Considerations for Routine Music

By Mark Maynor

www.monstermixproductions.com
(Mark Maynor has judged Fitness shows such as the WTF, Fitness America, and NPC)

As a mixer for Competitive Fitness Athletes, I work with athletes all over the U.S and have noticed some common traits, which may help you in making decisions on your music selection.

Themes: One option is to have a theme. A theme can be a type of music (Latin, Techno, etc). A theme can revolve around an artist (Janet Jackson, Prince, etc). A theme can be an era of music (60'sm 70's, 80's, etc). A theme can be Patriotic, Western, Futuristic and anything else you can imagine. The thing to keep in mind if you select a theme is to make it obvious to the audience. I have worked with athletes who strayed from their theme, which doesn't make sense to an audience or the judges. For example, if you want to do a theme around a spy/detective setting, do no throw in a song like "Get Your Freak On" because it doesn't make sense to your theme. A theme should involve your songs as well as costume and possibly even your choreography. A strong theme will convey itself and entertain. A weak them confuses the audience and may not sit well with the judges.

Music Selection: Many athletes have a hard time in deciding which songs to include in their music. Here are some things to consider. When is your competition and will the song(s) be overplayed by the time you perform to them? An overplayed radio song can sometimes turn off an audience and the judges. If your song is highly popular, we usually remix it so it is different and interesting to the listener. Know the difference between what you like to listen to and what you perform to. Although it is important that you are motivated by your music, your routine may not be best suited by being a medley of your favorite songs. The audience and judges do not care what music you like. They care about how you perform to your music. Select music, which is best, suited for your strengths. If you are a powerful mover, your music should reflect that. If you are a graceful dancer, your music should compliment you. It would be a mistake for a powerful athletic athlete to perform to slower hip-hop music. It would be a mistake for a hip-hop style mover to perform to a powerful techno song. If you are able to show different styles in your routine then your music should go through changes to show off your abilities. I always tell athletes to pretend you are in the audience watching yourself and decide if the music would work for you while watching the performance.

Intro's: Keep intros short and to the point. Some athletes spend a large portion of their allotted time on a lengthy intro removing clothes and using props. This may be entertaining the audience; however, you are not scoring skill points with the judges. Intros are most effective when kept short. Involve as much movement and skill in your intro as possible. Effective routines provide high-energy excitement from the beginning.

Speed: An average speed for fitness routine music is around 145 BPM (beats per minutes). There are a few things to consider when selecting a proper routine speed. Remember, that speed is exciting. It is best to move as fast as your abilities allow while still being able to properly complete your movements. If you select popular songs, they will sound strange at first because you are used to them at their normal speed. Listen for your rhythm to help you with speed. Also, while learning choreography, the routine will seem much faster at first than once you know it. Wait until your choreography is complete and you are rehearsing before you make a final decision on speed.

Hopefully, these suggestions will help you with the task of selecting music. At Monster Mix Productions, we can help put together your routine music, provide sound effects and custom voiceovers. You can reach us at (800) 928-7227 or the link provided. Best of luck with your competitive efforts!

Choreography: (over 25 years combined experience) call Jennifer Rosen and Kelley Paz.
Call (813) 300-2678 or email: fitchic36@aol.com