| You would think that for a singing audition, the most | | | | can understand them. This means holding out the |
| important thing would be how well you sing. | | | | vowels on the long notes and crisply singing the |
| Unfortunately (and being a voice teacher, it pains me | | | | consonants at the ends of the syllables. Usually singers |
| greatly to say this), this is not the case. The quality of | | | | will pronounce words a little more purely while singing |
| your singing is only one aspect of what judges and | | | | than they might while talking. A voice teacher will help |
| audiences of pop music are looking for... and it's | | | | you work on this, as well as making the tone of your |
| probably not even one of the most important things. If | | | | voice more appropriate to the music you sing. (Usually |
| you want to blow away your competition at your | | | | more beautiful, unless you're singing metal.) |
| American Idol audition, or any other pop music audition | | | | Finally, a very important (and largely unteachable) part |
| or performance you are going to do, there are four | | | | of singing is learning and performing in style. This refers |
| major areas that you have to have down solid: | | | | to all of the subtle things singers add to the music to |
| 1. Appearance | | | | personalize and fit it into the genre: a scoop here, a |
| Like most things in life, your first impression on the | | | | slide there, waiting a split-second to come in here, |
| judges and your audience will be how you look. Before | | | | coming in a split-second early there, making your voice |
| you have opened your mouth to sing one note, they | | | | breathy here, making it louder there, adding extra notes |
| will have already have an opinion and expectation of | | | | here, singing the part up higher there, etc. Style can |
| what you will sound like and, unless you have a voice | | | | really only be learned by listening to other singers and |
| like Paul Potts or Susan Boyle, you will have a hard | | | | copying what they do. Once you have learned the |
| time changing their minds. (And even then, you will | | | | various things that can be done, then you can use |
| notice that neither of those singers are filling any | | | | some of stylistic elements that sound good in your |
| concert halls.) Audiences want to listen to singers that | | | | voice in your own songs to personalize them. This is |
| they like to look at, and judges will strongly consider | | | | especially important if you are singing a "cover" song |
| this in their decision. | | | | that other singers have sung before. You should |
| As part of your preparation for performing, you should | | | | always try to avoid singing an exact replica of another |
| find out how to make yourself look as attractive as | | | | singer's version of it, but work out your own version. |
| possible. This means finding clothes, makeup and hair | | | | 4. Interpretation |
| styles that are attractive and set you apart from the | | | | Finally, perhaps the most important aspect of |
| audience. You need to be the person that everyone's | | | | performing pop music (it's a toss-up with appearance) |
| eyes are drawn to in the room. When done right, your | | | | is interpretation. It is what connects you with your |
| appearance will bring a boost of confidence that will | | | | audience and draws them in wanting more. It is what |
| help keep you from getting too nervous. | | | | allows the audience to think that they are experiencing |
| Professional singers and actresses always have | | | | a rare intimate experience with you that makes them |
| special clothing and hair and makeup styles that they | | | | leave feeling like something important has happened |
| use for their performances. It is different from "day to | | | | between them and you. It is the difference between |
| day" makeup and clothing, so you will need to learn the | | | | seeing a piece of clothing on the hanger or being worn |
| difference and do it right. The best thing you can do is | | | | by a beautiful celebrity. |
| observe other singers of the same genre you are | | | | Interpreting a song is much more than merely singing it |
| singing and find a similar style that works for you. | | | | right. It is more like if you are dramatically telling all the |
| It is also usually a good idea to include elements in your | | | | details of a wonderful (or horrible) thing that happened |
| appearance that are unique and stand out. This may | | | | to you to your best friend. To properly interpret a song, |
| mean a unique hair color or style, a bold clothing color | | | | you must be able to express the words and music in a |
| or cut,a unique accessory... anything that makes you | | | | way that the audience feel like you are really |
| more memorable to the judges can be a good thing. | | | | experiencing the emotion portrayed in the song -- love, |
| Just make sure it could not possibly be offensive to | | | | hate, sadness, excitement, etc. -- before their very |
| them, or you can kiss your audition good-bye! | | | | eyes. To do this, you actually have to fool yourself on |
| 2. Stage Presence | | | | a level into thinking that you are experiencing what the |
| Stage presence is the intangible element that shows | | | | lyrics are talking about so that you can elicit that |
| the audience that you are a professional rather than | | | | emotion in yourself and it will show in your voice and |
| an amateur. Perhaps it would be easier to start off | | | | expressions. By doing this the audience feel like they |
| with what stage presence is not. Stage presence is | | | | have shared a special moment with you and will feel a |
| not nervously shifting your feet or moving your fingers. | | | | connection to you. |
| It is not apologizing to your audience for being there or | | | | The best way to work on your interpretation of a |
| looking down at your feet. However, stage presence | | | | song is to read the lyrics by themselves and try to |
| is also not how you normally act around your friends | | | | picture what story they are telling. Add your own |
| and family either. (If you acted that way around them, | | | | details that aren't mentioned in the lyrics: What |
| they would probably call you conceited and fake.) | | | | happened before? What happens after? Most |
| Stage presence is taking control of the stage and | | | | importantly, what emotions are you, as a participant in |
| being comfortable as the center of everybody's | | | | the story feeling during each phrase of the lyrics. If |
| attention. It is a larger-than-life show of confidence and | | | | your song is about a fun party, you might be feeling |
| enjoyment for the sake of those watching. It also | | | | excited and adventurous. To even more attract your |
| requires a larger expenditure of personal energy than | | | | audience, you might act flirty. If your song is about |
| normal day life that can be exhausting to those who | | | | unrequited love, than you will feel longing, frustration |
| aren't used to it. A performer may actually be nervous | | | | and infatuation. If your song is about a bitter break-up, |
| or not be enjoying themselves at the time, but the | | | | than you will feel anger and maybe some sadness for |
| audience will never know because he or she turns on | | | | variety. |
| their stage presence when they step in front of the | | | | While you do need to fool yourself into thinking you're |
| audience and puts on a show of confidence and | | | | in the story so your reactions will look genuine, don't go |
| enjoyment for them. | | | | overboard. Always stay in control. If you get choked |
| A good way to learn about and practice stage | | | | up you may not be able to sing at all. The important |
| presence is to take a drama class. Once again, you | | | | thing is that the emotion is communicated to your |
| should observe how other singers act on stage and | | | | audience. If you are sad but they can't tell, it is |
| try to copy their demeanor. Your voice teacher may | | | | worthless and you have failed. Every emotion, even if |
| also be able to help. | | | | you would normally keep it hidden inside, must be |
| 3. Singing | | | | allowed to flow out of your body and be directed right |
| Not until well after the audience and judges have seen | | | | at your audience. If you are at the party, you must flirt |
| the performer and seen how confident and happy | | | | at them. If you are in love, you must be in love with |
| they look will they finally hear their voice. By this time | | | | them. If you just broke up, you must be angry at them. |
| they have probably already decided whether they like | | | | This allows the full power of the emotion to land on |
| you and want to hear more, or whether they think you | | | | your audience and give them their money's worth. |
| are unprofessional and not worth their time. Many | | | | Now, most singers don't stare at individual members of |
| successful singers manage to get by with voices that | | | | the audience as they are doing this. That could be |
| are weak or not pretty, making up for it either by their | | | | very scary or disgusting, depending on the person. |
| appearance (think Britney Spears and Jessica | | | | Instead, they imagine the audience as a single, faceless |
| Simpson) or their stage presence or interpretation | | | | person above, behind, or in the middle of the crowd |
| (think Bono or Mik Jagger). However, competition in the | | | | and they direct everything there. |
| music industry is more tight than just about any other | | | | Getting Ready for the Audition |
| profession: if you are serious about pursuing a career | | | | Preparing yourself for the big day will take some time. |
| in it, you should do everything you can to sing as well | | | | Give yourself at least three months to choose your |
| as possible. | | | | songs and get them ready... and much more time if |
| The first and most obvious thing that has to be right | | | | any of these concepts are completely new to you. |
| about your voice is pitch. Nothing turns an audience off | | | | Remember that you will never perform as well in public |
| a singer faster than an out-of-tune note. (While again, a | | | | as your do in private, so practice up until everything is |
| handful of singers have gotten by with pitch | | | | down solid! |
| problems--such as Meatloaf and the lead singer of | | | | If you don't already have one, get a voice teacher so |
| Third Eye Blind--by liberal use of auto-tune, I would not | | | | you can start working on breath support, tone, register |
| count on a judge or record label taking you when they | | | | shifts and pronunciation. Most importantly, your voice |
| could take someone else who can sing in tune.) | | | | teacher can listen to you with experienced ears and |
| Out-of-tune singing comes from one of two problems | | | | let you know what works, what doesn't and how you |
| either you are tone-deaf (you cannot hear the | | | | can fix it. |
| difference) or your voice lacks training and experience | | | | Take every opportunity you can to gain experience |
| to hit the right notes. Both problems can be fixed by | | | | performing. It is only natural to be petrified up in front of |
| working with a voice teacher. (The first may take | | | | a panel of judges and who knows how many |
| some time but the second may only require a few | | | | audience members! But just like anything, the more you |
| weeks!) | | | | practice it, the easier it gets. More performing means |
| The second area of concern in the voice is called | | | | more opportunities to get your clothes, makeup and |
| projection. This means being able to sing loudly enough | | | | hair right. More opportunities to practice your stage |
| to be heard across a room, without resorting to | | | | presence and interpretation. Most importantly, you can |
| screaming. It requires proper breath support and | | | | practice coping with stage freight and practicing the |
| widening of the throat and mouth. Again, a voice | | | | techniques that keep it in check. As a reminder, those |
| teacher will help you with this. (With the advent of the | | | | things are: knowing that you look good, keeping a |
| microphone, it would seem that projection is not | | | | persona of confidence and enjoying the show (which |
| necessary when you could just turn up the volume. | | | | in turn, focuses your mind away from fearful thoughts), |
| However, projecting the voice not only makes it louder | | | | knowing how to make your voice do what it's |
| but gives it a different tone and smoothness than the | | | | supposed to every time, and focusing on the story of |
| normal voice that is usually preferred. No one wants to | | | | the song you are performing, rather than what you |
| hear a "mousy" singing voice, and even Karen | | | | think the audience might be thinking about you. |
| Carpenter got flak for singing too quietly.) | | | | Practice these things again and again and you will be |
| Two more considerations of a good voice are | | | | more ready than most of the other contestants. Best |
| pronunciation and tone. It is almost always important | | | | of luck in your future as a pop star! Break a leg! |
| that a singer sings the lyrics in a way that the audience | | | | |