Competition season for dancers is here in earnest. This past weekend featured two studios utilizing Squirrel Trench music for their routines at the same competition (27 routines!). We’re thrilled to report a slew of 1st Places, Platinum, High Golds and Overalls were garned by these dedicated and hardworking dancers and choreographers.
Now that we’re in the competition phase of the year, don’t forget to clean your music at the same time you’re cleaning your routines and costumes. If there is a hiccup, jump, skip, mis-matched beat in your music, or section of music that is too soft, or not punchy enough, too fast or too slow, it’s not too late to get it fixed in time for the next regionals competition.
Already, Squirrel Trench Audio has helped dance teachers and studio owners get higher scores for their routines in a number of ways. For one tap number, the dancers were rushing too fast for the music. Solution? Speed up the music. For another studio, the routine was receiving deductions for inappropriate language. Solution? Inappropriate language obscured through clever remixing by Squirrel Trench. For another studio, the music they were using was too soft compared to all the other music being used. Solution? Brought up to current loudness levels by Squirrel Trench through a process known as mastering.
We know that many dance teachers and studios cut their own music. One of the potential pitfalls to self-cut music is that in the course of rehearsing the number five hundred times, any mistakes or hiccups eventually sound normal, just because you become used to hearing it that way. Of course, the judges will be hearing it for the first time, and if there is a hiccup, skip, jump or any other strangeness in the audio, it detracts from the polish you’ve worked so hard to achieve with your students.
So find a friend who can listen to your competition music with fresh ears. If they hear something that doesn’t sound right, send it my way to get it fixed in time for your next Regionals, so that you’ve got it the best it can be in time for Nationals. If you have something that needs fixing, use this Online Request Form, or email me at: morriss@squirreltrenchaudio.com
Related articles: Time to Fix Things Up • Pump Up The Volume • Fix Your Music in Time for Nationals
I am honored to be on the Advisory Panel of YPAD; Leslie Scott’s organization to educate the dance community about the dangers to impressionable young minds when they dance in inappropriate routines. To further that goal, I am pleased to offer the song “Barbie Girl” minus the words “undress me anywhere” and minus other suggestive lyrics that occur in this otherwise fun and bouncy song. And I’m offering it for FREE ($2.28 if you don’t already own both versions used to create this cleaned edit). If your studio is already using this song this season, I will match your existing edit with this squeaky clean version for FREE so that no re-choreo’ing is needed. Don’t let your routine take deductions for inappropriate lyrics. Click the graphic below to take a listen and hear for yourself how great this song can still sound when the suggestive lyrics are removed.
