"Taps" is being played incorrectly

ensiflat · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 12:59 pm Post subject:

We've all been playing taps incorrectly all these years. The official Army bugle call manual has straight eighth notes in the pickup to bar 3, and bar 3. We've all been playing dotted eighth sixteenth rhythms at those spots.

DavesTrumpet · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 2:30 pm Post subject:

We?

I've always played it this way, with the 1/8 notes. Most times I hear it, it is done correctly too.

Dave M

musicemt · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Jan 2004 Posts: 419

I used to play it incorrectly, but there was an article in the ITG Journal last year that fixed that for me. I made a bunch of copies of the article (sorry Vince!) and gave it to all my high school friends who still play taps. I can vouch that in Owensboro, KY, everybody now plays taps correctly!

Ben
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tapsbugler · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 3:53 pm Post subject:

ensiflat

Thanks for your posting! You are saying what I've been saying for the longest time.

Take a look at http://www.tapsbugler.com/ and click on the section "Taps Performance Guidelines"

Also, you can click on the PDF and Sound file button for the printed music and a file of Taps being sounded by Woody English of The US Army Band on his B flat Bach Strad field trumpet

99% of the military manuals has the rhythm as straight 8th notes, yet it is not perfomed that way by many. That there are those who are playing it the way it is sounded at Arlington National Cemetery I say "Good For you!"

Now if we can work on getting rid of "Echo Taps".....

Jari Villanueva

[ This Message was edited by: tapsbugler on 2004-01-15 18:56 ]

trumplyr · Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 4:16 am Post subject:

BeboppinFool · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 8:25 am Post subject:

I agree with the concensus . . . you need to speak for yourself, there, ensiflat.

From the time I was a Boy Scout and got my bugling merit badge I have been playing it as written. I played dozens and dozens (if not hundreds) of funerals during my time in the US Army and got many letters of commendation for them.

It's alright to post an alert to the uninitiated, but please do not tell the rest of us we've been playing it wrong all these years.

Rich
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screamer · Veteran Member Joined: 26 Aug 2002 Posts: 191

Is it okay to stretch out the rhythm a bit?

I was thinking I might not have been playing it as written, but then I sung it to myself and tapped a beat and I just stretch out the 8th notes a little. I like how it sounds... I'd never seen the music to taps before somebody posted a link on TH, so I just did it by ear.

I guess under the same catagory, does it really matter what "bugle" taps is played on? I can see the music is written for an "F bugle" (open), but I think it sounds warmer being played with my first finger down ("Eb bugle", right?

).

Just being a highschooler I don't get a lot of call to play taps, but I'd like to do it right, y'know?

bigaggietrumpet · Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:00 pm Post subject:

I agree with Screamer. HS kids ain't taught correctly how to play it. Luckily, I did look up the music.

To me, Taps is one of the most difficult pieces to play. The emotion of what you are doing, why you are doing it, it all seems to just sink in when the bugler first blows. I have to fight back that choking feeling that I get when I think of all the people who serve us in the military on a daily basis, when I think of those who have given their lives for the freedom that we all too often take for granted. I have had to perform it, ceremonially, 3 times. Once, at a funeral of a dear friend who fought at Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima, and then twice on the first anniversary of 9/11. In my opinion, it is the most important job for the trumpet ever created, and should be treated with the reverence and respect that it deserves.

As for Echo Taps, I'm afraid that it will never completely go away. Why? The Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M performs Echo Taps at A&M for special occasions (in fact, I think the next time will be a week from Thursday). And I have yet to see the Cadets give up a tradition of that caliber. I don't support it, but that's just the way things are down here.
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badebop · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 12:57 pm Post subject:

I'm too lazy to look up the website. What's the right tempo for Taps?

tapsbugler · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 2:36 pm Post subject:

http://www.tapsbugler.com/

Click on soundfile for "the" rendition of Taps

Jari Villanueva

[ This Message was edited by: tapsbugler on 2004-02-07 17:37 ]

trumplyr · Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 6:34 pm Post subject:

Beautiful.

Thanks,
Marty
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douglast35758 · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 1:35 pm Post subject:

This is great, but PLEASE, more of us need to volunteer to play taps for those veterans and families that want a player. Please visit the web sites. Please volunteer to perform for local funerals and civic events. You ALL have the talent. This is such a small thing to us, but means so much to those who are there. Do not allow the fallen and departed to be buried, and the friends and family to seek closure, to the sound of a CD boombox. My thanks to you all. --Doug

edtaylor · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:33 pm Post subject:

A friend used to take exception to how I played and even argued that Taps was 3/4 time. Funny thing is that he was in a Drum and Bugle Corps, and used to travel to PA for the finals.
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SilverTrumpet · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2002 Posts: 196 Location: MA

_PhilPicc · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 4:28 pm Post subject:

You can sign up at this sight to play taps. It also has the correct way that taps is to be performed.

http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/index.php

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[ This Message was edited by: PhilPicc on 2004-02-22 19:31 ]

patrick32378 · Posted: Sat May 15, 2004 9:23 pm Post subject:

What's more incorrect is that it is being played by electronic bugles.