The cheer routine that hits on every count
Build a 2:30 hit mix with explosive clips, voice-over, rhythmic breaks and sound FX that fire up the crowd.
Quick overview
In cheerleading, the mix is as important as the routine itself. It carries the counts, marks the pyramids, signals the jumps and pumps up the squad. With MixClap, you build your hit mix online without going to a studio: clips of recent songs, voice-over recorded on a phone, electronic breaks and sound FX for transitions.
- Senior competition routine
- Junior routine
- Pom dance
- Cheer dance
- 1-minute hit mix
- 2:30 hit mix
- Game day routine
- Showcase demo
Cheer routines: lengths, counts and music rights
Routine length depends on the governing body and the division. US and Canadian events use different limits, and their music licensing rules are strict. For reference, the French university federation (FFSU-FFFA) uses a 2:15 to 2:30 window.
Key figures
- USA, UCA high school
- 2:30 total, with 1:30 of music at most
- USA, UCA Game Day
- 1:00 of music at most, 3:00 overall
- Canada, All Star
- 2:30 (Novice 1:30, Prep 2:00)
- Canada, Performance Cheer team
- 1:45 to 2:15
- France, FFSU-FFFA (Novice to Advanced)
- 2:15 to 2:30, soundtrack limited to the routine music
- Counting reference
- At 150 BPM an 8-count lasts 3.2 s: a 2:30 routine holds about 47 of them
Example: breakdown of a 2:30 routine
- 0:00
Opening
Voice-over with the team name and a first stunt: the entrance has to hit.
- 0:20
Tumbling
Heavy beat, few lyrics: the athletes are counting.
- 0:50
Stunts and pyramid
A sound effect (whoosh, impact) on each stunt hit helps the crowd react.
- 1:40
Jumps
Hard cut into a new track to lift the energy.
- 2:00
Dance and final pose
The most choreographed section, on a song people know, through to the last hit.
Common mistakes
Timing it wrong
At UCA, timing starts with the first movement, voice or note. Measure your mix the same way.
Cutting off the beat
A cut between counts shifts the whole choreography. Cut on the 1 of an 8-count.
Forgetting the rights
USA Cheer prohibits mash-ups and medleys without written permission from the rights holders, and UCA can disqualify unlicensed music. MixClap assembles your files but gives you no rights to the songs: check with the event producer.
Explicit lyrics
An explicit version can be penalised. Use the radio edit.
How to do it, step by step
- Step 1
Upload favorite clips
Add 4-8 short songs (chart, hip-hop, EDM). You can also upload a voice-over recorded on your phone.
- Step 2
Cut into 15-20s sections
Each section carries part of the routine: opening, jumps, stunts, pyramids, dance, ending.
- Step 3
Add the FX
Drop a sound effect (whoosh, siren) at every transition to mark the move between two sections.
- Step 4
Export and rehearse
Get the final mix, run a rehearsal, tweak if needed — MixClap keeps your project for re-editing.
Pro tips
Respect the structure
A classic routine flows opening → tumbling → stunts → pyramid → jumps → dance → ending. Time musical breaks on these sections.
Clean voice-over
Record the voice-over in a quiet room with the phone close to your mouth, at a level close to the music: listen to the join before exporting.
Short, punchy clips
10-20 seconds per song is enough. The listener never has time to get bored.
Avoid inappropriate lyrics
Competitions require clean lyrics (clean version). Verify before competition day.
Resources to go further
Frequently asked questions
Standard length for a cheer routine?
It depends on the governing body: at UCA (USA) it is 2:30 overall with 1:30 of music at most, Game Day allows 1:00 of music, Cheer Canada All Star teams get 2:30, and the French FFSU-FFFA uses 2:15 to 2:30. Always check your event rules.
Can I add my own voice-over?
Yes. Record it on your phone, upload the file and place it in the mix like any other track.
How many clips for a hit mix?
Between 6 and 12 short clips to keep a sustained pace over 2:30.
Does MixClap accept FX like whoosh or siren?
Yes. Upload your own FX as MP3 or WAV, or use MixClap's built-in sound effects.
Build your next cheer hit mix
Upload your clips, your FX, your voice-over, export in 320 kbps MP3. Ready for the mat.