Note a minor attempt to manipulate (8)
I believe the answer is:
gaslight
'attempt to manipulate' is the definition.
(to gaslight is to make someone doubt their sanity)
'note a minor' is the wordplay.
'note' becomes 'g' (musical note).
'minor' becomes 'slight' (I've seen this before).
'g'+'a'+'slight'='GASLIGHT'
(Other definitions for gaslight that I've seen before include "Old film" , "Old form of illumination" , "source of illumination" , "Old guide in dark" , "Bergman film" .)