How do you put together a set?

[Dogmama]

When you sit down to put together a set, how do you do it? Here's my situation:

I'm working at the YMCA - talk about a diverse crowd! The day people are older & the evening people are younger. I've been using more show tunes & short perky things for the older crowd. For the evening folks, I use more challenging tunes like Kashmir for hills (I toasted some smart a$$ed kids who thought talking through their workout was a good idea :p:p:p.) I picked up some great ideas on the other thread listing songs - thanks!

Anyway, I've been trying to make them blend one "type" of song into another & move into different types of music - jazz into hard rock into country, or whatever. I also have to be mindful of naughty words since it's the YMCA & the day care is down the hall. Anyway, I'm getting bored with my "blended" sets. Is it so bad to put Charlie Daniels "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (GREAT sprint song!) with Cher's "Believe"?

I'm trying to stay very mindful of separating sprints vs climbs vs tempo because many of the students aren't experienced. It's really hard when I use blended sets because I have to match my cadence with the beat. Too many years of music lessons. My brain fries if my feet aren't spinning to the beat of the music. So, I end up trying to shoehorn a tempo-type song into a sprint or a hill or whatever.

So, how do you do it? Am I over-thinking this?

[tulip]

My best spinning teacher ALWAYS matched the music cadence to the cycling cadence. I really hate when spinning instructors don't do that and just have the music on as background.

iTunes is invaluable in putting together sets. I'm not an instructor, but I make my own sets for my trainer now that I no longer belong to the Y. I like to make sets that have a theme--something I learned from a very good instructor. So if your theme is spring, say, you search itunes for any song about spring or flowers or sunshine. That's just an example, of course.

I would just be aware of repeating your sets too often. If it's boring for you, it's most likely boring for the students, too.

Another thought--if you "dumb down" the workout to the lowest level participant, only that student will get anything from it, and you will lose participants. Make a good, solid, challenging workout and be sure to tell those who are new to go at a slower pace (and make sure they don't overdo it). That way, everyone benefits.

I miss my spin classes, but my favorite instructor has moved on and the others just weren't worth my time and money. Good instructors are hard to come by!

[Raindrop]

For about $57.00 you can download a program called Mixmeister which I've been using for at least the last five years to blend my music, remove questionable language and create loops. It doesn't take long to learn and it makes your class "seamless". I highly recommend it!

As far as music tastes go...I have a variety of people in my classes (I teach seven classes weekly) and the thing that has always worked for me is to use an eclectic mix of music. I'm always on the lookout for new stuff and when I hear anything that sounds remotely "spinnable" I track it down. Just don't rely on one genre of music per class. I'd want to stick a pencil in my ear if I was subjected to an hour of hip-hop, country or show tunes!;)

[Catrin]

My best spinning teacher ALWAYS matched the music cadence to the cycling cadence. I really hate when spinning instructors don't do that and just have the music on as background.

I must agree with this - when the music is just treated as background, it becomes irritating. My body wants to match the tempo of the song, but when what we are doing at the moment is counter the tempo of the music - it isn't fun. I am not an instructor, this is just from my experience.

Our best instructor actually carries a list of 25 sets that he has put together that go with 25 different play-lists on his iPod. It is obvious that he put a lot of work behind creating those, but it serves him well. Interestingly enough our two male instructors do this, our two female instructors pay no attention to the music - which is one of the reasons I no longer attend their classes.

This is just my experience, but when talking with other regular students in my spinning classes I've found that we all pretty much feel the same way about the importance of the music tempo matching our activity in spinning class.

[tangentgirl]

Funny, this just popped up on my fb feed today:

http://www.adventurecorps.com/indoorcycle/music.html

And, yes, match the music to the cadence!!

[azfiddle]

I don't know much about the music.. but hey, which YMCA are you at? I'd like to try an evening class sometime.

[Miranda]

I think most people like a mix of music, vs. one style. Also, the better you get to know the regulars in a particular time slot, you can start to taylor more music in to fit them. (watch for feedback in class)

I teach 5-6 Spinning classes a week between two gyms. Most of which is at a YMCA also.

There are some good music threads here on TE. Some in this section. Some in I *think* the non-cycling section. The advanced search function might find em. I know I picked up some great tunes from here.

Also, a couple other resources that might help you are:
Pedal-On... indoor cycling instructors web-site...
http://www.pedal-on.com/
They have some great threads on music.

This site I do not really use, but have it listed in my favs...
Inner-Cycling... indoor cycling...
http://www.innercycling.com/

Also, Spinning.com now has a forum...
http://community.spinning.com/

A free source of net radio that helps you find new tunes easily...
Pandora... you type in name of band you like, and it brings up others like it...
http://www.pandora.com/#/account/sign-in/

iTunes has the genius feature that helps to find similiar tunes/artists.

YouTube also will give you links to something else related. It takes time, but I find the coolest stuff this way. Also, you can preview the whole song this way before you buy it on iTunes if that is where your purchase (vs. the 30sec clip they give you).

MixMeister is a help, and a PITA at the same time. PedalOn has a whole section on this. IF you use iTunes, there is an issue between the special encryption iTunes uses, and what MM accepts. There is a way around this. Cumbersome PITA, but it exists.

Word to wise on making your whole playlist one seamless thread... which CAN be great... unless you need to stop, FF or RV to a section. If using an iPod directly into the stero... the iPod will think the seamless thread is ONE song...

Sorry... I'm lol to myself, that's uh "fun" to sort out in the middle of a full class. Personally never done it... just read about it. Decided to not go there. I do use MM to edit F words etc. Sounds choppy since I'm not a pro dj. But, makes the song playable at the Y.

On varying the playlist... yes, that is important imho. I have some peeps that religiously take my class for the tunes. Because I work really hard to keep it fresh. Yes, fresh as in the lastest stuff (you can watch the charts on iTunes also for this), BUT I also rotate my music continually (all songs played, not just chart toppers)... and have a system to keep track of that...

Some of my students literally take me back-to-back nights at my main gym. I never play the same songs. Lots of work on my part. But, it aids in them coming back, because class is new.

Matching beats to moves, absolutely. Sometimes you can get away with music people would not normally play for pleasure, because it matches the feel of what you are donig on the bike.

If you are a music person as you say... try your blends by ear with the instruments. I have some music background. If it doesn't make sense in one spot in the profile, like transition well, switch it to elsewhere... or chose something else in its' place.

Last... lol... on your songs switching generes...
ok, get this... one night I had our long hill song transtion from old school disco to hard-rock metal... steady and slow at the hill base... and heavy and hard at the end... PLUS, music matched it.;)

OK... hope that helps!
Miranda:)

[Dogmama]

Thanks for the websites & advice. I definitely transition music from one to another & mix in different genres. My morning classes are an older crowd, so they like the earlier rock tunes, show tunes, etc. I still mix in some contemporary songs, but nothing that approaches hip/hop or rap.

The evening classes are a gas. I have some younger kids that come in with their "dude walks" going, almost daring me to make them sweat. They get hip/hop, long climbs & fast sprints. Last week I had them whining for their mommies. It was great. They loved it.

I was trained in the Johnny G style, so it's pretty straight forward. No push ups or stretches on the bike. Decent warm ups & cool downs. At Ballys, on the other hand, they had a substitute who had us in a hard sprint right after the warm up. They really need me. :p

[TryingisDying]

I also teach at the YMCA and have to be a little careful about my music...I tend to know my members and what works with them. But I get what you are saying lol