Tips and Hints for a Nervous Musical Auditioner?

Question

I'm 15 and trying out for my schools musical The Pajama Game. This is my first audition for anything and I'm super nervous. I've never had a vocal lesson, but I've been told that I have a good voice, and I'm hoping its good enough to get me into the chorus, at least. I sing Alto or Soprano.
Qs-
1. How do I support from my diaphragm, or how do I know I'm already doing this?
2.Any confidence-boosting ideas? I have low self-esteem and I need to keep myself optomistic for this.
3. Song ideas so far:

My New Philosophy(You're A Good Man Charlie Brown): A cute, quirky song but I'm afraid there's not enough singing for a one minute or 32 measure audition.

Take Me Or Leave Me(RENT): A huge risk I don't know if I should take. I can hit the pitches but I'll be nervous

Happily Ever After(Once Upon A Mattress): I love this sng, its a great range. but we did it last year(I was on tech crew)?

Any other song ideas?

Thanks so much!

Answer 1

1. To learn how to breath, pick up a copy of "High Catastrophe Living" by Dr. Jon Cabot-Zinn. It deals with panic and anxiety, but teaches you how to breath from the diaphram. Singing is about pushing air over the vocal chords, not squeezing the air through them. Essentially, when you take in a breath, if your shoulders rise, you are not using your diaphragm.

The music world is brutal. Remember, every audition is a learning experience. Watch what others around you are doing and remember, what works for one person does not work for all. I always would give myself a "pep talk" and convince myself I belonged. So often I would have a disaster in rehearsal, and after telling myself I was damn good, I would always soar in performance.

Song Ideas!

Pick something you know the words too. You are going to be nervous enough, so trying to remember words to an unfamiliar song only compounds the situation. Try to find something different from everyone else. I usually like to hear something up tempo as everyone does ballads. Be yourself. Walk into the audition room as if you have done it 1000 times before. Don't cower. Walk in head held high and if asked a question, take a moment to think about the answer before responding.

Before you audition, remember to relax the body. Shake out your hands. Bend at the waist and hang like a rag doll. You want your muscles to be relaxed. Your entire body is your instrument, not just the vocal chords.

Have fun, enjoy the process, learn, observe, listen and remember, if accepted you had a good day. If you are told another day, you have opportunity to really prepare for your next audition. Either way, you win!

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Relax a little. If it's your first audition then just enjoy the experience in and learn from it. If you really want to do this, there will be many more auditions - ultimately it's how you get the job.

I think it's best to choose a song that reflects the character you want to play .... but is not actually from the show.

Kudos for your tech crew gig last year -- stagehands always have work.

The key to acting is sustaining a character. If you've low self-esteem this might not even be an issue. Audition in character. Be 'hannah montana" in your mind or someone you know that you can pretend to be like. Keep in the role for the whole audition and you'll appear confident, grounded and full of power!

Break a leg!

Answer 3

Paul L's tips are very good, especially the ones for confidence-building. I have a few more.

Practice singing lying down on your back. You are forced to breathe from the diaphragm that way. Then stand up and try to re-create that feeling of diaphragm breathing.

Warm up your voice before you audition. Sing a few scales, and/or some simple song, for about 5-10 minutes before the audition. Don't belt it out, sing gently. (If the auditioning teacher is smart, he/she will warm up the group before you begin.)

Enunciate your words clearly. The best singing voice in the world won't compensate for mushy-sounding words. The lyrics are very important in musical theatre, because they advance the plot. Especially emphasize T, P, and D sounds, and the final consonant sounds of words.

"Sell" the song. Show your personality and the meaning of the lyrics through facial expression and perhaps a bit of movement. A little movement will help you relax, too.

Choose a song that suits your voice range and personality. If you're comfortable with the song, you'll feel less nervous.

Good luck - I hope you get it!

Answer 4

Everyone's got some great ideas so far. I've taught my students (ages 6-12) presentation skills for auditions that they seemed to like.
1. walk in confidently, head high, straight to the spot where you will be singing from.

2. State your name (if they don't already know). Eye contact is very important because it shows you have no fear.

3. Tell them the song you will be singing "I will be performing Bare Necessities from Disney's The Jungle Book." OR "I will sing for you Something's Coming from West Side Story."

4. Don't look at the piano to begin. Look at your feet, take some deep breaths, go over the opening lyrics in your head. THEN look up. Any good accompanist knows that's the cue to begin.

5. As you sing, show the emotions of the song in your face. Use your eyebrows, eyes, and body language to communicate too.

As for song choices, think about West Side Story, Les Miserable, Pippin, Guys and dolls, Bye Bye Birdie. They all have some great male vocal solos, both serious and comedic.

Break a leg!

Answer 5

I have been working behind the stage. Up in the lighting booth. I am the one responsible for the mood lighting you see on stage. And I see a lot of different talent. Most bad, some good and then there is the not quantifiable. Those that you want to see. They have rehearsed over and over and over. They are polished to a high shine. They are prepared the moment they step on stage. They may not be the prettiest, have the most pitch prefect voice, but their presentation is a huge part of their ability to perform and make an audience want them to stay on stage. I like the first episodes of Idol because they show the idiots that think they can sing when the only performing experience they have is in front of friends and family, people that won't tell them the truth. I like Simon, he is a straight shooter. He is usually right about a person potential to be a star. Check his record of how many people he wanted to pass on, that two wanted to send on. All winners have had in common, previous experience in front of an audience. Choir, opening for sports games in their community, in public events, other contest, on stage experience there is no substitute unless you are born fearless.
In this business, the next thing you need is, and I hate to say it, is luck. Luck in the entertainment business is probably 80 to 90 percent of getting the lucky break. I had a 50 – 50 chance of working in a Oscar winning movie. I had a choice of which shows to work on. The War with Kevin Costner or a show called Forest Gump? What the hell is a Forest Gump. Oh well.
On Idol, I see so many people that are in the waiting area, looking good, sounding good, and choke when they get before the judges. I have seen a lot of good talent across the stages I have done lighting for that just never have the chance to get before that one person that needs that performer at that moment.
I guess I don't have words of encourgement. But there are other areas of the stage that are easier to do. Lighting, sound, costume makeup, etc... I you like the stage consider that. You don't need to preform before anyone.
Good luck and keep clear spartancaver.

Answer 6

Before you can support your air you must support your diaphragm.Your belly isn't supposed to be loose when singing. Ever wonder why professional singers stomachs don't jolt out when they breathe in? You must harden your diaphragm. If you already know how to breathe properly this is what you have to do. Breathe in and fill your stomach up with air, hold it there then with your belly still filled with air harden it. Make it really tight. Now breathe out but don't relax your stomach.See how it fills. It's nice and firm. That's proper support. Keep it this way while your sing. After a while your diaphragm may become very tired at first and your stomach might suck back in eventually but just do it again and keep singing. Your voice should fell lighter. And you may even fell air gently passing through your throat that's how you know your doing it right. Don't ever harden your stomach without breathing in because if your stomach is hard and no air is in it, air cant go in and your voice will fell strained and you will sound scratchy.

Answer 7

I know that this isn't the best answer, but this is what I say.

1. Try to find someone who knows how to support with their diaphragm when they sing and have them teach you.

2. Try not to show that you're nervous because that shows fear to the directors and they won't cast you. (Try not to think about that.) Also, try to match your mood to the song you're singing, because that will show that you can act, too just don't over do it. Don't stop if you mess up, just keep going.

3. Pick the song that shows you're range the best. Also, depending on what part you try out for, pick a song similar to that characters mood. It'll help, trust me.

One more thing: HAVE FUN!!!

Answer 8

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