It’s a ceremonial bugle across all branches. Only very few members can actually play the bugle properly. This ensures a perfect playing of TAPS, in correct key, every single time without fail. Families do have the option to have the funeral home contact “Buglers Across America” to have a volunteer bugler come, at no cost, for a truly live bugle. The manpower isn’t there to have all members learn taps. Most of us are reservists and completly volunteer and take time off civilian work to render honors. Between the 3 commands I personally volunteer for, there are 500 funerals to be rendered each month. Many in the same day. Although it may seem disgraceful, it is the absolute best we can do under the circumstances.

@@zoeyzukowski5751 Thank you for being there to present the final military honors. I am a member of Bugles Across America and sound Taps a lot at Houston National Cemetery. I agree , when there is not a live bugler present the ceremonial bugle when functioning properly is a beautiful recording. While there are a large number of live buglers around the USA we can't cover them all, we do what we can when requested but I have learned to appreciate the CB.