When I was a kid in England I was in The Boys Brigade and was a drummer for parades. I didn't realize that the drumming drills we used to learn (which I can still remember vividly and play flawlessly even 35-40yrs later) were used as orders to troops, until I started learning about Napoleonic warfare recently. I can barely imagine trying to follow them or make them out in the heat of battle let alone being the poor bastard who had to drum them with musket balls whizzing about, cracking bones, bad enough, but then also cannon balls lopping off limbs and disembowelling lines of men.
I searched for civil war drum calls about a month before you posted this video and today, it showed up on my recommended videos. Thanks for putting this together.
These are sophisticated pieces of communication. To think the common soldier as well as officers drilled these commands enough to memorize them and perform them under extreme circumstances is incredible. Thanks for this highly educational historical video. As well as the accompanying notation.
Hard marching infantry veterans were noted to sleep right through bugle cavalry calls, but would rouse at the first sound of drumming. The opposite was true for cavalry. Amazing that drummers were sometimes 9 or 10 year old boys right up front with their regiments and companies. Great video!
That is interesting indeed. I did not know there were drum calls. I knew of bugle calls. I lived through 3 years of those at the Corp of Cadets at VPI.
Bugle calls became more popular during the war, as it was easier to hear in large battles, and easier to carry. While Drum calls were still common it was more for camp duties. Also, the bugle became prominent as the US during the period was using a french and then Prussian manual of drill. The bugle semented itself as a remanence of the cavalry and became tradition after that. Norwich Forever!
There were also fife calls, used primarily in conjunction with the corresponding drum calls, although they could be used alone. The daily repetition of camp life ensured that fife calls even if used alone were just as recognizable to the soldiers as the drum and bugle calls. Regulatory fife calls were typically associated with daily camp life such as the various Reveilles, breakfast, dinner, supper (same call as breakfast), the various Tattoos, To the Colors, etc. Drums and bugles were normally used for calls in the field due to their ability to carry longer distances and cut through noise. Over even greater distances, flags were used (signal corps). By using hilltops, church steeples, purpose-built towers, etc, orders and messages could be passed many miles from one relay station to another, down the line. At night, torches or lanterns could be used by the signal corps in place of flags.
Awesome work, thanks for making this and sharing it. These interesting bits of context, culture and history would be forgotten all the sooner without your efforts
When I was a kid used to listen to a vinyl record recording of battle calls of the British .. communication like this is in some ways lost which is sad if anything ever happened to all out “grand” technology.. and it sounds awesome too
Good stuff. I feel like they used "Rally by Sections" in the movie Gettysburg (or maybe it was the Ken Burns doc) but with another set of diddles leading into the 3 eighth notes. Is that the original notation? It's strange to spend decades reading rhythms like it's a book and then see how it was written a century ago and it's like reading another language, though this one is pretty straightforward but leaves out certain things.
Hey to the drummer here, you should make a longer version of all these patterns(?), like a whole two minutes each videos, so dummies like me(or the other guy) can practice. The same goes for a bugle player.
It’ll be a very short video I’m with you on that one !!old mate put if I remember drummers were targeted by the enemy !! Drummers always get a hard time 😂😂😂
Platoon Sargent said to his Platoon leader“Sir private snuffy forgot his musket by the outhouses again “ Pl screamed “ god damn it call in his fucking team leader. Cpl hears the drums off in the distance thinking to his self “what the fuck snuffy fuck up this time I’m going to smoke the shit out of him”
the majority of civil war drummers were kids sometimes as young as 10, legally they were supposed to be 18 but back then there was no way to prove it so boys seeking adventure and glory in war lied, and were enlisted. being so young they really couldn't do much besides drumming and helping take wounded to the medics
Using a modern drum for these is sooooo farby. It's stands out like a sore thumb.... it's like using a machine gun to demonstrate Picketts Charge. As soon as you hear the first strike your like... "oh man... thats totally not right".
What are you talking about bro the snare is tuned pretty low and the snare is loose which pretty effectively emulates the sound of rope snare from that time. Only real difference is the look.
When I was a kid in England I was in The Boys Brigade and was a drummer for parades. I didn't realize that the drumming drills we used to learn (which I can still remember vividly and play flawlessly even 35-40yrs later) were used as orders to troops, until I started learning about Napoleonic warfare recently. I can barely imagine trying to follow them or make them out in the heat of battle let alone being the poor bastard who had to drum them with musket balls whizzing about, cracking bones, bad enough, but then also cannon balls lopping off limbs and disembowelling lines of men.
I searched for civil war drum calls about a month before you posted this video and today, it showed up on my recommended videos. Thanks for putting this together.
I misread the "assemble on the battalion" I thought it said "assemble on the bathroom" haha
These are sophisticated pieces of communication. To think the common soldier as well as officers drilled these commands enough to memorize them and perform them under extreme circumstances is incredible. Thanks for this highly educational historical video. As well as the accompanying notation.
The drum is a sacred instrument
The drum represents the heartbeat
Hard marching infantry veterans were noted to sleep right through bugle cavalry calls, but would rouse at the first sound of drumming. The opposite was true for cavalry. Amazing that drummers were sometimes 9 or 10 year old boys right up front with their regiments and companies. Great video!
That is interesting indeed. I did not know there were drum calls. I knew of bugle calls. I lived through 3 years of those at the Corp of Cadets at VPI.
Bugle calls became more popular during the war, as it was easier to hear in large battles, and easier to carry. While Drum calls were still common it was more for camp duties. Also, the bugle became prominent as the US during the period was using a french and then Prussian manual of drill. The bugle semented itself as a remanence of the cavalry and became tradition after that. Norwich Forever!
There were also fife calls, used primarily in conjunction with the corresponding drum calls, although they could be used alone. The daily repetition of camp life ensured that fife calls even if used alone were just as recognizable to the soldiers as the drum and bugle calls. Regulatory fife calls were typically associated with daily camp life such as the various Reveilles, breakfast, dinner, supper (same call as breakfast), the various Tattoos, To the Colors, etc. Drums and bugles were normally used for calls in the field due to their ability to carry longer distances and cut through noise.
Over even greater distances, flags were used (signal corps). By using hilltops, church steeples, purpose-built towers, etc, orders and messages could be passed many miles from one relay station to another, down the line. At night, torches or lanterns could be used by the signal corps in place of flags.
Thank you very much for creating this video lesson and also including the printed music! Very interesting and highly educational! Thanks!
The ideal, the more perfect, the more beautyfull sound of snare drums.
As a hobbyist, very useful and interesting insight into how this stuff works. Very much appreciated.
This is awsome...now I can start learning to play these marches. Thanks for doing this my friend.....
Awesome work, thanks for making this and sharing it. These interesting bits of context, culture and history would be forgotten all the sooner without your efforts
When I was a kid used to listen to a vinyl record recording of battle calls of the British .. communication like this is in some ways lost which is sad if anything ever happened to all out “grand” technology.. and it sounds awesome too
Very cool to be able to actually heat history n what they actually heard and took order's
Really awesome thank you for making this video 🙏🏽
I would love to know any insight on the composer of these 👀
Where is the one "Call Gor Dinner" that would be tge one worth memorizing.
4:47 he plays aux champs
Where can I find the sheets music for these drum calls?
Fascinating. Thank you for making this video.
Well if i ever get stuck on a time machine and get sent back to the civil war era ill be ready for battle 😁
Good stuff. I feel like they used "Rally by Sections" in the movie Gettysburg (or maybe it was the Ken Burns doc) but with another set of diddles leading into the 3 eighth notes. Is that the original notation? It's strange to spend decades reading rhythms like it's a book and then see how it was written a century ago and it's like reading another language, though this one is pretty straightforward but leaves out certain things.
Yeah that old scool notation is just bad.
Interesting! Many different calls to become familiar with!
What about the drummers call for the queen's guard
As i remember the drummers were targeted by the enemy
That would make sense. It is like cutting off the commander's tongue.
Which is sad because it wasn't uncommon for them to be younger.
Both sides? Blue and greys?
Hey to the drummer here, you should make a longer version of all these patterns(?), like a whole two minutes each videos, so dummies like me(or the other guy) can practice. The same goes for a bugle player.
How the hell can anyone remember all that
You only have 59 subs.you deserve more.
Brand New....You can get a T-shirt or a Mug that plays this Video on your Smart Phone ! Let me know if you want other videos
like this.........John
What kind of rolls do the notes get ?
Amaizingly similar to the French ordinance of 1754
Is it me or does “Forward” sound like Aux Champs?
What is the book?
Thanks
thanks for tis video mate. bang material
Awesome. I would love to hear cease fire and hate to hear lie down
Basically Morse code
We gotta make a napoleonic one
It’ll be a very short video I’m with you on that one !!old mate put if I remember drummers were targeted by the enemy !! Drummers always get a hard time 😂😂😂
What manual is this out of?
Hey we share a last name, would like to get in contact about genealogy.
The music doesn't make sense to me
How come?
It isn't music. It's a military command.
It's military language. It isnt supposed to be music
@@jeffreystephens2658 I think he’s talking about the sheet music
Platoon Sargent said to his Platoon leader“Sir private snuffy forgot his musket by the outhouses again “
Pl screamed “ god damn it call in his fucking team leader. Cpl hears the drums off in the distance thinking to his self “what the fuck snuffy fuck up this time I’m going to smoke the shit out of him”
the majority of civil war drummers were kids sometimes as young as 10, legally they were supposed to be 18 but back then there was no way to prove it so boys seeking adventure and glory in war lied, and were enlisted. being so young they really couldn't do much besides drumming and helping take wounded to the medics
Using a modern drum for these is sooooo farby. It's stands out like a sore thumb.... it's like using a machine gun to demonstrate Picketts Charge. As soon as you hear the first strike your like... "oh man... thats totally not right".
What are you talking about bro the snare is tuned pretty low and the snare is loose which pretty effectively emulates the sound of rope snare from that time. Only real difference is the look.
Is this the Historian from Pawn Stars lol
Then Gatlings and machine guns were invented so they just gave up on the drums.
A game stole this btw
Neat!
That is bad***
I have a drum call but I have no idea what it's for, or what it signals. I've been searching high and low and haven't found it yet. Can you help?