Talk:Taps (bugle call)

Capitalizaton

I'm not sure about the reference to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Shouldn't that go under TAPS? I say that because Wikipedia article names are case-sensitive, so the acronym FOOBAR is a different page than Foobar -- if you're looking for the acronym version, you're going to look under FOOBAR. --bdesham 14:15 25 Jun 2003 (UTC)

Well done

Well done! -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick

Er... what?

Audio

The link to the Taps MP should probably be corrected to a live download - the one currently linked is no longer valid. If necessary, I can host an MP3 of a USMC Band trumpet solo, but I'm not sure it's free domain. Taliesyn 02:41, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

It'd be fair use, but could anyone get an Ogg Vorbis recording of Taps for the Commons? – (User:SheeEttin) 65.143.32.242 01:01, 12 August 2006 (UTC)

Legends

I changed the line; "no serious researcher doubts that Butterfield is responsible for the current tune."

To:

"few researchers doubt that Butterfield is responsible for the current tune."

Because there probably ARE researchers who doubt this, and they are no doubt very serious.

Isn't the music wrong there?

Shouldn't all of the double eighth notes be dotted-eight-note-sixteenth-note? —Captain538[talk] 13:57, 14 October 2006 (UTC)

The music is fine.

I checked it; all the measures add up to 4|4.

It's fine.

• • There is a mistake in the sheet music for Taps displayed as the lead image on this page. The 2 eighth notes leading up to the "G" on top of the staff in the 4th measure should be a dotted eighth note and a sixteenth note per the audio wav file of Taps on the official website for Arlington National Cemetery [[1]]

Just click on the photo of the bugler on this page to listen to the wav file of Taps. This information is also verified here ... Image of Taps sheet music 68.211.51.57 (talk) 22:47, 11 September 2008 (UTC)

Taps at deployed locations

If I recall FM 3 - 22.5 states that Taps is not played as a "lights out" at deployed locations. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Playing at un-deployed units

I don't know about other services, but contrary to the article, in the Marine Corps, one is supposed to keep doing whatever it is they were doing as the song plays. You are not supposed to stop or salute, that is saved for morning and evening colors

Ditto in the Air Force. At Basic Military Training, we were told explicitly that it is not to be recognized with salutes, attention, or parade rest, though many stand at attention of their own volition. The salute may be for funerals. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.190.248.57 (talk) 05:10, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

Funerals

"Taps concludes nearly 15 military funerals conducted with honors each weekday at Arlington National Cemetery ..."

What is that supposed to mean? It seems nonsensical to refer to the number of funerals it is used in "each weekday" (which I take to mean daily) and even more so to say "nearly 15" - well, is it 14, 13, 12? How many funerals are there each day at Arlington?

Therefore I will change this to

"Taps conclude many military funerals conducted with honors at Arlington National Cemetery ...".

If the portion is accordingly, this can be changed to "most".

Str1977 ^(talk) 15:47, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

Kennedy Taps

An imperfect rendition of taps was played at the Kennedy funeral; it's deeply engrained in the collective conscious. Some sources are here: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04EFDA1138F934A25752C0A9649C8B63 http://www.tapsbugler.com/BrokenNote.html 169.229.75.132 07:48, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

I'm trying to think how to add mention of that to the article without making it seem tacked-on. Perhaps something like "Famous renditions" or having it be a subsection--albeit a true one--under "legends". Suggestions welcome. --TexasDex ★ 01:02, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

I posted to the article, about the "clinker" the bugler hit. Here on the talk page there seems to be documentation aplenty, although the editor on the article page added the "citation needed" notation after my posting. (Also, I know the mention of my brother's comment was edited out; ironically, he is now a veteran, and a brass-wind instrument player, and has played in veterans' bands.) Dougie monty (talk) 18:41, 14 April 2008 (UTC)

The first sentence

I find the current version of the first sentence somewhat awkward. Here it is:

Taps ("Butterfield's Lullaby"), sometimes known by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done," is a famous musical piece, played in the U.S. military during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet.

It gives so much emphasis to alternate names for Taps that it's difficult to see the sense of the whole sentence. Surely this first sentence should just say what it is and not spend its first half on what else it's called. And these alternate names are SO much less important than "Taps" that it seems odd that they are allowed to imbalance the sentence so. I never heard a trumpet player mentioning that they'd done Butterfield's Lullaby or Day is Done but I have heard them mention Taps a million times. Sure these folk-names should be included (assuming they are real, something I am not qualified to judge), but with less prominence and with less of a destabilizing effect in that first sentence. I am going to try a reword, please discuss. Thanks. 138.37.199.206 09:11, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

Lights out

I also removed from the first para a duplicate of the information about it being used for Lights Out. This is mentioned perfectly clearly lower down, and I do not think it was needed here also. Thanks. 138.37.199.206 09:14, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

The following line appears in the article:

• • Taps is also sounded nightly in military installations at non-deployed locations to indicate that it is "lights out."

I beg to differ with the "non-deployed" reference. When aboard ship, at sea, in port, at anchor and/or overseas. A Marine and/or the Marine unit is considered to be deployed in these situations. Taps is sounded aboard ship, at sea, in port, and overseas.

Also the reference to the French "lights out" links to an article about military tattoos, not the French bugle call. (sentence in article is: "Taps also replaced "Tattoo", the French bugle call to signal "lights out."") —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.235.83.184 (talk) 00:02, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

Sounding vs. Playing

I was under the impression that Taps is not played, but instead the correct terminology is "sounded." Midway down this page [2], there is an article.

Taps 'Sounded,' Not Played

Many times as the years pass, one generation may fail to watch over the succeeding one in terms of passing on customs and lore.

Perhaps this is the case of a constructive correction needed in the February 2004 issue of NATIONAL GUARD. On page two [STARTING POINT] is a photo of a West Virginia Air Guardsman preparing to "play" Taps at a funeral.

Please be reminded that bugle calls are not tunes or songs or the like. Calls are not "played." They are "sounded." The Guardsman shown is in reality preparing to sound Taps."

-Retired Col. Robert T. Fischer Indiana Army National Guard

I'm not sure, if in bugling, that sounding and playing can be used interchangeably, as the article suggests. S♦s♦e♦b♦a♦l♦l♦o♦s ^{(Talk to Me)} 02:45, 18 November 2007 (UTC)

• I agree with you wholeheartedly; Taps, reveille, Colors, etc are all 'sounded', not 'played'.
• Additionally, these are not 'songs'. They are known in the US Marine Corps as 'music', or more appropriately, 'field music'.

Magnet For Knowledge (talk) 05:23, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

Name of Tune

Why "Taps"? Is it named after something/someone? Is it an acronym? Does it refer to tapping of rhythm or something? I didn't see an answer to this, and I wonder if anyone knows. --Replysixty (talk) 19:53, 4 July 2010 (UTC)

The John Wayne version of the lyrics.

The line should be, "Trumpet calls as the sun sinks in flight." "...sinks in fright." is not correct. However, I can't prove it. I just know it. Youtube link here.