Tips for Preparing Music
Music Tips
Submitting your Music
Send your music well in advance; check to see if it has been received and is readable.
Ensure digital music file is labeled with song title
In the email, indicate your division and the song title (in case it is needed)
Make sure you do a sound check on the day!
Unsure how to email music?
From within your email program, choose ‘Attach’
Locate the music file on your drive and choose it
(usually in ‘My Music’ for PC’s, ‘iTunes’ for Macs)
Common Audio Formats: .mp3 .wma .m4a .wav
Note: .m4p files are iTunes Store protected so may not play on another machine.
Need a Music Editing program?
Here are a few suggestions:
Audacity (Windows) – Free
WavePad (Windows & Mac) – Free & paid versions
GarageBand (Mac) – Free
Editing Tips:
Listen to your music several times; imagine things that your dog can do at certain points of the music, then start thinking about cutting; you don’t want to lose that section that would be absolutely perfect for his special move!
Decide roughly how long you are aiming for – check the competition rules for your Division – think about keeping it as short as possible — you will have a happier dog.
Listen carefully to the beginning – is there a long intro in the music that could be shortened or deleted?
Listen to the ending – does it tend to repeat itself a lot just before it finishes? Could it be shortened to just leave the very last part? Or is there a better place to end the music?
Is there a verse or a chorus that could be completely removed?
once you have opened your music in your editing program, it will display it in a visual format that will make it easier to choose where to cut. Look for places to do it cleanly
after you have finished your masterpiece, close your eyes and play it loudly (to simulate it being played on larger sound systems). Can you hear your cuts? Are there any pops or mis-matched sounds? Is the beat consistent?