Bugle Calls

[mtvernon]

Hello,

Reading another thread here, I realized I don't really know all I could about the various bugle calls used by the old boys. I looked around the web a little and found a few sites that had some clunky means of hearing them, but what I was looking for was a soundboard where you could 'drill' yourself easily and, by repetition, learn these calls.

Does anyone know of a site that features something like this? The reason I don't really know them is that we don't use bugles all that much, but I'd like to know them for my own edification, and in the happy event I attend a Rich Mountain level event someday (hope, hope), I'd like to know them for utility's sake.

Respectfully,

[dedogtent]

JC, I was just in Gettysburg last weekend and found a nice little music book put out by Mel Bay. I get rusty on bugle calls too so I purchased the book which also has a CD included. Commentary and bugle calls by George Rabbai. There are 49 bugle calls on the CD...very well done and only $15.00. Maybe you can find it for less online. The book is called 'Infantry bugle calls from the American Civil War'.

[DougCooper]

JC, I was just in Gettysburg last weekend and found a nice little music book put out by Mel Bay. I get rusty on bugle calls too so I purchased the book which also has a CD included. Commentary and bugle calls by George Rabbai. There are 49 bugle calls on the CD...very well done and only $15.00. Maybe you can find it for less online. The book is called 'Infantry bugle calls from the American Civil War'.

This is the single best source I have found as well. Listen to it in your car while commuting. Usually gets some amused looks in the drive through

Repetition, repetition, repetition.

[bholt61stny]

I agree with everyone about the book/cd. That was one of the first things I picked up when I started out and since I played the trumpet I thought it would be interesting to learn how to play the calls. It gives a description of when the calls are played and what they mean. I highly recommend it.

[Randy]

Yep, George Rabbai's tutorial is excellent. Listen to the CD over and over while driving. And take note of his descriptions of the calls. He has admirably remained faithful to the way they were originally laid out in Casey's Manual.

[mtvernon]

Thanks, everyone. I will definitely go check that out. I wonder if it's ever been posted as a soundboard online somewhere with any accuracy? That would be pretty helpful as well.

Thanks again,

[Nevada Bugler]

Yep, George Rabbai's tutorial is excellent. Listen to the CD over and over while driving. And take note of his descriptions of the calls. He has admirably remained faithful to the way they were originally laid out in Casey's Manual.

Well, George Rabbais book may be taken from Caseys, but Caseys apparently wasn't used much. Several of the calls in this 'Bugle Calls' book are not like any other I have ever seen. I've looked at Jari Villaneuvas material, I've looked at the printed bugle call plates from the 1860 Manual of Artillery Instruction, I've even found a couple of R.J. Samps examples and NONE match up to what I see in George Rabbais book.

As an example, his call for 'attention' consists of four measures (with a pickup note into the first measure). Every other reference has a totally different call consisting of only two measures, of two repeating sets of eigth notes.

The call 'To the Color' in Georges' book is completely unrecognizable. I have never seen or heard anything like it anywhere else. The 1860 Manual of Artillery Instruction has the same one that is used on Army posts today which sounds nothing like what's in the 'Bugle Calls' book.

'Assembly of the Buglers' is the supposed to be the same call that you hear today to call horses at the racetrack. Georges' book has a call in it that is completely different.

I have printed off Army and Navy Manuals from the late 1800's and early 1900's and the calls that are in them are the same as in , for example, the 1860 Manual of Artillery Instruction. I just don't know where George pulled these calls from. Someone mentioned Caseys manual, which I haven't seen but apparently the CW Army didn't follow Caseys.

I'll hunt up some of the links I have which have sound examples. Most of the calls heard today are not much different from what was used then.

[flattop32355]

Keep in mind that there were separate calls for each branch of the military; infantry, cavalry, artillery. While there is some overlap, they are not identical. Mr. Rabbai was only doing infantry calls.

[Nevada Bugler]

Mods, I apologize for no signature on that last post. My 'puter came up with the 'an error has been encountered and Explorer needs to shut down', and it did shut down!

I don't want to sound like I'm flaming George Rabbis book, but I just don't understand why what he has is so different from what I'm finding elsewhere.

Here's a link to the 1860 Manual of Instruction For Field Artillery. Many of the calls in here are what you would hear today on an army post and they aren't the same as in Georges book:

http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/...R6616.0001.001

The bugle calls are at the end of the book, in a section with no page numbers.

Then, you have Mr. Villanueva who has at this next link listed 20 Bugle Calls from Uptons 1874 Manual. Again, when the same calls are listed between this list and the Artillery Instruction manual, they are the same. But they don't agree with Georges' book.

http://www.buglecall.org/Links.html

go to this link and then click on '20 Bugle Calls'.

Then, go to this old Navy Bugle Manual and again, you find calls that have been the same from the Artillery Manual, to Uptons and then this manual:

http://www.history.navy.mil/library/.../bugle.htm#ch6

And the same calls are used today:

http://bands.army.mil/music/bugle/default.asp

So, can somebody explain why George Rabbais calls are so very different? Why would Caseys' be regarded as authentic when it clearly wasn't the only manual during the CW, and the calls in it weren't continued after the CW?

_______________________
Bill Scott
Hardaways Alabama Battery
Comstock Civil War Reenactors

[Horton]

I also have George Rabbai's Cd and I think it is very good. I dont get to make it to many "Authintic events" so I was wondering if their was a good repersentation of field music at these events. I have read some AARs that have been posted but I dont ever remember any of them saying that "it was good to wake up by the bugle" or "the fifer and drummer did an excellent job". Sorry if it seemed like I am trying to change the subject a little bit but the question just hit me. Is their as much attentioned directed towards learning the proper bugle or drum calls as their is to I dunno say proper stitch count? I am glad that you are taking an interest in learning Mr. Marti.