drumer boy

[Justin Runyon]

Re: drumer boy

and yes i am learning more period songs as i type.

That might be why your typing is so horrible.

[Bagman]

Re: drumer boy



Gents....

I'm reminded that, given the opportunity, Field Music (Fifes, Drums & Bugles) should try to work with, train and educate the non-musicians in the ranks. I know this is done in some organizations (The Stonewall Brigade and others). Through exposure at training events, Officers, NCO's and rank and file, come to see how field music was used at the time and appreciate the rich texture this adds to an event. Understand that this isn't possible for many, as organized field music units are few and widely scattered. Over time, more will come to understand and appreciate that there is more to being a "straw blower" and "sheepskin fiddler" than perhaps meets the eye

And too, learning and mastering fife-drum or bugle requires a fair degree of commitment. Our group meets weekly, for (3) hours of practice and rehearsal, all through the year. That is a level of commitment that is pretty typical for most bands of any type, and it exceeds that of most living history organizations. If you have the opportunity to affiliate with a group that can provide lessons / instruction, especially if you have no background in music and are starting cold, that is the best way to get going.

If that is not possible, consider enrolling / participating in the Don Hubbard School of Field Music. This "school" has been up and running for a number of years. In 2007 it will be held over the weekend 1-3 June. It is held at Fort Delaware, just south of Wilmington DE. Essentially a school of instruction for musicians (fife-drum-bugle), novice, intermediate and advanced instruction is offered. The instructors are first rate and all is presented in an atmosphere that compliments our role as living historians. Check out their website for more information.

Hope this posting helps ....

Jeff Christman
Liberty Hall Fifes & Drums
The Old Dominion

[ElizabethClark]

Re: drumer boy

In addition to the emphasis on education (thank you to the fine gentlemen who have expanded on that topic), I find it important to point out that field musicians *shoud be* old enough to be in the military, in the vast majority of cases. Small boys (14 and under, at least) need to be primarily in civilian roles. That doesn't stop them from having a "groupie-like" interest in military music--they can even practice military music in citizen settings in many cases--but consistency with history would eliminate all but a very, very, very, very few young boys in musician roles for the history-heavy style events.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: drumer boy

"More than 90% of music we perform is taken right from the drum manuals of the period."

Patrick,

First of all I would like to say that Camp Chase is one of the best drum corps around. Because of this, many young reenactor drummers and fifers strive to attain your level of performance and learn many tunes and beats from your recordings. The problem is that if there is a post-war tune (e.g. Paddy) or a modern beating (e.g. Adam Bell's, Drums and Guns) on a cd, everyone assumes that it is period. Go to any reenactment and the most commonly heard tunes and beatings you will hear being played are the same ones on your recordings, which weren't necessarily the most commonly played tunes during the war(some had not even been composed yet).


"they do not want to hear army 2/4 ten times in a row"

One of my proudest moments in reenacting was when our Colonel (who has since injured his knee and is unable to march) told me that he could march to h-ll to the cadence I was playing. It was the Army 2-4, which you can hear the Civil War veteran drummers playing for Road to Boston, Ole Zip Coon, and the Girl I Left Behind Me(NOT the stick beat) in Echoes of the Blue and Grey. Howe's 1861, which sold many more copies than Bruce-Emmett during the war, gives the Army 2-4 as the beat for the Girl I Left Behind Me. For the other beats I use when drumming with the 33rd Alabama, 100% come directly or are "cut and pasted" from period manuals and are played on an UNMUFFLED drum with calfskin heads using heavy rosewood replica sticks.

"We are a professional music group that is there to educate, as well as entertain."

I assure you that it is possible for field music to entertain the public and at the same time play (as much as research allows us) 100% period tunes and beatings, even though in some musicians' opinions the authentic beatings are not as fun or interesting.

If you read Bayard's March to the Fife, Dance to a Fiddle, you will find a story about an old fifer in the early 1900's who would just swing his fife "to show them his contempt" while his corps was playing a relatively modern tune. I'm not quite that bad(I hope), but I am still not satisfied with the authenticity level of field music in our hobby. If we know better, than why can't we try and do the best we can?

Respectfully,

Will Chappell

[Horton]

Re: drumer boy

Wow, I find it very interesting how this thread went from how to help a young aspiring musician to "the beats I play are more authentic than yours". The reason Dennis started this thread was to help a kid out. Maybe a new thread should be started on period drum calls and beatings and which book is better. Dennis, if you haven't been scared away by the previous post it is important to under stand that there is no substitution for good practice. Wailing away on a practice pad is not good practice. In the beggining practices should be supervised by someone who knows how to play. My best of luck to this young boy and I hope he has as much fun as I am becoming a musician.

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: drumer boy

I would say the best advice for a young drummer (which is the same advice that has been given for almost 200 years) would be to learn the long roll and then procede to learning the other rudiments of drumming. The best instruction book for rudimental drumming in general is the Moeller book, available from www.sheetmusicplus.com for $8.95. Moeller travelled across the country, interviewing and observing the Civil War veteran drummers in the 1920's and wrote a book based on these techniques. In this book, the rudiments are described in better detail than the CW era publications. However, the camp duty included is slightly different from that played during the Civil War. I believe the period sources and their differences have been discussed in another thread.

I didn't intend to "scare away" anyone. I was just trying to contribute to a discussion of authenticity that others in this thread had started. Maybe the real issue was best stated by a gentleman in another thread:

"I may be casting a bit more than just .02 on the subject here, but here goes. I think this is an interesting topic. In authentic reenacting we have the highest uniform and gear standards, but when it gets to music, we settle for modern compromises, it seems. I think we need to ask ourselves, what is more important, being a musician or being a reenactor?"

Regards,

Will Chappell

[FederalDrummerBoy]

Re: drumer boy

To whom it may conern:

The best way to learn is to take lessons. Find a snare drum instructor in your area and tell them exactly what you are trying to do and what you need to know. Tell them that you want to learn the 26 basic rudiments and after you have mastered the rudiments, you can move on to playing music from the manuals of the period. After learning music from the manuals you can learn new rudiments and music such as swiss rudiments.

As for the debate over playing correct music, Camp Chase plays SOME music that is more modern, it's no secret. We are a professional music organization and we encorporate music from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and even beyond. Camp Chase uses modern music to educate our audiences about the evolution of drumming since then. Whenever we use modern music in our performances, we inform the audince so there is no confusion as to the authenticity of the pieces. If you see Camp Chase perform, do not get up and "walk away" just because we are playing a modern solo utilizing the 26 basic rudiments. As Patrick stated before, audiences do not want to hear the same half dozen beats used over and over again. When we are at more authentic events, we only play authentic pieces, but at events that have Model T's driving down paved streets, like at Greenfield Village, or events with corn dog and ice cream stands, what would be lost by educating and entertaining the public by showing what can and has been done with drumming? If you have a problem with this approach maybe living history and interacting with people in an entertaining way just isn't for you. Also, instead of being lazy and taking music off of our CDs, why don't people open up a manual from the period and take a gander at whats's in there for themselves. If you read the tune information on our CDs, you will find where the music comes from and it's historical background.

As to the argument over NO MUFFLERS, congradulations, but was the drum on which you play constructed correctly ? More than likely, it is not accurately made. You made the argument over having 100% authentic gear but using modern music. Why don't you make sure that you hold your drum or gun to the same standard. Does your drum have the same weight as the originals, was it constructed the same way and with the same materials? You have correct rosewood sticks, but have you ever considered investing in a pair cocobolo sticks, which were about prevelent as rosewood? Is your drum steambent one ply made of birch, ash, maple, etc. and glued or nailed with two or three stranded linen or hemp ropes? Many authentic living historians, reenactors, or whatever you want to call yourself don't take the time to make sure that their intruments and weapons are of the same quality as their other uniform parts.

____________________
Alex Kuhn
Camp Chase Fifes and Drums

[Shantyman]

Re: drumer boy

Getting the basic rudiment is most defenitly a must. but as far as music manuals go i would recommend The drummers and Fifers guild by Bruce and Emmit and The Army Fife and Drum Book by Oliver Ditson and co. in the spring there is also a music school at fort delaware. However ( i feel ) that the most valued and critical instruction of all can only come eye to eye from another more experianced musciean. im almost positive we got a LHF&D member from up thataways. where dose the boy live in ohio?



Steven Flibote
Liberty Hall Fifes and Drums