Winning Singing Audition Tips

(Last Updated On: March 31, 2023)
Pathway to the audition room

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To succeed in the singing audition, one has to eliminate the main barrier, which is stage fright, regardless of whether one has a good voice. You should know that singing concerts are not found that easily and you need a lot of confidence and faith within you to proceed further. Most people do not like auditions, as they are not able to face the audience.

The season one winner of the Voice of an Angel named Caro Fernandez. To succeed in the singing audition, one has to eliminate the main barrier, which is stage fright, regardless of whether one has a good voice. You should know that singing concerts are not found that easily and you need a lot of confidence and faith within you to proceed further. Most people do not like auditions, as they are not able to face the audience.

Preparing For The Audition

It is a misconception to think that singing audition only requires that you have a good voice. Well, that is the minimum requirement for anyone who would like to join a singing audition. But it is not the only requirement. There are other factors that could determine the result of your singing audition. These factors include your dress, the impression that you make on the minds of the judges, your body language and posture, and how you engage the audience.

There are many tips on how to pass your singing audition, and if you apply these tips, you can be sure that you are better prepared to face any singing audition confidently:

Know the Show & Contest

You have to get to know more about the audition in detail. What talents are the audition organizers looking for? What is the audition objectives & purposes? Are they emphasis more on the musical skills, vocal, singing skills, styles, or the characteristics and the appearance of the singer?

In fact, you can easily obtain this kind of information by observing back the onstage and audition performance of the past contestants & winners, the personal music preference of the judges and producers.

Selecting the Right Song

When you have decided to join an audition, it’s not the right time to sing an experimental piece of song or try a new song.  Instead of doing this, you should choose a specific song that you’re well-versed in singing; something that you have mastered well.  This is one of the singing audition tips that should keep in mind if you want to impress the judges.

If you’re confident that you’ll win by singing a difficult song that you have already mastered, then, go on with it; otherwise, it could be your failure factor if it’s not really within your range.  If you aim to audition for a singing contest, it would be better for you to reserve the best song that you think you can perform well at the end of the show.

Sometimes it pays to make the judges stand on their feet when you have something to surprise them in the end.  Another critical factor that you should keep in mind from the singing audition tips given here is that you should sing a song that fits the kind of competition you’re in.  Of course, it’s crazy doing a sexy love song in a gospel choir contest.

Practice Singing Everyday

This is an essential aspect of joining a competition because if you have stopped singing for a while, then, you can expect to commit some blunders in joining an audition.  When you practice singing daily, it’s possible to have a kind of voice that is strong and healthy.  If you can find a way to monitor the score, it would be a favorable idea.

Effective Tips & Strategies On Song Performance

Trim Your Song

Edit your song and arrange the highlights. Judges will get bored waiting for more than three minutes for you to reach the chorus or the climax of the song. You don’t want to be cut-off before reaching the peak of the song simply because your time has run out. Some auditions may even specify the required performance duration for each candidate, and you need to get to the best part of the song to showcase your vocal potential. Be creative in showing off your musical talent.

Prepare a Big Ending

Some singers prefer audition songs with soft, small, and emotional endings, but small endings are not always perfect for an audition.  Endings hold the most significant impression that you would need in an audition, so find a song that will let your voice go higher, louder, and stronger as you move to the end. Think of a big climax or big ending. Go out with a boom rather than with a soft fade away.

Practice, Practice, Practice! Be Prepared!

It is natural to feel nervous while doing the audition, so it’s always best to be prepared.   Rehearse well and know your song lyrics inside out by practicing your audition song many times over. On the day of the audition, be punctual. Arrive plenty of time before your slot. Warm-up and practice at the location of the audition so that you’ll be confident to deliver outstanding performance. Prepare your snacks and drinks too. Don’t leave anything to chance!

Prepare a back-up song, just in case they would ask you to sing another piece. Don’t settle for a song with the same style. The judges might want to hear something different from what you have previously sung, or they want to see what other styles you can do, or they may think that your voice is suited to a different style.

Audition Day

Dress Up Well

The first impression is critical when you are auditioning. So, dress up for your audition in a manner that is smart and casual. Make sure that you are comfortable with your dress and your shoes. The last thing that you should do is to wear something that would cause you discomfort. 

Do not reveal too much. Do not also come wearing a costume. You should also ensure that you wear makeup well, and your hair is nicely done.

Aside from preparing the song that you are going to sing, you should also focus on preparing the dress that you are going to wear. Dress up to project an image. Make sure likewise that the dress that you’re going to wear will fit the song that you are going to sing.

Work on Your Body Language and Posture

Your level of confidence will translate into positive vibes on the part of the judges. And what better way to project confidence than to sport a good posture. Remember that your posture can either enhance or decrease your voice quality. You should also practice your body language, including your facial expressions. 

When you sing, make sure that you got a story to tell. Use your body language to convey a story. Work with your vocal coach before you splurge into a singing audition. Remember that practice makes perfect. 

So, practice as often as you could in front of a mirror. Critique yourself or let yourself be critiqued by your vocal coach. In this way, you’ll get enough pointers on how to improve your body posture and language. 

Impress the Judges

The moment you walk inside the audition hall, your singing audition starts. You will be gauged from different angles by the judges. Smile and look confident. Make good eye contact with the people inside the audition hall and with the judges. 

Do not close your eyes when you sing. You can, of course, close your eyes briefly, but not for too long. The prolonged closing of your eyes may be interpreted by the judges as a lack of confidence. Sing with confidence. Make sure that you engage the audience. Remember that the audition is either a make or break process, so give it all.

Focus

Focus on your own rehearsal and prior-audition preparation on the audition day. I know there might be a possibility that the appearance of some high profile auditionees may make you feel nervous and low in confidence. They walked into the waiting hall in style and practiced their songs loudly and seems like they will take the audition room by storm and send you into dust.

My personal advice to handle this kind of distractive situation is that you should calm down, put your headphone on, and focus on your rehearsal, practice, and vocal warm up. Do remember to keep the momentum going until to perform your song in front of the panel of audition judges.

Engage the Audience

You should engage the audience and refrain from looking downward when you sing. Provide the judges a reason to keep looking at you. Make eye contact with them. Own the stage and treat it as your own!

Don’t stay in a single spot, but move around. Sing your heart to your audience. Make them feel that you are telling them something important. You will surely win them and the hearts of the judges if you know how to engage them.

Be Humble, Polite & Genuine

Once you enter the audition room, be humble, polite, and warm to the judges. You will have the chance to introduce yourself and been asked by the judges regarding your vocals, musical talents, passions & capabilities. Remember not to let the ego and pride involved in the conversation. Just be humble and genuinely express your thoughts. No judge will ever appreciate the contestant or auditionee that is overly-ego and take the audition pass for granted.

Warm Up Your Vocal Cords Before the Audition

If you have some time to warm up your voice before you meet the judges, then, do it.  Just remember to follow these tips when you’re about to go on stage.  Don’t be afraid to show the best in you in front of the audience, just like other aspiring singers.

The vocal cords are like an engine. They need warmup. So, don’t go into a singing audition without warming up your vocal cords. Moreover, days before your audition, you should practice well. 

Keep your voice strong and healthy. Avoid the food and drinks that could damage your voice and drink and eat healthy foods. Do vocalization before your audition to loosen up the muscles and tissues of your vocal cords.

Though they might be the best out of the rest, they still cannot gather enough courage to sing in the auditions. A lot of pressure is therefore exerted on the singers to be able to perform at the auditions. This shows how uncomfortable they are to other aspiring candidates. Thus, for one to be at their best when auditioning, various singing audition tips can be used.

Additional Tips

Aside from the abovementioned tips, here are some valuable advice that you should take heed of:

  • Present Yourself Professionally! Make a better version of yourself—clean clothes and shoes that you can move in easily and be well-groomed. Think of how you want the audience to see you in the audition. You need to be confident but not arrogant; friendly and honest with the questions that the judges would dodge on you. Be natural and sincere.
  • Greet the judges upon entering the audition hall and make sure to have enough eye contact with them during your performance to create a connection.
  • Try to get as much information as possible on the auditions before you can succeed at the auditions.
  • Search for the information on the music trade publications.
  • Bars and hotels also do hold auditions for singers.
  • Search for staged choruses and musicals for the audition no matter where you live.
  • You should be well prepared as you will not be the only singer auditioning.
  • Do not fear other singers auditioning.
  • For you to succeed in the singing audition, you should only concentrate on how you sing.
  • You should be knowledgeable about your area of expertise since it is important to your career as a singer.
  • You should be sure of what you plan to audition for.
  • Before auditioning, it would be wise to view the venue to familiarize with it.
  • This helps you to be more comfortable on that actual day.
  • Make sure you know the song you have chosen to sing so you can succeed at the auditions.
  • Make sure you have relevant information on the song and who sang the song.
  • Be prepared for the audition.
  • Doing this will assist in reducing tension when you are performing.
  • You should always bear in mind that the audition is just the beginning, and there will be more to follow.
  • Those doing the auditions may give you other options.
  • Make sure that you are at your best and performing to the greatest of your ability.
  • Perform at your most energetic level at the audition.
  • Enjoy what you sing.
  • You should have in mind that the auditions are there to test your style, stage presence, and most of all, your tone.
  • Attitude is very important!
  • Lastly, do not give up. Try and try again until you reach success!

Therefore, if you desire to succeed in the singing audition, it is imperative to practice very hard. You must be ready to put extra efforts to perfect it and also to convince other people that you have singing talent. Singing audition tips are a good recipe that enables you to do well at the audition.

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