Working with music

Music can be used to enhance the session and help give it structure. When planning a session, you should think about the speed/tempo of the music and whether it is suitable for that particular phase of the session. The beat of the music can directly link to the intensity of the session. Different genres of music have a different number of beats per minute (bpm). The table below shows approximate bpm ranges for different genres:

Genre BPM range

Hip hop/R&B 60-110

House/dance 120-135

Garage

Drum and bass 120-135

160-190

The more bpm, the faster the music is. The beat influences the speed and rhythm of cycling, so you can use music that will encourage the class to keep to a set speed. For example, if you turn the pedals a full revolution for every beat of a 140bpm track, you will be pedalling at 140 revolutions per minute (rpm). You can use the same music for a slower section of the class, instead pedalling one full revolution for every two beats. Your cycling speed would therefore be 70rpm. It would be possible to pedal one full revolution for every four beats of the same track, slowing the cycling speed down to 35rpm. Music that is specially designed for exercise classes will always be labelled with its bpm. Think about the type of music that would be best suited for different parts of the session. A higher bpm count is advantageous for a sprint, whereas a lower bpm count may suit a long hill climb with high resistance. For short bursts, it is possible to completely leave the beat behind, for example during sprinting, where a participant’s speed will very much depend on their skill and fitness level, and need not be dictated by bpm. By using music of varying speeds, a range of possibilities will arise for controlling pedal rhythm and speed and altering the content and structure of the class.

Individual tracks vs continuous music

Individual tracks

The advantage of using a succession of individual tracks is that you can mix and match different musical styles in order to create different moods and workout intensities. This may, however, involve a fair amount of juggling with different music formats and machines, unless you have access to a pre-programmable system. Companies that produce music specifically for exercise (such as Pure Energy, Solid Sound and Multitrax, for example) offer studio cycling CDs that take this approach. Such CDs include a variety of tracks at different speeds. However, the drawback is that you are often stuck with a particular style of music that reflects the taste of the person who has put together the track listing.

Continuous music

It is possible to use continuous mixed music for long sections of a class, using fast and slow beats in the music, and leaving the beat entirely for short periods, for example in sprint bursts. The advantage of this is that you don’t need to constantly change tracks. Pure Energy, Solid Sound, Multitrax and others produce continuous music in a wide variety of styles. Since the late 1980s, commercial record companies have been producing a wide variety of mix CDs/ tapes, mainly using dance music. These can also be useful in an indoor cycling class, but be aware that they will not be consistently mixed and may contain sections where the beat drops out completely. Listen before you use these types of mix CDs/tapes so you’re prepared! Of course, it is possible to use a combination of the above approaches, using continuous music for some of the class and breaking it up with individual tracks to change the speed or mood.

Legalities of music

If you play recorded music in public, it’s a legal requirement that you are covered by a relevant licence. In the UK there are two music collecting societies who ensure royalties are paid to their members for their talent and work. Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) is a not-for-profit membership society that looks after the interests of song writers and composers and the Performing Rights Society (PRS) are a society of songwriters, composers and music publishers. In the past, businesses had to obtain separate licenses from PPL and PRS in order to legally play music in public. However, both organisations have now joined forces to create PPL PRS Ltd, a joint venture which combines the two organisations music licensing requirements. In February 2018 PPL PRS Ltd launched ‘TheMusicLicense’ which allows businesses such as hairdressers and fitness studios to play recorded music in public spaces. The fitness centre is responsible for obtaining TheMusicLicense and will need one before they can legally play music in any part of the establishment such as the bar, changing rooms, the gym and exercise to music classes. Obtaining TheMusicLicense is the sole responsibility of the fitness establishment and is worked out in accordance with the number of classes on the timetable. However, should an exercise to music instructor deliver classes on independent premises (church hall, school hall, offices etc.) then it will be the responsibility of the individual instructor to purchase TheMusicLicense. It’s important to

understand that a valid licence allows you to play any purchased music in its original format only. For example, if you have purchased a CD, then the tracks must be played via a CD player. TheMusicLicense does not permit you to burn CDs or transfer your music purchases into another format. For this, you will need to obtain a Pro-Dub licence. You can get more information regarding these licences at the following websites. It is essential that instructors stay up to date with the requirements. www.pplprs.co.uk www.prsformusic.com www.ppluk.com

Music subscription services

A group exercise instructor that uses music during classes can subscribe to a company that is legally licensed by PPL to supply specially mixed music of original artists. These companies offer CDs or downloads where the music is arranged to reflect the structure of an exercise class. Subscribing to a company still necessitates that the venue or the individual instructor holds a PPL licence. In some cases, the PPL licence is included within the company’s subscription fee. It should be noted that the music is licensed only to the subscribed member (be that corporate or individual) and cannot be copied or altered.

PPL licence free music

These are compilations that can be played without the user having to procure a specific PPL licence. The music generally contains cover versions of songs rather than tracks by the original artists. It’s still advisable to check with the music supplier as another type of licence may be required.