Brad T.

Is there a such thing? I'm trying to track down the actual music scores to older drum corps shows. I'm not looking to make money off of them or any of those copyright infringing things, I'm just trying to use them as a resource to learn how chords and parts were written and voiced before the days of chromatic bugles and now any key marching brass. I'm looking for shows from the days of two valve/ P/R horns as well as the G-D bugle days and the G-D bugles with rotors for E, F, and F#. Anyway, just wondering if there is a resource that keeps copies of these show scores available for people to view and learn from. Thanks!

Glad you made a decision in regards to the horn of choice for Christmas Service. At my church for Christmas, and Easter for that matter, any and all of those horns would be welcomed. I play tuba every Christmas and Easter, along with at least two electric guitars, a bass guitar, a dulcimer, a harp, various recorders, flutes, clarinets, piano, bongo drums, electronic drum set, and a synthesizer hooked into the electronic organ. We really only use the organ for its MIDI controller abilities for bigger services. When I first started playing, we had a few more people, including two trumpets and an organist. At my church the music director gives all the musicians copies of choral scores with chords written in. We are all free to play what we feel like. I will routinely play chord roots while the bass guitar winds up picking the bottom note of an inverted chord... adding random dissonances. I will, at times, play whatever the men in the choir are singing, or the written hymn melody or harmony. The closing hymn for Christmas is almost always Joy to the World. Our version is in C, with an SAB vocal scoring. it lies nicely on a C tuba when I play the baritone voice part down an octave, and at fff. No one seems offended. Most of the congregation seems appreciative of a loud tuba. Now to just get some more brass to fill it out!

Not a very good picture, but it's a pic from rehearsal for Columbus, Ohio's TubaChristmas. On the front of the stage to the right of the photo, that is in fact a helicon. But head to the back row, and on the right side of the frame, next to all of the Sousaphones, you'll see two contras. Turns out a guy from Blue Stars brought his massive King 1151 Bb contra, and I brought my little old Dyansty II from Cincinnati Tradition. Needless to say, playing a two valve G bugle is almost impossible when most of the music is set for Bb horns, which means lots and lots of Bb, Eb, and some Ab and Db haha.

When I was Instrument Manager for the Ohio State University Marching Band, we had a long inherited special valve oil we switched to when the weather started getting cold (which in Columbus, Ohio happens anywhere between September 1st and November 1st). It was called "50/50" and was simply a small pocket size bottle of valve oil that we would fill half with valve oil, half with standard 90% rubbing alcohol. The band members were taught by their squad leaders to shake well before use. Once the mix seperates (which is within 45 seconds) you just get a bunch of alcohol. Shake it up so it's nice and cloudy, and use generously. Then again, you'd think the individual musicians would just learn this mix and carry their own "50/50" mix... or regular valve oil during the warmer months... but that's another topic.

The beast arrived today. Man, it's tough to play. I have the hang of the Dynasty II Contra that I play in my corps, but this is just wild. The G-D piston plus F# rotor is just difficult. I don't even know what arrangements there are out there for bugles with this set up. Oddly enough I wouldn't have it any other way though. This truly was a unique performance venture for any student back in the day. I hope to add a few more bugles to my collection in the future.

Wow... I'm just scratching my head now haha. As far as the bugle itself, from the pictures I've noticed that it's missing the valve cap for the piston, and the rotor seems to be missing pieces. But then again I've heard of these early rotors being called thumb rotors, so I'm under the impression that the small piece attached to the rotor is a spring loaded lever, directly connected to the rotor's shaft, operated with the left thumb.

Many thanks for all of the info. I had assumed it was an F rotor, but then again, in my DCA corps (Cincinnati Tradition), we have two guys who play on piston/rotor bass baritones (F piston, F# rotor), and the F# crooks are straight like that and not doubled back on.

Here's a picture of the mighty beast I'm expecting.

Hey, I love my single valve Ludwig Soprano! :) And I need to re-state something: This is originally a single piston G - D bugle, with the 1960s addition of an F rotor. I understand that the F rotor will be the same as a 1st valve on a two valve bugle (or the piston on the types of P/R bugles you guys are thinking of). I also know that the D piston will be the same as a 1+3 valve combination, and I've only seldomly seen a fingering chart for single piston bugles. So my question boils down to, what notes can you play with the combined D valve and F rotor? I think that lowers the bugle to C but I'm not too sure.

So I just purchased a Ludwig baritone bugle off ebay a few days ago. It has yet to arrive, but I'm not in a rush to get it. It's going to need a little bit of work, but it is a G bugle with piston to D and rotor to F. What are the fingerings for a G-D-F bugle? Thanks all!