Tag Archives: Squirrel Trench Audio

Legitmix has shut down; Squirrel Trench continues

It is with great sadness that the music web site Legitmix has ceased operations. Squirrel Trench Audio had a terrific two-year relationship with that company. We hope all of the fine professionals working there have a very productive future ahead of them.

In the meantime, Squirrel Trench Audio will continue to supply you with the clean song edits and remixes that you have come to expect and love. We are still in business, and have been fulfilling dozens upon dozens of orders directly. We are working to find alternatives ways to present you with our catalog of clean edits and remixes, which at this point may be well over 1,000 edits and remixes.

I have begun work on a Google Spreadsheet listing just a few of the clean song edits and mixes created. As always, all music prepared by Squirrel Trench Audio is designed expressly for the needs of choreographers and dancers, and is musically seamless.

View the Google Spreadsheet of completed clean song edits and mixes here.

Clean your dance, clean your music

clean_music_by_fatihakgungorCompetition 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

Congratulations to Wikkd Lil Grrrls!

1902765_10152284887868103_160835853_nCongratulations go to choreographer Miss Lesley and the NEDC dancers of Wikkd Lil Grrrls!

Today they performed spectacularly at Hall of Fame’s Worcester regionals dance competition at the DCU Center. Wikkd Lil Grrrls features music edited by Squirrel Trench Audio. This morning the routine won:

  • 1st Place Platinum in their category (Junior Tap Line)
  • 1st Place Overall in Junior Line routines
  • 1st Place Overall Junior tap routine

Wow! It doesn’t get much better than that! Congratulations dancers!

Live Stream • Full Schedule • Routines using Squirrel Trench music

Rhythm Dance Company lights up Worcester

Yesterday I had the treat of seeing four performances by Rhythm Dance Company in the DanceXplosion regional in Worcester, Massachusetts, that used Squirrel Trench Audio original remixes and edits. It was a great pleasure meeting studio owner and choreographer Nicole Newman Kelley in person after working with her via email for the past several months to get her routines’ music produced.

Today’s spectacular RDC group numbers included:

  • Valerie ’68 by Amy Winehouse (small group jazz)
  • Get On the Floor, an original hip hop remix featuring On The Dancefloor with will.i.am (large group hip hop)
  • Glamourous, a rockin medley which starts with a cover of Glamourous Life (large group jazz)
  • Rhythm Nation, an original remix of the Janet Jackson classic (Production Line)

Congratulations to RDC on spectacular performances for these songs and all of the others performed this weekend.

Rhythm Dance Company wins Platinums at StarQuest

Rhythm Dance Company logoMore congratulations are in order for Nicole Newman Kelley and the dancers of Rhythm Dance Company for high gold and platinum-winning performances at the StarQuest regional in Providence, Rhode Island three weeks ago. RDC uses Squirrel Trench Audio original remixes and edits for their group numbers (and a few solos) this season, and highlights from the StarQuest competition include:

Solos:

  • First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Sara Graham – Platinum, 2nd Place Lyrical Age 14 & 6th Overall Select Teen Solo
  • The Giving – Allie Davis – High Gold

Groups:

  • Shake Your Tail Feather – Petite Large Group Jazz – Platinum, 1st Overall Classic Petite Large Group
  • Work Me Down – Junior Small Group Jazz – Platinum, 2nd Overall Select Junior Small Group, Judges Special Award: Awesome Attack, Choreography Award
  • Valerie ’68 – Teen Small Group – Platinum
  • Cali Love – Junior Large Group Hip Hop – Gold, Costume Recognition
  • Girls in Space – Junior Large Group Hip Hop – High Gold, 4th Overall Select Junior Large Group, Petite/Junior Odyssey Award for Entertainment
  • Glamorous Life – Teen Large Group – Platinum
  • Get On The Floor – Teen Large Group Hip Hop – High Gold
  • Rhythm Nation – Teen Line Production – Platinum, 2nd Overall Select Teen Line, Costume Recognition, Choreography Award

Full results can be found here on the RDC site and here on the StarQuest site. Congratulations RDC dancers! Keep up the great work!