# The tone of trumpets played by mariachis **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850 "2005-01-09T05:12:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/1 "2005-01-09T05:12:19Z")
I’m not sure if it is only me, but when hearing a trumpet played in a tune like that which is played by a band of mariachis, it has a rather unique tone as compared to the trumpet played by Wynton Marsalis, for instance. It’s—nasally, shall I say, in comparison. These are the same sorts of trumpets, right (that is, despite general aesthetics in the case of Mr. Marsalis’ instrument)? Might anyone know of what causes the unique sound? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/2 "2005-01-09T05:14:58Z")
I think that you might be talking a mute. Its a little cone shaped item you stuff in the bell of the trumpet and it makes it sound kinda tinny. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/3 "2005-01-09T05:17:08Z")
No, I don’t think I refer to a mute. This is a full tone, but more nasal in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/4 "2005-01-09T05:20:13Z")
well thats what a mute sounds like to me, a nasally trumpet. are you sure its not a mute or just think its not a mute? ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/5 "2005-01-09T07:25:04Z")
Yeah I wonder if it is just some unique method to the embouchure or playing style or whatever. Think tone of the trumpet licks in “Ring of Fire” if you haven’t got Mariachi music handy. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/6 "2005-01-09T07:29:13Z")
Loud. Very, very loud…at least whenever I have been within 2 miles of a Mariachi band. And shrill to boot. What mute? Sure wish they would use one when I am in the vicinity. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/7 "2005-01-09T10:38:58Z")
I think many of them use the [Parduba double-cup mouthpiece](http://www.parduba.com/parduba.html), which gets a more brilliant tone. Other than that, it’s just a matter of having a different concept of sound. It’s just a different style of playing. By the way, Wynton plays a [Monette](http://www.monette.net/newsite/) trumpet, which is designed to be extremely heavy and dark - pretty much the polar opposite of a Mariachi sound. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/8 "2005-01-09T12:28:05Z")
According to a former band teacher (long ago), the Mariachi sound is indeed produced by playing very loudly - blowing just as hard as you can. I think another contributing factor is the range of notes - Mariachi trumpet parts seem to stick to the lower part of the trumpet’s range. So instead of a clear tone, you get “blaaaaaaat” ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/9 "2005-01-09T20:58:26Z")
It would say it is the opposite of a mute! It is certainly a distinctive style. Recently when a storm was picking up here and the wind seemed to come in blasts and then die down, I could hear mariachi trumpets when the wind was at its highest. We live in a culturally diverse neighborhood which includes Hispanics and I assume that someone was having a party. But I couldn’t hear the music at all during the still moments. Then suddenly these joyful feista sounds would ride in on the winds It was one of the most delightfully surreal storms I’ve ever experienced! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Roboto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@Mr.Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Roboto)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tone-of-trumpets-played-by-mariachis/283850/10 "2005-01-09T21:58:21Z")
The 60’s Band LOVE recorded an album which is considered to be a masterpiece and continually finds itself on the “Top 25 Albums of all Time” one of the tracks is titled, “Alone Again Or” and features a trumpet solo, so mystifying, that I have been researching for 35 yrs., who the trumpet player is. The only answer I have ever heard is, He’s a member of the Baja Marimba Band. A couple of years ago, I was in the back of the house and heard the Trumpet Solo, it was from a Miller Beer commercial on television featuring a Latino Family conversing in their Living room. Incidently, The title of the album is “Forever Changes” by LOVE.