Enhancing Your Skydive Experience with Music: From Jump to Edit

Close your eyes and envision this: you’re sitting on the edge of an open airplane door (woo!), you feel the warm breeze blasting past you and then … 3 … 2 … 1 … you’re in freefall! This is the most exciting time of your life!! And maybe you wonder, where’s the soundtrack to this epic moment? Why isn’t there music bumpin’ in the background … can the fluffy clouds turn into giant boom boxes, please!? 

This article dives into how music can enhance your skydiving memories. We’ll talk about the logistics of listening to music while jumping and give you a few editing tips – let’s go! 

Can You Listen to Music While Skydiving? 

Do skydivers listen to music during freefall and canopy flight? Nope. Listening to music while skydiving has a few implications: communication interference, a general risk of distraction and loss of auditory awareness, and an overall detraction from the culture of the sport! 

Communication interference. 

Can you have headphones in while skydiving? Sometimes (and we say this with emphasis), licensed skydivers listen to music in their headphones on the ride up to exit altitude, and pause their music before they’re at exit altitude. But, this creates a plethora of potential issues. Clear communication is paramount for ensuring safety in skydiving, and impeding that in any way is downright negligent. 

What about tandem students? Nope, tandem students can’t listen to music during any portion of the skydive. Why … they don’t even have to do much, right? Wrong! Your role as a tandem student is to listen to your instructor and do exactly as they say. Music would inhibit this clear communication from happening and could prevent you from absorbing necessary information for a successful and fun skydive. 

Wait, can you hear while skydiving?? Yes, you are able to talk with your instructor in the plane and while under the parachute.

Lack of awareness.

Let’s say the licensed jumper who likes to play music in the airplane lacks awareness of their music volume (planes are loud!) and wants to turn the volume down or off prior to exit, but they fumble their phone around and lose awareness of their surroundings. Now, the door is open, people are jumping out, and their phone is in their hand! They quickly shove it in their pocket and exit the aircraft. Did they see what altitude they left at? Did they do a final gear check? No one knows! Music can distract a jumper to the point of complacency. Split-second reactions and clear-headed decision-making are critical, and jeopardizing this in any way is a big no-no. That being said – we encourage you to crank up the tunes prior to your jump as much as your little heart desires!

Cultural drawback. 

Skydiving is about being fully present in the moment, and it’s a sport that thrives on connection – with others and ourselves. The world we live in is filled with constant noise, and many people take up skydiving to escape from it! When jumpers embrace the absence of music for the few minutes of a jump, they’re able to find mental clarity, a state of mindfulness, and a genuine appreciation for the fleeting moment. It would be such a shame if electronics also became commonplace in the sky – all of us head down, sucked into the scroll. It would usher in a total culture shift. Boooo! 

Here’s the other thing. Skydiving is awe-inspiring in itself and doesn’t need music to enhance the experience! Listening to music during a jump would actually take away from the many benefits skydiving boasts. 

Skydiving Music To Get Hyped For The Jump

Music has a remarkable ability to influence our moods. Meaning, whatever you’re feeling before a skydive – nervous, excited, apprehensive, jittery, hyped – you can use music to enhance (or ease) it! Skydiving (especially for the first time) is a special experience, and we want you to make it the absolute best. 

The music you choose to listen to before a jump is totally up to you – everyone is different! Some avid skydivers like fast-paced music to elevate their excitement for the day of jumping, while others prefer more mellow tunes to get their headspace in the right space. 

Our top tip for choosing pre-jump jams is to choose songs that really resonate with you on a visceral level. Whether you love them for the beat or the lyrics, choosing something that helps you tap into your inner courage and determination to JUST DO IT is the goal. 

Skydiving Video Editing Tips: Choosing The Right Music 

Can you choose the music for your skydive video? We actually leave the soundtrack up to you and take care of the tricky part: filming your phenomenal skydive, editing the video and grabbing pristine stills. It’s super easy to toss your favorite tunes over top and let the good times roll. 

Just like choosing the right music to get pumped up to, when mixing a song with a video, make sure to pick an energy you can get down with – something that encompasses the feeling of the jump! 

Our two top suggestions are to find your groove and match the beat. Are you going for a more chill too-cool-for-school … it’s not a big deal I just leapt from a freakin’ airplane mood? Or one that screams a THIS IS AMAZING!!! vibe? Either are great, and we see both all the time from experienced jumpers! 

This video has no music, while this one does. Both are captivating and inspiring, but the overall viewing experience is totally different.

Once you begin dubbing the song over, you’ll realize it can be quite difficult to match every beat drop with your every movement (and you want to post that video sooner rather than later), so just sync up a big moment, like the exit shot. We usually see the song climaxing until the airplane exit and the beat dropping right as the solo jumper or tandem pair leave the door! 

All of that being said, let’s not forget what it’s all about: the adrenaline-filled rush of freefall, breathtaking beauty, and the sheer joy of the jump! Videos keep the experience alive in your mind forever, and music is just the cherry on top. Come fly with us and have one of the best days of your life! Blue skies.