Improving Images

[Last Southron]

Has anyone seen and heard the CD from the Museum of the Confederacy titled "The Rebel Yell"? They used the studio to mimick a company, regiment and a brigade, sounds nothing like what we use at the reenactments.

Gary Adams

[marktaylor]

Re: Improving Images

Lee White use to have a recording of some Confederate veterans doing the rebel yell on his old website. IIRC, it was recorded in the early 1900's. It sounded more like a pack of coyotes than the "Rebel Yell" I had imagined.
Woop Woop Woooooooooooooo

[OldState]

Re: Improving Images

I have not heard the MOC's rendition but I am wondering if the recording is from 75th Gettysburg reunion where the vets are shaking hands and talking over the wall at the "Angle".
If that is the case, I have always doubted if that was how it really sounded. A 20 year old in combat and a 95 year old vet at a reunion may demonstrate the "Rebel Yell" with different tone and inflection. But I guess it is the best we'll ever have!

Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1byof4IAHk

[rebelfirefighter07]

Re: Improving Images

I would imagine to get out a truly authentic Rebel Yell you'd have to be there in the action, adrenaline pumping, scared outta your mind. I've always invisioned it as some blood curdlin' yell that'd make your hair stand on end. Just my thought.

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Improving Images

I would imagine to get out a truly authentic Rebel Yell you'd have to be there in the action, adrenaline pumping, scared outta your mind. I've always invisioned it as some blood curdlin' yell that'd make your hair stand on end. Just my thought.

I would say you are right on.....Shelby Foote said in one of the interviews on the Burns series . Not sure of context or source... said "If you heard the Rebel Yell and were not afraid than you did'nt hear the rebel yell."

[Iron Brigade Al]

Re: Improving Images

After following the link to youtube in this thread i noticed another film listed in the same subject matter.

Well, not a film as such, its really just sound with picture at start and end. However it does provide another example of the Rebel Yell, is this the recording mentioned at the start of this discussion?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssLMroT2euQ&feature=related

Thought I'd post it anyway in the hope its of interest to anyone on here.

All the best from the UK

[Cove Rebel]

Re: Improving Images

Try this link.

http://www.19thalabama.org/rebelyell.wma

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Improving Images

The "pack of coyotes" coming out of the dawn woods would rile up every primal bone in your body, not to mention that after one occurrence you'd associate it with the approach of hot lead. It's worth remembering that voices often become thinner and higher-pitched with age.

[GrayGuerilla]

Re: Improving the REBEL YELL

I am familiar with 3 different recordings of the "REBEL YELL"... One being the old geezers shaking hands at Gettysburg posted on youtube; the next being a recording made in Charlotte NC during an interview posted on the 26TH NC website; the third being the an audio extraction from a wax sample used in the reseach by the Museum of the Confederacy used in their CD. All of them are unbelieveably similar!!! It is NOT Yee Haw or any other Farbsimile! Described in my own text as " WWOOP WWOOO WWOOOOWOOOO!!!"

I was recently enlightened by a man of whom seemed to be a very reputable source that the Rebel Yell sould be as follows... the first syllable of the call is the loud high pitch "WWOOP"! The second syllable "WWHOO" is however to be barked with a fierce growl! The final syllable is a long drawn howl similar to that of the first "WWOOOOOOOOOOO""!!!!!!! All are to be executed as if the dogs of hell are being released from your soul! And it is to be known as that henceforth! I have this excerpt which leads me to support this--"""It paragons description, that yell! How it starts deep and ends high, how it rises into three increasing crescendos and breaks with a command of battle."-a New Orleans Times-Picayune reporter """

__Citing Wikipedia_
The yell has often been linked to Native American cries. Confederate soldiers may have either imitated or learned the yell from Native American groups, many of whom sided with the Confederacy. The yell has also been associated with hunting cries. Perhaps Confederate soldiers imitated the cries of their hunting dogs.

Another plausible source of the rebel yell, advanced by the historian Grady McWhiney, is that it derived from the screams traditionally made by Scottish Highlanders when making a Highland charge during battle. At the Battle of Killiecrankie "Dundee and the Chiefs chose to employ perhaps the most effective pre-battle weapon in the traditional (highland) arsenal - the eerie and disconcerting howl,"[2] also "The terror was heightened by their wild plaided appearance and the distinctive war-cry of the Gael - a high, savage whooping sound...."[3] Also earlier documentation during the Roman conquests of Britain suggest the use of a particular yell uttered by the northern Celtic tribes of the region, in conjunction with wearing blue woad body paint and no clothing.[citation needed]

The notion that the rebel yell was Celtic in origin is further supported by James Hill: "The first United States census in 1790 revealed a well defined ethnic division between the Northern and Southern states. In New England 75 percent of the people were Anglo-Saxons in origin, while Celts outnumbered Anglo-Saxons in the South two to one."[4] "A decade before the American Civil War the South - from Virginia to Texas was probably three-quarters Celtic." This evidence is also supported by McDonald & McWhiney's research into the Celtic nature of the Southern States.[5]

IMO... Our Confederate Army needs to have a more distinct Battle Cry! It needs to be the most accurate representation possible! We need to set a standard and implement said standard throughout our ranks! the Rebel Yell should not have us sounding like Native Americans(even if they may have been an influence); The Dukes Of Hazzard or worse just like the Yanks charging across the field!

[27thNCdrummer]

Re: Improving Images

What do you mean by extracted from a wax sample? I'm curious as to if it was recorded late or if they somehow got audio off a wax sample from the war.
Thanks,

[OldState]

Re: Improving Images

What do you mean by extracted from a wax sample? I'm curious as to if it was recorded late or if they somehow got audio off a wax sample from the war.
Thanks,

Early recordings were done using a wax medium.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph_cylinder