Knowing how to beat the French La Générale is a useful addition to your French impression from at least 1754 (French and Indian War era) through to the mid-19th century.
Continue reading to learn more about the historic function of La Générale, 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 and a 9-Stroke Roll in order to perform this beating.
- Recommended Rudiments: You might also find it helpful to be familiar with a Coup de Charge.
Main Purpose of La Générale
On days when the entire garrison was to march, La Générale replaced La Diane (reveille), to signal for the soldiers to get ready to depart. It was performed at daybreak by all the drummers, while they marched along the front of their regimental parade.
If only part of the army is to march, both La Diane was instead replaced by Aux Champs (referred to in this context as La Priemer).
In this case, only the musicians of that battalion or company beat on their company parade grounds.
After La Générale, the men begin breaking down camp while the Sergeants and Corporals oversaw the men packing their things, extinguishing fires, etc.
After a sufficient time, the drummers beat L’Assemblée to assemble the men by company and later beat Le Drapeau to form them into a Battalion. After this, the regiment departed.
For more information on this process, see the following:
- Guignard 1725, 695
- Ordonnance … Maniement des Armes 1750, 3-4;
- Ordonnance…service de l’Infanterie en Campagne 1753, 28; 56-7; 59
- D’Hericourt 1756, vol. 2, 35-6; 82; 86-88
Secondary Use of La Générale
If beaten by the drummers of the guard unexpectedly, La Générale signaled to take up arms and respond to an attack.
The commanding officer might, on occasion, order the guard drummers to beat this call to test the readiness of the men.
FUN FACT: Because of the seriousness of this beating, drummers were warned to never commence practice with this beating.
Ordonnance…service de l’Infanterie en Campagne 1753, 32
For more information on this process, see the following:
- Ordonnance … Concernant les Gouverneurs … 1750, 77-8
- Ordonnance … pour régler le service … 1768, 231
Performing La Générale
Like many French duty calls, La Générale 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).
Rhythm 1
La Générale doesn’t break down into neat phrases like many 18th century drum beatings. Instead, will break it down into 3 rhythms and then merge those rhythms into the full beating.
Rhythm 1 is basically a simple triplet phrase, with a Coup de Charge near the beginning.
A Coup de Charge is basically an open flam. The main difference, however, is that the first stroke (the grace note) is accented and the second stroke should be soft.
Below, I’ve broken Rhythm 1 into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control.
Note: In these exercises, every stroke should line up with a click on the metronome. Once you incorporate the Coup de Charge, the first stroke comes just after a click and the second stroke comes right on a click.
Special Notes
If you’re new to Triplets, 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.
Otherwise, start at 160bpm (60bpm triplets) and focus on a clean Coup de Charge.
Pay close attention to the quick movement of the Coup de Charge. It’s not a flam, where the strokes are nearly simultaneous; you should hear 2 distinct strokes.
Rhythm 2
After the string of Triples, there’s a Ra Simple (4-Stroke Roll) nestled in a Triplet.
This is similar to L’Assemblée.
Below, I’ve given you some exercises to work on a Triplet with a Ra Simple inside it.
Note: Rhythm 2 starts with the last stroke in Rhythm 1. It will end with the first stroke of Rhythm 3. Think of this Rhythm as a linking rhythm.
Note: In these exercises, each stroke will line up with a click on the metronome except the doubles in the Ra Simple.
Special Notes
I recommend working on each exercise with the metronome at 150bpm (50bpm triplets) until you get the sticking correct, especially the doubles in the Ra Simple. Then, slowly increase the metronome by 5bpm until you’re at 180bpm.
Pay close attention to the strong right-hand focus throughout. Really drive through the triplet with your right hand.
Rhythm 3
The final rhythm is just a series of triplet 9-stroke rolls.
Want to get better at your Double Stroke Rolls? Check out my Practice Guide for Double Stroke Rolls or this blog post on Practicing Roll Skeletons to Develop Rolls.
Most English / American drummers are used to rolls leading onto the beat. These 9s are interesting because they start ON the beat.
Below, I’ve broken Rhythm 3 into simple exercises to build proper sticking and rhythm control.
Note: In these exercises, the right hand will always 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.
Take the time to lift your sticks between each roll. These triplet 9-stroke rolls are quick movements, but you don’t want to start the next 9 too quickly and speed up your tempo.
La Générale
Now that you can play each individual rhythm, we can put them together.
Remember that Rhythm 2 is the linking rhythm, so:
- The last stroke in Rhythm 1 is the same as the first stroke in Rhythm 2.
- The last stroke in Rhythm 2 is the beginning of the first 9-stroke roll.
Phrases marked for easy learning.
Special Notes
The whole beating is played on repeat. When you repeat back to the beginning, be sure to wait the entire beat (the metronome clicking triplets will help you with this).
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
La Générale is a great beating to know. Many events will require some kind of Alarm or To Arms, which this beating will fulfill. You can also use this to mark the end of an event or at more progressive events that might include waking up to go on a march.
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.
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 the 9-Stroke Roll
- History of Flam Rudiments
- History of the Coup de Charge
Interested in learning how to perform other important French beatings? Check out:
Need more help improving your Tempo? Tips for Improving Your Tempo