How to choose music for competition?

[Logan3]

Hi again with my new question.
We started thinking about next season's competitions and my daughter needs a new program, most probably FS1 level. She also needs a new song. Last year she had a classical piece that did not work very well. How do you go about choosing a song? I think something she likes and suits her would work better than just getting a generic piece. She does not like any of the Disney's princess stuff, that was her teachers suggestion. I went to the library and got tons of CD's hopping something will click with her. Any other idea, suggestion? She loves classic music but I think a song with lyrics would also give her cues on how fast she is doing her program and help her not finish earlier/later.
I think the moves will be pretty standard FS1 curiculum with not much choreography but still I want her to love her music.
Thanks!

[Isk8NYC]

If there's a popular song on the radio she likes, you can probably get a Karaoke version without the vocals to use.

[luckeylasvegas]

Try listening to clips on Amazon or Itunes if you have an IPOD. I find that there are good songs on movie soundtracks. Also if the coach has been doing it for a long time they will have music that other students have used in the past.

This is how I personally go about it. I reasearch song clips and the let my daughter listen to the ones I like best. If she agrees the I find then song (usually from ITUNES now) and then burn a CD for her coach to listen to. With any luck we'll get a green light from him and everyone is happy.

[LoopLoop]

How old is your daughter? Since you said FS1, I assume she's competing in ISI where vocal music is allowed.

There are so many options: 50s and 60s pop music (Beatles, bubblegum girl groups, etc.), musicals (nothing dramatic like Phantom, but stuff like the Sound of Music, Camelot, things like that), movie soundtracks (they don't have to be Disney!)...

[twokidsskatemom]

We try and stay away from overused music.When my daughter was in Fs one, I think we used a song from a movie called Quest for Camelot.WB movie I think.
Good luck !!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005Z9T/qid=1143661382/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-6319573-2100924?s=music&v=glance&n=5174
We used On My fathers Wings number 5
I also noticed the have a Karoke album with no vocals.

[Logan3]

Yes, vocals are allowed. My dd is 6 and she loves musicals, Jazz, swing and classical music. I was thinking about a movie soundrack too. And of course the Beatles. Which Bealtes song sounds good to skate????? Also, is swing too fast? Too old for a 6year old?
I got some CDs from broadway musicals she loves but the songs are heavy in "talk" so I do not know how they will sound on the rink. Her favorite right now is "I won grow up" from Peter Pan but frankly I can not imagine skate on it....
It is kind of fun to listen to all the music! Kind of educational too. We found CDs in the library we would not consider normaly and are awsome!

Thanks for all the advice!

[twokidsskatemom]

If she doesnt skate fast, I really would stay away from overfast music.Its hard unless she is a fast skater to carry fast music.
My daughter just used fast music the first time, a song from Polar express called Rocking on top of the world.fast program !!
You also have to stay with music geared toward her age.

[sunny]

try here:

www.skatemusiclist.com

go to music suggestions

[twokidsskatemom]

most of those selections are for higher level skaters. I dont think they review Fs 1 program music for a 6 year old :)

[Logan3]

Feel free to suggest songs you used (and do not mind sharing...) or you hear in competition and look , I mean sound good !

[luckeylasvegas]

My daughters favorite program was from the Return to Neverland soundtrack. She did it as a spotlight but it could be used for a tech. program. She also did Jelical Cats from the broadway kids which was also a spotlight.

I thing the theme from Shrek is beautiful but my daughter does'nt like it.

We've used Harry Potter but I wouldn't suggest it it's over used.
If she likes braodway try and Overture to a show that she is fond of.

Since she is onnly 6 there are a lot of pretty songs on the Princess lullaby CD (Disney), I know you said she doesn't like the songs but these are done in a very pretty new age style. We used the Little Mermaid and Pohaohntas for some of our earlier programs. I know you can listen to them on Amazon.

[luckeylasvegas]

I also LOVE Jim Brickman. I think his version of I see the moon would be a really cute program for a young skater, and I've never seen anyone use it out here.

[sue123]

If she likes Broadway, you might want to try something like the Overture from Once Upon A Mattress. The basic synopsis is about the Princess and the Pea, but the music is a lot of fun. I know you said no Disney Princess, but I was in a production of it in my artsy-fartsy high school and I had a family friend there with an 8 and 4 year old kids, and they couldn't stop humming the tunes.

You might also want to try Hairspray, it's fun, not too serious. For Swing, you can get some slower swing music if you think it's too fast. West Coast style swing music tends to be slower and more mellow. But personally, I like East Coast swing better.

[Lmarletto]

My daughter was in a serious Disney Princess rut for a long time, so I'm not sure I can be a lot of help.:lol: But would Tarzan or Lion King be OK? How about Anastasia? They all have multiple possibilities. We recently heard something from Disney's High School musical at the rink and my daughter was positively green that she hadn't thought of it first. Peter Pan's "I won't grow up" is very talky sounding, but it might still work depending on your daughter's skating style. Or maybe you could find another arrangement that sounds more sung than spoken.

I think the most important thing with kids' music is that they feel some kind of connection to it themselves. The second is that it suits their skating style. And third is that someone can get the appropriate length cuts from it. Not being overused is a very distant fourth, IMO. My daughter actually seemed to take a sort of pride in finding out one time that someone else in her competition group was using the same music she was, as if that proved it was good.:lol:

We have always just given her coach a CD with the full track on it, asking if it would work for her program and letting the coach cut it to suit the necessary choreography. So far we've never had to go to a second choice.

[VegasGirl]

Since your daughter is only 6 I'd stay away from heavy stuff including (as you seem to have found out) classical music. My daughter did a ISI Delta routine to 'Yoho, yoho a pirate's life for me' and had a ball! We had an outfit made for her that matched the theme, everyone loved it.

The other one we had fun with was 'Straycat Strut' by the Straycats... it was my first competition and I skated together with my daughter doing a Gamma routine.

On the other hand I'd also stay away from the typical music choices for 6 year olds such as 'Mary Poppins' (what every the name of that song is), Disney princess songs (as your coach suggested ;) ) and other stuff like that.

I just remembered another fun routine... it was skated by one of the girls at our rink... I think it was a ISI FS2 routine and she skated to a mix of theme songs from the 'Mario' Nintendo games!

[twokidsskatemom]

Stuff we have used..............
Everything is coming up roses from Gypsy fs3

Together wherever you go........ From Gypsy family spotlight

Rocking on top of the world Polar express fast music christmas program

Hot Choclate from Polar express christmas program both kids

celtic music for a footwork program fs 3
celtic music for fs 2 program
This one is for the girls. Martina Mcbride pre alpha i think

The house on the corner...... kenny loggins from pooh family spotlight
chim chimmy from mary poppins vocals family spotlight
a mixed cut from Mary poppins soundtrack no vocals. for Pre pre program
You raise me up josh groban pre pre artistic
Nutcracker fs4 program.
Im sure i have more too lol

[Logan3]

Thanks for all the suggestions! A lot of great ideas...

I am not sure yet about my dd's skating style. She did only one solo before (few months ago), and she skated super fast, did every element short and finished before the music! Fantastic!!!! This time we are looking for lyrics and I will tell her that she will have to keep skating untill she hears the last word sung :D

[twokidsskatemom]

you also have to pick something suitable not only to age. but level.A lower level skater, with a few singles jumps, cant use strong music that should have doubles and strong skating. It doesnt look nice.
It also depends on ISI vs USFSA.ISI is more Fun and relaxed, USFSA more kids on the comp tract. After a certain age/level, cutesie stuff isnt the way to go.

[Mrs Redboots]

If she doesnt skate fast, I really would stay away from overfast music.Its hard unless she is a fast skater to carry fast music.
Yes, but don't forget that nothing looks worse than a slow skater skating to slow music.... you need to hit a happy medium somewhere!

[AW1]

oh that's so tricky! My daughter has her first competition on saturday but thankfully we don't have to go through the drama of picking music just yet as hers is selected by the organisers.

There's one girl at skating who is doing her program to this hideous organ music like, it's almost gothic and it's very church-like. The music is too overpowering for her skating, and UGH I :frus: I won't even go into the fact she's had her hair cut into a mullet hairstyle :roll:

This is such a hard decision because you want it to stand out but not for the wrong reasons.

A couple of good ones from the last comp I went to with young girls were

How much is that doggy in the window - Patti Page (it's a great version, which has a bit of the swing she likes!)
Bewitched - Frank Sinatra

those 2 stood out as being great performances, that matched well to the music.

Good luck with your decision!

[Moto Guzzi]

I've found lots of good music at http://www.cdbaby.com. You can search by genre or 'flavor' (some of their descriptions are hysterical), and they have a large group of CDs that can be had for $5 (you must buy at least 3 to get the $5 price). The CDs I've bought have ranged from beautiful to bizarre and, on some of my orders, they've thrown in a free CD.

One of my favorite CDs from there is 'Deep Within a Faerie Forest' by Gary Stadler and Wendy Rush (http://cdbaby.com/cd/stadlerrule) that I found when I was looking through the Celtic collection. The songs feature piano, harp, guitar, and Wendy's lovely voice. The soundclips are long enough for you to get a good feel for the music, unlike some websites that put on just a short clip. Maybe one of these songs will appeal to your daughter. I love the Dance of the Wild Faeries.

[max]

My daughter used the "Trolley Song" from Meet Me in St Louis when she was about 6/7. It is lively bubbly music and it is still one of her favourite movies.

[twokidsskatemom]

I've found lots of good music at http://www.cdbaby.com. You can search by genre or 'flavor' (some of their descriptions are hysterical), and they have a large group of CDs that can be had for $5 (you must buy at least 3 to get the $5 price). The CDs I've bought have ranged from beautiful to bizarre and, on some of my orders, they've thrown in a free CD.

One of my favorite CDs from there is 'Deep Within a Faerie Forest' by Gary Stadler and Wendy Rush (http://cdbaby.com/cd/stadlerrule) that I found when I was looking through the Celtic collection. The songs feature piano, harp, guitar, and Wendy's lovely voice. The soundclips are long enough for you to get a good feel for the music, unlike some websites that put on just a short clip. Maybe one of these songs will appeal to your daughter. I love the Dance of the Wild Faeries.
We just ordered the Cd. Thanks so much for the great idea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Moto Guzzi]

We just ordered the Cd. Thanks so much for the great idea !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You're welcome! I'm glad it worked out for you. I love CDBaby. Wait until you see the email they send you when they ship your CD. :lol: They are really quick about shipping, too.

[singerskates]

To choose music, look at the age of the child/skater, find out from their coach how they move (fast, slow, gracefull, detailed, broadly) on the ice and next find out what music moves the child/skater. Then once you've narrowed it down to a few, let the child/skater try the uncut versions of them on the ice to see if any of them suits them. Then if you know how to edit music do it on the computer with editing software and burn it on to CD. If you or your coach don't know how to edit music for skating, hire a professional editing and remastering service.

I am a singer songwriter/ adult skater and figure skating editor/remaster and work out of my company East Castle which is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Below is my business card.

http://clubtecumseh.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/eastcastlecard.jpg

[twokidsskatemom]

I've found lots of good music at http://www.cdbaby.com. You can search by genre or 'flavor' (some of their descriptions are hysterical), and they have a large group of CDs that can be had for $5 (you must buy at least 3 to get the $5 price). The CDs I've bought have ranged from beautiful to bizarre and, on some of my orders, they've thrown in a free CD.

One of my favorite CDs from there is 'Deep Within a Faerie Forest' by Gary Stadler and Wendy Rush (http://cdbaby.com/cd/stadlerrule) that I found when I was looking through the Celtic collection. The songs feature piano, harp, guitar, and Wendy's lovely voice. The soundclips are long enough for you to get a good feel for the music, unlike some websites that put on just a short clip. Maybe one of these songs will appeal to your daughter. I love the Dance of the Wild Faeries.

I wanted to update and THANK you for the great suggestion.!!!!! My daughter used it for her Non test and now pre pre artistic program.She placed first out of 5 and EVERYONE loved both her dress and her music.:)

[figur8asandwich]

I think from the muppet show would be kind of cute, you could get a little miss piggy costume and curl her hair and it would be awwwwwwwwwdorable

or how about dora the explorer theme song? kinda mambo-ey and really cute.