By now, many of us have had a particular glimpse into the world of "vocal auditions" while watching the early weeks of any American Idol season. Vocal auditions are opportunities for singers to present their talents before judges, producers, or casters of various kinds of musical productions. Since long before "Idol", that immensely popular, televised "singing competition", vocal auditions have helped launch, end, or at least shape many a potential singing career.
If you are contemplating singing professionally -- or if you just wish to carry a role in a local musical production, or participate in a band or choral group - vocal auditions will be part of your life. Perhaps the following tips may help you prepare for them:
1. KNOW YOUR MATERIAL, COLD! - Make sure you know, backwards and forwards, the song or other musical material that you are about to present to the judges. This means, have it memorized to the point where you could be shaken awake at 3am and perform it flawlessly! If you blow the lyrics during an audition, you may well appear not to have the capacity to sing from memory - a deadly deficiency. (Now, there are techniques for memorizing material quickly and cleanly, but that discussion is best held for another time. For now, ask for assistance from a helpful vocal coach or friendly fellow pro.) If you are asked to prepare multiple songs from which the judges will choose, absolutely know the songs, each and all. Don't gamble on which song(s) you expect the judges to choose; they can and will surprise you!
2. DRESS PROPERLY - One consideration is regarding the question, do you dress generically, or do you wear something that is suggestive of the part for which you are auditioning? See if the management of the audition can give you any info on this, or perhaps ask someone who has auditioned there before. One somewhat cumbersome option is to bring a couple of different outfits early to the audition venue and check out the trend of "the competition's" choices.
The main point here is to wear SOMEthing! Musicians, being audio-oriented, sometimes forget that they are also being observed visually. Don't wear your same ol' couch-potato jeans and top. Make your attire interesting and attractive, but not distracting. Avoid white under bright lights or on video. Depending upon the nature of the audition, be specific about how revealing your clothing is. Let your voice be the main attraction at a vocal audition!
3. BE READY TO SING -- When you walk through the door of the audition space, be totally prepared to perform. All the vocal warm-ups, throat-clearing, water-sipping, zipper-checking and nose-blowing - not to mention a calm, mentally-organized, musical preparation -- should have already taken place earlier, in the "green room", or waiting area. If you have your own accompanist in tow, make sure he or she is also in high gear -- sheet-music at the ready -- and not trailing behind. The judges may have already seen a long line of singers prior to you; make your entrance quick, clean, no muss/no fuss.
4. MAKE THE FIRST IMPRESSION A POSITIVE ONE. - Stand straight as you walk in, hold your head up and look toward the judges after a few steps into the room (or onto the stage) -- the floor will stay under your feet; no need to stare down at it! If the judges are sitting in the darkness of a theater, look in their direction, as if you can see them. Don't squint - okay, the lights are bright; welcome to the heat of your profession! Offer a courteous smile. If the judges say hello, greet them professionally in return. Don't try to counteract your nervousness with a nonchalant air, laughter, or some sort of off-hand, irrelevant comment. They may think, by such an action, that you need to give yourself a tension-breaker; such a need can make you look weak. Contain yourself in the pressure of the situation, and apply that internal "creative pressure" to your knock-out performance!
5. COMMAND THE STAGE. If the audition is "formal", and there is a grand piano behind you, you will probably stand in the "crook" of it (the curve in the middle of its front side). Stand a step or two in front of the piano; you don't need it for physical support. Hold your own space on stage. If the judges seem far away, take another half-step "downstage" (toward the audience). If there is an "X", or a line, marking the spot on which you are to stand, stand on it. This is probably marking a specific position for the benefit of cameras or the lighting that is set there.
If you need to announce your name, do so loudly, slowly enough and clearly. If the judges read your name off of a list and mispronounce it, feel free to say it correctly for them -- they need to know it -- but keep it light. If you need to announce your song selection, do so - again, loudly, slowly enough, and clearly.
If you play an instrument, or accompany yourself, have it tuned up before you walk into the audition. If you need to touch up the tuning once you are in the audition room, do so quickly. Get the tuning done "the first time"; don't keep twanging at it, etc., or the judges may wonder if you have a "tuned ear". If "you" are a band, make the set-up and tuning ultra-quick and tidy, when in front of the judges. Don't hit licks of the song before you start it for real (it should be rehearsed by now).
6. NOW, SING THAT SONG! - Take a moment to prepare the mood of the song, if necessary, but don't waste an extra moment; the judges are quite ready for you to get on with it! Prearrange with your accompanist, if you have one, how to begin the song - i.e. should she or he begin the accompaniment ASAP, or do you want them to hold until you nod to them (discreetly!), when you are ready to begin? Do you need a first pitch from the piano? (If so, have them play it utterly softly and soon!) Make all this quick and smooth.
Move freely, as is appropriate to carry or "sell" the message of the song. Don't be stiff, but don't add extraneous motion either, unless you are performing a vocal & dance number. Avoid stylistic clich?s -- unnecessary grimacing, stereotypical eyes-squeezed-shut, or lip-biting routines, unless "selling" the song specifically calls for it. Also avoid holding your hand to one ear, like a recording artist in a studio. In fact, the perceived need to do this, in order to hear yourself properly, may well indicate some problems with your vocal technique.
7. SUFFER NO DISTRACTIONS - If the judges call to you to stop singing in the middle of the song, do so, and don't read anything into it; they may be sold on you already and don't need to hear any more. Otherwise, it is all ahead full to the end! Give it your best shot!
Don't be distracted by any of the judges' actions. They may be staring at you and scowling, seemingly trying to vibe you out. You can look just over their heads, if it helps your concentration. They may be talking, laughing, or joking among themselves - looking down at their laps or around the room, writing notes, or asking someone to fetch coffee. Don't let anything they do throw you. Judges can be hard to read so don't try to interpret their actions while you are singing. Who knows what elements they are working with during a long audition day? Chances are good that their actions are not about you, so don't take it personally. They may be sitting in total darkness in the theatre, while you are almost blinded in stage light - no matter. Sing as though you can see them there. Your job is to deliver your best performance, come what may. So, do that!
8. RECEIVE THE JUDGES' FEEDBACK -- Cardinal rule: Receive their comments and suggestions courteously and graciously, even if they do not give them courteously or graciously! At present, this is their room, not yours. And they probably represent more experience and are, for the moment, more pivotal players in that "music scene du jour" than are you. Noble humility is called for here. No groveling, no begging, no arguing, no defiance, no yelling, and no tears. Remember, you may well be auditioning for these same judges again someday, soon. Leave a door open for your future, and don't nail it shut with unnecessary drama.
Receive their critique with a balanced view. The judges may not always be right, but chances are, they are giving you a good, educated guess as to how the audiences they know will receive you. Such input is valuable to you; you will want to treat it as such. If they begin to make suggestions to you as to how you can improve, don't talk, listen - and encourage them to say more, if they seem willing to do so. After you leave the audition, immediately write down the main points you remember from their comments. Develop an action plan for work to improve in the areas mentioned. Whether you just "passed the audition" successfully, got the gig, clinched the role -- or not-- you have probably been given a key to the next steps for your vocal work.
9. END OF THE LINE -- If, by chance, the judges tell you that singing just "does not seem to be the thing for you" (in other words, your voice is not "good enough" for a singing career), resist being defensive toward them. You can always get a second opinion, and you may want to visit a professional voice teacher in your local area, if you do not yet have one, and get another objective assessment of your singing.
10. ENJOY YOUR MUSICAL EXPERIENCE, at whatever level it successfully works for you!
Thank you to PenDell Pittman
Voice made easy
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