Hi MBH’ers! I wanted to share a version of the last post bugle call that I came up with using an unusual Reed plate combo. Here’s a YouTube link as I don’t know how to embed!
Not sure the intent of this thread, but I recorded this a few days ago and it seems to fit the title.
This is also an example of using the embed code that might be helpful. I believe there is also an explainer for this in the FAQ.
Last Edited by nacoran on Nov 14, 2023 11:47 AM
Nate, When I first tried to post the embed code, the spam filter blocked it. I took out the auto play option and a few other things and then it looked like it went though, but I guess it broke things. From this, do you have any idea what I did wrong?
Ah, thanks for embedding the video Nate! It’s not a technical piece of music by any means but the development of my playing approach is interesting- I started on a Bb harp to imitate the initial two notes as played on a Bb bugle, which would be the 1 blow followed by the 2 draw F note. The problem is that, after this, many of the subsequent notes are blow notes and I couldn’t achieve the mournful expression I required with those notes. After fooling around with some ideas, including using two harps, namely Bb and Eb, I figured out that by combining a Bb top Reed plate with an Eb bottom Reed plate in the same harp, the Bb 1 blow can be followed by the 1 draw F associated with the Eb plate. Even better, all of the other notes in the piece are then available as draw notes, allowing for a rich expressive tone that would, otherwise, be unavailable. A bit of gapping was required to set the reeds not to choke and it does take a huge amount of air as the only blow notes are at the beginning and the end but I think the end result is pretty cool! Thanks again for helping, Nate.
Sometimes when you try to post things it doesn't go through for backend reasons, not the code. Usually if you try reposting it will go through. I didn't examine your code, but it was probably just a clause left open that got rid of the post box for anyone else. I just clicked your link and got the replacement code.
Robdog, now that I can see and hear your video, I like the way the player evokes the solemnity of taps while playing a variation of it. It reminds me of the piece "Il Silenzio" which also evokes taps and is typically played on trumpet as it has notes the bugle can not play.
Both the bugle and the harmonica are diatonic instruments but the bugle is even more limited in the notes it can play. In a very real way, a trumpet is a chromatic bugle, you hit the "slide" buttons to get it to switch to one of 7 different keys of bugle. I have never seen bugle switching to get chromatics like I have with harmonicas though! :-)
Last Edited by STME58 on Nov 15, 2023 11:00 AM
Nate, I have not posted for a while and I see that when I post now, I am getting a spam filter message saying I need to make changes every time. If I just repost without making changes, it goes through.
Hi STME58! Thanks for your video (like it!) and the bugle/trumpet comparison with diatonic/chromatic- very informative!
I’m not sure if you are aware of “The Last Post” being the name of the piece I played and I can see how the thread title could be confusing if that’s the case! A bit of research has brought me to reading about “taps” and how these different bugle calls are connected, historically etc. fascinating stuff!
Robdog, I did miss that "The Last Post" is the title of a pretty standard bugle call. I don't recall seeing it in my book of bugle calls. I will have to get it out and see if "The Last Post" is in there.
Now that you have an expressive harmonica for playing bugle calls, are you going to post some more recordings, perhaps 'Tattoo" or "To the Colors" ?
