shortridge 184 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Twocubdad, Does your troop have a piper? Get outta town! That'd be great. I went to a college with a kilted marching band and a very strong piper corps. Hearing those tunes still brings a tear to my eye. Link to post Share on other sites
Buffalo Skipper 13 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Stosh, I certainly understand the difference between instruments. My best friend growing up was the district first chair trumpet, but played the flugelhorn. I had just not seen a bugle like the one I saw today--truly beatiful. I am really looking forward to talking to our scout about being a bugler. He this is his first year playing, and I expect the experience to be more of a benefit to him than the troop at first. I do think it would be great at summer camp to have the bugler sound the calls in our campsite (for all other troops to hear!). Just so long as we don't find a scout who tries to play the calls on his harmonica, we will all be all right. Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 PIPER? Definition of a gentleman: One who can play the pipes but doesn't. Now a FIFER is something else. You want long range communication, upper register fife is unbelievable! Kinda makes one want to bring back the old drill routines of the original scouts. By the way, go to E-Bay, do a search on "BOY SCOUT" and you'll get hooked up with a $29.99 bugle. I can't vouch for it's quality, but the old adage of "You get what you paid for," might apply here. Otherwise look up Bugle. There's a BSA Rexcraft and bag going for $35.00ish with 6 hours to go. So they're out there at fairly good prices. Stay away from the copper/brass British bugles, they are short and difficult to play. Stosh(This message has been edited by jblake47) Link to post Share on other sites
Twocubdad 665 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 At one time we had two pipers, actually. Now we're down to one piper, two drummers and a couple horn blowers (I wouldn't call them buglers.) Our guy pipes us in and out of campfires and assemblies at summer camp. He's in big demand for Scouts' Own services and council fundraisers. Our Scouts traditionally do a mac-daddy flag ceremony and he plays the appropriate pipe tunes for lowering the colors. One year the troop skit was a reinactment of the Battle of Sterling Bridge. Kinda short on historical accuracy -- mostly guys in blue face paint running back and forth yelling "Freedom." But that was okay, the history was over he heads of 99% of the people there anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 Our Venturing Crew used to get a lot of demand for flag ceremonies but it got to be more of a hassle than most. It would seem that there are a lot of people that want the boys to do the ceremony, but very few will "allow" real rifles as part of it. Most color guards that carry arms have Quaker guns. Paying $600 for a gun just to disable it is kinda dumb. It also takes away a bit when we can't do the 21-gun salute as well. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
cdroberts94 10 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I want to thank you guys for this thread. I am taking over as Advancement Chair for our Boy Scout Troop so I came here to do some research on other things. Ironically, though, my own son wants to be the troop bugler and we didn't want to send his expensive trumpet on trips. Thank you for the wealth of information. Link to post Share on other sites
SSScout 1615 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Jblake: Sorry I didn't get back to your request to "hire out" the bugler. I was speaking of the Troop I grew up in, not the one I ASM. Would that I could speak thus of my son's Troop. I would mention that a fair bugler CAN earn a little. As has been mentioned in other places here, the American Legion, and other vet orgs will pay an honorarium for someone to play a real bugle at ceremonies (burials, flag, etc.), and can refer such a player to others that are seeking a real bugler. It matters not the age of the player, just the willingness and skill. So many times, a CD or tape player must stand in for the real thing. YiS Link to post Share on other sites
Buffalo Skipper 13 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 We now have a troop Bugler! He would not bring his trumpet on the campout, but I was told that his bugle arrive last night. He has a month to practice. He also asked me to find him a music MBC. My first thougth was to contact his band leader to see if he would register, but I decided to look into someone else (that is what MBs are about, reaching outside your comfort zone). I can't wait to work with the SPL and Bugler to familiarize both with how this all comes together. We will see... Link to post Share on other sites
John-in-KC 311 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 SOLOING is not outside your comfort zone, when it's done in front of a well-trained and experienced musician, such as a band director? EagleSon is a freshman in university, when he solos for jury, he's outside his comfort zone, and his jury is his professor, his professor/director of athletic bands, and a third member of his conservatory. When he solo'd for Districts, he was outside his comfort zone. Trust me, a band director as MBC is a good choice! Link to post Share on other sites
Buffalo Skipper 13 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 John, Thanks for the perspective on band leaders and comfort zones. I have given this some thought, and I have contacted the scout's band leader asking him to be the MBC. With this in mind, one question here, for you and the group, regarding youth protection. This scout can meet with his BL one-on-one for instruction and such, in ways which would violate BSA YP guidelines. Should I enforce YP standards here? I mean the BL can meet alone with the student, but the moment they discuss a MB requirement, technically, they are violating YP. This BL will likely only be a MBC for this one scout this one time (no other scouts attend this school). Thoughts? Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 Being a troop bugler and getting the Bugling/Music MB are two different issues. If he is already a trumpet player, having him learn the calls does not require anything other than the music. There may be two or three other boys wishing to get the Music MB and so YP can be covered with no problem and more boys than just the bugler can get the MB. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
John-in-KC 311 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 My take: IIRC most teachers are mandatory reporters in their own right, in quite a few States. Let him operate under his school districts' policy. Link to post Share on other sites
GKlose 24 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 About a year ago, I signed on as a Music MB counselor. Waited for the calls to start pouring in :-) One call came in September. Had a first meeting (about an hour), set a "plan of action" for the scout to work on, and he was to call me back when he's finished. That call came last week, and we finished in about a half hour (so, grand total of time was about an hour and a half). Two weeks ago, I got a call from a scout representing he and his buddy. They also want to work on it, and we met last night for the first time. We'll finish up again (in about a half hour) whenever they are ready. I told them "the only deadline is your 18th birthday". They seemed motivated to finish, so I expect I'll get a call back in about a week or two. If one already plays an instrument, it's a rather easy merit badge to do. So far, all three of these young charges have gravitated towards the easier requirements. That's okay with me -- I just wish they'd use the opportunity to expand their horizons a little. Last night, as we were talking about families of musical instruments, one of the scouts thought he was giving me a wise-guy answer when asked about wind instruments. He said "didgeridoo". But I turned it back on him -- I said, "did you know you can find examples on the internet on building your own didgeridoo? You could use that for requirement 4, 'make and learn how to play a traditional instrument.'" His eyes lit up a little, and I hope he goes for it. Guy Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 An hour and a half??????? What's wrong with your teaching? Back in the 1940's BSA produced a booklet on learning to play the bugle in 5 minutes. Let's go back to the early days, our boys would appreciate it!!! Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
gcnphkr 11 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 We will be having our first Bugler in a couple of years. He is fairly excited. I think he will end up using his cornet although I hope he learns to use the troop bugle. He asks when calls he should learn (he knows reveille already) this is the list I gave him in order of utility (except Tattoo, which is one of the more useful, but also more difficult calls). Assembly First Call Officer's Call To the Colors (Which is played in place of the National Anthem when a band is not available) Taps Reveille Tattoo Mess Call Retreat So, what are other's preferences? Link to post Share on other sites
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