Fife Major using "cheater" mouthpiece

[Hardtack Herring]

Oh Lord,

Here we go again with the C fife things.

It has been estimated that 50% of the fifes used in the war were in the key of C and the other 50% B flat.

Most people prefer the sound of the B flat over the C. To me it sounds much better.

Some will say the C fifes cut through the Drums better. I have not noticed this to be true.

Recently the LHFD performed on original Civil War Fifes in the key of C. This was a lot of fun. I think the best part about it was knowing the fifes we were playing were original. I do look forward to playing on Original fifes again be it C or B Flat.

Personally I like the sound of the B flat fife much better.

As for the Cheater...A lot of Civil War era fifes turn up for sale or auction with the cheaters attached. This seems odd to me as it is really not hard to play the fife without one.

It is much easier to learn to play the fife than the drum.

For those of you who think playing the drum is just banging with 2 sticks think again. To learn to play the drum properly can take up to two years of dedicated practice.

The drumming in the Reveille alone should be considered advanced.

[33rdaladrummer]

Paul,

This fifer seems to have the same opinions as you:

"I borrowed a drum from the quartermaster, and used to go over to the hill between the camp and Tufts college to practise. I had no one to teach me and probably began wrong, for I think I have never succeeded in anything less than in learning to drum. My sense of rhythm was keen and I could keep time, but I could never get an even roll. This is done by making a double stroke with each hand. That double stroke I never mastered. It was partly because a drum was so awkward to carry on the march that I soon sent for a fife and learned to play that, and in December got transferred from drummer to fifer, but I was glad enough to turn in an instrument that I played so poorly."

A little fifer's war diary. By Charles William Bardeen

http://books.google.com/books?prints...t=text&pg=PA20