Bugling reinstated

[GKlose]

B-Skip -- as a trombonist, going into my 40th year since starting, I can confirm the importance of "mouthpiece buzzing". It not only helps solidify his embouchre, it also helps tone quality, breath support and ear training. One of my teachers, who helped me completely revamp my playing about 20 years ago, had me practice a mouthpiece buzzing routine that took about 20 minutes to a half hour to work through, daily. That, more than anything, led to great changes in my playing. One of the tricks, though, is not to overdo the buzzing. It should not be like a duck call, loud and violent. It should be relaxed, melodic and with good tone quality. Transition between notes need to be smooth and connected, which is a direct reflection of breath support.

 

There's a jazz trombonist, Bill Watrous, who does an interesting buzzing demo at his clinics. At a microphone, he will buzz a particular tune (without a mouthpiece) while he brings his trombone up to his lips, and then he continues playing with the trombone. He also demonstrates buzzing one note while having his trombone slide set for another note. It is really easy to see that for optimal tone quality, one must buzz the note they have their fingers set for. That's also makes it easy to see why younger players, before they've really trained their ears, have problems with intonation and tone quality.

 

My youngest has been studying trumpet for two years. He's annoyed by our present troop bugler (who doesn't practice, and only plays Taps at the end of our meetings -- it's the only call he knows) and wants to take over the spot and also earn Bugling MB. He's also annoyed at me for being a Music MB counselor but not being a counselor for Bugling. :-)

 

Guy

[rdclements]

Nice that the MB will go on for a while longer. I don't encounter many troop buglers anymore and have only had a couple of guys work with me for the MB in recent years.

 

My son was his troop's bugler for a while. He has my Dad's bugle from past scouting days. It's got lots of experience in the form of tarnish and dents, but he prefers it over his trumpet for the bugling job.

 

While it would be nice to have an official bugle in the catalog, national would probably offer a cheap piece of Chinese that would sound like a vuvuzela and be made of toxic metals.

[Melgamatic]

OK, purchased a Getzen Bugle based on recommendations from tapsbugler.com and a bunch of other taps/bugle websites. It's a Getzen M2003 American Heritage Series Bb Field Trumpet. $358 from musiciansfriend.com. Made in America!

 

We'll include some lessons at the local music store, and we'll see what happens.

 

-Dave

 

[Stosh]

I have a standard F/G Conn brass bugle for the boys to use. $65 off of E-Bay. Rather tarnished but no dents yet.

 

I have a silver F/G Rexcraft BSA bugle for the boys to use at special functions. $95 out of an antique store. One very minor ding and I hope to keep it that way.

 

Either way, keep your eyes opened, get on E-Bay, pick up a good bugle and if need be have it refurbished. I have no idea what that may cost, but with no valves/pads or moving parts, it shouldn't be that cost prohibitive.

 

Met a scout at Jambo who had a copper/brass British duty bugle (short and compact in size) and he did a nice job with that. One has to be careful with those bugles in that some are more for ornamentation rather than being played. The one this boy had was definitely a musical instrument and not a wall-mount.

 

Stosh

 

 

[NC Scouter]

I noticed today that the Bugling merit badge is still missing from scouting.org's Introduction to Merit Badges page, and the requirements for Music shown there still include specific bugle skills that were incorporated into it when Bugling was to be discontinued.

 

Does anyone have any information about this? Has BSA reversed itself again? Or is BSA just slow getting its web page restored to include Bugling?

[John-in-KC]

@ Bando,

 

If they drew the mp3s from the Armed Forces, Retreat and To the Color go together. Retreat gets everyone stopped, the flagpole pack howtizer fires, and To the Color brings the flag down.

 

Reveille is actually what sends the Color up at the beginning of the day. First Call rousts the troops from the rack.

[Knot Head]

We have a bugler and it is great. When a guy won't get up in the morning the bugler walks over and blows max volume right into the tent flap.