Why do they call it tapping?

As for the name “Taps,” the most likely explanation is that it comes from the fact that prior to Butterfield's bugle call, the lights-out call was followed by three drum beats, dubbed the “Drum Taps,” as well as “The Taps” and then simply “Taps.” When Butterfield's call replaced the drum beats, soldiers referred to it ...

history.com - How Did 'Taps' Originate? - HISTORY

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The origins of “Taps,” the distinctive bugle melody played at U.S. military funerals and memorials and as a lights-out signal to soldiers at night, date back to the American Civil War. In July 1862, U.S. General Daniel Butterfield and his brigade were camped at Harrison’s Landing, Virginia, recuperating after the Seven Days Battles near Richmond. Dissatisfied with the standard bugle call employed by the Army to indicate to troops it was time to go to sleep, and thinking the call should sound more melodious, Butterfield reworked an existing bugle call used to signal the end of the day. After he had his brigade bugler, Private Oliver Wilcox Norton, play it for the men, buglers from other units became interested in the 24-note tune and it quickly spread throughout the Army, and even caught on with the Confederates. Not long after Butterfield created “Taps,” it was played for the first time at a military funeral, for a Union cannoneer killed in action. The man’s commanding officer, Captain John Tidball, decided the bugle call would be safer than the traditional firing of three rifle volleys over the soldier’s grave, a move which couldn’t been confused by the nearby enemy as an attack. As for the name “Taps,” the most likely explanation is that it comes from the fact that prior to Butterfield’s bugle call, the lights-out call was followed by three drum beats, dubbed the “Drum Taps,” as well as “The Taps” and then simply “Taps.” When Butterfield’s call replaced the drum beats, soldiers referred to it as “Taps,” although this was an unofficial moniker, according to “Taps” historian and bugle expert Jari Villanueva. He notes that Butterfield’s bugle call was officially known as “Extinguish Lights” in American military manuals until 1891. Since that time, “Taps” also has been a formally recognized part of U.S. military funerals. Today at Berkeley Plantation, the historic estate located at Harrison’s Landing, there’s a monument commemorating the origins of “Taps” at the site. Berkeley Plantation also happens to be the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and William Henry Harrison, the nation’s ninth president.

Who is arguably the best guitarist of all time?

1: Jimmy Page The mastermind behind hard-rock giants Led Zeppelin is without a doubt the best guitarists who ever lived. Jimmy Page's clamorous fusion of blues-rock and hyperactive riffage took the revolutionary spirit of Jimi Hendrix's innovations and turned them into pure magic.

thisisdig.com - Best Guitarists Of All Time: 20 Iconic Players Who Electrified The World

Many musicians have revolutionised music and helped define their respective eras. From zesty riffs to sprightly strumming, the thrum of distortion ringing out from six steel strings affixed to a piece of wood has never failed to awaken gig-goers to the transformative power of music. By plugging into their amps and cranking up the volume, the best guitarists of all time have also often harnessed flamboyant stage antics to their awe-inspiring musical prodigiousness, leaving us hungry for more life-changing experiences to satiate our appetites. These 20 iconic players electrified the world – and are still worth turning up to 11. Listen to our Rock Classics playlist, here, and check out our 20 best guitarists, below.

20: Johnny Marr

With his shimmering jangle-pop riffs complementing singer Morrissey’s bone-dry lyricism, The Smiths’ guitarist, Johnny Marr, spent much of the 80s as a luminary of the Manchester indie scene. The whirling sonic assault of How Soon Is Now? and the sparkly opening riff of This Charming Man amply demonstrate why Marr held such sway: he expertly combined the dour sunglasses-wearing demeanour of Keith Richards with the funk-tinged minimalist tones of Nile Rodgers. By uniting shoplifters of the world through his ringing guitar sound, Marr helped turn The Smiths into the band of a generation. Without Johnny Marr’s vivaciousness, the best The Smiths songs wouldn’t continue to be as inspiring or enduring as they are today.

Must hear: How Soon Is Now?

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