz was considered outdated at the time. I think that is possible that his tone came out of playing with that band for hours a day, many days a week. He must have had to play super duper loud all the time!
Side note: playing that way makes your face hurt and callous more, with less time playing. I used to take lessons with a well.known freak of nature trombonne player, and he played very smoothly, with a well formed embouchure, for many hours a day, every day, either lessons, classes or his performances. His chops were like... Gray and calloused. I hadn't seen that before then.
I love both bands. I listen to them almost every day at my repetitive day job! Many hours a day. They are one of my favorite bands.
- JTeagarden
- Posts: 625
- Joined: Feb 24, 2025
[quote="Buffalospiritgathering"]I have a .462 Conn 4h, which is about appropriate for the time, but just can't get that sound! Wow!
Any comments?[/quote]
Consider yourself very lucky.
Any comments?[/quote]
Consider yourself very lucky.
- BGuttman
- Posts: 7368
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
[quote="JTeagarden"]<QUOTE author="Buffalospiritgathering" post_id="282608" time="1754082910" user_id="19419">
I have a .462 Conn 4h, which is about appropriate for the time, but just can't get that sound! Wow!
Any comments?[/quote]
Consider yourself very lucky.
</QUOTE>
The 2H was 0.462". The 4H was around 0.489". Turk probably used a horn like this, but that's only part of the story.
I have a .462 Conn 4h, which is about appropriate for the time, but just can't get that sound! Wow!
Any comments?[/quote]
Consider yourself very lucky.
</QUOTE>
The 2H was 0.462". The 4H was around 0.489". Turk probably used a horn like this, but that's only part of the story.
- Posaunus
- Posts: 5018
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
Turk Murphy was indeed a cheek-puffer, but his characteristic tone didn't originate from a super-small-bore tenor. He may have started on a Conn 4H (0.485" bore), but by the time he formed his own band (~1950) and began recording (dozens of LPs) until his death at age 71, he played a Conn 6H (0.500" bore). That's what you hear on almost all Turk's recordings. (My sound on a 6H is dramatically different from Turk's, even when I play trad / Dixie. It's not the equipment, it's the trombonist.)