Also see: Choreography Tips, how to fill out an 8-count sheet and BPM Metronome

1. How do I register? - Before you place an order, you must register first. Registration is a 2-step process. After completing the 1st step, you will receive an email with instructions for confirming your contact information. After confirming your information, you can log in and place your Routine Mix order.

2. How do I order? - After registering, log in and click the Menu icon at the top of the page. Choose Work Orders then click Create a new Work Order. You will be prompted for all necessary information. Make sure you provide all "required" information. Once submitted, you will receive an email confirmation. If you DO NOT receive an email confirmation, most likely some information was left off. If you need to communicate a "pre-choreographed" routine or "specific" sound effects, please choose one of the 8-count sheet options. You can either print out the 8-count sheets, fill them out by hand and fax them to us, or you can submit your 8-count requirements as part of your Routine Mix order.

3. How long does it take to receive my music? - We have an approximate 2 (two) week turnaround on all new orders. Your music should be ready in about 14 days from the date of your order. For example, if your order is placed on September 1st, it should be ready by September 15th. We cannot guarantee anything sooner than this required time frame. If we are ahead of schedule, we are happy to provide the music more quickly. However, this cannot be guaranteed. All revision requests require a 2 (two) week turnaround.

4. Can I check the status of my order? - After you place your online order, you will receive an email confirming our receipt of your order. Contained in the email are instructions for checking the status of your order. Simply log in, click Routine Orders, and check the Status column. You may check your order's status anytime after the order is placed.

5. How much is my routine music going to cost? - The costs have been listed and are as follows for routine music:

   Time (seconds)	Unlicensed Music	Licensed Music, (Covers)	Licensed Music, (Originals)
   < 75	$200	$300	$450
   75 - 120	$250	$375	$550
   120 - 150	$300	$425	$600
   150 - 180	$325	$475	$650

   More information is available about licensed and original music mixes.

   There is an additional $50 fee, which will be added to the pricing listed above, for following 8-count sheets which you provide. For any other time length requirements, please contact us for pricing. The prices listed above DO NOT include shipping.

6. When do I pay? - For licensed cheer mix orders a 50% deposit is required in order to secure licensing for the requested songs. A deposit is not necessary to place a non-licensed order. However, no music will be shipped until full payment has been received. Once your music is complete, you will receive an email with instructions for previewing your mix online. At that time, payment can be made and shipping can be arranged. We accept checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard and Discover.

7. Do I get to hear my music? - Yes. Once your mix is complete, you will receive an email notifying your mix is available for previewing online. When you receive the email, simply log into your account, click 'Routine Orders,' then click 'Preview' in the Action column.

8. Can I get a rush order? - Yes. For an additional $50, Monster Mix will provide a 3-5 day turnaround for rush orders. To receive quick turnaround, simply check the "Rush Order" box when creating a new work order or revising an existing mix.

9. What about revisions? - Costs for revisions are based on each request. Minimal changes will result in minimal additional costs. To save time and money, we ask that you have a good idea of what you are looking for before you place your order. Revision requests may be submitted by clicking the Review/Revise link in the Action column (after logging in and clicking Routine Orders). There is a 2 (two) week turnaround time on all revision requests. All orders must be paid in full BEFORE any revision request can be submitted. We are happy to correct any mistake on our part at no charge and with no delay. However, any change request which differs from the original order will require a revision submittal AFTER the order is paid for.

10. What if my routine has specifics or is pre-choreographed? - We can produce your mix according to your specifications on the 8-count sheets. Please be as specific as possible regarding song placement, sound effect placement, etc. There is an additional $50 fee (added to the pricing listed above) for orders that require 8-count sheets. Providing 8-count sheets does not affect turnaround time. If you choose to print and fax the 8-count sheets, please fill in all information legibly (DO NOT use pencil) and fax the completed sheets to us at 727-857-6039.

11. Can I get my music via email? - Yes. Your finished routine may be emailed as an MP3 file to the email address you provided on the order form. This will save you the shipping costs and allow you to receive your routine mix very quickly. Please note that no files will be emailed until we receive payment in full. Of course, your routine may also be shipped via ground mail, 2-day or overnight.

12. How do I know you have received my order? - You will receive an email confirming your order within minutes of submitting the on-line form. It will contain your order information and will let you know we have received your order. The confirmation email will also contain instructions for checking the status of your order. If you DO NOT receive this confirmation email, please check your order for any required fields that may be missing, and make sure you provided the correct email address. If everything looks ok, please contact us and let us know about the problem. Monster Mix Productions cannot be responsible for turnaround times on incomplete orders, or orders we have not received.

13. Why doesn't Monster Mix offer “One Free Revision” like some other mix companies do? - We do not believe in this policy for several reasons. First off, 'other companies' are NOT giving you a free revision. If you compare prices you will see that they are quite higher in price. You are paying for that revision whether you use it or not. We prefer to keep our prices lower which rewards customers who are prepared when they order and do not require changes “after” the work is complete.

    It also brings up the problem of having to define “one revision.” What the customer feels is a revision is usually different from what the re-mixer feels. It is a grey area and difficult to define. Monster Mix is up front about custom mix costs. Revision costs are based on the level of changes. If the changes are minimal, the costs are minimal. This is the most fair and upfront method for all parties involved. We will quote revision costs, once a customer makes us aware of desired changes from their original request. In most cases, revision costs are under $50.00 (this includes revisions such as replacing a song, adding time to a routine, moving the order of a few songs or adding additional sound effects).

    Finally, we feel that advertising a “free revision” promotes customers feeling that they do not have to be prepared when placing an order (as they feel they can always make a change later). The best mixes are the ones that are created from the original order. They flow well and make for the best routine performance. It is our finding that the more a person changes their mind and alternates music, the more it takes away from it. We “promote” the customer being totally prepared “before” placing an order with us. We recommend coaches, teams, choreographers, parents (and any parties involved in music decisions) meet and agree “before” contacting us.

    Our goal is to provide the best product at the best price for our clients and we feel we can best do this by separating costs for custom mixing and requested changes after a mix is completed.

14. What happens if I do not pay right away when my music is complete? - Orders which are not paid after completion will accrue a 2% service charge after a two week period from notification of completion. If, after 3 weeks, payment still is not received, the mix will be removed and the job may be turned over to a collections agency for collections. You will also be unable to request any future work until all balances have been satisfied and will be required to pre-pay for any future orders after that. Your team or organization will also be unable to order from us UNLESS a full pre-payment is made at the time of order.

    When you submit your order, you check an agreement that you agree to pay for the mix you have requested. You have also agreed that any changes made AFTER your order is submitted may result in turnaround delays and/or additional costs.

    We keep our costs down by minimizing collections and do not work with individuals or organizations that do not pay for work they have ordered.

Also see: how to fill out an 8-count sheet and BPM Metronome

1. Keep it in perspective

Your music is personal and important to you. You put much time and effort into your sport. Sometimes when you are so close to it, you lose any other perspective other than your own. This can cause mistakes when making choices. When it comes to music, you will always have a variety of tastes and opinions. Some things to consider are:

• Is this good performance music? (or is it just a song I like)

• Does it fit any theme we are using? (if you are using a theme)

• Is it age appropriate for our team?

• Does it provide choreography or rhythm concerns?

Remember, the judges, audience and athletes (if you are in charge of a team) do not care what type of music "you" like. You should pick music you like that will also be entertaining and effective. Here are some different perspectives to consider when looking at your music and routine:

• "You"- personal. You know what you like.

• "Music Mixer" - what makes for smooth transitions and excitement. Does the music fit the routine section (ie: if you are doing a tumble path or a dance section, music should fit for movement types)? Choose songs that make maintaining tempos consistent (ie: double-beat style songs can cause problems as they change the feel).

• "Judges" - music choices appropriate for performance. Energy. Consistency. Creativeness. Songs are pleasing. No profanity or inappropriateness. Matches skill level of individual or team. If you are doing a theme, do the songs, voice overs and effects fit so that it is portrayed strongly?

• "Audience" - Entertainment! Energy! The audience should not have to work to understand your theme or to get what you are trying to portray. They simply want to soak in your performance. If you do not capture them within the first few seconds, they will lose interest.

2. Themes

Many times we see people choose music that has no relationship to their routine. Sometimes people will choose a theme which is difficult to portray or limits song choices. It is both confusing and non-entertaining to the audience and judges. If you are going to use a theme, choose something which is easy to communicate. Something which does not overly limit your song choices. This is where people end up with songs that really do not match their movement section. Examples of strong themes would be "Girls/Women"; "Fame/Star", "Medleys" (ie: Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, etc.); "Hot/Fire". These themes have lots of songs and voice overs to choose from. They provide options for sound effects and choreography that can tie into your theme. A good way to test your theme is to try to put yourself in the perspective of the audience or judges(as mentioned above) and see if you would be able to understand. Ask the opinions of others to see if they would be able to easily understand.

3. Words

While it is motivating to choose songs with positive and meaningful lyrics, be careful to avoid getting caught in the "word" trap. This is where you are so concerned about the words in a section of a song that you forget to make sure the song meets good performance requirements.

4. Be Prepared

Make sure you are prepared when ordering a music mix. Revisions can cause delays and additional costs. If there are others who will have input (athletes, parents, other coaches), check with them before submitting your information. Communicate what you are looking for and what you like. Instead of just saying that you want "current" music, give some song samples or a song list. If you are not using mapped 8-count sheets for pre-choreographed routines, provide as much information as possible. For example, do you like lots of sound effects or a few? Do you have anything in mind for custom voice overs, etc.? The more information you provide, the less guess work and possible miscommunication.

The metronome can help you determine appropriate BPM. Average Cheer/Fitness mixes are at 140 BPM. Hip Hop dance mixes are usually at a lower BPM. All Star teams may choose faster BPMs.

When determining BPMs, remember "speed" creates excitement. You do not want to lag against opponents who are more upbeat, however, you also need to be able to complete movements without being rushed or sloppy. The age of performer(s) and skill level should be taken into consideration when choosing BPM. We can help determine appropriate BPM based on the information that you submit. Also, remember that BPM can be adjusted at any time. When first learning a routine, the tempo will feel faster so adjustments can be made at any time.

Click Play to hear the Metronome demo

Click/Tap a BPM tempo to listen:

• 115 BPM
• 120 BPM
• 125 BPM
• 130 BPM
• 135 BPM
• 140 BPM
• 145 BPM
• 150 BPM
• 155 BPM

Number of 8-counts based on time length

This chart is helpful when trying to determine how many 8-counts to fit into a certain time length.

**Please realize this chart is based on usable 8-counts which can be used without going over your time limit. You should include any voice over or opening in these counts. You also want to allow a few seconds for any ending explosion or other effect which may linger. This chart is to be used as a basic guideline only and timing may differ based on your routine specifics.