If I hear a soprano called a "trumpet"...

[MiamiSun76]

I dated a soprano in college. I heard her referred to as a "strumpet." That's why I dated her. But if you ask me, she was more of a Moan-A-Phone than anything else.

RON HOUSLEY

Bare-of-Tone

I had a fling with a bi-tom once. I heard her referred to as Lola.

We used to call them barely-any-tones. :P

[ffernbus3]

Getting good head(s) was pretty much out of the question re: Lola?

RON HOUSLEY

[MichaelG]

Now, I understand that I'm still a very young member of the drum corps activity, but to me I think that the experience of being in a drum corps wouldn't change whether or not B bugles or Bb horns are used or not. These semantics arguments are completely unnessesary- technically, not bugles are used, but it's still called drum and bugle corps. Basketball doesn't technically use a basket, per se, but is still referred to as basketball. The point is that the experience of marching drum corps is everything it ever has been - just some minor things are different. G or Bb, it's still an instument. Trumpet or soprano, tuba or contra, asymmetrical drill or whatever. A contra player for Phantom Regiment won't care what you call his horn after he plays that last note on finals night.

[susantaylor40]

After reading this thread, I am truly grateful that I was, am, and always will be a drummer!!! My instrument of choice may be grounded at the front of the field, but ,except for the occasional person who calls it a kettle drum, it will always be refered to as a tympani. b**bs

[Goldpin]

OK, instruments have changed greatly since I was on the field. But why can’t we keep the old terminology? Drum corps has a long history and each corps has their own traditions. As far as I’m concerned, it’s very important to see they continue.

The British Army is a case in point as it is more a collection of regiments than a homogenised whole. Rifle regiments were originally raised during the Napoleonic wars and armed with Baker rifles rather than smoothbore muskets. Because the Baker rifle was shorter than the “Brown Bess” musket, they were issued with short swords rather than spike bayonets to make up the length and today, a rifle regiment still calls a bayonet a “sword.” Is that so different to calling a trumpet, euphonium, or tuba a soprano, bass baritone, or contra?

Edited February 1, 2006 by Goldpin

[shilohcat]

Everyone has their own definition of "bugle". Mine happens to center around the spherical vs conical design. One shape (I get 'em confused) is more designed for musical tone (band horn). The other is designed to be heard a long way over the noise of a battle (IOW - freaking loud) (DC "bugle"). The more I read about the old valveless bugles the more I realize the the key meant very little "way back when". But changing from the "bugle shape" to the "band instrument shape" is the difference to me. *sigh*

I think you're referring to cylindrical vs conical. Band instruments have always included both: trumpets and trombones were/are cylindrical (loud); cornets, flugel horns, French horns, euphoniums and tubas were conical (mellow). It is one of the factors that gives each instrument its characteristic sound.

Having played on the old G bugles, I can assure you that my contra was conical, while Chris Metzger's sop was cylindrical. (We had a jazz improv duet during "Cool" with the '77 Madison show that was axed due to show length. Got us out of a lot of M&M rehearsal. <g>)

The new Bb horns continue this same arrangement, with the sops, mellos and some baris being cylindrical and the flugels, French horns, euphs and contras being conical.

If anyone knows differently, I would welcome the debate.

[iamnivtop]

Soprano.....bugle.....trumpet.....screwit! Call it what you want, but when the ol' schilke 14A 4A comes out, I'm marching again! And I blame DCP! I found this site and after twenty-five years the blue spark is going off in my head again. Once I see where I can transfer where there is a senior (oops! I mean all age) corps within fifty miles, I'm breaking out the Dr Scholl's, Advil and Bombay Sapphire.....See you on the field with my Trumpranugle!

[apoch003]

I think it's absolutely incredible that this thread is still going strong!

[Geneva]

I thought I would contribute my friend's comparison. He is a pro trumpet player who also played G bugle in the valve/rotor and 2 valve era...

First of all I could only compare the old valve rotary or the 2 valve bugle to a Bb trumpet. I haven’t hardly played the 3 valve bugle.

The 2 valve bugle plays much more open and with less resistance than a regular Bb trumpet (like a Bach 37 model).

Also the 2 valve bugle is slippery as compared to the regular weight standard Bach 37. So it’s much more suited for outdoor playing. The Bach standard 37 has strong slots, but the 2 valve bugle does not. Again it matters which Bb trumpet you compare it to. If you compared it to say a Wild Thing Bb trumpet it plays almost the same. The Wild Thing is made by Kanstul and has a G bugle bell on it. So I think the answer is that you have to compare apples to apples .

But if I was to make a quick statement I would say that most Bb trumpets play much tighter than a G bugle. I would also say that most G bugles have a much brighter tone than the average Bb trumpet. I think it matters your skill level and what you bring to the horn ( mouthpiece,skills etc.).

[gbugle]

I think you're referring to cylindrical vs conical. Band instruments have always included both: trumpets and trombones were/are cylindrical (loud); cornets, flugel horns, French horns, euphoniums and tubas were conical (mellow). It is one of the factors that gives each instrument its characteristic sound.

Having played on the old G bugles, I can assure you that my contra was conical, while Chris Metzger's sop was cylindrical. (We had a jazz improv duet during "Cool" with the '77 Madison show that was axed due to show length. Got us out of a lot of M&M rehearsal. <g>)

The new Bb horns continue this same arrangement, with the sops, mellos and some baris being cylindrical and the flugels, French horns, euphs and contras being conical.

If anyone knows differently, I would welcome the debate.

I thought the conical vs. cylindrical was a good argument too. But check it out, get out your calipers and your soprano and trumpet: both cylindrical until you get past the last valve. Same thing for any baritone, mello, contra, tuba, etc.

Bugles that have no valves are conical. But once valves were introduced the tubing stays the same diameter until the bell flare.

Sops actually have a more gradual or conical bell flare and usually a bigger bell than a trumpet. Compare a sop to a coronet, very similar in the bore, taper and bell flare.

Compare a Bb baritone to a G baritone. Dang idential bore, taper and bell flare.

Nowadays pretty much all voices are a combination cylindrical until the valves and conical afterward; the conical part is much more dramatic in the low brass because the tubing has to be so long.

Edited February 2, 2006 by gbugle