[Trombone-l] Plunger Mute question...

[Samuel Keyser]

Pretty much everything about plungers has been covered in this  
thread.  But there is one thing I might add.  I find it important that  
the plunger be supple enough so that you can easily squeeze it into  
different shapes.  This has a decided effect on the tone and adds a  
dimension to its use.

Herb Pomeroy, the great jazz trumpet player, made great use of this  
aspect of plunger playing.  And, by the way, he was an advocate of  
drilling a hole in the middle.

I tried it put it didn't seem to matter one way or another.  I got  
much more response by shaping the plunger while playing.

Yes, it was Al Grey who was the great plunger player.  He wrote a book  
which is probably still available.  It originally came with a cassette  
as well.

Jay