Singing Auditions and How to Prepare

How to become a singer

Many people have been singing their entire lives and would like to make it their career. How great would that be? We all dream of doing exactly what we are passionate about and if we get paid, it’s just so much better.

However, most young singers do not know where to start. They look at shows such as American Idol and get turned off by the sheer amount of competition not to mention the ridicule you may face for putting yourself out there. Luckily, that is reality TV and most singing auditions do not operate that way.

So where does a person start if they want to sing for a living? Well, the best place to start is in your school and community. Many professional singers started that way, actually, most did. They did not win American Idol, they joined their school’s or church choir and gained invaluable experience and feedback. They honed their skills on a friendly front then took a leap of faith to bigger and better gigs.

If you want to sing and think you will be rich within months, well you need to get a reality check because unless you are very well connected, that will not be the way it goes. Just like any other profession, you must pay your dues and learn along the way beforehand. Yes, there are some overnight success stories but those are far and few in between. Give yourself a reality check and understand that being discovered these days is not going to be easy. Actually, your odds may be better at winning the state lottery.

The path to success will be filled with lots of training, free performances and not much money to be made along the way.

Once you’ve realized that, set your path. Create a checklist of where you want to be and when. Keep it reasonable so you can meet your goals and celebrate for doing so. Create a set of goals for yourself and the career you want as a professional singer.

an example may be something like this…

• join a amateur choir in your community.
• take voice lessons and improve your skills.
• audition for professional choirs outside the community. Invite others to see you sing in your community gig.
• land a pro gig that pays and begin auditions for larger shows.
• land a singing gig in a larger show.
• more voice lessons
• Go for the larger shows. Audition, audition, audition.  Then land one.
• enjoy the larger show and larger salary.
• set your eyes on Broadway, audition, audition, audition and

land the Broadway gig, get paid to do what you love… sing. That is your end goal!

Sound like a plan?

OK. a few things to remember along the way.

Pick your audition songs very well.

Never do something branded (like a song made famous by someone). If you can put a singers name to a song, don’t do it! The last thing you want is to be compared to what “the thing should sound like”.

Never do a song that is overused or too popular.

Stay away from anything too regional, as in has a certain dialect, drawl or accent. You want to show your voice, not your voice sounding like something else. Never try to copy someone else’s style, it will cause a comparison.

At an audition, pick a song you know very well. Never try anything new because it will backfire somehow.

Get input from your vocal coaches about what is a good audition song for you and your vocal range.

Before the audition, tape yourself singing your song then listen to the taped version. Many times you will be surprised by how it sounds compared to your perception as you sing it. Make the proper adjustments.

Lastly, relax, the worst they can say is NO, which is the same place you were at beforehand. You walked in without the job and you can walk out without it as well. However, dazzle them, and you may get exactly what you want, the singing gig that pays the bills!