I have played TAPS for over 200 funerals and I always play it only using first valve

Okay, I am a military musician, so I assure you that I know what I am talking about. The DoD regulation states that Tapps is to be played in the key of concert B-flat, for us buglers playing on trumpets, that is open, no valves. Traditionally, bugles have been keyed in concert G, which would be first and second valves for us trumpet players on B-flat trumets.

[In case you don`t know, Tapps starts on the 5th, the first and second notes are pick-up notes. The third note (when the pitch changes for the first time) is the root.]

hey all...you can basically play taps on any valve. for example you can either play it all open, or the first valve.
If you play it all open, make sure you start on `G`.