Dressage to Music.

[blitznbobs]

Im currently sat in front of my laptop trying to work out my DTM (Nov and Elem) for this year... I can't remember how long (time) the tests are - does anyone know ? and is nov in a long or short arena these days...?

Also I'm really struggling to find music without lyrics I like... why oh why do judges prefer no lyrics (This is just a whinge or a matter for debate...)

Thanks in advance... and hot chocolate with marshmallows all round (calorie free of course)

Bxx

 

[ester]

I'm here for the hot chocolate.
I like lyrics, using nobody does it better, or handsome man really works without the lyrics.

Afaik everything is long arena these days as I was really cross when BRC also changed. I also have 4.5 mins in my head but don't trust me on either of those, I'm hoping the hot choc comes with squirty cream and sprinkles too?

 

[shortstuff99]

Note that novice DTM now has medium canter as a compulsory movement!

 

[Britestar]

All in 20 x 60m.

I've used lyrics for last 8 years and never had a problem. Usually complimented for my music choices.

 

[blitznbobs]

Note that novice DTM now has medium canter as a compulsory movement!

that's not an issue - we have a fab medium canter!

 

[oldie48]

Hi just in case someone doing prelim DTM I understand that venues can offer a small arena prelim DTM, I saw something on the BD forum quite recently.

 

[fabbydo]

I sometimes use lyrics as my entry music just to set the tone. E.g. "Fat bottom girls you make the rocking world go round" for my cob's Queen medley. Then after the first halt, I just use instrumental music. (We never do classical, it's just not us!)

 

[fabbydo]

Novice 4 to 5 mins, elementary 4.5 to 5 mins

 

[horsegirl11]

Does the time allowed start from when you enter at A or the first halt on the centre line?

TIA

 

[oldie48]

I guess it starts from the moment that you enter the arena at A as this is marked as part of the test. TBH as my timings are well within the time allowed I've never really thought about it.

 

[milliepops]

Tests are timed from the move off after the first halt until the final halt. You can have 20 seconds of introductory music. (Rule 71)

 

[shortstuff99]

I guess it starts from the moment that you enter the arena at A as this is marked as part of the test. TBH as my timings are well within the time allowed I've never really thought about it.

Music tests are only judged from your first halt. There are no marks for the entry. Which is a why a lot of riders have the first halt close to A .

 

[Leaping]

You are allowed 20seconds of music as intro (until your first halt) it can be less than that (or no intro - its not compulsory, but its a good way to check your music is working!)

Lyrics, no rules against using them but it can make fitting the music slightly more tricky as you need to blend one track to another (unless you use one track throughout) and stopping it at the right place for your floorplan is easier without lyrics. Particularly if you use a well known track, doing a transition and stopping that track part way through a verse will seem a bit odd. The other point is that the horse and rider should be the focus with the music enhancing the performance, sometimes strong lyrics can end up being the focus and detract from the horse and rider. Its also harder to adjust the tempo if you need to of the track when you have the lyrics.

So its not impossible but far trickier to get a really good music test when you are using lyrics, and so this will be reflected in the artistic marks. However there are some high scoring freestyles out there that do use lyrics (sometimes just a few lyrics to highlight movements, sometimes the entire song).

It is worth looking for orchestral or similar interpretations of songs you are considering as they tend to replace the vocals with an instrument so they sound better than the karaoke versions (where the vocals are simply removed) but are easier to blend/adjust/fit to the floorplan than the vocals version.