It’s often amazing for singers to stroll down the memory lane and think about their lives’ important auditions. Many would agree that the right choice of song can infinitely increase or decrease the chances of an audition going as plan or off it.
Preparing and appearing for an audition can make you really nervous. And that’s fine, because you should be nervous. Carrie Underwood, a former American Idol singer and someone who is gorgeous and cute all mixed into one, who is currently an extremely successful country singer, says that only when you’re nervous can you bring out the best in you by trying harder.
More often than not, an audition can either break you or make you, and to be made, you need to showcase your plus points. Without the right guidance it’s impossible to crack an audition.
You always need an unbiased third person advice, excluding your loved ones. The most important part of auditioning is choosing the right song, which people rarely manage to do successfully. Follow this guide to know how to choose the right song for an audition.
Know Your Vocals
You may be a marvelous singer but not all singers know what they’re capable of. Sometimes, inability to hit a certain high note could de-motivate you into giving up too early. At other times, overdose of zeal to hit a particular note could coax you into overstressing your throat. To avoid doing the latter, find out what your vocal range is. This is simple if you have an instrument. You can even trust YouTube to know your range if you do not possess an instrument.
- Starting from the lowest note possible, sing all the notes one by one. After a point where you can’t sing anymore either with your throat or your voice, stop.
- Check the lowest and the highest notes that you were able to sing comfortably and consider them as your vocal range. Based on this, find out whether you’re a tenor, a bass, a soprano, an alto, or other.
This will help you select a song according to your comfort level.
What You Must Not Do
Every fantastic artist has at least one signature song. Michael Jackson’s signature songs are Thriller, Billie Jean and Beat It; Elvis Presley’s is Jailhouse Rock, Whitney Houston’s is I Will Always Love You, and likewise. The judges will be listening to you only to find mistakes; that’s their job. Singing signature songs can only reduce your chances of exploring, innovating, and expressing yourself with the song. Simon Cowell, from American Idol and now he does the X Factor, once remarked that he had only come across two people on the show who could pull off ‘I Will Always Love You’. Unless you are a master at singing a signature, do not attempt it.
Singers You should not Choose
There’s a list of singers whose songs you must not choose for an audition, because they are exceptionally technically sound in their singing. Some of these artists are Celine Dion, Sia, Ed Sheeran, and Adele. These masters hit the right notes with the precision of a surgeon; it’s just too risky to attempt their songs. They have their own styles and have been played so much that people find it hard to listen to them in a different way.
Know Your Genre
There is a reason why some artists sing only rock and some only country. You need to know which genre you are adept at and look to learn and master some of the classics of the genre. Auditioning is all about showing what’s best in you. Know your strengths and weaknesses and sing accordingly.
Choose the Right Lyrics
Another crucial part of choosing a song for your audition is getting one with the right lyrics. Ask yourself this, “Do you relate with the lyrics?” If you do, go ahead with the song, otherwise, don’t pick it. You might not feel the song when you sing, which will make the audience not feel it either. You need to sell the lyrics to your audience and for that, you must first believe in them yourself.
Search for Songs in Your Vocal Range
Now that you know the Dos and Don’ts of choosing a song, you can search for songs that fall in your vocal range. For example, if you’re a tenor, search for songs that are made for a tenor. For this, you can even look for artists who belong to your vocal range group and select the song based on this understanding.
You’re now all rested up to audition. Make it your best performance ever!
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