The Director of Music is the Officer Commanding The Band and Bugles of The Rifles and its principle conductor. The Director of Music is ultimately responsible for the running of the Band and Bugles, from all musical and military training and development to the 'final output' on engagements.

Major Lawrence Sale joined the army in 1986 as a percussionist with the 9^th/12^th Royal Lancers. After serving 7 years he was selected to attend the Bandmaster Course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall.  On graduation, he was among the first group of Student Bandmasters to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Kingston University.

In 1996, he was assigned as Bandmaster to the Adjutant General's Corps (AGC).  A challenging post as the band had recently formed under 'Options for Change' and the reorganisation of Army bands.  After 3 years with the AGC Band, Major Sale was posted as Bandmaster to the Band of the Welsh Guards where he took part in 3 Queen's Birthday Parades and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.  He also undertook a short tour of Bosnia in support of the 1^st Battalion Welsh Guards which proved to be a life-changing experience in as much as it opened his eyes to the value that music can add when deployed on operations.

Having served with the Welsh Guards for 3 years, Major Sale was assigned to Headquarters Army Music as the Training Development Warrant Officer in 2002.  Whilst in post he developed the NVQ level 4 for Army musicians.  However after 6 months he was commissioned in to the SO2 Manning and Recruiting post within the new Directorate Corps of Army Music in 2003.

It was during this time that Major Sale was required to implement a cross-posting policy within the new Corps of Army Music which required greater mobility of musicians across the new Corps.  He was also responsible for developing manning and recruiting policy to meet the needs of the Corps and the Army in addition to establishing the first Corps Recruiting Team.  He also implemented the reorganisation of Army bands under Future Army Structures which demanded a reduction of Army bands from 29 to 22.  As an additional task, Major Sale project managed of the first Rhythm Force event which showcased the contemporary capabilities of Army musicians.  He also set up the Army Big Band, drawing musicians from across the Corps, to demonstrate their art form at the highest level.

After 3 years within a Staff appointment, he was assigned back to the Adjutant General's Corps in 2006 but this time as Director of Music.  Whilst in post, he undertook numerous engagements in support of the AGC and the Army but of particular note was to take part in the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland and the first Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo.

After just over two years, in 2009 he was assigned to the Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow as the Career Manager for Army Musicians.  Whilst working in a non-musical role within the APC, he set up the 'Basement Jocks' band utilising the skills of other Army officers within MOD Glasgow and project managed the first Music Force event there.

In February 2011 Major Sale was assigned as Director of Music to The Band and Bugles of The Rifles.

He is married to Rachel, a school teacher and they have two children - Ellie (13) and Charlie (9) and both are budding musicians.