Burning CDs? | Golden Skate

Burning CDs?

skatingintexas

Spectator
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Hi! I have a compeition coming up and was going to burn extra CDs. I know you're supposed to use CD-R and that's what I have, but when I go to burn it ask how long of a gap before it starts playing. Is there a regulation on this? I read somewhere it had to be less than 2 seconds. What do you use/what is normal to use? Thanks! :)
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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Dec 29, 2013
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Hi! I have a compeition coming up and was going to burn extra CDs. I know you're supposed to use CD-R and that's what I have, but when I go to burn it ask how long of a gap before it starts playing. Is there a regulation on this? I read somewhere it had to be less than 2 seconds. What do you use/what is normal to use? Thanks! :)

I think the gap is for in between tracks. Like if you have a live dj mix or an album that is continuous you want to remove the gap so the music isn't broken up. I always choose no gap if I'm burning CD's. If you have a few blank CD's burn one and put it in a cd player other than your computer if possible and try it out. Always a good idea to have a few copies.

Good Luck at the competition!!:cheer:
 
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loopy

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
I would do no more than 2 seconds. I always thought it was when the music starts that the time starts, not when the cd starts.

We use cd's - we have had comps that asked for music to ebe uploaded and something goes wrong and your music doesn't show up so they asked for cd's. We always bring two - one for check in and one for the coach.

We also have practice cd's. There is rink music but there are times when it is down and they bring out a cd player. You can use an mp3 etc, but who is going to leave their on the boards? It's just easier to have a cd.
 

skatingintexas

Spectator
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Thanks so much for the responses! I put 1 sec, but it does say between songs, so it probably doesn't matter! Thanks! :)
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
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Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
Make sure you test it, if at all possible, before the competition - and make sure you test both discs. I was nearly caught out a competition once where I had been using one disc for practice, burned a backup - but the discs were the same colour in the same colour case, and I hadn't marked which disc I had been practicing with. On the day, I had handed in the new disc by accident - and it didn't work. I had to get someone to scramble through my skate bag to find the other disc.

After that day, I always made sure to mark which disc I had been practicing with, and that's the one I had in at the desk.
 

concorde

Medalist
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
People still do this?

Pardon my ignorance but how else would you do it? At least in my area, that is the "standard" practice at both competitions and test sessions. We have yet to skate a competition/test session that evens give us an option for anything different. I have seen skates use MP3 players for practice but not for competitions.
 

concorde

Medalist
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Today my daughter participated in a test session. One of the lower level skaters (pre-pre) had his music on his phone. The parent had to turn over their phone until the child was done skating.

I would not be willing to do that. When we sign in at a competition, we have to turn in our music then. I cannot imagine turning over my phone and then waiting for a couple of hours until after my daughter to skates to get it back.
 

sabinfire

Doing the needful
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Pardon my ignorance but how else would you do it? At least in my area, that is the "standard" practice at both competitions and test sessions. We have yet to skate a competition/test session that evens give us an option for anything different. I have seen skates use MP3 players for practice but not for competitions.

Bad joke. I have not burned a CD in years and have at least 10 MP3 devices laying around, so I couldn't imagine switching back to discs. Also, CDs are more prone to skipping than good digital MP3s. But yes, a CD-R disc is always cheaper and more disposable than an MP3 player.
 

skatingintexas

Spectator
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
Make sure you test it, if at all possible, before the competition - and make sure you test both discs. I was nearly caught out a competition once where I had been using one disc for practice, burned a backup - but the discs were the same colour in the same colour case, and I hadn't marked which disc I had been practicing with. On the day, I had handed in the new disc by accident - and it didn't work. I had to get someone to scramble through my skate bag to find the other disc.

After that day, I always made sure to mark which disc I had been practicing with, and that's the one I had in at the desk.

I will. Haven't had a chance yet, but I know that you have to and to do it on a different device than you burned it on.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Bad joke. I have not burned a CD in years and have at least 10 MP3 devices laying around, so I couldn't imagine switching back to discs. Also, CDs are more prone to skipping than good digital MP3s. But yes, a CD-R disc is always cheaper and more disposable than an MP3 player.

Competition announcements typically (99%) of the time say CD
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Competition announcements typically (99%) of the time say CD

:agree:

For example, Mrs. P. had quoted the 2015 Four Continents language in an old post in the Stupid Questions thread (and posted a 2015 Nats photo of Jason burning a CD):

In Jason Brown photo gallery for nationals, there's a photo of him burning a CD at the credential area: http://web.icenetwork.com/photos/108871878 (photo 6 of 13)

According to the 4CC event annnouncement (http://isuprod.blob.core.windows.net/media/165981/fc2015_announcement_final.pdf)

All Competitors shall furnish competition music of excellent quality on CD (Compact Disc) or in any other approved format.
In accordance with Rule 343, paragraph 1, all discs must show the Competition event, Competitors name, the Nation and the exact running time of the music - not skating time - including any starting signal, which shall be certified by the Competitor and by the coach, when submitted at the time of registration. Competitors must provide a back-up drive for each program.
The titles, composers and orchestras of the music to be used for the Short Program and Free Skating Program for Singles and Pairs, for the Short Dance and Free Dance Program for Ice Dance and for the Exhibition, must be listed for each Competitor on the official Competition Music Form.
If music information is not complete and disks not provided, accreditation will not be given.

The announcement does not specify what would be acceptable as "any other approved format."
(Over the years I have come across a few random references/photos to a row of smartphones lined up for a music official to play -- at some lower-level comps, I guess??)
 
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Alex D

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
In theory, skaters could use a file format for their music. FLAC, WAV comes in mind here, MP3 I wouldn't use for big sound systems and If I do then at least in 320kb. You can burn those on a CD as well, but you would need a device that can read these formats. If you see skaters then they usually have their program music on the headphones during warm up, so the file format is already in use by them.

Personally, if I would be in charge of music, then I would allow skaters to give me an USB stick with their music on and this I then plug in to my mixer, sound device, player, Laptop etc. In my opinion this would finally get rid of the whole drama in regards of faulty CD´s, but I am not sure if the ISU is up for the 21st century yet :rolleye: That said, also USB sticks can break or cause trouble, maybe the ISU could release a standard USB brand that is given to all skaters prior to an event.

I also suggested a cloud server where they could upload their media to and the DJ will just grab it from there in advance. Sure more work for us, but less for the skaters and this is what matters most.

As a musician / sound engineer you can also convert file formats, so even if something is wrong with the format supplied by an athlete, you could fix it and this would take some strain from the athletes as well. I work with music a lot and maybe I am biased here and sorry for the off topic, but I thought it might be an interesting view, hearing from someone who is working with said media.

Good luck to skatingintexas for his / her competition.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
I also suggested a cloud server where they could upload their media to and the DJ will just grab it from there in advance. Sure more work for us, but less for the skaters and this is what matters most.

A competition I went to did something of this nature and the music problems were 10 times WORSE than standard CD-Rs. Typically a competition of about 500 will have issues with about 5 CDs. This was a competition of about 200 and there were at least 20 people's music messed up and they had to provide a CD anyway. Most rink CD players read MP3 formats these days so as long as you finalize your disk, typically there are no problems
 

concorde

Medalist
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
I just looked at the Philly Open (formerly Liberty Open) announcement and they do NOT want a CD. Rather they listed 3 formatting options (MP3 was one). They preferred that the music be submitted in the specified digital format at the time of registration.

The announcement continues to state that skaters should still bring their music in CD format to the competition.
 

skatingintexas

Spectator
Joined
Apr 17, 2015
I guess I'm old school with CDs. I think they would be easier then trying to put MP3s on, but what do I know? I guess it is just a matter of time before CDs are obsolete though.
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
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Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
It also depends on the rink's music system. Some rinks (like mine) have old, decrepit music systems that even some CDs are too advanced for. Trying to play MP3s on those kinds of setups can be difficult, and running a whole comp could be risky.
 

sabinfire

Doing the needful
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Nov 30, 2014
It also depends on the rink's music system. Some rinks (like mine) have old, decrepit music systems that even some CDs are too advanced for. Trying to play MP3s on those kinds of setups can be difficult, and running a whole comp could be risky.

Depends on the system of course, but as long as these older music systems have some kind of a 'input' (usually some form of TRS connector), shouldn't be too risky to pass an audio signal from an MP3-device through such a common input -- definitely more reliable than a CD-R, especially on these older systems which may have difficulty reading CD-Rs sometimes and may even lack electronic skip protection during hiccups.

That said, if a rink wants you to use CDs, you'd be using CDs of course.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
I just looked at the Philly Open (formerly Liberty Open) announcement and they do NOT want a CD. Rather they listed 3 formatting options (MP3 was one). They preferred that the music be submitted in the specified digital format at the time of registration.

The announcement continues to state that skaters should still bring their music in CD format to the competition.

Yes, there's is the newer version of the system we used a few years back that was AWFUL
 

vlaurend

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
It also depends on the rink's music system. Some rinks (like mine) have old, decrepit music systems that even some CDs are too advanced for. Trying to play MP3s on those kinds of setups can be difficult, and running a whole comp could be risky.

Yep! That's why I still record my music on CD-R's as Audio CD's and then test them on a CD player that's 15 years old. I figure if they play on that, they'll probably play anywhere. ;)
 
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