Knowing how to beat the French Le Drapeau is a beneficial call to have for ceremonial or large-scale formations for any French impression from at least 1754 (French and Indian War era) through to the mid-19th century.
This beating also appears in some American sources, predominately as the Assembly beating in Scott’s Infantry Tactics and in Bruce & Emmet’s manual called ‘To the Colors’.
Continue reading to learn more about the historic function of Le Drapeau, as well as practice tips for learning how to performing the beating.
- Important Note: You will need to comfortably play a Ra Simple / French 4-Stroke Roll, a 9-Stroke Roll, and alternating Flams in order to perform this beating.
- Recommended Rudiments: You might also find it helpful to be familiar with Swiss Army Triplets, Flagada, and Ra de Cinq Détaile.
Main Purpose of Le Drapeau
Le Drapeau signals for the battalion to come together as a regiment.
In the context of drill or preparation to march: the men would be assembled and inspected on their various company parade grounds. One company selected that day would go to retrieve the colors. Their drummers beat Le Drapeau as a salute and then as a cadence to march the company to the parade ground.
The other companies waiting on their company parade grounds would step off on that signal to march to the Place D’Armes to form the regiment.
For more information on this process, see the following:
- Guignard 1725, 695-6
- Ordonnance … Maniement des Armes 1750, 4-9
- Ordonnance…service de l’Infanterie en Campagne 1753, 57-59
- Ordonnance … pour réguler le service 1768, 407
Battlefield Use of Le Drapeau
In battle, the drummers beat Le Drapeau to reform the battalion in line (en bataille).
The French performed many battlefield maneuvers in column formations. Le Drapeau could move the Battalion from those formations back into a line of battle.
If the column will wheel to the left to form the line, all the musicians begin playing Le Drapeaux. Each company wheels independently to the left, forming a line. The two corps of musicians wheel independently, as if they are their own company.
If the regiment is to form en battalion on the right, however, the maneuver must be performed with each company wheeling independently to the right, one at a time. In other words, the first company wheels right and the rest of the regiment passes behind them until clear, at which time the next company wheels right, and so on. This allows the regiment to form in the correct order.
To do this, first only the Grenadier Drummer beats Le Drapeau, to tell his company to wheel. The other drummers continue beating Aux Champs.
Once the first group of line companies pass the Grenadier Drummers, the head corps of drummers beats Le Drapeau to signal for this division to start wheeling to the right into line. The other drummers continue to beat Aux Champs.
Once the rear group of line companies pass the front companies, the read corps of drummers beats Le Drapeau. The Piquet Drummer continues to beat Aux Champs.
Once the Piquet Company (the rear-most company) passes everyone, the Piquet Drummer beats Le Drapeau as the signal for the Piquet Company to wheel into line.
To form a line to the front, the Drummers used Aux Champs.
To form as a column, the Drummers beat L’Assemblée for the Column of Attack, La Retraite for a Column of Retreat, or Aux Champs for other types of columns.
For more information on this process, see the following:
- Ordonnance … Maniement des Armes 1750, 8-9
Signal to Beat Le Drapeau
To signal Le Drapeau, the Major (Drum Major?) would use his sword or cane as follows:
- Extend the arm to the height of the shoulder to the right.
- Turn the wrist so that the sword crosses horizontally across the chest at the height of the tie.
At which signal the drummers would play:
Le Drapeau
For more information on this process, see the following:
- Instruction sur l’Exercice de l’Infanterie 1753, 50
- Ordonnance … sur l’Exercice de l’Infanterie 1755, 200
Performing Le Drapeau
Like many French duty calls, Le Drapeau is written in 6/4.
Since this is an unusual time signature for many modern drummers, the music might at first be foreign or intimidating.
Luckily, Instruction des Tambours (1754) gives us clear instructions on how to perform Le Drapeau:
- The Left Foot steps on the first beat of each measure.
- The Right Foot steps on the fourth beat of each measure.
- The marching tempo is 60 steps per minutes (60bpm)
Based on this, we know the 6/4 is really just 6/8.
Think of this “translation” in the same way you would Cut Time. The music is written in 4/4, but you half the values of everything so that you’re actually playing in 2/4.
Advice on Tempo and Rhythm
We might be tempted to assume that this beating is slow because it’s beaten at 60bpm. However, the 6/4 nature of the beating is deceiving.
Re-enactors commonly perform this French beating TOO slowly.
To overcome this common mistake, we’ll want to learn the beating with the aid of a metronome.
Set the Metronome
Let’s start by setting the Metronome a little slow so we can learn the correct sticking and rhythm.
- Set the Metronome to 150bpm.
- If you can, set the Metronome to 3 clicks.
- My metronome lets me use different sounds. I prefer a strong click, followed by two soft clicks.
- The metronome is now playing at 50bpm, but is subdividing as triplets.
- This means what you hear is triplets at 50bpms. This rhythm will be the backbone as we work on the beating.
- As you get better at this beating, increase the metronome in 10-15bpm increments until you reach 180bpm (60bpm triplets).
Phrase 4
Le Drapeau can easily be broken into Phrase 1, Phrase 2, Phrase 3, and Phrase 4. We’ll start with Phrase 4 since it is the simplest variation.
The final phrase in Le Drapeau is actually the same as the opening phrase in L’Assemblée.
The backbone of all French 6/4 beatings is the “Swiss Army Triplet”: Right-Right-Left Right-Right-Left.
If you’re not familiar with this rudiment, check out my History of the Swiss Army Triplet or the Vic Firth rudimental guide to learn more.
This phrase is the simplest variations and is just a Swiss Army Triplet, where all the strokes are flams.
Below, I’ve broken Phrase 4 down into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control.
Note: In these exercises, nearly every stroke should line up with a click on the metronome. Only the double in the 4-stroke roll (Ra Simple) won’t line up.
Special Notes
I recommend working on each exercise with the metronome at 150bpm (50bpm triplets) until you get the sticking correct. Then, slowly increase the metronome by 5bpm until you’re at 180bpm.
Pay close attention to the strong right-hand focus throughout.
Phrase 1
Like Phrase 4, Phrase 1 is a variation on the Swiss Army Triplet. Here, however, the triplet gets embellished by inserting another French rudiment:
“Ra de Cinq Détaille”: an open 5-stroke roll, that begins with a flam
Below, I’ve given you some exercises to practice the Swiss Army Triplet and Ra de Cinq Détaille individually and then as Phrase 1 together.
I would suggest using the metronome to get a strong sense of the rhythm in the Swiss Army Triplet. Apply this feel / relationship to the metronome to the actual Phrase 1 pattern.
Note: In these exercises, the Swiss Army Triplet rhythm will line up with a click on the metronome.
Special Notes
I recommend working on each exercise with the metronome at 150bpm (50bpm triplets) until you get the sticking correct. Then, slowly increase the metronome by 5bpm until you’re at 180bpm.
Pay close attention to the strong right-hand focus throughout.
Phrase 2
Phrase 2 is very similar to Phrase 1. It too is based on the Swiss Army Triplet rhythm, but instead of inserting the Ra de Cinq Détaille, we use a Flagada.
The Flagada is a French rudiment very similar to the American Flam Tap, except the following Left Stroke is part of the rudiment.
Below, I’ve broken Phrase 2 down into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control.
Note: In these exercises, the Swiss Army Triplet rhythm will line up with a click on the metronome.
Special Notes
I recommend working on each exercise with the metronome at 150bpm (50bpm triplets) until you get the sticking correct. Then, slowly increase the metronome by 5bpm until you’re at 180bpm.
Pay close attention to the strong right-hand focus throughout.
Phrase 3
Phrase 3 is technically similar to the first two phrases because it also follows the Swiss Army Triplet right-hand strong rhythm. Phrase 3, however, inserts a triplet 9-stroke roll into the triplet.
To successfully perform this phrase, you’ll need a strong, tight 9-stroke roll.
Below, I’ve broken Phrase 3 down into simple exercises to build control of the triplet 9.
Note: In these exercises, the right hand will always be on the metronome.
Special Notes
I recommend working on each exercise with the metronome at 150bpm (50bpm triplets) until you get the sticking correct. Then, slowly increase the metronome by 5bpm until you’re at 180bpm.
Pay close attention to the strong right-hand focus throughout, especially going from the flam into the 9.
Le Drapeau
Once you can play Phrases 1-4 on their own, then you can put them together to play the entire beating.
Includes notes that divide the phrases for easy learning.
Special Notes
Pay close attention to the rest between each phrase.
I recommend keeping the metronome on at 180bpm (60bpm triplets) until you get the correct spacing.
Once you feel comfortable with the beating and speed, put your metronome at 60bpm (without the triplet subdividing). Now try to keep the pulse of the beating without losing the strong triplet rhythm.
Conclusion
Le Drapeau is a really valuable French beating to learn for both French and American drummers.
Luckily, the beating does not appear to change from the 1754 version through to the 1831 ordonnance. This makes this beating fit French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and Napoleonic War era impressions.
Since it also appears as ‘To the Colors’ in American sources from 1833 to the 1860s, this is also useful for American Civil War impression. (Note: Bruce & Emmet’s version is slightly different.)
Want to learn more about the history of these French rudiments? Check out:
- History of the Ra Simple / French 4-Stroke Roll
- Practice Guide: Ra Simple
- History of Flam Rudiments
- What are ‘Ra Detaille’?
- History of Swiss Army Triplets
- The French Rudiment: Flagada
Interested in learning how to perform other important French beatings? Check out:
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