Flags In A Gym: A Colorguard Podcast
Nov 4, 2026 · 1 hr 23 min · 14 segments
Happy November everyone! Today's episode is all about creating and designing a winterguard soundtrack. I sat down with soundtrack designer, Matt Harris, to discuss strategies, dos-and-dont's, and our…
Maybe could you do this? But let's talk about the importance of having a good soundtrack.
Obviously, a good soundtrack is the backbone of a show's design.
Now, granted, you're not being judged on the soundtrack itself.
The judge is not going to be like, I don't like your music.
But a bad soundtrack can really hinder a production.
And you had mentioned that it's kind of like the script of a movie.
So in my opinion, choosing effective music for your program is just as important as writing effective choreography or having effective costume design.
All of those elements are production value that affect your GE and affect how your kids perform as well.
If you have really, really strong music, your kids are more than likely going to be stronger as a result.
Yeah.
And, you know, no shade to people.
We've seen those shows where it sounded like they recorded their soundtrack by a boombox next to another boombox and taped it onto a cassette tape and then took that cassette tape and somehow got it onto a CD, which then got into a digital file and they sent it to G.I.
I remember being at one local show years ago and they did Swan Lake and the audience wouldn't clap because the audio was so low.
Like the audio quality was so bad on the soundtrack.
It was like when you're watching a show in pure silence, you don't want to clap because you don't want to distract.
Or, you know, throw the members off.
But the music was so quiet.
You're like, if we clap, they're not gonna be able to hear their track.
It was just really awkward.
And it was really fuzzy.
Sounded like when you're underwater and you can hear music.
It was really strange.
Maybe could you do this? But let's talk about the importance of having a good soundtrack.
Obviously, a good soundtrack is the backbone of a show's design.
Now, granted, you're not being judged on the soundtrack itself.
The judge is not going to be like, I don't like your music.
But a bad soundtrack can really hinder a production.
And you had mentioned that it's kind of like the script of a movie.
So in my opinion, choosing effective music for your program is just as important as writing effective choreography or having effective costume design.
All of those elements are production value that affect your GE and affect how your kids perform as well.
If you have really, really strong music, your kids are more than likely going to be stronger as a result.
Yeah.
And, you know, no shade to people.
We've seen those shows where it sounded like they recorded their soundtrack by a boombox next to another boombox and taped it onto a cassette tape and then took that cassette tape and somehow got it onto a CD, which then got into a digital file and they sent it to G.I.
I remember being at one local show years ago and they did Swan Lake and the audience wouldn't clap because the audio was so low.
Like the audio quality was so bad on the soundtrack.
It was like when you're watching a show in pure silence, you don't want to clap because you don't want to distract.
Or, you know, throw the members off.
But the music was so quiet.
You're like, if we clap, they're not gonna be able to hear their track.
It was just really awkward.
And it was really fuzzy.
Sounded like when you're underwater and you can hear music.
It was really strange.
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