Tosses - Flag vs. Rifle

[garfield_cadets]

Over the last 20 years I have often wondered, but never thought to ask, about the differences in flag & rifle tosses, specifically the timing of releases and catches.

Flag tosses are usually released on or right before a "hit" or "push," etc. while rifle tosses are usually caught on the "hit" or "push."

As an instructor I have mixed up different tosses and variations, but most guards, field and floor, have maintained the "standard."

Did Peggy come up with this? When did it begin? I guess maybe all early rifle tosses were done with this timing & flag tosses (at least in guard) have followed behind for a different visual effect?

Ideas? Thoughts? Opinions? History?

Edited April 2, 2007 by garfield_cadets

[BD_Fan]

I think it's because the flag stays in the air for a shorter period of time. Also, since the silk is a lot larger, it makes for a good "exclamation point" to accentuate the rifle catch.

[Musical_Spinner]

In fantasia they sometimes have the rifles be the impact, a la 2004, where they toss one set of weapons and then the other (second being a higher toss) regardless of the music....That's something that's always been interesting to watch.

[Will]

I've seen/taught quite a few guards who used a rifle toss to accentuate the big moment. With the flags leading up to it.. and then BAM the rifles go up as the brass comes in with the big moment. Phantom Regiment did it in 1994 in Ritual Fire Dance. Their 2nd quint was on the downbeat of a big brass moment. While their first rifle quint(or was it a 6?) was tossed right before the brass comes in. Both are great.

[EOP279]

Well, I always have my students toss thier flags on the big sound-punch and have them catch their weapons on the big sound-punch. I guess it all dependends on the director's point of view. Although the flags do give more of an excellent visual effect for the music if they are tossed at the point of "big sound". And more impressive for the weapons to be caught at that same point in time. But thats just my opinion.

[mpsanchez]

A winterguard 'vet of the early 70's told me color guards were using rifle to highlight the percussive elements of their music and saber/silk to highlight the lyrical elements of their music even waaaay back then. Who knows when it started.

[epwtrguard05]

I prefer variation when it comes to tosses within a program!

I never follow a precise formula to any of the the tosses I designed in a program. Whether it be flag, rifle or sabre. I use all the musical highlights in my programs.

Depending on the effect I'm looking for, my releases and catches are not only on the highs or the "hits" in the music but the downbeats, accents or precussive moments as well.

[zackiedude]

I think people get excited if a rifle is caught hard so the biggest visual impact is on the catch. With flags people care if they go up together, so the biggest visual impact is when they're in the air.

[Brassislife]

I know when i design anything, the music is what you have to think about!!!

a big hit could quite possibly a ensemble rifle toss or the the catch could be the hit. it depends on what is mor eeffective with the music. and that is the same way for flag.

Musicality is key

[byline]

A winterguard 'vet of the early 70's told me color guards were using rifle to highlight the percussive elements of their music and saber/silk to highlight the lyrical elements of their music even waaaay back then. Who knows when it started.

Yup, that's exactly how I interpreted things when I taught guard (late '70s to early '90s). That doesn't mean I wrote every single guard book that way, but that was the "formula" I tended to use when I had more than one piece of equipment to work with. If my guards only had a flag line, then of course I wrote quite differently because the flags had to do everything, both the percussive impact points and the fluid melodic passages of music. But as more pieces of equipment are added in, you can play more with variety in texture. I typically used rifles for speed and as a way of articulating rhythms, while I used flags for the rolling melodies. But, then, I also mixed it up a fair bit based on what I heard in the music, and what visual that inspired in me.

Edited April 17, 2007 by byline