music ideas for a boy

[skatingmum2]

My 9 year old just passed his first tests so about to skate pre-pre. (Once he improves his field moves and his axel is more consistent he will move up to preliminary but so far his doubles are better than the axel).

He is wanting new music and I've been told to try and help him find some - always my worst nightmare.

His idea's - anything Harry Potter (although the more common ones are so overused by girls I'm not sure), anything instrumental Michael Jackson (the ones I have found to me seem a bit fast for him) or anything that is a clown and if not that - a tango. What he doesn't want - and I'm pleased about this - is anything from Mission Impossible,  James Bond or Pirates of the Carribean - I tend to agree these are really over-used in boys.

I've found one Charlie Chaplin piece that seems quite cute. His sister found a compilation from Oliver Twist (instrumental of course) combining "Oom Pah Pah" and "I'd to anything." He is not so sure of these. I guess there is nothing "grabbing" him apart from the most mature seeming pieces of music.

His sister is trying to reason with him to have more "little kids" music but in the interim any suggestions would be gratefully received.

He is a bit of a "showman" although not beautiful or graceful nor is he the smiliest child you ever met - current program is Adam's Family and he pulls the most alarming faces to try to be "dark and scary". Had a judge in stitches of laughter at his tests - she gave him a great mark despite him over-rotating his single loop. One of the coaches told me he is unusually artistic for a boy but I'm not so sure about that - the girls are all so much more graceful than he is.

I have decided that girls music is so much easier to find. I also don't want to make a fool out of him by selecting something too "girly".

[Skittl1321]

A boy in our arena has a great program to Muse's "Uprising".

We also have a coach who regularly uses less common music from Indiana Jones and Star Wars- music that takes a second for you to place it.  You may be able to do that with Harry Potter, using a theme that is less common.

[Sk8tmum]

Overused for Boys:

• Mission Impossible
  James Bond
  Harry Potter
  Pirates of the Caribbean
  Michael Jackson (plus, too many choreos who use it have the little boys doing hip pumps, which isn't really ... ummm ... for little boys)
  Star

Wars.

OverUsed Choreo:

• Hip Pumps (see above)
  Fake

Guns and Blowing Smoke Off of Fake Guns made out of Fingers (generally James Bond music)

Doesn't your coach pick music for the little guy? We get our music handed to us If not, then, stuff that worked well for my little guy back when he was little, and that went over well with judges:

• The Magnficent Seven (cowboy)
  Jazz - particularly upbeat big band
  Classical

- not light and airy but heavier and more intense.

With boys, though, the thing is to get them music that they're into.  What does he listen to on the radio? You can get instrumental versions of lots of modern stuff that is very "skateable" such as ColdPlay, basic rock'n roll etc.  Tango can be hard unless he can pull off the "tango attitude" on the ice ...  I'd also have him watch some 'guy' skaters on YouTube, and see if you can pick up something there that he likes (it's also likely to be skate-able).  Look back at old stuff like Robin Cousins, Kurt Browning, as well as more modern stuff by current skaters. 

Worst boy music ever: Them from Super Mario brothers. With full Super Mario costume.  Think Shorts And Suspenders.

[Clarice]

Try the Richard Rodgers score to "Victory at Sea" - it was a documentary about World War II, which had some very nice musical themes.

[Skittl1321]

Worst boy music ever: Them from Super Mario brothers. With full Super Mario costume.  Think Shorts And Suspenders.

Nobunari Oda used that music!  It was great.  Even better for a little boy.  (And I've never actually seen it used locally)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHLMYUpQ1vw


DH recently received a Zelda orchestra CD- some of that music I thought would be great for skating. 

[sarahspins]

Worst boy music ever: Them from Super Mario brothers. With full Super Mario costume.  Think Shorts And Suspenders.

This is actually my bronze test music

I'm skating to an orchestra version though.. and NOT in any kind of costume.  Personally I'd be shocked if anyone catches on to what it is, but the music makes me happy and it's a little silly/fun so that's why I chose it.

I think almost any music has the potential to be done well, or done poorly.. it really is up to the choreo and costuming to make things work well no matter what the choice of music is.

[Sk8tmum]

This is actually my bronze test music

I'm skating to an orchestra version though.. and NOT in any kind of costume.  Personally I'd be shocked if anyone catches on to what it is, but the music makes me happy and it's a little silly/fun so that's why I chose it.

I think almost any music has the potential to be done well, or done poorly.. it really is up to the choreo and costuming to make things work well no matter what the choice of music is.

It was the actual video game sound effects, the kid had taped it and mixed it, and then it was repeated over and over with the blips and bloops and that, and they dressed the kid in Marios outfit, including the hat, suspenders and shorts.  It sounded like an arcade!

[retired]

That rates up there with the Crazy Frog program I saw on a little boy. 

I don't like it when boys get themed but on the other hand, theming makes it easier for non-natural performing boys to have some expression.  Thus leading to fake gun smoke blowing.    But the guy who jumps will win.   

[skatingmum2]

He has quite eclectic tastes in music although heavy metal or rock usually has him doing fake electric guitar movements on the ice which is almost as bad as the Michael Jackson hip pumping moves. He expressed keenness on "street dance" music with "street dance" moves but  i have never found any without lyrics. He loves performing and does well on the rare occasion when they do choreography on ice - but he is definately not graceful.

And - oh dear -  he had also suggested star wars or Indiana Jones.

I do wish the coach would hand us something.

Another parent has given us something from Fiddler on the roof which we listen to this evening.

[Sk8tmum]

totally OTT (sorry).  Flight of the bumblebees. Bright Yellow spandex body suit, skin tight with trails of black all over it, each ending in an appliqued bee.  Whenever the "fluttery bit" hit, the kid would stop, crook his arms out to the side, and flap his hands up and down madly.

I think that one nearly finished my kid off ... he immediately had a long and serious conversation with his choreo on "things he would never do".

Then, there was the Nutcracker Suite.  Poor little boy was in a bright blue bodysuit, but, it was, unfortunately, too short in the body, meaning it was singularly uncomfortable to wear and to watch.  My husband was wincing through the entire routine; and so was the little boy.  The Nutcracker ...

Lord of the Dance or similar celtic music can work well for boys, if they're into Celtic?

[Sk8tmum]

He has quite eclectic tastes in music although heavy metal or rock usually has him doing fake electric guitar movements on the ice which is almost as bad as the Michael Jackson hip pumping moves. He expressed keenness on "street dance" music with "street dance" moves but  i have never found any without lyrics. He loves performing and does well on the rare occasion when they do choreography on ice - but he is definately not graceful.

And - oh dear -  he had also suggested star wars or Indiana Jones.

I do wish the coach would hand us something.

Another parent has given us something from Fiddler on the roof which we listen to this evening.

Sounds like my kid.  Google instrumental versions of his favorite music; karaoke can often solve it.  The Canadian pairs team, Duhamel and Radford, used Coldplay; it worked well.  You can also try to find an instrumental of Paralyzer,by Finger 11 which has a phenomenal beat to skate to.  We use it as stroking music, and all of these years later,  it's still the most popular among our uber-trendy skaters.

[aussieskater]

totally OTT (sorry).  Flight of the bumblebees. Bright Yellow spandex body suit, skin tight with trails of black all over it, each ending in an appliqued bee.  Whenever the "fluttery bit" hit, the kid would stop, crook his arms out to the side, and flap his hands up and down madly.

I think that one nearly finished my kid off ... he immediately had a long and serious conversation with his choreo on "things he would never do".

Then, there was the Nutcracker Suite.  Poor little boy was in a bright blue bodysuit, but, it was, unfortunately, too short in the body, meaning it was singularly uncomfortable to wear and to watch.  My husband was wincing through the entire routine; and so was the little boy.  The Nutcracker ...

Those are too funny!!!

[skatingmum2]

Ouch - re flight of the bumble bees. I know my daughter was once "lumiere" in  a theatre production of beauty and the beast and don't think anybody looks good in yellow spandex!

Will look at coldplay with him this weekend.

THey had improvisation at end of group class last night. He was such a drama queen the girls looked tame compared to him..... and in between the dramatics he managed a really nice double loop with quite weird arm movements.....and other really dramatic postures as well. Not a graceful kid but really funny. Feel like we have to save him from hmself sometimes. (He once perfomed at interval during hockey match to 5000+  people and then got teased at school because boys at school thought he looked "weird" after some rather dramatic bows and waves at the crowd. School did intervene at that stage).

[AgnesNitt]

There's a movie called "The Illusionist" some wonderful music in there that would do well for a boy.

Also, what about music from sports movies? Like the Bugs Bunny one, or a baseball movie or something.

[VAsk8r]

I've always thought Muse's Knights of Cydonia and United States of Eurasia would make good boy skating songs. It would probably be possible to edit Knights of Cydonia into an instrumental piece if necessary. Or there may be some versions out there without vocals. 

[PrettySk8Dress]

You might try instrumental anime music from a shonen  ( boys ) anime series. For example, instrumental music from " One Piece ", " Naruto ", " Getbackers ", or " Final Fantasy " anime episodes or series may work. Also, go to YouTube, and watch anime music videos for more ideas of how the music that is selected to create anime music videos can be used by a young male skater.

[skatingmum2]

Well after all that my son ended up with an argument over music choices with the coach (she wanted something cute and little boy-ish) so at present he is refusing to change his music. When he passes some more tests (goals to take tests include consistently clean landings on axel and better spirals and parallel spins - the latter two likely to be the biggest problem) she will let him choose more "grown up" music.

He very nearly threatened to quite skating - actually the sort of thread was something like "I am so angry that I think I will quite skating in July" but was happier after his current Adam's family program (music not his choice which he has had it nearly a year) was amended a bit. He tells me he has brackets and either rockers or counters (he gets them muddled and I have no clue what is what) in the step sequence - which made him marginally happier.

He really did like some of the recommendations though and we will be compiling some of these to give to the coach at some stage in the future.

Will be posting in different forum to ask about tips to improve spirals....

[Sk8tmum]

Well after all that my son ended up with an argument over music choices with the coach (she wanted something cute and little boy-ish) so at present he is refusing to change his music. When he passes some more tests (goals to take tests include consistently clean landings on axel and better spirals and parallel spins - the latter two likely to be the biggest problem) she will let him choose more "grown up" music.

He very nearly threatened to quite skating - actually the sort of thread was something like "I am so angry that I think I will quite skating in July" but was happier after his current Adam's family program (music not his choice which he has had it nearly a year) was amended a bit. He tells me he has brackets and either rockers or counters (he gets them muddled and I have no clue what is what) in the step sequence - which made him marginally happier.

He really did like some of the recommendations though and we will be compiling some of these to give to the coach at some stage in the future.

Will be posting in different forum to ask about tips to improve spirals....

You are living my life ... hang in there ... boys are different

[skatingmum2]

Glad he is not unique.... and yes - boys are different. Only - so few of them they do stand out a bit when they are less compliant than the girls they skate with.

[blue111moon]

Boys can get away with music that is more "unique";  I'm surprised that a lot of coaches don't take advantage of that, but I guess they think it's easier to play it safe.

Movie soundtracks are good, especially if it's a movie that the skater likes.  Pirate of the Carribean has been overused but that's because it was good!  The Matrix is popular as well (thanks to Brian Joubert) and one of the best Juvenile boys' program I've ever seen was to the soundtrack from an old Matthew Broderick movie "LadyHawke". 

I also remember a boy who skated a showcase program to the old '60s car song  "Beep Beep"  and I've seen a lot of boys use Michael Jackson medleys.

[FigureSpins]

I had a boy skate (in a show) to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and it was great!  He wore a baseball uniform and we pinned his cap on tightly.  He "ran" all the bases, doing pivots and spins, sliding into home,.  He ended with a falling-down imaginary fly-ball catch.

(Music sample: http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0000032LO/ref=pd_krex_listen_dp_img?ie=UTF8&refTagSuffix=dp_img )

I have one boy student now, but he's painfully shy, so he doesn't compete or do shows.