Useless and stupid - the Boosey and Co Bugle 

I was a bugler with the Australian military for about 5 years. You don't play a bugle. You fight them.

"This tape, unlike me, is one-tenth of a millimeter thick." -Trent Hamilton, 2016

It was made...in the past

You are very engaging. You even warned us with the title "Useless and stupid", and yet you held my attention for over 10 minutes. That's talent.

Lost my sh*t when you said "It was made.. um... um.. in the past"

"But then I noticed something about the physical cha- uh, about the, the, the, uh... the, the, the... Come to me words, words..." ~Trent Hamilton, 2016

"It was made, um, um... in the past" my sides

From what I remember, the longer less-coiled "bugles" are in fact "Cavalry Trumpets".

This is not a real british army bugle, it is a replica sold as a fake antique , the mouthpiece is a give away, if you buy a real army type bugle from a music shop it will have a proper mouthpiece. Made in china or india.

I completely lost it at 5:42. Good stuff man 😂

I got a very similar cavalry bugle made by Raison Band Co. about 6 or 7 years ago, cost about $40 new. It's a piece of junk, said right on the site when I bought it that the mouthpiece might not fit and there may be significant manufacturing errors, but it's playable. The nice thing about these bugles is you don't care if you ding them up. I've hiked mine up a large mountain and bugled at the summit until people got mad.

"It was made...um....um, in the past." Quote of the year 2016

drill a hole in the mouthpiece

I’m making swedish style bugles (basically a valveless german flugelhorn with a very ice cream come-looking bell) at work for the swedish military, and once I played around with a similar bugle as in the video and different mouthpieces. My takeaway from that excercise was that german shanked flugelhorn mouthpieces worked best with that kind of bugle. They have the pros of the both tenor horn mpc and the pros of the trumpet mpc as showed in the video.

"Useless and stupid" reminds me of my existence...

something about the the the the words come on

Get you an instrument whose first harmonic is a minor sixth 😂

In America it's Memorial Day today and I played taps for my town's ceremony. What a coincidence that you uploaded a bugle video on the same day.

The bugle isn't stupid after all....it performed it's duty....made a sound! LMBO

guys I found a way to play high note its all about the eyebrows he raises them as he goes higher

Now you have brought back some memories of my school days. I used to play this in a school band. We were not allowed to use any mouthpiece other than the one that came with it.

I have my great grandfather’s that he used in the first war. It plays in B-natural, not Bb, the flat-rimmed mouthpiece seems to be designed to hurt you and no other mouthpiece fits just right. Oh, and it’s more resistant than anything I’ve ever played, including a ram’s horn.

There's something about your relaxed demeanor that makes these videos so interesting. People are prone to take music too seriously, but it's all about having fun in the end (while learning new stuff and experimenting of course)

You have inspired me to strive to be the best trumpeter in my band. I just wanted to say thanks. You're awesome! I also really liked The Slavische Fantasie song. I am disappointed that you don't have trillions of subscribers. Keep up the good work!

"let me jam that in a little bit harder"

Brass is a mixture of Copper and Zinc, I believe. Because you said it was composed of Brass and Copper, I'm assuming it has a MUCH higher Copper to Zinc ratio. Or I may be wrong and it has parts of pure Copper. I have never played a bugle before, so nonetheless, an excellent video.

I don't play the trumpet or any brass instrument. Why do I keep watching this channel? You might try taps. I would think that should be easy. I don't know.

That's an Indian made copy of the standard British Army bugle, they are often known as a Gunga Din bugle. They are made for the export market and often have army regiment badges on them. Pretty much for decorative purposes only!

Couple of suggestions Difference between a bugle and a trumpet...........you seem to confuse them Get an actual bugle, not and Indian knock off......which is in fact just an ornament not a musical instrument.

Well my Boosey from 1915 is the Stradivarius of bugles. Sweet, stable, perfect in every way. Though it does need an extension-pipe to get it down to Bb. And it sounds best with a Denis Wick 4X trumpet mouthpiece.

2:07 That always works

My parents bought me the same instrument because they saw it used in a military ceremony on Stargate SG-1. I had much the same issues but they refused to listen until I pointed out the Bugle player on the show wasn't moving his lips. 😂

As a trumpet player, I love watching your videos! Especially when you review not so good instruments.

My high school band has around 4 of these. Didn't even know it was an instrument, we use them as christmas ornaments!

I was given a similar bugle. A friend bought it at a garage sale to use as a noisemaker on his boat but after a few attempts failed to make any noise out of it that was at all reminiscent of a brass instrument or with any volume I was able to do a little better and was immediately given it, no takebacks! At first I thought he just had chops and tried to practice a little since it had been a couple decades since I had picked up a brass instrument. I got to about the proficiency you had with the weird stock mouthpiece and figured maybe I needed a real one to get any further. This one is likely an Indian knockoff since it has no markings on it at all. Nothing whatsoever and has even worse machining on it than the "3 worst instruments" you reviewed in another video. I probably have Chlamydia and Herpes now from this horribe brass-shaped object from India, as you talked about in a different video. But it has sparked an interest to find a cheap trumpet or cornet in B-flat and relearn to play while living on a boat full time. A very cheap used band instrument or maybe one of the many plastic trumpets out there if it is cheap would be the only sane choices since the harsh environment of small sea,-going sailboat will destroy just about anything. Maybe a cheap soprano bugle but I never actually ever see those cheap for some reason. I was a baritone bugle player in a drum corps back the 80's as well as trombone, baritone/euphonium. I played a little trumpet for pep band sometimes. My cheap useless bugle is developing some of the most interesting patina, or maybe that is just a massive colony of Chlamydia. But I can at least make some noise with it.

Hey there, don't play that type of bugle while sitting down - you'll get hernia! The type of bugle you have there is one of the only types of bugles you'll find in the UK, and in the British army, thats the only type of bugle we use. We never play it sitting down as it will give you hernia, so be careful mate! Otherwise, cool video 👍

“The, thee, thee, thee, thee. Words come to me.”

A bugle is not a musical instrument. It's a signal instrument. It's a whistle that is louder and with a few notes.

I think i saw this bugle on amazon and i almost bought it, thank god i didnt

Bugles were made during the times of the Roman empire to direct infantry, o became especially popular during the 1700's-Modern times. The Bugle was a "Loud and proud" instrument and was easily heard and recognized by a well-trained soldier fighting for Royalty during the time. My opinion of the instrument is that is is rather nice, it is a tradition to use in our Military from the war of Independence up to instructing the Military camps today. The sound of it is powerful and recognizable which is what I like about it. Enough about that, this mighty instrument of the men who served in Valley Forge to the Men who gallantly fought in Gettysburg (Neutral Comment, it has been a great peice of Militaria not only to us but also to European countries. These instruments signaled the nearing Victory or closing defeat to any Army that has ever served. Though a little hard to play at first, it is one of those instruments you can learn to play in a week, and learn to conduct men with it in a 5-6 weeks.

It's very useful. My mother used to pretend to Play Reveille to get us kids up for school. 6:00 am. "It's time to get up It's time to get up It's time to get up In the morning "

The Getzen "American Field Trumpet", which is a bugle, is fantastic. Great intonation, I use my trumpet mouthpiece. It even has spit valves, known as water keys in the metric world.

thank you, i was going to buy this

A physically Smaller horn is always more difficult to play; you're comparing APPLES with ORANGES, here. (BTW-those last two mouthpieces sounded the best.) As you pointed out, this is a military=style bugle. I could not see if it had a slide: If so, a little adjustment there might help. In the end, the Important Thing is; that the Troops (Military or Boy Scouts) Recognized the call.

Got one of those for Christmas when I was a kid. Was apparently from my Grandmother's attic but it got me into playing brass!

Seems clear to me that bugle was made "in the past" of the last decade, probably in India. Boosey is a popular counterfeit name, perhaps since the company no longer exists (Boosey and Hawkes is the successor).

I still have my father inlaw's bugle that he had that was his fathers with a date that say's 1-18-16 Phila. Depot

To prevent if from getting sticky: grab duck tape and wrap it at the area you hold it. And then grab fabric super glue it on top of the duck tape with the same wrapping motion then boom. Problem is solved. Fun fact: at the 19-18th centuries they did the same this but instead of all this they Just grabbed leather and put it on there.

Hearing this bugle played with the out of tune mouthpiece made me think of Marvin the Martian.

I've been a bugler for 5 years, you can't beat spending some money (siilver plated and an individual mouthpiece, slide and actual bugle). I had to change my mouth piece to a shallow cup, wide bore to improve the tone. Bugles are quality, but you just need a decent one!

i have only been playing the bugle horn for 3 weeks and am struggling to even play a rythym on it, my bugle horn looks like the one used in this video.. i love watching your videos and will watch many more... keep up the amazing work Trent sending love from the UK

Boosey and Co manufactured under that name until 1932, when they merged with Hawkes & Son to become Boosey & Hawkes. Both companies were purveyors of quality instruments. In fact, the UK Ministry of Defense has purchased bugles from Boosey & Co and Boosey & Hawkes. The bugle featured in the video was clearly not manufactured by Boosey and Company. The unusual mouth piece, as well as the terrible sound should be irrefutable proof that the particular instrument is a fake. Sadly, since instruments made by Boosey & Company are prized collectibles, they are often faked.

2:03 Take a shot every time he says “the”

Love the title, “Useless and Stupid”. Every review/reaction video title should be this succinct and hottest..

I purchased one years ago and handed it to my son who (At the Time) was First trumpet in our School Marching Band. We took it to a few Reenactments at the time using a Trumpet Mouth piece which seemed to work better, (He blew signals which made those few events seem more real) however, in the end, I used it as a "Hall Pass" in my class at school. SOme student went home with it.

That's the kind of bugle you want to hot-glue into a Christmas wreath.

To my knowledge, most of the Boosey and co bugles are replicas here in the UK however, it should also be noted that way back when bugles made for the military weren't made to really have much musical value, especially booseys, we've always been told that we have to use a 'ceremonial bugle' as opposed to a 'field bugle'. Something comes to mind about Boosey and Hawkes making the 400 series bugle for ceremonial bugling, when bugles became less used as signalling tools. Loving the videos though!

I have an identical bugle on my shelving unit in my office. It was my grandfathers. I can't see any stamps on it, probably polished away. I would love to learn to play this instrument, it would be a great way to call my horses; they currently respond to whistling, but this isn't loud enough on the new +300ha farm I now stay on.

At first sight, this appears to be a Regulation British Army bugle. However, Boosey & Co. amalgamated with Hawkes & Son in 1930 and this instrument appears to be new. I think it is one of those repro. instruments made somewhere in the East for the curio and antique trade, and they play poorly by comparison with the real thing. The mouthpiece, as far as I can see it, bears this out. It is not what you should have in a Regulation bugle; it should have a more cushioned rim and more of a bowl (not so much a funnel) running smoothly into a larger bore. British Army bugle calls never go above the G.

“It was made in the past”-Trent Hamilton 2016

"Useless and stupid" already laughing before I even watch the video

it was made in the past lol

I have an unbranded version of the same thing. The horrid unplated brass MP went into the recycle bin, and was replaced with a cheap Chinese trumpet MP. Playablity improved slightly - but I've been told my entire musical career to NEVER play on an unplated brass MP. Reasons vary, but include lead concerns as well as microbe worries. In any event, mine's now a wall hanger - Goddess only knows where it came from originally. Solder joints leak too!

2:04 thE tHe tHE, ThE ThE

WHAT??? Just a week ago my parents saw one of these in an antique store for $3 and picked it up for fun since I play brass. What a coincidence!!!

Since retiring from The CAF (IntOp), Ive been teaching myself how to play the bugle and ohhh let me tell yea..."thought" theres something F**king!! wrong with F**king!! thing"..there was ..it was at the very end of the mouthpiece ;) ;)...During my research " The Canadian Cavalry Corp" the "Bugle" was used, and those who played them where not a "Bugler" the WWI CCC Standing Order/s referenced them to as a "Trumpter/s". I don't know what the other CWC called them but that's a little part of a history we should NEVER FORGET!!!

I am waiting for delivery of my first bugle. I have never ever played one and look forward to the challenge. Your video is so very helpful and so well done. Thank you! Nova Scotia get ready, I will be playing this instrument soon!

I also have one of these bugles, which I think I got for free or really cheap at a rummage sale. Like you, I don't use it for anything serious. Love your vids!

Just get a Kanstul bugle, or get a Getzen for which you can get a 2nd crook to have it in 2 keys.

He is the Jeremy Clarkson of brass instruments

I purchased bugle and thought exactly as you did. Thought I got ripped-off. I brought the bugle to my teacher as joke, thinking it was so awful and ready to laugh even at the thought of him playing out of tune. Without even playing a test note he played Last Post and sounded so beautiful. He looked at the bugle and said it was of high quality and that tuning is always an issues with these types of bugles and have to hear the intervals in your head before you play them. Once I heard him play it so beautifully, I knew it was me and not the bugle. So, I have been practicing with the bugle every day and would be willing to play it on Remembrance Day. All this being said, to be fair to your review, it is work to nail those intervals so the bugle has top part of your regular practice schedule. Since Remembrance Day is a high stress performance, I would rather play a modern tuneable bugle.

It would make sense that a classic bugle mouthpiece would feel like its leaving a permanent divot in your chops- they were designed that way to help anchor the mouthpiece to a player's embouchure for when they are playing bugle calls while riding on horseback.

Looks like it is a cheap Pakistani or Indian copy of a real Boosey & Hawkes Bb Bugle. If I used that my old RSM would have had me shot !! :-)

Interesting. My grandfather had one of these that he got at an antique store. The owner said he would give my grandfather a discount if he could play it. He could, so he got the discount. I think my brother may have it now.

I was given one of those puppies a few years back. Had a hairline crack in one of the bends which I had patched at a local music store. With a bit of practice, I was able to get a pretty decent tone (even with that funky mouthpiece). I can play most of the Boy Scout bugle calls with ease! Never thought of trying different mouthpieces, though. Being a trombone player, I don't have trumpet mouthpieces around the house and I never thought of trying a trombone mouthpiece - until now. Just found that a small bore tenor trombone mouthpiece actually fits it quite well. It wedges in firmly about a quarter inch and actually produces quite a rich tone. My blue Pbone mouthpiece fits in the best. :-)

I have a similar bugle. The provided mouthpiece is horrible. Thank you for the valiant demonstration.

I got one of these and it works fine...maybe it was because i got it from a different seller and with a working mouthpiece

Have you encountered a piston rotor bugle yet? Used by American Drum and Bugle Corps. from the 50's 60's 70's and early 80's???

I cannot remember hearing military bugle calls that contain any notes I would call high in pitch. That is not what a bugle is about. More importantly, the looks on your face after you tried the illsuited mouthpieces were priceless.

i bought two a few years ago off ebay and put them back on a week later. not a good bugle, but then again its a low cost budget price

I bought one that looks pretty much the same, also in D-flat, including with the useless mouthpiece, except with a "CSA" stamped logo, at a yard sale for $20 US. I have a little fun with it from time to time, but I agree wholeheartedly with the video title.

Good bugles these days usually take trumpet mouth-pieces (sometimes cornet mouth-pieces) and are usually very expensive - often the same price as a good, mid-level student trumpet or cornet. Quite a lot of money for what is effectively a coil of copper pipe with a bell-end.

Erm... they were made for playing bugle calls - often, but not necessarily, tuned in Eb. Often in a higher pitched tuning than we're now used to, more like bagpipe tuning (A=450Hz to A=453Hz). If you can get the middle C in its transposition (optional), the G above that and the G one octave higher, that pretty much covers it. (C) G C E G That looks like a pretty nice bugle, to me. At 2:45ish and 4:10ish, for example, it sounds like you're going for the wrong notes - i.e. not ones in its natural scale. Try some slurs to find notes it likes playing, then try to remember them, maybe with the aid of a tuner that has an adjustable reference pitch (e.g. the ClearTune app on iOS or Android). Try this (notes transposed as appropriate, not literal concert notes): G1 C (up) G1 C E (up) C E G2 (up) E C G1 (down) G1 E C (up and back down a bit) The "high" note, G2 only has to be played briefly, in that tune, which is fairly typical - tunes designed to be played by squaddies, with only basic training, not virtuosos. On a 3 valve brass instrument, say a trumpet, or better still a soprano cornet, the equivalent notes would be written (transposed to the treble clef) as: Middle C (not needed in that tune), 2nd line G, third space C, fourth space E, G on top of the stave. If you can play the flat Bb above that (Bb flatter?), and the next C, great, but there's not much call for it ;)

With reveille at the end, I usually let the articulation of the instrument when you are going down after the c-g-hc. It makes it so much easier to play and sounds much better.

“Very unusual cap” *pulls out my Shooting Stars Conn trumpet* lucky for you, mine has no round parts and looks like it belongs to a French horn, when it doesn’t. It makes my lip hurt but I got used to it. Can’t wait to get a better trumpet after I save up for one.

I have a bugle just like that, although the chain broke on mine. Its a different brand but its the exact same style of bugle. And mine plays in tune.

The bugle is neither useless nor stupid , it was not designed as a musical instrument but as a signalling device, at which it works well. The things that you call bugles are in fact straight bore trumpets, the bore being some that is most important and not mentioned by you as any kind of contributing factor.

Trent, unfortunately your missing a tuning section, which would enable you to tune it, also would make your bugle mouthpiece fit correctly. you could measure it, the British Army bugle measures 4ft 5inches. From Bell to mouthpiece. To educate you a wee bit about British Military bugling, a competent bugler needs only the first 5 notes to play every call required. In Treble clef notes Bottom C, G, Middle C, E and G. Regards

The shape of that bugle is the standard issue bugle for the Royal Marines and Army bands in the UK. Problem is, the bugles that are used in our military bands are silver. The bugle you have is a bad copy of a very old bugle, more a display item than a musical instrument.

Technically the first two instruments were trumpets, having a cylindrical bore, as opposed to a bugle's conical bore. But maybe the definition is different in NZ, how would I know.

I play bugel with a army organization and its the same bugel in this video I can play taps,colours,souluting of the colours and pretty much any army song you can think of

THANK YOU, Sir

Wall hanging I agree, but if you want a bugle with a better tone then get a silver plated bugle you can get a good bugle from a uk based company called the ammo company

For your next bugle review perhaps look at the American Scout Bugle in G and compare it with a standard B-flat infantry bugle.

You look funny when you hit the high notes.

"high notes" "Brass" hah, good joke

I remember seeing a g bass trombone made by boosy and co. eBay, it was about April 2010

much sarcasm

*never played any brass instrument in my life* *sees video* me: interesting

It looks super cute to be honest