Things You'll Need:
- A voice
- A tape recorder or video camera
- Computer
- Internet access
- Brutal friends and family
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Step 1
I am not a singer, but I'm the mother of one, so I go through the trials and tribulations with her. Perhaps the hardest part for me is being honest without being "mean".
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Step 2
First, you need to know your venue. What are they looking for?
Singing your favorite gospel isn't going to get you too far when they're looking for a country & western singer. -
Step 3
Next, once you've determined what genre, you need to think of your voice. What songs showcase your voice?
Remember, you're singing a cappella (without music), so it's just you and your voice. -
Step 4
Watch out for a common pitfall. If you have a Tracy Chapman voice and you're trying to sing like Mariah Carey, well, unless you can adapt the song to fit your voice, you're going to sound like the "worst of" American Idol.
Just because you love the song doesn't mean you should sing it outside of the shower. -
Step 5
Use your computer as a tool. Pull up www.youtube.com and watch videos of the songs you're interested in singing. Once you've made some choices, watch the amateurs too, you'll see the mistakes they make.
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Step 6
Next, what piece of the song are you going to sing?
Yes, you need to know the entire song, but what snippet of it showcases your voice -- low, middle, high? -
Step 7
In an audition like American Idol where there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of singers, you need to go right for the money part of the song. You only have 30 seconds or less to impress the screeners. You need to sing the part of the song that gives the screeners a quick preview of your unique talent.
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Step 8
Before you actually go to the audition, you need to pick two or three good songs and practice, practice, practice. A tape recorder can help you refine the song. A video camera is better, then you can not only hear, but also see yourself.
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Step 9
What is your body language telling the screeners? Have you noticed that some singers have certain movements that go with their singing?
Using Mariah Carey as an example, note how she uses her fingers to "pluck butterflies" out of the air as she hits the high notes, one after another, going higher and higher? And her hand moves up as the notes move up? -
Step 10
Once you've worked and worked on your songs, know them inside and out, know the "money" part of the song, then you should gather your friends together and do a little preview show for them to review.
Don't just invite the nice friends, you want the ones that are about as tactful as a baseball bat. The ones that will tell you that the song sounds good, but you don't. Or that the song choice just isn't you. Or that you stand like the hunchback of Notre Dame, get those shoulders back. Or that it's all good but dang, do something with that hair and don't wear those jeans, they're too tight! -
Step 11
You're not looking for moral support, that's what your parents are for. You're looking to be a winner of an audition.
That means that you can not only sing the song, showcase that 30-second spot, but also LOOK the part. -
Step 12
I can't make the screeners see my talented child the way I do, and maybe I shouldn't want to.
We want her to win the part. And that means that she has to be the entire package -- song, dress, demeanor, makeup, hair, body language.
She has to speak to the crowd.
It's not easy. -
Step 13
This is just a brief overview to help you see some of the aspects of picking a winning song, and then successfully presenting it to the screeners/judges.
I've only used American Idol as an example, as nearly all of us are familiar with the show.
Good luck to you.
