Playing Taps

[Flying Pig]

I recently made it on to the honor guard for work.  I attended a funeral about  ayear ago (non-LE funeral) and the bugler was using a "digital bugle" that playes a recording of taps but made it look like the person was playing.  It was pretty sad.  but I get it, so many funerals, so few players.  So that got me to thinking.  I have NO musical background or experience other than some guitar lessons when I wa sa kid.  Is just learning to play taps on a bugle a huge undertaking?  Anyone know how to do that that can offer some advice?  There are members on CAPTalk who are buglers arent there?  I thought I saw it in a signature line.

[Flying Pig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyw9JclVmQs&NR=1

You know this A1C said "Please, dont pull rank on me and make me do that!"

[RADIOMAN015]

I recently made it on to the honor guard for work.  I attended a funeral about  ayear ago (non-LE funeral) and the bugler was using a "digital bugle" that playes a recording of taps but made it look like the person was playing.  It was pretty sad.  but I get it, so many funerals, so few players.  So that got me to thinking.  I have NO musical background or experience other than some guitar lessons when I wa sa kid.  Is just learning to play taps on a bugle a huge undertaking?  Anyone know how to do that that can offer some advice?  There are members on CAPTalk who are buglers arent there?  I thought I saw it in a signature line.

It's much easier to play a guitar than a bugle, but you do know how to read music right   My suggestion is to approach the local high school band director and ask him/her.  I think in some communities the kids can even get out of school to attend this type of function.  In our squadron we have a senior member & his son that are fantastic musicians and have played at the yearly "Wreaths Across America" ceremony that our squadron coordinates and attends without our color guard and MC/speakers every year at the state veterans cemetery.
RM   

[tsrup]

It's not that taps is a difficult song to play... well... it's just a difficult song to play.

For the non-brass player, here's a little run down.

A bugle is a simple simple instrument where the pitch is changed by the tightening and loosening of the lips whilst "buzzing" them.

Now that seems simple, but coupled with the relatively tiny mouthpiece of the bugle, it becomes a painful affair to try and hit the high notes, let alone sustain them.

Can it be learned?  Absolutely.  But it will take practice, and lots of practice.  Not so much just for the tune itself, but think of each practice as "conditioning" for your lip muscles.  Learning to play bugle, as well as any brass instrument, will require some commitment on your part to condition your embouchure.

[Major Lord]

Robert,

I bought a bugle on E-bay a few years ago and gave it to a cadet , who expressed interest in learning to play the two or three requisite bugle tunes; "taps" among them. He could manage a passable version with a few week practice, but gave up since there were few opportunities. I gave it a try and could do it, although I don't have the touch or wind for brass.  I play piano, guitar, accordion, and I am working on bagpipes ( the last two instruments are the cause of 85% of all drive by shootings) The Bugle is pentatonic; It only likes to play five notes, so its not too hard if you are a musician to begin with.

There is a volunteer group that supplies buglers ( or trumpeters) to do military funerals, since Uncle Sam does not seem to have a lot of spares on hand, and lots of funerals going on. I bet they would do LE funerals if asked. I agree the digital bugle is way too "K-Mart" for the occasion.


Major Lord

[jks19714]

One additional requirement is a family with a high threshold for pain.

I played two instruments in Jr High and High School - sousaphone (brass one in those days) and drums.  I think that I chose them to get even (and surpass) with my sister's piano practice.  You can guess who won that contest (and then there was the "leaving the charged capacitor on the workbench" prank...). 

Hats off to the military bugler -- they have to get it right first time, every time, or there is hell to pay.

[Flying Pig]

Accordion!  Now thats a mans intrument!

I think Ill get a Bugle and give it a shot.  My son plays the Sax.  Maybe he can help me a little.  I think it would be an interesting "skill" to have.

[tsrup]

I played two instruments in Jr High and High School - sousaphone (brass one in those days) and drums. 

sooooo.... what you're saying is.... you played one instrument? 

[Flying Pig]

I think Ill get her to teach me.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WRoWPhLU2Q

Yes, I know this isnt "Taps"  But it sounds great.

[Major Lord]

That's a trumpet she is playing, which in many ways requires more skill and practice. It is more versatile, and if you want to play "Taps" as a harmony with two (or more instruments) or as a harmonized circular rondo, you need a trumpet. There is not a more profound musical experience than a solo bugle playing taps.... I just wish we would hear "call to arms" a little more often than we would hear "taps" played for the fallen....

When you get a bugle, get a mute ( like a "suppressor" for a bugle or trumpet)  too, so you won't have to fight a restraining order from your neighbors. Maybe we should see about finding a bugle teacher and do a seminar at the next Cadet Programs Conference? Would we need a bugle safety officer?

Major Lord

[Flying Pig]

We would need a risk assessment matrix completed and a waiver from the Hotel.  Of course, you know this would be a once in a lifetime conference right?  No other hotel would ever allow CAP within 1000 meters of their gates.\

I live in the country.  So I could just walk to the top of the hill and play it across the entire San Joaquin Valley!  My immediate neighbors, meaning 500+ yards away are a retired Army LTC now West Point Liason Officer, a combat wounded Army Infantry Purple Heart recipient now cop.  And two retired Army Blackhawk pilots (male and female....not post-DADT repeal)  So I think they might cut me some slack

[caphornbuckle]

An excellent organization for buglers:

http://buglesacrossamerica.org/

[jks19714]

I live in the country.  So I could just walk to the top of the hill and play it across the entire San Joaquin Valley!  My immediate neighbors, meaning 500+ yards away are a retired Army LTC now West Point Liason Officer, a combat wounded Army Infantry Purple Heart recipient now cop.  And two retired Army Blackhawk pilots (male and female....not post-DADT repeal)  So I think they might cut me some slack

Then again, it might become a toss-up between an artillery strike, an air strike, or a restraining order!

[Major Carrales]

I play bugle...we have trained a few cadets on bugle calls.  First call, Assembly, Reveille, Mess Call, TAPs and a few others.  I know it not part of the "cadet curriculum" for CAP, but if a cadet want to know the teacher in me wants to address their issue.

[Flying Pig]

Do you have a music background or did you just teach yourself those indivdual tunes?

[♠SARKID♠]

I recently made it on to the honor guard for work.  I attended a funeral about  ayear ago (non-LE funeral) and the bugler was using a "digital bugle" that playes a recording of taps but made it look like the person was playing.  It was pretty sad.  but I get it, so many funerals, so few players.  So that got me to thinking.  I have NO musical background or experience other than some guitar lessons when I wa sa kid.  Is just learning to play taps on a bugle a huge undertaking?  Anyone know how to do that that can offer some advice?  There are members on CAPTalk who are buglers arent there?  I thought I saw it in a signature line.

I played trumpet for about ten years from middle school into college (tried for a music education degree) and still noodle a bit every now and then.  I never bugled any funerals, but played Taps on an annual basis after the local Memorial Day parade and for a period of time I bugled my squadron's flag raising/lowering formations every meeting.

Is it doable?  Yes, but you won't be able to jump right into the bugle.  It takes a long time with a lot of practice to build the muscular dexterity in your face needed to hit the higher notes in Taps, and even longer to make them sound pure and clear instead of like a breathy lip slapping mess.  The problem with the bugle is that it only plays a small handful of notes with large gaps in between (the notes you hear in Taps are the only notes it can play).  What makes that difficult for you is that your facial muscles will not be able to make those jumps.  In the world of horns, the higher a note is the harder it is to play.  You have to build facial dexterity over time, often working on one note for months before being able to hit it.  On a trumpet you have the luxury of working one note at a time whereas on a bugle you're jumping about five.  Here's an analogy: playing horn is like lifting weights.  Playing trumpet allows you to build up over time, adding maybe ten pounds onto the barbell a week.  Playing the bugle limits the amount of notes you can play, and is like trying add 100 pounds to the barbell every day.  You just won't be strong enough to do it.  Add on the necessity of slurring notes, managing lung capacity, and the hellish task of proper tonguing and you've got a HUGE undertaking.

WHAT IT MEANS
Unless you're going to put in the time to play trumpet as a regular hobby and build up your strength, you won't be able to do it; certainly not to a skill level requisite to give the respect and performance needed at a military/LE funeral (a bad bugler at a funeral is an insult).  You'd be looking at at least a half hour of practice EVERY SINGLE DAY WITHOUT FAIL for at least a year.  Its a long term commitment that takes dedication and a bigger end goal than playing at a handful of funerals.

MY RECOMMENDATION
You don't need to learn to bugle to have a bugler at your ceremonies.  Bugles Across America has a Request a Bugler program that you can use.  Another option is to contact the conductors/teachers at your local high schools and ask if they can recommend one of their students.  A quality first or second chair trumpet player will be able to play Taps beautifully as the technical skill is quite simple for someone with their level of practice.  In Wisconsin its state law that for every time a student plays Taps at a veteran's funeral they get a $25 tuition voucher for the University of Wisconsin system.  With the amount of WWII, Korean War, and soon Vietnam veterans passing on a student could pay their way through college doing that.  See if your state has a similar program!

Keep in mind that this is just my opinion.  I played at a professional level so my standards may be higher than they need to be, though I think they're appropriate expectations of a funeral honor guard.  Other horn players may feel differently and think its a doable task so keep your mind open to them as well! 

[Ned]

I went to a veteran's funeral the other day, and the military honor guard used one of these:

Digital Ceremonial Bugle.

Once I figured out it wasn't a real bugler (it sounded too good for the 19ish looking PFC playing), I actually thought it was appropriate.

But I could see that not everyone will agree.

[Major Carrales]

Do you have a music background or did you just teach yourself those indivdual tunes?

I've been in music since I was in 7th grade.  Mariachi music finances most of my CAP activities, I play violin, trombone and trumpet.  I have a gig tomorrow at 11:15.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I have done too many army funerals while in the army and I have to say I preferred the one chance I got to use an electronic bugle to. At a couple of funerals we had a 21 gun salute and a real bugler for active duty troops killed in action, very nice very tasteful. However for every funeral that I have participated in for a retired soldier all we had was a cd player. That is embarrassing!!! I would take an electronic bugle any day over a cd player. Take your pick.

[lordmonar]

I went to a veteran's funeral the other day, and the military honor guard used one of these:

Digital Ceremonial Bugle.

Once I figured out it wasn't a real bugler (it sounded too good for the 19ish looking PFC playing), I actually thought it was appropriate.

But I could see that not everyone will agree.

Bottom line is that the alternitive is that PFC with a boom box.
With the drawdown and combat operations....the military just can't affort to recruit full time bugelers.  Heck except for the USAF Honor Guard in Washington  Honor Guard is an additional duty.