Freestyle question

[pluvinel]

[QUOTE=JenEM;8986187]
And I’m not buying piece of ridiculously outdated technology just to ride a freestyle. I’m sure I’ve got someone at work who can burn something to a CD for me, if I can’t personally.

I think that’s actually part of my issue with it–I actually work on the technical side of television production, including some professional editing, so this is something with which I am familiar, and everything is digital. Things come on drives, as files. There aren’t DVDs or video or whatnot anymore, unless it’s archival stuff. It’s just totally outdated from a professional standpoint. And to me, if I’m editing together music for a freestyle, it should be professional. I actually quite enjoy editing, and am looking forward to putting the music together :)[/QUOTE]

A lot of the venues/clubs that put on these shows are volunteer organizations with limited budgets.

They are not “professional” video/audio producers. They are definitely “outdated” and don’t have the “latest” technology, nor have the people that are knowlegeable about these technologies.

You can get an external CD drive for ~$30 at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-External-CD-Drives/zgbs/electronics/1292121011

[Magicboy]

I designed a pas de deux, found the music, paid $300 for a tech at the local radio station to create the music…using a video of the pair and fairly close timing of the music(ex. 1 min 20 seconds of song #2). Got a finished product on CDs after a lot of work. First show went well, second show the AV public address system broke down and we started and stopped three times! Finally, the judge told us just to ride the pattern and he’d give us some feedback. It was very discouraging to say the least.
I think you just have to be prepared for many different circumstances.

[MysticOakRanch]

DR 129 (6) b. Sound checks must be provided to riders in Freestyle classes for no fee, either on the day prior to competition or prior to their scheduled class. The requirements and timetable for scheduling sound checks must be published in the prize list.

I know that not all show managers really pay attention to this, but it is in the rule book. It has been years since I did a freestyle, but the year I showed at Championships (Region 7), they allowed all the freestyle riders to ride through their freestyle on Thursday night - that was the sound check opportunity. It was unjudged, and they did charge us a fee for it (I don’t remember what the fee was, but nothing major). At smaller shows, they often tell the competitors the sound check is before the show starts OR at lunch time. So that doesn’t always work, especially if you are just hauling in to do your ride, then leaving.

Everyone should know this rule - point it out (nicely) to show management if neccessary. And yes, MP3 has never been accepted because it doesn’t always work, especially with some of the older equipment that many show facilities have.

Silverbridge - I have seen others with these issues too, music not playing, or stopping in the middle of the ride. And sound systems that run the entire gamut from boombox, to SO crazy loud they knock you on your butt! I don’t know what the answer is. As Pluvinel points out, many groups putting on shows are doing it on a small budget - if they have to buy new equipment, they may just stop offering freestyle classes:cry:

[Silverbridge]

[QUOTE=MysticOakRanch;8986730]
… the year I showed at Championships (Region 7), they allowed all the freestyle riders to ride through their freestyle on Thursday night - that was the sound check opportunity. It was unjudged, and they did charge us a fee for it (I don’t remember what the fee was, but nothing major). [/QUOTE]

They still do, or at any rate they did this year in Burbank. It was $35, with published scheduled ride times, held on Wednesday afternoon.

Not too many of the riders took advantage of it. But it was a wonderful opportunity to ride through the entire thing in the stadium setting, and to really show the horse the venue before being judged. I loved getting to do that.

One downside was that it meant the FEI riders who would be showing in the dome were booted out of there for almost all of Wednesday afternoon, which bit into their warmup plans. I know some of them complained.

It’s easy to see how hard it is for show managers to please everybody, but for such a big show it really was nice for the Freestyle people to get a chance to pre-ride. And well worth the $35.

[SerenaGinger]

I’ve always used a .WAV file format and not had problems throughout many years at different venues, even where I’ve seen other riders have issues with professional CDs. Fortunately I haven’t experienced a sound system just not working regardless of format, that would stink! I’ve had my music played from sophisticated sound equipment where they downloaded my music into their own iTunes program, to played from an SUV with all the doors open.

Yes, I’ve used this same format for over ten years, but sometimes the equipment used at shows is that old too! I always bring my iPod with a folder with just my freestyle song on it (in case they need to use it and forget to hit “stop,” the next song won’t start up), an email with the file so I could forward it quickly, and an extra CD, but I’ve not needed any of them.

If you find someone to burn a CD for you, your best bet will be a .WAV file. If you enjoy sound editing and you’re a bit of a perfectionist (like most dressage riders!), you may find yourself tweaking your music more after each show. This is where owning an archaic CD burner dinosaur would come in handy.

I hope you can look past the outdated-ness and have fun!

PS - The British announcer mentioned is probably Nicho Meredith. He has a great sense of humor!

[Magicboy]

I tried out a freestyle at a small but very nice show and found myself at 2nd level competing against 4 FEI levrl freestyles, all pros. I didn’t realize that we’d all be in the same class (I’m an AA). That didn’t make me happy. At all, even tho we came in 3rd. The higher level freestyles are SO much more interesting, more tech difficulty, etc

[Erzsi]

Can someone clarify exactly how a serpentine is defined? Is it 2 (or more) successive opposite changes of bend linked by a curving partial circle arc? (Of diameter 15m or greater for Training)?

Just for example, could a 20m figure 8 be used for a serpentine - 2 opposite changes of bend linked by a circle?

Thanks!

[joiedevie99]

Erzsi - The definition is in DR110. A figure of eight isn’t considered a serpentine.