Tag Archives: duration

Three more vocal competition karaoke tracks finished

Squirrel Trench Audio continues to do editing for vocal talent competitions. Our latest client comes from Arizona. The request was for three songs to be edited for a pageant vocal competition, and the rules are that the song can be no more than 2:00 minutes in length. We are proud to be able to produce each of these excellent song choices in the 2:00 format, in both a karaoke version with background vocals, as well as a reference vocal/guide version for our contestant to rehearse with. Here’s what the parent of the pageant competitor had to say:

“Thanks Morriss, these turned out fantastic.  We will be recommending you to everyone we know.”

— Jeff V., parent of a competitive
pageant singer, Arizona
June 13, 2012

If you have a competition vocalist, and need your songs edited to competition length, Squirrel Trench Audio is here to make it happen for you. Just send me an email and let me know the song you’ve selected and the competition’s time requirements. I’ll supply you with both a karaoke version for competition, as well as a reference vocal/guide version for rehearsal, uploaded as high quality mp3s to a secure and private online folder for your downloading and playback convenience.

Maximum length for dance competition songs and remixes

Occasionally someone arrives on this site by googling for something like “song length for dance competitions.”

While there is no definitive answer, I can give you some guidance. The most important thing you can do to determine the allowable length of your song is to check the competition rules for each competition you will be entering in for the season. Most competitions follow the same guidelines for maximum allowable length.

Many competitions state that solos can not be longer than 2:45 in length, while group numbers can be 3:00. Some competitions allow for even longer songs with larger groups. For example, Star Systems allows:

• 2:45 for a solo
• 3:00 for a duo or trio
• 3:30 for a small group (4-9 dancers)
• 4:00 for a large group (10-18 dancers)
• 4:30 for productions and lines (19 or more dancers)

However, not all competitions follow these guidelines. For some competitions, 3:00 may be the maximum, no matter what size the group, so be sure to check EACH of the competition rules that your studio is entering for the season.

For recitals, many times the maximum length is 2:00.

Bear in mind that these are maximums. It’s much better to make your routine shorter and tighter than to drag it on and on with no real purpose. Also, more important than the total length is the story arch that the dance and music follow.

Here are the things I keep in mind when trying to determine the right length for a music edit or remix:

For tap or acro, endurance can be a factor, especially for younger students. For younger tappers, 2:00-2:10 can be a good length. More experienced tappers who have built up endurance can be in the 2:20-2:45 range. And in general, younger dancers will want to be in 2:15-2:30 range, and older, more experienced dancers who have developed their style and moves, and want to tell a story with their dance should have music in the 2:45-3:00 range.

Dance competition length songs

Today, this site received several hits from people searching for “dance competition length songs.” So perhaps a bit of explanation is needed if you are new to the world of dance competitions.

Most dance competitions have a time limit for routines. For most studios and competitions, the maximum length is three minutes exactly. However, other studios or competitions might have a 2:30-minute time maximum, and some recitals have a two-minute duration maximum.

So how do you find great dance songs for competition if most songs are 3:30 or longer? How is it that Lady Gaga’s Pokerface is 3:57, yet this song has been used by countless competition dancers?

The answer is in editing. A skillful music editor can cut parts out of a song, and make it seamless to the listener by using a few professional skills. A good music editor can do this by understanding and analyzing song structure, making edits at zero-crossing points, using crossfades, and adding reverb where necessary. Sometimes a verse and/or chorus can be cut out, other times a long intro can be shortened. In still other cases, repeated sections can be cut out. Sometimes all of these things need to be performed in order to make the song optimal for a dance routine. Knowing EXACTLY where and when to cut out parts of a song is a skill that takes years of music knowledge and experience to do well.

So the next time you hear a song that would be fantastic for your next competition routine, but find out that the song is four minutes long, don’t despair! Just let me know what song you want, and I will edit it down to competition length for you! Check out my services here.

If you limit your song choices to only songs that are less than three minutes long, you are limiting yourself to a tiny fraction of the great songs that can be used for dance! So don’t make your choice based on the length of the song. Choose the song you want, and then have a professional edit it to the right length for the dance routine.