6 Tips for Nailing Your Singing Audition

Singing AuditionOne thing can turn a singer into a nervous wreck, no matter how seasoned or experienced: a singing audition. While you may have done enough auditions to understand the process, there’s still the fact that you’re singing in front of others for the sole purpose of being judged.
If they don’t find your voice to be what they need, it can feel like you’ve wasted all of your singing lessons. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prepare for these auditions. If you’re prepared, you have a much better chance of nailing it.

Connect with Other Singers

You can’t nail a singing audition if you don’t have one! The first tip for doing well at auditions is to find out when they’re being held. You can network with other singers and those in the music industry to learn more about auditions.
For example, a local community theater group or orchestra may have need of singers occasionally, so it can help to meet some people in those groups or connect with them on social media. Of course, you can always look for national competitions such as American Idol, too, if you’re not limited to opportunities in your area.
Knowing about as many auditions as possible also helps you narrow down the ones you want to do. Some auditions may be looking for singers who excel in certain styles or types of music. If you haven’t heard of many auditions, you may try out for anything, even roles that aren’t your specialty. For example, if you’re not an opera singer, auditioning for such a role isn’t likely to go well.

Pick the Right Music

Many singers are tempted to perform a complicated piece because they believe it shows their range of skills. However, they often pick pieces that are a little beyond what they’re capable of, and they end up performing poorly. A good voice teacher will tell you about this.
Instead, pick a piece you feel confident in, ideally something you’ve performed before, that you know you can perform really well. Of course, the piece does need to fit with what the audition is for. That’s why many professionals have a selection of pieces they use for auditions. They pick the one that fits the role they’re seeking the best.
While you may be tempted to sing something unique to show that you have scope or can perform multiple styles—don’t. The judges are looking for someone who can do really well at the roles they have available. They don’t care how many other types of songs or styles you can do—they’re looking for someone who is amazing at the particular style they need.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Of course, even if you are very familiar with a piece, you want to run through it a number of times before the audition. Look for trouble sections and work on them repetitively until you have them down.

The Whole Package

While you may not think your looks will impact how you’re judged, they will. You have to sound good and look good.
Most people go with an outfit that falls within the “business casual” category, but you do want to tailor what you wear to the audition. A community theater director likely isn’t going to expect you to wear anything overly fancy but auditioning for a formal choir may require you to dress up a bit more.

Relax

If possible, take the day before the audition to relax. Don’t spend it cramming in as much practice as you can, unless the audition was a surprise and you only have a few days to prepare. Otherwise, take the time to relax and lower your stress levels.

Wake Up Early

Finally, the day of the audition, be sure you wake up at least three hours before your audition. This gives your voice time to warm up. Use the steam in the shower to run warm up exercises since it will help loosen up your voice. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get to the audition location, too, especially if it’s somewhere you’ve never been before.

Everything Starts with Lessons

If you or someone in your family wants to learn how to sing, we can help. Our teachers will come right to your home for every lesson, plus we virtual music lessons, too. However, our online music lessons are being taught by local music teachers with live lessons tailored to your child! Contact us today to learn more.

6 Tips for Nailing Your Singing Audition

Leave a Reply