Bruce and Emmett (Part 3)

A new copy of Bruce's and Emmett's Drummer's and Fifer's Guide is now available for download at http://www.notesoncode.com/sheetmusic/DrummersAndFifersGuide.pdf.

The latest copy adds the cover page, title page, preface, letters of approval, and the beginning of the drum instructor.

Bruce and Emmett (Part 2)

The latest version of the newly-typeset Drummers' and Fifers' guide by George Bruce and Dan Emmett is now available.

I added pages 60 and 61, which include one drum beat and ten quicksteps, including:

• The Corkonian
• Owl Creek
• Katty's Rambles
• Wyman's Quickstep
• The House o' Duncan
• No Party
• Colonel Robertson's Welcome
• Circus Rider
• Mississippi Quickstep
• Boston Quickstep

Anyone interested can download the latest draft from http://www.notesoncode.com/sheetmusic/DrummersAndFifersGuide.pdf.

Bruce and Emmett

It never fails, when Independence day follows on the heels of Memorial day, that I remember with fondness time spent with the Utah Fife and Drum Corps, reenacting Utah's small corner of Civil War history in Fairfield and Salt Lake.

I sat on my back deck, playing old march tunes on my fife; something I hadn't done in some time, and something I'm not permitted to do indoors. "Old 1812", "Hell on the Wabash", "Battle Hymn of the Republic", and still others. The tunes washed over me, carrying with it sands of memory I had long since thought were lost at sea.

There on my deck, overlooking the local desert mountains, I thought how great it is to be free. And it is.

Well, as it turns out, I've cherished a tiny goal for the last many years to give some meaningful contribution to the reenacting community. Popular among fife and drum corps nationwide for its healthy repertoire is the Drummer's and Fifer's guide by George Bruce and Dan Emmett. I've started an effort to update the fifer's guide using modern sheet music software. I would hope that by making the guide more readily available that interest in the area could be rekindled.

The first two pages of music (pages 24 and 25 of the guide) are available on my website at http://www.notesoncode.com/sheetmusic/DrummersAndFifersGuide.pdf. It is all public domain, so feel free to download and share. I'll make note of progress on the guide from time to time on this site.

Pages 24 and 25 include scales and introductory exercises for the fife. Unlabeled tunes include:

• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Annie Laurie
• The Star-Spangled Banner
• and others.

I Am Seriously Impressed!

Lillian's birthday is Sunday. In preparation for said event, Lillian received a Winnie the Pooh birthday balloon. While I was outside weeding the garden, Lillian brought this most-loved floaty device outside.

There was some disagreement about whether to tie the balloon to her wrist, or allow her to hold it most carefully in her fist. At length, Lillian got her desire and held the balloon tightly in her fist for some time.

At length, I hear, "boon, tee, sky, high, boon! boon!" Yep. She let it go, but instead of going up into the atmosphere never to be seen again, it got caught in the neighbor's tree ~ about 30 feet above the ground.

In walks hero of the house. Keith lashes together four broom handles, rakes, and broken tree limbs - FOUR - using nylon cub scout ropes and boy scout knots. He put duct tape at the end with the sticky side out. While balanced a few rungs up a ladder, with me holding it steady, he managed to wrap the string of the balloon around the duct tape and pole. Christopher Robin would have been proud.

Down came the balloon, cheers where heard all around the family - the loudest ones from the Littlest Rimington. As Lillian took her balloon inside, she agreed to keep it inside. She even said, "day doo!" (thank you).