Chicago--Specht's Georgians--1922 Duck call?

[Rastus10]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB7ivg9Q7po

It can be heard at about 1:25 and towards the end of the song. One of these is also present throughout a Ben Selvin version of That Sweet in Suite 16 from early 1925? Duck call? Something else?

I've yet to hear one on an electric record. It certainly throws me for a loop whenever I hear one on a late acoustic dance band recording.

[Roaring20s]

I guess it's just another wind instrument and added to their novelty.
I'm sure it got laughs.

Try this humming instrument on for novelty...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wL96iSQUpk
I do not know if they are the first (or only one's) to use it for an entire record, but it was their one and only recording.

James.

[Lucius1958]

Whatever it was, the poor creature seems to have met its demise on the Korn Kobblers' 1939 recording, "Don't Give Me No Goose For Christmas" (see the relevant post in this section)...

Bill

[VintageTechnologies]

Once I played this song I realized that I have heard the duck call before on some other acoustic recordings, but I cannot recall the titles now. At the time, I did not know what I was hearing.

Novelty musical records featuring animal noises used to be a common staple of entertainment during the acoustic era, but it seems to have completely died out. Such sound effects struck me as quaint and a bit corny, but I suppose people of the time found it cute or funny. Perhaps a cultural shift from rural to urban demographics had something to do with it.

[52089]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB7ivg9Q7po

It can be heard at about 1:25 and towards the end of the song. One of these is also present throughout a Ben Selvin version of That Sweet in Suite 16 from early 1925? Duck call? Something else?

I've yet to hear one on an electric record. It certainly throws me for a loop whenever I hear one on a late acoustic dance band recording.

Surely Spike Jones used a duck call? Der Fuehrer's Face? Man on the Flying Trapeze? Probably others too...

[Orchorsol]

Try this humming instrument on for novelty...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wL96iSQUpk
I do not know if they are the first (or only one's) to use it for an entire record, but it was their one and only recording.

James.

Great record, thanks for posting! I'm lucky enough to have a copy here in the UK. Recorded May 1924.

The Mound City Blue Blowers' first record (featuring kazoo and paper-and-comb throughout both sides) was recorded February 23rd 1924.

Love the Georgians record too! Can someone tell us, is the 'duck call' sound actually a kazoo (with hand wah-wah and vocal effects) or another novelty instrument? I've always wanted to know. Here's another great record featuring the same sort of thing (around 1:30) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exjIyfienjo

[Roaring20s]

Great record, thanks for posting! I'm lucky enough to have a copy here in the UK. Recorded May 1924.

The Mound City Blue Blowers' first record (featuring kazoo and paper-and-comb throughout both sides) was recorded February 23rd 1924.

Love the Georgians record too! Can someone tell us, is the 'duck call' sound actually a kazoo (with hand wah-wah and vocal effects) or another novelty instrument? I've always wanted to know. Here's another great record featuring the same sort of thing (around 1:30) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exjIyfienjo

The Mound City Blue Blowers's selections mentioned are...
Blue Blues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71da2SZKW3Y
and Arkansaw Blues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWH1LZ1cId8

Mose really works that instrument!

and from Lucius1958's thread http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... 5335&hilit
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x190ld ... n-kobblers

Suite 16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldRmyshDRN4

I'm not a musician and wonder can reed instruments achieve similar sounds as a duck call?

James.

[howardpgh]

1920s music seems very gimmicky with all the different sound effects used, that's what makes it so great!
Vo dee o doe, Doo wacka doo, crying and laughing trombones, wah wah mutes, slide whistles and other things add to the charm of the music.

[Rastus10]

Great posts by all.

I wonder if the advent of electric recording and the decline/disappearance of the "duck call" was analogous to how certain silent era film techniques or situations didn't translate well to sound. For example, it was apparently acceptable to throw in the effects every now and again on dance records, but perhaps after 1925-ish, it belonged more to out-and-out comedy records and recording groups such as The Seven Little Polar Bears or The Six Jumping Jacks (both Reser organizations). For that matter, I need to listen to the Jumping Jacks' records from 1926-28 to see if the duck call makes any appearances. They threw in the kitchen sink for "I'm Just Wild About Animal Crackers" for craziness in 1926.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7-A6ZTdTLU

Here's a Fletcher Henderson side from 1924 with the mysterious noise (starting after Armstrong's solo at 1:48)--one of Louis Armstrong's first with the band. Golly, that band is hot--doo-wacka doos, Charleston beats, wah-wahs, et al and a great finish!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT4Ia6vUqK0