It's SPOOKY SEASON, but don't be afraid to sing publicly!

​We hope your school year is off to a singing start! Here at Finely Tuned Voice Lessons we have had many students auditioning for select choirs, musicals, and solos already! It’s always so exciting to help folks through the process of preparing for, auditioning, and nailing a singing performance of any kind. It’s what we do best ;) 
 
While the process is super exciting, one commonality we’ve noticed is an abundance of stage fright, audition anxiety, etc. Singing in front of people is always an adrenaline-producing event, so it’s no surprise that a singer may feel some jitters. Here are a few ways to prepare for and cope with those fears:
 

1. Focus on breathing! Breath is almost always the first thing to call it quits when we get nervous. This is terrible because breathing is the power source you need for singing! Try this exercise: breathe in for 4 SLOW beats (1-2-3-4) *hold your breath for 4 SLOW beats (1-2-3-4) and exhale for 4 SLOW beats (1-2-3-4). Repeat this exercise at least 3 times! You should feel more centered after this series. 
2. Trust the preparation. Sometimes I get nervous if I don’t feel quite so prepared for an audition. That’s the worst feeling! The best way to prevent that feeling is to make sure the singer *knows* the notes, words, rhythms, and acting interpretation. This is not to say a singer needs to plan every little nuance, but they should give themselves the preparation time to allow their artistry to shine through in the moment. Prepare as much as possible until the main focus is what the song truly singing about: who are you singing to and why does it matter?
3. Practice auditioning for a supportive audience. A first public run-through should not be the actual audition or performance; perform for some friendly faces first! I’ve performed for my family, friends, and even my dog to help prepare for a public performance. It really helps! 
4. Do a proper warm-up. If the voice/body is warmed up and ready to go the singer won’t have to stress about vocal concerns the day of the audition/performance. We have a great warm-up sequence featured here. Soprano/Alto voices use the purple shirts, Tenor/Bass voices in green and the blue shirt exercises are for Treble voices or kids (but you can sing them in whatever octave suits you). 

 
We hope these tips will allow the singer to trust themselves, their voice, and their artistry! Have fun auditioning, out there!