Here are some secrets on how I put together my Spinning journeys.

1. The most important thing – love the music. If you’re into the songs, your class will be into them too. However, if the song is not suited for Spinning, skip it, even if it’s your favorite.

2. Take requests. Listen to your class members when they suggest songs or albums. Many of my regular riders love The Cure, INXS, The Rolling Stones and Sting, so I try to include some of their songs in every ride. However, if someone suggests music that doesn’t move you, use those songs when you’re warming up or while people are setting their bikes.

3. Mix new songs with classics. Jet’s raucous “Are you Gonna Be My Girl” is much more palatable alongside Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” or “Mercy, Mercy Me.”  I always try to include classics in my rides so AARP card carriers don’t feel intimidated by the “young people’s music.” Conversely, I’ll add something fun and new, like INXS’s “Pretty Vegas,” for the younger riders.

4. Organize your music electronically, if possible. Burning a CD with iTunes has been incredibly easy for a technological neophyte like me. In my music library, I label my Spinning music into playlists like “Hills,”  “Intervals” and so on, which makes it easy to find the right music when I’m mixing.

5. Look for new songs. Don’t be afraid to break new ground. I found great “unknown” songs and artists on movie soundtracks and alternative radio stations. I would have never discovered The Afro-Celt Sound System, Amy Correia or Groove Armada if it weren’t for a local college radio station.

6. Bail out on bad songs or mixes. If a ride just doesn’t work, let it go; at least you tried. Take any passages that worked and incorporate them in a new ride.

7. Keep a notebook for inspiration. If you hear a song you like, write down the title, artist and what you see yourself doing in class with it, for example, “Lenny Kravitz, ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way,’ jumps.” If you don’t catch the title of the song or its artist, some websites, like www.songlyric.com, can help you name the song if you have some of the lyrics.

8. If your students like a song or artist you played in class, play more of that artist. For example, one of my regular riders, Selina, loves The Cure, so I try to include something by The Cure on every mix. Pretend to be a disc jockey and make dedications to individual students.

9. Don’t load up on one artist.  I knew a fabulous instructor who played only U2. I think even the biggest Bono fan would get bored with that.

10. Make longer rides and mix up what you play. I make my playlists longer than the standard 40 minutes so I’ll have three different endings or two different sprints to select from. Depending on who shows up to class, I’ll skip to songs my regulars like. For example, Debbie likes Prodigy’s “Breathe,” and when she takes my class I’ll be sure to include that song. By making my playlists longer, I’ve been able to “customize” journeys according to who is taking my class. It’s a little more complicated because you have to watch the clock, but it feels like a new ride every time.

Legal stuff: Make sure your club has licensing to play or broadcast music from publishing companies such as BMI or ASCAP. If your facility does not have the proper licensing to play music in public, get “remixes” like the DynaMix compilations or the Spinning CDs. If you don’t like the song order from the pre-mixed CDs, mix it up and make it your own.