Musicians Wanted

The First Royal Regiment of Foote is now looking for individuals that play drums, fifes and bagpipes. If you would like to be a part of this group, contact us!

Musicians are welcome as fifers and drummers for battles, parades, and the enjoyment of the company.

New recruits wishing to portray Regimental Drummers or Fifers may take to the field at 12 years of age with parental consent.

Dress:

The drummers of the regiment were to wear red, faced, lined and lapelled on the breast with blue, and laced with Royal lace. The Grenadier’s caps were to be described in the last warrant, but the motto is now described as the King’s motto. The fore part of the Drums was to be blue and to bear the same device as on the colours and the fronts of the Grenadier’s caps, viz.: the Royal Cypher within the Circle of the order of St. Andrew. Below this the number of the regiment was to appear. The same device was to be painted on the bells of arms.

Drummers wore a somewhat similar cap to that worn by the Grenadiers, but with no stiffening in the back part, so that it hung down, and the tassel did not therefore appear over the point of the front. The description given in that part of the warrant relating to the Calvary is of interest, as it was ordered on the 16th November, 1751, that drummers in foot regiments were to have hanging sleeves the same as the Foot Guards, and to have caps as explained in Cavalry Regulations, only the trophy in front (of those of regiments not having special devices) to be Colours and Drums instead of Guidons.

The drums, and bells of arms, to have the same device painted on them, with the number or rank of the regiment under it.
Evidence suggests that the drum would also have had depictions of the thistle and crown to the upper right, lower right, and lower left of the King's cypher within the circle of St. Andrew, and "I Regt" in gold leaf to the upper left.

Duties:

Duties of the Fifes and Drums - This consolidates all of the daily customs required of 18th century fifers and drummers. The Fife and Drum were collectively used as a method of communicating military orders and information. The duties of a fifer and a drummer, when assigned to a company, included waking the soldiers in the morning, announcing meals, indicating lights out and communicating orders to fire during battle. In addition, the fife and drum music was a great morale booster for the soldiers.

Reveille Ceremony - In an 18th Century military camp the Reveille Ceremony would have been the first ritual of the day. Troops were to be ready to stand inspection before the "field musick" finished this formal affair.

Retreat Ceremony - The Retreat Ceremony was beat to signal soldiers that all Military Colours were retired from the field, and to remain in their quarters until the reveille was sounded.

Music has been an indispensable component of armies throughout history. During the 18th Century most British, French and German armies employed drummers, fifers, or pipers as field music. The main function of the field music was communications. It was the musician's duty to relay signals in battle, on the march and in camp. The sounds of the drums and fifes assembled the men and informed them to dismiss. On the battlefield there were signals to prepare to fire, advance, and retreat. In camp music served as the soldiers' clock to regulate their activities. Reveille was beat at sunrise to wake the men, the Troop was beat at 8:00 am to assemble the soldiers for roll call and inspection; the Retreat was played at sunset to signal the end of the day's duty, and Taptoo was beat by 10:00 pm as a signal for "lights out." The march was regulated by fifes and drums which kept an even cadence or pace. In that way, the music helped to maintain discipline and made it possible to move large bodies of soldiers in an orderly fashion and on time.

In addition to those duties, music was also a major part of military ceremonies such as receiving and lodging of colours, parades and reviews, punishments and funerals. The addition of music to ceremonies is continued to this day and demonstrates the power of music in affecting emotions and patriotism.