Taps

[CJceltics33]

I’ll be playing Taps this Friday at the local American Legion to close the ceremony. They’ve had two memories pass these last few weeks and they’ll be reading the names before I play, all in a candlelit room. So it’ll be pretty emotional. I’m in high school and I’ve never played Taps for anyone before...any tips? Thanks!

[Arbanator]

Go to YouTube and search for "Woody English plays Taps at Bronson". I take lessons from Woody, but more importantly he's the (now retired) Army musician whom the US sent to France to play Taps at the 50th Anniversary of the Normandy invasion of WWII and who played at Pres Reagan's funeral, and it's a recording of him playing it that the Army uses when no bugler is available. Just play it as close to Woody's rendition as you can.

[kehaulani]

I read his post as one of nerves. Go to a local highway and play in the middle of it.

Seriously, though, I played many, including one for General Eisenhower. Know the piece inside out and play it several times live for family members and friends.
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[jhatpro]

Play it enough times that it starts to become automatic. Be sure to take full breaths. Relax. Don’t overblow. Don’t think about the deceased or the mourners - just focus on your task which is to play a beautiful melody.
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"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

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2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
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2002 Getzen bugle

[TrumpetMD]

Assuming you're using a trumpet, don't be afraid to play it in G (with first 2 valves down), if you're not able to play it in Bb (all valves open).

Mike
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Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.

[dstpt]

[zaferis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a81usEm-_Nw

https://www.tapsforveterans.org


Jari Villanueva is the person to go to for performance of and history of Taps and other ceremonial calls / music.
And take a look for military protocols when playing taps... not that you'll be held to those criteria, but that knowledge may help you render Taps appropriately.

Prepare, prepare, prepare... and position yourself where you can be separated from the emotional aspect. Additionally, a nice affect if you're "off in the distance"- you're not right on top of the people at the service with your trumpet/bugle sound.
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[TrumpetTAC]

Two ideas that have served me (and my students) well:

1. Visualization - visualize a veteran important to you and play it to remember them. I also imagine the Normandy cemetery I performed TAPS in.

2. Play it with first valve - I have played it open many times and even with 1 and 2, however, I really like the dark sound of first valve and it makes the high note very accessible for high school students with little experience.

Good Luck! It is an important thing to do.
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Life's a journey, not a destination.

[boog]

I don't think that most people are cognizant of the difficulty of playing this tune accurately and musically in a performance setting, starting cold after several minutes or even hours of waiting, on a cold mouthpiece (no "warm-up"). You have to be in really good shape to do this musically...

I have played this at Memorial Day services for several years, and am playing it this year, also. I am constantly amazed at military funerals where they use that "bugle" that has a cd player built in! I have even been to a couple of Uncle's funerals where members of my family apparently were unaware that I could play this! Even though I spent my entire professional life (almost) being a band director and trumpet player, and they knew it!

I even had one guy-in-charge at church a few years ago that KNEW I could play the trumpet, and when I offered to play Taps at a Memorial Day service, replied with amazement, "Can you do that!??" Go figure.

For those of you (like myself) that cannot afford, or do not want to put the money into a bugle, such as nice Kanstul or such, I have made several bugles in various keys out of junker trumpets that I found that had no valves, or a damaged valve block or something else. Requires some soldering skills, but you probably know someone that can do this.

I have one commercially made, no-name bugle in C that was given to me as a Christmas present by my sister. Although it is well made and good sounding, it is a bit "piccolo-ish" to me in this key, so I generally use one of my homemade bugles, in the key of G, for taps gigs. I also have a homemade C. Bruno & Sons antique shepherd's crook cornet that came to me with no valves in the key of B flat. It looks very cool in it's finished form, and has a marvelous tone quality, as do most of these 100+ year old cornets! But, alas, it is also a bit "piccolo" sounding in the key of Bb, at least to my ears, so it spends most of it's time as a shelf ornament!

Playing a LOT of long tones and lip slurs will get you in good shape for a Taps performance. Good luck and keep up this good work.