Mirliton

What it means

A mirliton is not an actual tone-producing instrument but a tone-colourer: a thin membrane is set vibrating by the sound of the voice or an instrument and adds a buzzing, nasal noise to it. The best-known example is the kazoo, into which one hums — whoever only blows into it produces no sound. Related applications are found worldwide, for instance as an additional membrane on flutes or drums, which gives their sound a rougher colour.

Musical use

The effect rests on the fact that the basic sound is preserved and only its overtone composition is changed; pitch and melody still come from the voice. For this reason the kazoo is widespread in popular music as a humorous or characterizing means and is easily accessible, since no playing technique in the strict sense is needed. In art music, mirlitons appear rarely, and then deliberately as a means of estrangement. With instruments of other musical cultures, by contrast, the attached membrane is part of the intended sound ideal and not an effect — there the buzzing belongs to the normal sound image.

Performance practice

Hum or sing into the kazoo instead of blowing; the membrane reacts to the vibration of the voice. The sound follows the voice production directly, so articulation and rhythm arise through syllables such as “du” or “tu.” For louder passages you need more vocal engagement, not more air. Check the membrane regularly: it is delicate, gets blocked by moisture, and tears easily; replacements belong in the equipment. With instruments carrying an attached membrane, its tension is decisive for the sound and is set before playing.

Bear in mind that the sound depends directly on the voice: whoever hums indiscriminately gets an unclear tone, and pitch and rhythm must be hit just as precisely as when singing. Practise the passage first without the instrument. For recordings, the distance to the microphone is to be clarified, because otherwise the buzzing is overemphasized. Keep spare membranes ready, since they tear easily. With the kazoo the tone arises through humming or singing, not through blowing.