Tag Archives: choreographer

Three common problems and fixes when editing or mixing music

clean_music_by_fatihakgungorI love helping dance teachers and choreographers have the most outstanding, powerful, and impactful music possible. It’s an honor that so many dance teachers and studio owners entrust me to fix and clean the mixes they create. When DTs send me mixes, I hear three problems most often. They are relatively easily avoided. Here they are with their easy fixes:

  1. Problem — Timing hiccups
  2. Problem — Volume drops
  3. Problem — Poor audio quality

 

  1. Fix for Timing Hiccups — Determine the tempo of every song and align your work to the tempo grid. That means all cutting, moving, etc, is done precisely rather than via guesswork
  2. Fix for Volume Drops — One reason I receive many song edits or mixes with a reduced volume is that when the audio file is created during the Export process, the “Normalize” option is turned on by default. When there are internal peaks in a song that is bounced down with the Normalize option turned on, this results in the ENTIRE mix being reduced in volume. Do not leave the Normalize option turned on! Instead, make sure Normalize is turned off. To avoid digital distortion in these cases, put a peak limiter on your output bus. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry, because in most cases, a short digital over will not be very noticeable on most sound systems.
  3. Fix for Poor Audio Quality — Use only original sources. Never import an mp3 into your audio program since an mp3 is a reduction in quality. Always save your mixes at at least 256k bit rate mp3, because to go less than that also results in an audible drop off in quality.

Hope these tips and fixes help you as you put together your edits and mixes! Please feel free to ask me any question about any of this since I truly love to help you have the best music you can possibly have for your amazing choreo!

Emergency by Icona Pop — Clean lyrics version

After the smashing appearance in the opening number to the recent Dancing With the Stars episode, Emergency by Icona Pop has been flying up the charts. Unfortunately, for dance teachers and choreographers, the only version currently available on iTunes is Explicit.

Squirrel Trench Audio now has a great-sounding version with clean lyrics, suitable for all ages and situations, including dance studios, competitions, recitals, and talent shows. The full-length clean version is $4.99. Also available is a 2:15 length version. We have also created a Spicy Clean remix with a 2:32 length.

For more great songs that have been cleaned of objectionable lyrics, Squirrel Trench Audio has a collection of clean song edits and remixes. View the listing of songs and remixes here.

Email morriss@squirreltrenchaudio.com.

Congratulations to Ausia Jones!

Ausia Jones is an incredible 17-year-old dancer, and our congratulations go out to her, and her choreographer Ebony Williams, for her winning routine, Reflection. Reflection won the First Overall Senior Contemporary at the Dallas regional competition of Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). Ausia was accompanied by music edited by Squirrel Trench Audio, from a piece titled Rostro by the artist Murcof.

Congrats again Ausia! Enjoy her amazing performance:

Unique music source for choreographers

At many competitive dance studios, guest choreographers are invited to create routines for the most advanced students.

If you are such a choreographer, and want to bring a unique world-class song remix to your students along with the unique world-class choreography you are creating, look no further than Squirrel Trench Audio. I can take your concept and create a unique song interpretation which can then provide the inspiration for your unique choreography. If you are a world-class choreographer looking for unique music which works in a competitive dance format, send me an email.

Squirrel Trench Audio has created the music for a Mr. Junior Nationals Superstar winner in 2011.

Junior Mister Superstar at Star Systems Nationals

Katelyn and Jacob warming up for their Jump Jive and Wail duo

Congratulations to Jacob Lill for winning Junior Mister Superstar at Star Systems’ National dance competition 2011 at Myrtle Beach. Jacob was smooth on stage for his brief interview, citing his mother as the coolest person he’s met in real life, and finding nothing bad he could say about his home state of Connecticut. An hour later he was on stage performing That Old Black Magic, choreographed by Lesley Lambert. The music was by Jeremy Davenport, and edited by yours truly. It was somewhat of tricky song to edit, since the tempo of a jazz song will drift slightly through different sections of the song. I am very proud of the results of my audio editing, making the song perfectly seamless.

But I am even more proud of Jacob and his choreographer for all of the hard work they have put into becoming a National Champion!

And now Squirrel Trench Audio can claim to have edited the music for a National Dance Champion! For more on the keys to a winning dance routine, check out this entry.