Random thoughts about music choices

[Ducky]

another thing that is totally lacking are rock / metal programs (specially everything that happened after elvis and beatles)

Please someone skate to anything from Arcade Fire's Funeral!

I would love to see more coaches and choreographers use more contemporary Classical music (such as Philip Glass, Nico Mulhy, Caroline Shaw) or even just some good old fashioned Aaron Copeland.

 

[RobinA]

As someone who is quite happy with classical programs, I think there is room for more modern selections. However, they are so often (not ALWAYS, by a long shot) quite bad, or at best unmemorable. Whether it's because they aren't suited to figure skating, choreographers can't get the programs right, or the skater can't skate it, I don't know. I mean, the nonclassical warhorse of horrible programs has got to be Queen. No dig on Queen, they weren't writing figure skating music.

I always say that a great program is one that can make me forget that I don't like the music. On the other hand, classical, which has stood the test of time, can often raise the program a few notches, even if it isn't wonderful.

 

[beachmouse]

I hope to see the day when hip-hop music becomes warhorses

I kind of cringe at that because so much of hip-hop and heavy metal is about bravado and hyper-confidence and aggressiveness, and on the surface at least, it's not necessarily a great match with the personalities who are drawn to skating. I'm thinking about Ivett Toth's AC/DC program and I get what she was trying to do with it, but the only edge in any of it was her skate blades, and I spent most of it lightly grumbling about how the 1980s hair bands really knew how to put on a show along with the songs at their concert, and she needed to find some old David Lee Roth performances to see how to sell the heck out of that kind of music.

There are a few skaters that could pull it off (and hey, the first person to do a good exhibition program to Sir Mix-a-Lot's 'Baby Got Back' would seriously get a billion youtube views) but pasty white juniors trying to get a rap grove on is likely to be 95% really really awkward.

Song would someone please do already- 'Carry On' by fun. Right length for a long program so requires minimal cuts, the instrumental does a nice job of building throughout the song and supporting lyrics about overcoming adversity, and there's a bridge bit about 1:15 in that just calls for an awesome footwork/step sequence.

Just because it would be fun- pad out the theme song from the original 'Hawaii Five-O' a little bit and you can have an awesome energetic short program.

 

[enzet]

The reason they all skate to the same old music is simple: judges.
Its risky to choose new or different music. If a judge doesn't like the music then you don't score as well.
But judges are not harsh on the old standbys.

I respectfully disagree. I think choreographers, coaches (if they are involved in choosing the music) or even the skaters themselves (if they have a say in what they want to skate to) are to blame.

Could anybody provide an example of a brilliantly choreographed and executed program that scored low only because the judges were not familiar with the music or didn't like it?
I'm genuinely interested because I don't believe there has ever been such a case (and I'm ready to change my mind if proved otherwise).

An original and interesting music choice does not in itself guarantee that the program would actually be good or that the skater would be able to sell it.
That could be one reason for a lower score. Another thing is, that judges simply tend to underscore certain skaters for reasons which have absolutely nothing to do with their music choice, quality of their program or their artistic skills.

For example, I think Wakaba's Bond FS was totally underscored in PCS compared to the programs of the other top ladies, but that was definitely not because she was skating to Adele instead of say Romeo and Juliet, but because the judges don't ever seem to appreciate her artistically no matter what she does.

Daisuke Takahashi never got the PCS he deserved either, but I didn't get the impression the judges were harder on him when he chose a less well-known music.
He got exactly the same treatment when skating to warhorses.

Was Yuzuru underscored for skating to Seimei or Hisaishi's music? Did Medvedeva's PCS suffer due to her unorthodox music choices?

Of course the judges have their likes and dislikes when it comes to music and many of them might be very conservative. But out of all their biases, I wouldn't say it's the one towards particular music, that would affect the scoring so much that the skaters or choreographers should feel limited in their creative expression.

 

[CellarDweller]

I think that skaters should consider what music they feel the most connection to, and try to work programs around that music.

Everyone (skaters, judges, coaches, choreographers) should be open to all kinds of music, because you never know what will "click" for a skater and make a program unforgettable. Who would ever of thought that Shae-Lynn and Victor would turn "Riverdance" into such a masterpiece?

I always thought that the music of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly would be great to skate to, even not dressed as a cowboy (yes, I mean you, Philippe). Although I don't think anyone would skate to this music because of the subject matter of the film, the music to Brokeback Mountian is beautiful, and would make a great program.

The main thing I dislike about fs music, the horrible godawful quiet covers. Every time I see a new program and see the music title I get excited, and every time inevitably disappointed because it's a ukelele cover of Bohemian Rhapsody, or Michael Buble cover of Queen or something... it's like come on. There's instances where this works of course, for example James/Cipres Sound of Silence program worked good with the cover version, but 99 percent of the time it sucks. It ends up being even more distracting than if they were using the original, because I keep thinking about how much better it would have been had they used that instead. Imagine if Yuzuru used a slowed down acoustic cover of Let's go crazy!

LOL - I'm laughing because I (sometimes) like the quiet covers. I think they can really work if done well. Though not (amature) competition pieces, I am reminded of Michelle Kwan skating to Eva Cassidy's "Fields of Gold" and Brian Boitano skating to David Wilcox's "Missing You".

 

[Step Sequence4]

I’d love to see more programs to older popular songs from the 70’s-90’s as i think many would work well for skating. Songs like Tainted Love imo could work very well. But please, no more who wants to live forever or badly done bohemian rhapsody.

 

[yume]

I've always thought that Carmen + scent of a woman + libertango was a good mix. When you can't choose between 3 warhorses and decide to use them all.

 

[Shayuki]

I'd like to see more skating done to actual metal music. There have been a couple by some juniors that have been very intriguing. Most of these kinds of programs are done to rock, but to me metal would suit skating far better.

 

[gkelly]

Just curious -- what about metal music do you think would suit skating better?

 

[Shayuki]

Well, the type of metal I had in mind as being good for skating would have powerful melodies and a lot of highlights, working similarly to orchestral music, which suits skating very well. Orchestral music and metal music are essentially cousins, after all.

 

[rikaquegira]

Well, the type of metal I had in mind as being good for skating would have powerful melodies and a lot of highlights, working similarly to orchestral music, which suits skating very well. Orchestral music and metal music are essentially cousins, after all.

I want someone to skate to symphonic metal! [emoji23]

 

[rikaquegira]

In the beginning of the season I joked that Alina would skate to this version of POTO:

https://youtu.be/bpcNQZrhhKg


Wouldn’t that be... interesting?? [emoji23]

 

[Shayuki]

I want someone to skate to symphonic metal! [emoji23]

That'd be great! It's my favorite metal genre. But it wouldn't even have to be. Just straight heavy metal.

Seriously, wouldn't it be awesome if someone like Adam Rippon or someone else who could pull it off skate to something like Leather Rebel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN4zTDFvJuQ

It'd work sooo well.

 

[BillNeal]

Has anybody skated to Rent, the musical? Tango: Maureen could be used for a comedic tango and I would love an SP done to One Song Glory. But I do understand that the musical deals with some sensitive topics that may not be suitable for a family audience.

 

[rikaquegira]

I was just joking about the POTO one, but someone could totally skate to this:

https://youtu.be/AaWPduHl_j8

 

[rikaquegira]

Now, if a lady really wants to be Queen of figure skating she must skate to this: [emoji23]

https://youtu.be/qmLIE6ULtyU

btw this clip is so bad! LMAO! [emoji23]

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Well, the type of metal I had in mind as being good for skating would have powerful melodies and a lot of highlights, working similarly to orchestral music, which suits skating very well. Orchestral music and metal music are essentially cousins, after all.

Like this?

The Fine Constant
Eternal Flight

Those odd time signatures might prove too difficult for some skaters though. Counting to sevens instead of fours and eights can become very unnatural but that odd timing with spins could prove to be incredible.

It’s free of the Cookie Monster vocals which turn so many people off and very melodic. I met Sarah a few years back at a local show and she is one dedicated and talented musician. If Bethoven were alive he’d probably be one of her biggest fans. Well...that’s my opinion :dev3:

Personally I could handle a full metal program with screaming and all. Gorod for example

Switching Gears: I’m surprised no one ever skated to Paramore Ain’t It Fun. I think that would be a bit edgy but also good enough to keep a cool and interesting theme that wouldn’t scare the judges

 

[RobinA]

I agree. I don't get the complaints against warhorses. It's more that there's no one currently in the pool who can interpret most war horses well, or at least they're limited by the CoP.

Yeah, this. CoP is very limiting when it comes to interpreting music. I have no problem with warhorses and at the same time don't really care what kind of music skaters use if it is done well. I always say that the best program is one that makes me forget that the music is blah. It's not many skaters who can do that, though. That said, I have never seen a decent Queen program. And I like Queen, it just doesn't make good skating music, or...the people who can choreograph a good Queen program and the person who can skate it have not met yet.

Oops, I just realized I posted very similar to this back in May!!

 

[elektra blue]

Well, the type of metal I had in mind as being good for skating would have powerful melodies and a lot of highlights, working similarly to orchestral music, which suits skating very well. Orchestral music and metal music are essentially cousins, after all.

i believe a lot of iron maiden's songs could be good like aces high, seventh song of a seventh son, hallowed be thy name, also almost everything by nightwish.

 

[hanyuufan5]

After having watched a whole lot more skating since claiming I have no deep thoughts on music choices, I now have to say that I've noticed that many skaters really seem to give it their all and get much more into the music when skating to their own language/culture's music instead of some English song or something.


And I still think someone seriously needs to do an EX to One-Winged Angel.