LEADING Aircraftman Sean Rankin is a softly spoken man.

But on Thursday his bugle will sound loud and clear across Anzac Cove when he plays the Last Post at the joint Australian and New Zealand dawn service.

A few hours later he'll play it again at the Australian service at Lone Pine.

"For me the Last Post is an opportunity to have some musical reflection of what's happened - who's fought, who's suffered and the generations that have followed," LAC Rankin tells AAP after rehearsing at Lone Pine.

Traditionally the Last Post is the trumpet or bugle call sounded each night to mark the end of the day's military activities.

At funerals and commemorative services, such as Anzac day and Remembrance Day, it is sounded as a final farewell and symbol that the duty of the dead is over.

Many people find the Last Post a particularly moving part of Anzac day.

But LAC Rankin personally finds military funerals much tougher.

"That's the most difficult thing to do," he says.

"But this (the dawn service) is the most prestigious."

Brisbane-born LAC Rankin has been with the airforce band full-time for 11 years, primarily as a trumpet player.

He's recently become a reservist so he can teach music permanently at Christian College Geelong. He makes a point of noting his new school has generously given him time off to travel to Turkey.

On Anzac day he'll be playing in front of around 6000 pilgrims on the Gallipoli Peninsula and thousands more watching live on television.

"Yeah it's a bit of pressure," LAC Rankin admits.

"But my approach to being able to cope is knowing that my preparation is thorough. I practice a lot - an insane amount."

Since arriving in Turkey on April 15 he's practised 1.5 hours every day.

All trumpet players in the airforce band are required to also play the bugle and be familiar with all relevant bugle calls.

LAC Rankin has been blowing the horn since he was a youngster.

"I fell in love with the trumpet in the last year of school - Grade 12 - but I had been playing since Grade 5."