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A bugle call is a short tune, originating as a military signal announcing scheduled and certain non-scheduled events on a military installation, battlefield, or ship. A defining feature of a bugle call is that it consists only of notes from a single overtone series. This is in fact a requirement if it is to be playable on a bugle or equivalently on a trumpet without moving the valves. (If a bandsman plays calls on a trumpet, for example, one particular key may be favored or even prescribed, such as: all calls to be played with the first valve down. Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...
Military communications are links between battlefield units, including connections to a higher command or home country. ...
Approximate harmonic overtones on a string An overtone is a natural resonance or vibration frequency of a system. ...
Military bugle in Bâ™ The bugle is one of the simplest brass instruments; it is essentially a small natural horn with no valves. ...
Trumpeter redirects here. ...
Some examples of bugle calls:
- Adjutant's Call (Indicates that the adjutant is about to form the guard, battalion, or regiment.
The top staff is for the Bugler, while the lower staff is for the Drums and the Cymbals.
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- Assembly (Signals troops to assemble at a designated place.)
 Sam Jaffe (1891-1984) Sam Jaffe (March 8, 1891 – March 24, 1984) was an American actor, teacher and engineer. ...
Wikisource has original text related to this article: Gunga Din Gunga Din (1892) is one of Rudyard Kiplings most famous poems, perhaps best known for its often-quoted last line, Youre a better man than I am, Gunga Din![1] The poem is a rhyming narrative from the...
Assembly is a bugle call used to call in a group of soldiers or scouts. ...
Image File history File links Bugle_Calls_Assembly. ...
- Attention (Sound as a warning that troops are about to be called to attention.
This is taken from the British Alarm, at which call the troops turned out under arms.
Attention was also used for custom automobile horns in the 1930s and 1940s, and is most recognizable for that reason.)
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- Call to Quarters (Signals all personnel not authorized to be absent to their quarters for the night.)
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- Church Call (Signals religious services are about to begin.
The call may also be used to announce the formation of a funeral escort.)
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- Drill Call (Sound as a warning to turn out for drill.)
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- Fatigue Call (Signals all designated personnel to report for fatigue duty.)
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- Fire Call (Signals that there is a fire on the post or in the vicinity.
The call is also used for fire drill.)
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- First Call (Sound as a warning that personnel will prepare to assemble for a formation.
Familiar at horse tracks in the US to announce Post Time.)
 There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...
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- First Sergeant's Call (Signals that the First Sergeant is about to form the company.)
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- Guard Mount (Sound as a warning that the guard is about to be assembled for guard mount.)
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 Last Post is a bugle call used at military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have fallen in war. ...
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- Mail Call (Signals personnel to assemble for the distribution of mail.)
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- Mess Call (Signals mealtime.)
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- Officers Call. (Signals all officers to assemble at a designated place.)
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- Payday March (A bugle march to announce that troops will be paid.
The sounding of Pay Call will consist of only the first strain repeated.
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- Recall (Signals duties or drills to cease.)
 Recall is a bugle call used to signify that something should end. ...
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- Retreat (Signals the end of the official day.)
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- Reveille (Signals the troops to awaken for morning roll call.
Used to accompany the raising of the National Colors.)
 Reveille (British and Canadian English: ; American English: ) is most often associated with the military; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise. ...
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 The Rouse is a bugle call is most often associated with the military in Commonwealth countries. ...
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- School Call (Signals school is about to begin.)
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- Sick Call (Signals all troops needing medical attention to report to the dispensary.)
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- Taps (Signals that unauthorized lights are to be extinguished.
This is the last call of the day.
The call is also sounded at the completion of a US military funeral ceremony.)
 Taps (Butterfields 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. ...
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- Tattoo (Signals that all light in squad rooms be extinguished and that all loud talking and other disturbances be discontinued within 15 minutes.)
 A military tattoo, is a military drum performance. ...
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- To Arms (Signals all troops to fall under arms at designated places without delay.)
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- To The Colors (To the Colors is a bugle call to render honors to the nation.
It is used when no band is available to render honors, or in ceremonies requiring honors to the nation more than once.
To the Color commands all the same courtesies as the National Anthem.
The most common use of To The Colors is when it is sounded immediately following Retreat when the National Color is being lowered for the day.
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An appendix to Upton's A New System of Infantry Tactics (1867) contains the tunes of numerous calls in addition to the ones listed above, such as "Turn Right," "Turn Left," "Rise Up," "Lay Down," "Commence Firing," "Cease Firing," and so on. Portrait of Emory Upton during the Civil War Emory Upton (August 27, 1839 – March 15, 1881) was a U.S. Army general and military strategist. ...
Year 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...
Historically, bugles, drums, and other loud musical instruments were used for clear communication in the noise and confusion of a battlefield. Naval bugle calls were also used to command the crew of warships (signalling between ships being by way of signal flags.) A musical instrument is a device that has been constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ...
The system of international maritime signal flags is a way of representing individual letters of the alphabet in signals to or from ships. ...
Link to 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica article
Popular culture Many of the familiar calls have had words made up to fit the tune. For example, the US Reveille goes: - I can't get 'em up,
- I can't get 'em up,
- I can't get 'em up this morning;
- I can't get 'em up,
- I can't get 'em up,
- I can't get 'em up at all!
- The corporal's worse than the privates,
- The sergeant's worse than the corporals,
- Lieutenant's worse than the sergeants,
- And the captain's worst of all!
- < repeat top six lines >
and the US Mess Call: - Soupy, soupy, soupy, without a single bean!
- Coffee, coffee, coffee, without a drop of cream!
- Porky, porky, porky, without a streak of lean!
Irving Berlin wrote a tune called, "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning". In a filmed version of his musical, This Is the Army, he plays a World War I doughboy whose sergeant exhorts him with this variant of words sung to "Reveille": "Ya gotta get up, ya gotta get up, ya gotta get up this morning!" after which Berlin sang the song. Irving Berlin (May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was an American composer and lyricist, one of the most prodigious and famous American songwriters in history. ...
This Is the Army is a 1943 American motion picture produced by Hal B. Wallis and Jack L. Warner, and directed by Michael Curtiz. ...
“The Great War †redirects here. ...
Doughboy is a now-outdated slang term for an American infantryman, best known from its use in World War I, although it potentially dates back to the Mexican-American War of 1846-48. ...
"Taps" has been used frequently in popular media, both sincerely (in connection with actual or depicted death) and humorously (as with a "killed" cartoon character).
"Taps" is also quoted in the introduction to the popular big band hit Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Written by Don Raye and Hughie Prince, likely the most well known recording was done by The Andrews Sisters. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, a song about a virtuoso trumpet player, was a major hit for the Andrews Sisters and an iconic World War II tune. ...
Don Raye (March 16, 1909 - January 29, 1985) was an American Vaudevillian and songwriter, best known for his songs for the Andrews Sisters such as Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. ...
The Andrews Sisters on the cover of the reissue collection From left to right: Maxene, Patty, and LaVerne. ...
First Call is best known for its use in Thoroughbred horse racing, where it is also known as the Call to the Post. It is used to herald (or summon) the arrival of horses onto a the track for a race. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...
Another popular use of the "Mess Call" is a crowd cheer at football or basketball games. The normal tune is played by the band, with a pause to allow the crowd to chant loudly, "Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up! Rah! Rah! Rah!"
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