A scenario: You are a singer. You have signed up for a performance. You take weekly voice lessons. You want to feel confident as you perform in a way that best represents where you currently are in your voice journey. Sound like you? Great!
We want to help you feel confident. Performing can be nerve-wrecking. We’ve been there. In truth, confidence is a learned skill. That’s why we have three tips for building confidence as you prepare for your moment of stage.
1. Speak through your text
Speak. Through. Your. Text. Phrase by phrase. Taking care to enunciate with intent.
A singer should be obsessed with their text. After all, it’s the medium through which singing happens. From the moment you receive your music–as an artist–your text should be your priority. Ask yourself questions. “What is this about?” “What am I conveying?” “What is the most important word in this phrase? What is leading up to this word?” Leave no stone unturned. Is your song/piece part of a larger work (musical, song cycle, opera?) Your voice teacher will no doubt ask you all these questions. Strive to be the most knowledgeable person in the room about your music.
Your text should be ingrained into your brain leading up to a performance. Nay, your soul. Speak your text slowly. Speak your text as if it were a poem. Speak your text out of rhythm. Speak your text with an emphasis on vowels. This will ensure you are committing it to muscle memory. As a performer, muscle memory is important. Given that adrenaline will be pumping through your body. Taking the time to know your words inside & out will ensure that when you’re on stage you can breath easy (or easier.) You really know this. That’s confidence!
2. Practice grounding breaths
Practice your proper breathing technique along with your text.
Sit down with your music. Mark your score with your breath marks. Commit to your breath marks. What does that even mean? Memorize your breaths! Incorporate them into your text work. Treat them as your best friends. Trust us, they are your best friends.
We take breath very seriously around here. As a singer, so should you! What is a voice without the proper breath support? Without the proper breath control? Breath is a life-long work in progress. Of course, that’s in addition to the life-sustaining work that breathing already does for us every second of our lives. Building confidence in our breath technique is an important aspect of our vocal journey. As singers, we have to learn to trust our breathing. Trust & confidence go hand-in-hand. To trust is to make the deliberate choice to accept your vulnerability. Because you are confident that what you know is enough. Wow. I need a Kleenex.
3. Learn your musical cues.
Get comfortable with your accompaniment. Internalize it!
A musical cue is typically the measures leading up to your part. Musical cues memorized & practiced correctly along with your text & breath work are huge confidence-builders. Your body will remember all your hard work. Muscle memory is at it again!
There’s a video that went viral a few years ago. An opera presented in concert format. A singer was due for her stage entrance. The orchestra swelled and…crickets. A member of the orchestra previously a voice student stepped up & saved the day. The moral of the story? Learn your cues.
Every singer has a different background. Some singers are also pianists. Knowing how to play through your music is a huge advantage as singer! Some singers are not pianists. That’s OK.
Listening to recordings of your song/piece is a great way to memorize the accompaniment. Be wary though. You don’t want to become a carbon copy of a recording, whether it’s a karaoke version or a singer. Listen as a way of studying! Recording your voice lessons is also a great tool for memory work. Whether your teacher plays your accompaniment or uses an accompaniment recording.
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
Beverly Sills, Opera singer
Let us know if you incorporate any of these tips in your performance prep! Ultimately, a performance is a chance to share your voice with others. Everybody is on their own journey. We want you to feel and be your best self. That’s what this is all about. Be confident & proud of your work. We know we are.
Happy practicing!