| There are four categories that the judges must | | | | the selected gaits. The link could be music of the same |
| consider when listening to and watching your freestyle. | | | | genre, like jazz or rock and roll, or the same instrument |
| They are: | | | | could be featured throughout the piece. |
| 1. Suitability | | | | The link could also be music from TV shows, or a |
| 2. Cohesiveness | | | | movie series. In any case, the connection of the music |
| 3. Editing | | | | should be obvious to more than just you. You may |
| 4. Phrasing and dynamics | | | | think that the connection is apparent, but ask a few |
| Let’s go over them one by one. | | | | friends if they “get it” before you finalize your |
| 1. Suitability- The actual definition in the USDF rulebook | | | | selection of music. |
| says, “The music matches and expresses the | | | | 3. Editing is defined as “Music that has a smooth |
| horse and the gaits.” | | | | flow; there are no abrasive cuts, transition or |
| What does this mean? “Matching the gaits” | | | | fades.” If you can hear a cut or clip in a piece of |
| means that the music tempo or beats per minute | | | | music, it’s not a good edit. |
| (BPM) is the same as your horse’s down beat in | | | | Remember that music has phrases. You should never |
| the foot fall pattern of the walk, trot, and canter. (For | | | | cut or edit a piece of music in the middle of a phrase. It |
| the upper levels, it must also match piaffe and | | | | would be like leaving off the end of a sentence. |
| passage.) | | | | You’d leave the judges hanging. |
| The downbeat of the measure (the one you tap your | | | | Imperceptible edits are seamless. Elements that play |
| toe to) should match the down beat of your | | | | an important role in a good edit are pitch, key, and |
| horse’s gait. For example, in the canter the main | | | | where the beats are in the measure. |
| down beat of the right lead would be the third beat, | | | | 4. Phrasing and dynamics-Phrasing is defined as |
| when the right front hits the ground. If the judge can | | | | “The way sequences of notes are grouped |
| tap his toe to the music and it matches when the right | | | | together to form units of melody; the expression of |
| front foot is hitting the ground in the right lead, then the | | | | musical sentences.” |
| tempo matches your horse’s gait. | | | | This means that a line of notes or measures are |
| Matching your horse’s “expression” can be a | | | | grouped together with a clear beginning and end, like a |
| bit more subjective although it’s very obvious when | | | | sentence. You should almost feel like taking a breath |
| it does NOT match. If you’re riding a big springy | | | | at the end of a musical phrase much like you would at |
| warmblood, then cute circus music is not appropriate. | | | | the end of a sentence. |
| On the flip side, a smaller, more average mover would | | | | Dynamics are the variations of the intensity of sound |
| look even more average if he had a large piece of | | | | such as the changes in volume and intensity that |
| music. Large music may draw wrong expectations | | | | would help define a change in a movement. For |
| from the judges because of the depth of the music. | | | | example, going from working trot to a lengthening, or a |
| Bigger music is not always better. | | | | collected trot to half pass would be more enhanced |
| 2. Cohesiveness is defined in the rulebook as, | | | | with a clear, dynamic musical change. |
| “Music that is linked by genre, theme or | | | | The judges don’t want to guess when your |
| orchestration.” This means that the judges should | | | | lengthening was supposed to start. They want to hear |
| easily be able to hear the connection between the | | | | a clear change in the music, volume, or intensity. |
| pieces of music. | | | | Hope this helps get you on the same “page” as |
| The music should sound as if it were one piece for all | | | | the judges! |