taking a poll-Bugling

[theysawyoucomin']

Do you have a Troop Bugler?

 

When does he bugle? Camporees? Camping? I think a soldiers lullaby heard from far off would not be too objectionable to most. 'Course some eco purists want to remove fire towers that used to keep the woods from going up in flames. They might flip at a bugle.

 

I have an old Rexcraft BSA bugle that looks as old as our 84 year old Troop. Does play get effected with dents? The solder joint is broke at the top coil. Can I resolder this without making the whole thing come loose. I would bring it to a music store but I am afraid they would laugh at me and tell me to throw the old thing in the scrap brass heap.

[Gold Winger]

A good music shop would take it and lovingly repair it so it was like new.

 

A bugler should blow assembly to sound the start of meetings or to call the Scouts in from a game. Taps at night. Colors. Reveille. Retreat. Officers call for a PLC at a campout. Lots of times to play the bugle. Make it part of the program.

[Stosh]

Except for taps and reveille, 99% of the scouts out there don't know what the bugler is trying to tell them. A bugler is only as good as those listening. Whereas most people recognize the call, but haven't the foggiest idea what the call means.

 

Stosh

[Gold Winger]

That's why you tell them! You say, "guys when you hear this . . . you come a runnin and when you hear this . . . it's time for lunch and when you hear this .. . the PLC needs to get together."

 

Pretty simple idea, no?

[jmwalston]

At one of the summer camps I staffed, all daytime activities were regulated by bugle calls.

[Stosh]

"That's why you tell them! You say, "guys when you hear this . . . you come a runnin and when you hear this . . . it's time for lunch and when you hear this .. . the PLC needs to get together."

 

Pretty simple idea, no?"

 

No, that's how they learn to listen to the adults rather than the bugle. When the bugle sounds, go stand by an adult, they'll tell you what it means.

 

Stosh

 

[Lisabob]

We have a bugler (well, a trumpeter). He does what GW suggests with the exception of officer's call. Would be a nice one to add and he's a dedicated fellow. Maybe I'll suggest that one to him.

 

Hey, the kids have to be told SOMEWHERE, Stosh. Might be better if maybe the bugler came to the PLC and demonstrated what's what for the boys.

[Chug]

No bugle, but as a Sea Explorer Unit we expect all our YPs to be able to use a Bosun's Call.

[jtswestark]

What I don't like is that the bugler is a leadership position. While I love having one, inevitably he forgets to bring it to a campout...

I wish they would take that one off the POR list for rank.

[nolesrule]

"No, that's how they learn to listen to the adults rather than the bugle. When the bugle sounds, go stand by an adult, they'll tell you what it means."

 

Have the SPL along with the bugler give them the information once. They should be able to pick it up quickly. New boys to troop will learn from the other boys down the line.

 

All you have to do is take a short time to establish it and then things will fall into place.

[SSScout]

Definitely repair. The tubing joints can be trued and resealed, lead can be used but silver solder is preferable. The tubes are much thinner than plumbing pipe, so if you attempt it yourself, go slow and do not heat too long. Or take it to the music repair shop. The dents should not make much difference in the tone unless they really diminish the tubing diameter.

 

As a Scout, I inherited my uncle's bugle, circa 1920. It had a lot of "character". I already played the trombone in the school band, so the bugle for me was fairly easy. Taking my band directors advice, I replaced the original mouthpiece with a silver trumpet mouthpiece. Much easier on the lip, and THAT made a difference in the tone.

 

As an adult now, I decided that there was something missing in the camporees and such I attended. Pulled out the bugle. Took it to the music store and asked about rehabbing it. I saw new bugles (bright and shiny!) were $70 to $180, and the quality difference in price was evident. They were made in... china.

So the family connection won out. Solder joints, dents removed, "bore out" and trued. I think it sounded better for the work. I opted not to have it polished, keeping the antique patina. They lacquered it to prevent any further corrosion.

I practiced, got my lip back, and sounded at camporees and a few special events. Scouts came up to ask about it. Merit Badge counselor.

 

I must say that watching TV had some to do with my becoming a bugler. There were two shows in particular. "Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion" (Buster Crabb!) opened with the French equivalent of the Call to the Colors and closed with the Tatoo. I learned both. "Boots and Saddles" storied the US Cavalry of the old west. The Boots and Saddles (get to your mounts) call almost always opened that show. Learned that one too.

Even a 7 note instrument can be very musical. The Tatoo is a piece that is specific to each country, but is very similar in the American, British and French. It is intended to remind folks to wind up the days activities before Lights Out, maybe 15 minutes before Taps. Played well, it is very evocative and mellow; a good introduction to Taps. Play AWAY from camp to mellow the tone and gain the echo effect, if possible.

 

Repair the bugle. No music store would EVER laugh at the thought of bringing an old instrument back to a useful life.

 

A good bugler is only an asset to a camp or special activity. Troops only have a bugler if a Scout comes forward and "does his best" to produce the quality sound. The sound of a bugle, at night, from out of the trees behind a campfire.... yes I remember that....

 

If the Camp schedule LISTs the time and event in bugle call terms (Leader call...mess call...assembly at flag pole...church call...), and IF the camp leadership notes the bugle as the means of noting the time... the boys will learn to recognize them.("? What's that? Oh, it's 9:00, must be time for ...). Consistancy!

 

Boogy Woogy Bugle Boy of Company B????

 

[Liz]

We have someone who functioned as troop bugler for a while. That person is now ASPL, and not currently functioning in the bugler role, but when he was doing bugling regularly he opened some of our CoHs with some music. I kind of liked it.

 

Both of my sons play trumpet, but neither one is interested in learning the bugle calls.

 

-Liz

[Gold Winger]

"What I don't like is that the bugler is a leadership position."

 

It isn't, it is a "Position of Responsibility." Librarian, QM, Historian are not leadership slots but they are PORs.

 

 

[Twocubdad]

We have a bugler and a piper. Do we get extra credit?

 

The bugler plays trumpet in the band, and has just recently taken the bugle home to practice. The kid is really bright and had a pretty good tone, so I suspect he won't have much trouble learning the calls. I played the trumpet for years and am the MB counselor. We've had other guys in he past who play in the band and tried to play the bugle. They all really stank it up. It was remarkable to me that kids who had played trumpet in the school band for 2-3 years could hardly make a note.

 

Piping is a whole 'nother thing. There are no set calls. Instead, pipers play different tunes at various times of the day. The tunes they play vary from regiment to regiment and, I suppose, from piper to piper. As someone said, you just jave to know what comes next. "Oh, the piper is playing, it must be time for dinner."

[jtswestark]

heh, what is a piper? I googled it but nothing came up. What kind of music is there for it? that sounds interesting!