Bugling

 


Music and Bugling
BSA Supply No. 35921

What would summer camp be without the bugle sounding "Reveille" in the morning and "Taps" in the evening? Camp and the bugle go together. The bugle is an ideal instrument for the beginning musician because most of the music uses only four notes. The ability to read music is not necessary, because the tunes are familiar and can be played ear.

Requirements

A bugle, trumpet, or cornet may be used to meet these requirements.

  1. Give a brief history of the bugle.
  2. Do the following:
    1. Explain and demonstrate how the bugle makes sound, and explain how the bugle is related to other brass wind instruments.
    2. Compose a bugle call for your troop or patrol to signal a common group activity, such as assembling for mealtime or striking a campsite.
  3. Sound the following bugle calls: "First Call," "Reveille," "Assembly," "Mess," "Drill," "Fatigue," "Officers," "Recall," "Church," "Swimming," "Fire," "Retreat," "To the Colors," "Call to Quarters," and "Taps."
  4. Explain when each of the calls in requirement 3 is used.
  5. Explain how to care for, clean, and maintain a bugle.
  6. Serve as bugler in your troop for three months.

Resources

Books

  • Rabbai, George. Fun with the Bugle. Mel Bay, 2000.
  • ------. Infantry Bugle Calls of the American Civil War. Mel Bay, 1997.
  • Schneider, Richard H. Taps: Notes From a Nation's Heart. William Morrow, 2002.

Web Sites and Organizations

Bugle Calls
Web site: http://members.tripod.com/ ~venture190/bugle.html

Drum Corps International
470 South Irmen Drive
Addison, IL 60101
Telephone: 630-628-7888
Web site: http://www.dci.org

Frederick Military Academy Bugle Calls and Marches
Web site: http://www.fma-alumni.org/ bugle_calls.html

U.S. Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps
U.S. Naval Academy
121 Blake Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5000
Telephone: 410-293-1000
Web site: http://www.usna.edu/USNADB