Definition
A sequence is a group of fireworks fired in a defined order and rhythm to form a visual phrase: a wave of comets from left to right, a rise of candles followed by a line of mines, a tableau of shells in one colour. The volley is the special case where several pieces go together or at very short intervals, for a mass effect; the final volley, or bouquet, is its densest form. A twenty-minute show breaks down into 15 to 40 sequences of 20 to 90 seconds, separated by pauses, each written for a musical passage or an intention. The sequence is the unit of design: it is conceived, priced and simulated before it is wired, and it is at this level that the balance between noise, colour and height is set.
In practice, for the display company
Designing by sequence lets you reuse tableaux that work from one show to the next, adapted to the budget. PyroDesk groups firing-plan cues into named sequences, computes their cost and explosive content, and PyroSimulator loops a single sequence so you can tune it before inserting it into the full timeline.