"Push-button bugle to play taps at military funerals"

[sleipnir]

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chronically short of musicians for military funerals, the Pentagon has approved the use of a push-button bugle that plays taps by itself as the operator holds it to his lip."


"A member of the honor guard at the funeral simply presses a button on the device. A five-second delay gives the guards time to raise the instrument to their lips as if they are going to play it."

"Use of the $500 instrument "is intended to enhance the dignity of military funeral honors," the Pentagon said. Also, it plays "an exceptionally high-quality rendition of taps that is virtually indistinguishable from a live bugler," the Pentagon said. "

<{http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/09/04/digital.bugle.ap/index.html>


I'm not sure if I'm sad, upset or really, really creeped out...

[Fescue4u]

1. Hmmm I don't know

I have mixed feelings on that.

On the one hand it seems to cheapen the service, on the other, if its done transparently and indistinguishable, maybe its ok?

[pw]

5. If there are going to be real corpses

There ought to be real buglers.

Should they maybe not send an honor guard either, just some guys from the local costume shop?

[CO Liberal]

2. The Bugle Is Very Hard to Play

I tried to learn it when I was a Boy Scout back in the '60s. I sounded like Dobbs on F Troop.

[JVS]

3. How about trumpet?

maybe that would be easier.

[CO Liberal]

6. It Would Be The Same

Bugle calls (such as "Taps" or "Reville") are based on only four notes - C, E, G, and the next higher C. The bugler moves from one note to the next by repositioning his or her lips inside the mouthpiece. The same technique would be required with a trumpet, because the valves are not used.

[GainesT1958]

4. Hmmm...a bugle version of a "player piano"...

Kind of reminds you of singing groups appearing on 70s-era TV shows, lip-synching recordings because they were either too UN-talented or too scared to perform live. Oh, wait...Britney Spears DOES lip-synch live! :eyes:

Seriously, that's about as fake as burying some poor soldier on top of about three other soldiers because there's no more room at the military cemetery. More military bureaucratic morbidity--and disrespect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice! :mad:

B-)

[treepig]

7. maybe a better solution would be to bring the troops home

so there wouldn't have to be so many of these events in the first place

[Boudicea]

9. right on, treepig

[Plaid Adder]

8. Oh for the LOVE OF PETE!

I am not a soldier, of course. But if I was killed in Iraq, and shipped home in a box, and they gave me a military funeral, I would want the notes coming out of that horn to be riding the breath of a human being.

I mean, on the list of things I woudl go to the wall over it is not at the top. But I think this really does say something about the 'new military.' Why should we support people who use their own lungs and lips to produce music laden with human feeling when we can design a $500 automated bugle that will sound just as good?

Criminy,

The Plaid Adder