Pro. Musician

Auditioning for Talent Shows09.28.09

“Music is the fluid architecture of sound.”
–Roy Ellsworth Harris 1982.

Auditioning for Talent Shows - Why Study Singing?
Before I was a recording artist, I was a voice teacher and vocal coach for many years and even wrote a workbook for voice development. I have also been a judge for musical theatre, opera, and talent auditions. I am currently working with some young singers who have dreams of winning such talent competitions. With the right direction and attention to their work, they could very well make it.

I have been reflecting back on singers who audition for America’s Got Talent and tank their performance by not being completely prepared and/or by singing off-pitch and out of rhythm. Just because you sing in your house and love the song doesn’t mean you are prepared enough to take that onto a large stage for an audition. I don’t know about you, but I think the goal of auditioning is to win. Just like an Olympic Athlete, if you want to win and/or at the very least place, you need to bring your “A” game. With many singers who audition, they don’t know what their “A” game is. They don’t have any idea that just loving a song and singing it decently isn’t enough to win. That is what this article is about, the steps for preparing for a successful audition.

Get a Professional Opinion
Singing is like speaking only vowels are held out with added pitches. Because of this, anyone with normal hearing and speaking can “sing.” The beauty and clarity of the “singing” depends on the artistry and ability of the performer. If you are serious about making an audition count, try seeking out a vocal coach for an honest and professional opinion about your singing. In a pinch, you might be able to find some timely advice and hints from articles on YouTube (I am not advocating that in lieu of a professional or anything.) Not only can they provide information about your voice, but can also provide tips and tricks for making the most of your artistry and help you polish your singing voice and performance. Long-term or just a few sessions to get you through an audition– how much time you spend at a vocal coach is up to you. Any amount of time is better than none and can help take your ability up a notch and give you honest perspective of your voice.

Preparing Songs
Shows like America’s Got Talent only give you 90 seconds for the initial audition and some auditions are from MySpace and YouTube. In any case, you have to make those 90 seconds count. I have judged similar competitions before and there are some things you must do to be prepared.

1. Judges Want to See and Hear You. It drives judges crazy when singers audition with music that has another artist already singing on the recording. Get a karaoke version or sing acapella (without accompaniment) if you must, but do not sing along with another singer on the recording.
2. Edit to the Best 90. If you don’t know how to edit recordings, maybe the vocal coach , a friend, or free sound editing software) can help, but you need to narrow your audition music to the best section of the song that shows off your voice and showmanship. The judges do not want a singer who comes to an audition in which the majority of the 90 seconds is the instrumental introduction to or interlude within the song! (I suppose the exception would be if you were accompanying yourself on guitar or piano and this showed off your ability on your instrument.)
3. Choices. You should have at least three songs (edited to the best 90) completely prepared. You never know when a judge might ask you to try something different. You should always be prepared.
4. The Right Song. Just because Beyoncé can do it, doesn’t mean you should. Be sure your song selection reflects your ability to perform a song. If you aren’t sure, check with a vocal coach.
5. Practice Everywhere. Your audition will likely be on a large stage or large room. If you have not heard what your voice sounds like in such a room with sound equipment, you may need to get out and try similar venues. I highly recommend this as a means to getting used to your voice in these settings. Some community centers have large rooms and some with small stages to practice on. You can ask to practice on-stage at a local college, university, or after school at a public school. Some singers practice in a large sanctuary of a church or in a gymnasium. The idea is to find several large rooms and stages to practice on so you are used to hearing your own voice in such a place.
6. Practice Makes Progress. Perfection is not what you are after. What you want is to be able to sing that entire 90 seconds the best you can by heart without having to rely on lyric sheets or stumbling over lyrics. You should also include facial expressions and subtle movements. You must “sell” the performance.

Don’t Stand Still.
Please use facial expression and move a little. If you are serious about going all the way in a competition of this magnitude, you need to already be practicing moving and dancing when singing. The movement needs to be appropriate and timely to the song. If you do not know what that is, you will need to speak to your vocal or acting coach. As a general rule, ballads are to be sung with the eyes up looking towards the back of the theatre. The eyes need to be expressive, so visualizing what is taking place and meaning of the song is a good place to start.

What’s Your Story?
The judges may ask about you and you should have rehearsed or otherwise prepared information about yourself. Why should it be rehearsed? People get nervous and sometimes answer something they wish they could have answered better. So, I recommend having that “better” already prepared in advance. Be sure your story expresses your authentic self, interests, and passion for performing.

What Does it Mean to You?
Judges often ask what winning such a competition means to the performer. Because the auditioner is not prepared with an answer, we often hear “It means everything.” A blanket statement like, “everything” is lame. Answer the question with an intelligent and authentic answer. Example, “It means that what I envisioned for myself and my life is coming true.” “It means that my father can finally see how much those lessons really meant to me.” “It means that I really can sing just like my mom always believed I could. Thanks mom.”

Graciousness.
Regardless of your socio-economic background or upbringing, you must adopt a core understanding and use of “social niceties.” This means that the general public and judges will be watching and voting, and you need to appeal to them through utilizing manners. You do need to say “Thank You” and show respect and gratitude for their time and attention to your performance and listen if they have something to critique about your performance. Usually, if a judge bothers to critique aloud at all, it is because they see something in you. This is a compliment not a personal insult, so please be gracious by acknowledging it. “Thank you for that information. I will definitely try that.”

***
There is much more to stay on this subject and definitely more in detail. Maybe I will write a series on this topic. More about that later.

Tagged : america's got talent, american idol, auditioning, sing like a professional, talent shows, voice training