Rob Colling
@skatingmusicguy.bsky.social
Professional figure skating music editor. He/him. Clients from beginners to Olympians.
"Our music genius" - Carol Lane
"A wizard" - Dream Edges
Go #TeamTSMG!
"Our music genius" - Carol Lane
"A wizard" - Dream Edges
Go #TeamTSMG!
Thanks for the thought! ☺️ Actually it's more of an issue for the skaters than for me so far. I just do as I'm told, and if they're not able to give me the green light yet then I don't start work. But of course it's just stacking up problems for later. I fully expect a tidal wave of work in June. 🫣
March 12, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Thanks for the thought! ☺️ Actually it's more of an issue for the skaters than for me so far. I just do as I'm told, and if they're not able to give me the green light yet then I don't start work. But of course it's just stacking up problems for later. I fully expect a tidal wave of work in June. 🫣
Ha. Dammit. Great minds think alike. I've been using Sound Advice as the name for a series of how-to videos I'm planning.
February 21, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Ha. Dammit. Great minds think alike. I've been using Sound Advice as the name for a series of how-to videos I'm planning.
Said source also confirms that the two dances will be half-and-half, back to back. So I can only assume everyone is going to have to use the same music for both, so they'll have to restructure their quicksteps to work over a straight rhythm rather than swing. This is about to get MESSY. 😂
February 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Said source also confirms that the two dances will be half-and-half, back to back. So I can only assume everyone is going to have to use the same music for both, so they'll have to restructure their quicksteps to work over a straight rhythm rather than swing. This is about to get MESSY. 😂
OK, I've had confirmation from another source that it is (we think) the rhumba d'amor, not the plain rhumba. And from what you said it sounds like they're considering the tempo of the amor to be 88bpm, rather than the 176bpm they quoted in 2017/18. So they're counting at half speed this time.
February 13, 2025 at 4:07 PM
OK, I've had confirmation from another source that it is (we think) the rhumba d'amor, not the plain rhumba. And from what you said it sounds like they're considering the tempo of the amor to be 88bpm, rather than the 176bpm they quoted in 2017/18. So they're counting at half speed this time.
Crikey. Presumably this was rhumba d'amor, then, rather than just the plain old vanilla rhumba?
February 13, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Crikey. Presumably this was rhumba d'amor, then, rather than just the plain old vanilla rhumba?
I couldn't possibly say. :) But yes, it's becoming a worry!
February 12, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I couldn't possibly say. :) But yes, it's becoming a worry!
So, in short, I'm reeeeally hoping they pick something else! 😂
February 12, 2025 at 11:12 PM
So, in short, I'm reeeeally hoping they pick something else! 😂
And even if they are at the same tempo, one is behind the beat and one is right up on the beat, and one has straight time and one has swing time. I mean, skaters are going to ask me to fix this for them, and even with 43 years of musical experience I may not know how to make it work. 🫣
February 12, 2025 at 11:10 PM
And even if they are at the same tempo, one is behind the beat and one is right up on the beat, and one has straight time and one has swing time. I mean, skaters are going to ask me to fix this for them, and even with 43 years of musical experience I may not know how to make it work. 🫣
I guess they're intending to slow down the rhumba and speed up the quickstep...? Which would be difficult, because as i said the quickstep is actually 224 not 112. So maybe they're going to speed up the rhumba and slow down the quickstep?? I really don't know how this would work.
February 12, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I guess they're intending to slow down the rhumba and speed up the quickstep...? Which would be difficult, because as i said the quickstep is actually 224 not 112. So maybe they're going to speed up the rhumba and slow down the quickstep?? I really don't know how this would work.
So we have a rhumba at... what is it, 170+ bpm? Which has a very laid-back feel and straight time. And a quickstep which is 224bpm, feels very urgent and up on its toes, and must by definition be in swing time. No one piece has both. I can't even think of a * genre * that has both. :)
February 12, 2025 at 11:04 PM
So we have a rhumba at... what is it, 170+ bpm? Which has a very laid-back feel and straight time. And a quickstep which is 224bpm, feels very urgent and up on its toes, and must by definition be in swing time. No one piece has both. I can't even think of a * genre * that has both. :)
But because it's given as 112bpm, skaters think they can just pick anything that's at 112bpm and it will work for a quickstep. Aaaand we get absolute judging travesties like LaLa skating a Finnstep to a foxtrot rhythm, so the rhythm doesn't match the steps, and somehow nobody penalising them for it!
February 12, 2025 at 11:00 PM
But because it's given as 112bpm, skaters think they can just pick anything that's at 112bpm and it will work for a quickstep. Aaaand we get absolute judging travesties like LaLa skating a Finnstep to a foxtrot rhythm, so the rhythm doesn't match the steps, and somehow nobody penalising them for it!
The main problem is that the ISU counts quickstep tempo half as fast as all the other rhythms for some reason. If you speed up a foxtrot to double the speed, you get a quickstep, so really the quickstep tempo should be quoted as 224bpm rather than 112bpm.
February 12, 2025 at 10:58 PM
The main problem is that the ISU counts quickstep tempo half as fast as all the other rhythms for some reason. If you speed up a foxtrot to double the speed, you get a quickstep, so really the quickstep tempo should be quoted as 224bpm rather than 112bpm.
I heard that too, and I'm a little worried about it to be honest! There is no music in the world which has both of those rhythms in it. They are absolute opposites.
February 12, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I heard that too, and I'm a little worried about it to be honest! There is no music in the world which has both of those rhythms in it. They are absolute opposites.
So choosing music was extremely difficult for the last two seasons, and it was hard to make an artistically coherent RD. For this Olympic year I'd love to see the required RD pattern matched with a time period or style where that rhythm was actually popular. Let's see some really coherent, fun RDs!
February 12, 2025 at 8:55 AM
So choosing music was extremely difficult for the last two seasons, and it was hard to make an artistically coherent RD. For this Olympic year I'd love to see the required RD pattern matched with a time period or style where that rhythm was actually popular. Let's see some really coherent, fun RDs!
Those same RD requirements suggested jive as one style we could choose. But jive requires a swing rhythm, and paso requires a straight (non-swing) rhythm. The two are completely incompatible and should never have been suggested together.
February 12, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Those same RD requirements suggested jive as one style we could choose. But jive requires a swing rhythm, and paso requires a straight (non-swing) rhythm. The two are completely incompatible and should never have been suggested together.
Likewise last year the ice dance technical committee asked for a 50s, 60s or 70s RD containing a paso. Well, there were loads of suitable pasos in the 60s and 70s, but 50s music was much more likely to have a swing rhythm, making it unsuitable for a paso. Basic music theory, innit. :)
February 12, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Likewise last year the ice dance technical committee asked for a 50s, 60s or 70s RD containing a paso. Well, there were loads of suitable pasos in the 60s and 70s, but 50s music was much more likely to have a swing rhythm, making it unsuitable for a paso. Basic music theory, innit. :)
What do I mean by "incongruent music requirements"? Two seasons ago they asked for a high-energy 80s RD containing (for juniors) a foxtrot. But there were hardly any foxtrots released in the 80s, it just wasn't a fashionable rhythm at that time. I couldn't even name one.
February 12, 2025 at 8:51 AM
What do I mean by "incongruent music requirements"? Two seasons ago they asked for a high-energy 80s RD containing (for juniors) a foxtrot. But there were hardly any foxtrots released in the 80s, it just wasn't a fashionable rhythm at that time. I couldn't even name one.
And finally my third call is for a bit more musical awareness from the ice dance tech committee when it comes to the RD style. After two years of incongruent music requirements I'd love it if the time period and the pattern dance matched up a bit better!
February 12, 2025 at 8:50 AM
And finally my third call is for a bit more musical awareness from the ice dance tech committee when it comes to the RD style. After two years of incongruent music requirements I'd love it if the time period and the pattern dance matched up a bit better!
Of course ISU is primarily a volunteer-run organisation and it's hard to find time for committees to meet. I get that, and I respect them for it. But on this one issue, for this one difficult year, please, forget about "let's do it when we meet at Worlds". Get on a Zoom call & take care of it now.
February 12, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Of course ISU is primarily a volunteer-run organisation and it's hard to find time for committees to meet. I get that, and I respect them for it. But on this one issue, for this one difficult year, please, forget about "let's do it when we meet at Worlds". Get on a Zoom call & take care of it now.
To be serious for a moment, I can't overstate how urgent this is for ice dance. ISU releasing the RD requirements TODAY would be a bit on the late side. March would be negligent, they'd be failing their skaters. Later than Worlds would in my opinion be a resigning matter for the committee.
February 12, 2025 at 8:48 AM
To be serious for a moment, I can't overstate how urgent this is for ice dance. ISU releasing the RD requirements TODAY would be a bit on the late side. March would be negligent, they'd be failing their skaters. Later than Worlds would in my opinion be a resigning matter for the committee.
My second call is specifically for the ISU ice dance technical committee. Given that some of my clients start competing in June, and it could take months to clear the music... we need the requirements for the new RD, and we need them yesterday. :)
February 12, 2025 at 8:47 AM
My second call is specifically for the ISU ice dance technical committee. Given that some of my clients start competing in June, and it could take months to clear the music... we need the requirements for the new RD, and we need them yesterday. :)
The new ISU requirement to license the music we use is entirely correct and I applaud it. But many skaters will need to wait several months for decisions from artists & publishers, and maybe change music if their request is rejected. We need to choose music much earlier than usual this year.
February 12, 2025 at 8:46 AM
The new ISU requirement to license the music we use is entirely correct and I applaud it. But many skaters will need to wait several months for decisions from artists & publishers, and maybe change music if their request is rejected. We need to choose music much earlier than usual this year.
The issue is that for many skaters the season starts in June. Many feds are hosting major national and international competitions by then. Many of my clients need to choose music this month. Or this week, ideally!
February 12, 2025 at 8:45 AM
The issue is that for many skaters the season starts in June. Many feds are hosting major national and international competitions by then. Many of my clients need to choose music this month. Or this week, ideally!
First, skaters, parents, coaches and related professionals like me all need to know where we stand regarding music for next season. We need the official, final ISU guidelines on music, and we need it ASAP.
February 12, 2025 at 8:44 AM
First, skaters, parents, coaches and related professionals like me all need to know where we stand regarding music for next season. We need the official, final ISU guidelines on music, and we need it ASAP.