Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 31
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

My son, a trumpeter in his school band and now has all the pieces he needs.  He got a Bugle for Christmas, he has the Merit badge book, a MBC in the Troop, and a soon to be educated SPL who will have

Stosh:  Absolutely.   "Beat To Quarters"  did not refer to a race for twenty five cents.   :-) 

 

Patrick  Reynolds produces a comic for the Washington Post, here is the best internet version I could find of the "Bugle" strip:

 

http://www.redrosestudio.com/Civil%20War.html    I pass out copies with my MBclass.  

 

The "Special" calls mentioned are the ditties.  I mentioned this practice in an earlier post.  A colonel was responsible for 10 companies comprised each of 100 men.  That's one man directing 1,000 soldiers.  He had only one bugler.  The if there was no ditty the command was for the whole 1000 men to follow, if he only wanted 1 company to function and the rest to stand in line, i.e. send out skirmishers, the ditty was played to let the company know which unit was to move out as skirmishers.  I think your boys would totally enjoy the history of the bugle in battle in that huge numbers of men's lives depended on how good the bugler was.  The rank and file fighting of the Napoleonic tactic was to have a solid line that couldn't be broken by an enemy advance.  However a cavalry unit if quick enough could break the line and scatter the men, their fighting ability was now gone.  Flag would run back behind another reserve unit and post a position.  Bugler would sound RALLY ON THE FLAG and all the soldiers would run back and reform on the flags.  Each regiment carried 2 flags, one the national color, the other the regimental color.  Now besides the bugle, one can understand the importance of the patrol flag as well!  )

 

So how important was this bugler???  EVER OFFICER in the army not only knew the bugle calls he also had to be able to PLAY THEM if needed!  In today's scouts that would mean the SPL/ASPL and PL/APL's would be required to bugle! ....or have a whistle which would do the same communication for his men. 

Edited by Stosh
Link to post
Share on other sites

In one of my troops as a Scout, we had a very good bugler.  I believe he was a trumpet player in the high school orchestra/band and it was easy for him to transfer his skills to the bugle.

 

In my son's troop there was one kid who was given the position of bugler, but using a saxophone.  He was a very good saxophone player (played 2 or 3 different kinds I think) but the idea of using the sax in place of a bugle did not work out very well.  I think he ended up bringing the sax on only one camping trip.  It was sort of a novelty that wore off quickly, especially for him.

Link to post
Share on other sites

One thing about a bugle, no matter how much i rains, one cannot hurt it.  Rain on a saxophone with its leather pads would be disastrous.

 

Leave the bugle out over night in a rain storm?  Pull the slide, blow out the water, replace the slide and you're good to go!  

Link to post
Share on other sites

We had a Scout to whom you could hand any bugle and he could immediately play any tune you could whistle.

 

At summer camp handed him a British military bugle.  

 

Whistled "Alarm."  http://www.royalengineers.ca/26_Alarm%20(for%20Troops%20to%20turn%20out%20under%20Arms).mp3

He played it.

 

Found Last Post on line and had him listen to it.

http://www.royalengineers.ca/40_Last%20Post%20(Tattoo).mp3

He played it.

 

Took him to the camp Program Director.  By Tues AM he was playing all the calls at camp flag ceremonies.

 

We were so vary sad when he left for college.  We had been spoiled by five years of his talent.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was in the reenacting world for 15 years.  In all that time we had only 2 buglers.  They were fantastic.  At a national event where there were a number of buglers, that was the best, and functional bugling I have ever heard.  As a captain of a company, I had to be on my toes to make sure I KNEW what was being called.  Pushed my envelop, it was great!

Link to post
Share on other sites

During the Civil War, the troops were trained in the manual of arms based on Napoleonic tactics and thus used French bugle calls.  The bugle call at the beginning of the war was Lights Out as the precursor to today's modern "Taps"

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have (well, had, he just crossed over last month) an 11-year-old boy in my Webelos Den who takes trumpet at school, and is always anxious to play it. As it turns out he is also passionate about Scouting, and has always shown a keen interest in achievement and Scouting history. Well, I mentioned to him that the rarest merit badge of all is Bugling, and that Bugler counts as a position of responsibility towards Star and Life Scout - now he is trying to convince his parents to find him a bugling teacher! 

 

My fingers are crossed that in a couple of years we might be one of the precious few troops with a real bugler on hand!

Link to post
Share on other sites

If the boy plays trumpet in school he can learn the bugle real easily.  Just don't push down any of the trumpet valves and you'll do just fine. A bugle can play only 4-5 notes, the valves on a trump allow tubing to adjust such that all the notes in the scale (sharps and flats, too) can be planed.  Bugling is a lot easier to play than a trumpet or coronet.  Get this boy the music and he'll do just fine!  You're a lucky dog @@The Latin Scot

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rexcraft-Official-Boy-Scout-Bugle-/192110601706?hash=item2cbaaf25ea:g:6E4AAOSwdGFYrJv8 

 

Looks tough, had some hard wear, but it'll play just fine.  Have him use his trumpet mouthpiece.

 

Don't have him take his good trumpet into the field.  This is a G trumpet, but the slide pulls out to the F pitch which is lower and easier to play.  If the slide is stuck a music store should be able to free it and with Vaseline, it'll move very easily.  The mouthpiece on this bugle is not an original and should be easier to play, he may not need to use his trumpet mouthpiece.

Edited by Stosh
Link to post
Share on other sites

Awesome, thanks for the extra information Stosh! Coming from a family of musicians, I have been bred to guard fine instruments with my life - I have already forbidden him from taking his nice trumpet on outdoor adventures; it's been regulated to indoor troop events until he can find a bugle that is durable enough to go along on his adventures. His dad works for a major computer technology company, so the kid won't have any problems getting a hold of a good bugle with enough hard work and begging, lol. I will forward the link you gave me to them right away.

 

In addition to that, one of my older brothers is a symphony clarinetist and he is asking his associates in the brass section for the name of an affordable teacher who could give the boy some tips on the differences between trumpet playing to bugling (I wish you were here to show him the ropes @Stosh). Hopefully we can get whomever we find to register as a Bugling merit badge counselor so that this young man can get the Bugling merit badge! This Scout in particular is exceptionally driven and quick to learn; I am confident he will master the basics in no time. We are lucky indeed!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have 3 bugles at my disposal.  A Brutish duty bugle (small, coronet sized bugle), a US military Conn G/F bugle (what we would consider a regular bugle), and my prized trophy, a mint, BSA, silver, G/F bugle that has no scratches or dents.  Looks literally brand new.  Yes, the silver bugle does not go in the field, that's what the US Conn is for.  :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry for the huge pictures, I didn't know how to make them smaller, but it does show the detail. 

 

Having trouble with the pics. 

 

Nope, the forum isn't going to accept them.  I compressed them, cropped them and still won't work.

Edited by Stosh
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...