Singing Lessons

Singing with confidence

Photo credit pexels.com/bruce mars

S	inging is really a confidence game.The more comfortable you are with the way you sing- the more confident you will feel about showing what you've got. What is confidence? How do we get it? Can it be taught?
To properly understand the role of confidence in singing and why it is important we must look at what is happening between you and an audience when you are performing. Singing is not merely the reproduction of musical phrases in the correct order. It is one of the most primal yet sophisticated means of communication on earth. How many times have you heard a song and been moved by it? Most of us have had the experience many times where we have simply adored the way a particular singer sings something. It is often hard to put into words when it happens. Somehow it just does something for you.
This is mostly because that performer is taking a chance. Performance is all about risk for both the performer and his or her audience. You as the performer must be prepared to wear your heart on your sleeve. You must allow the audience a glimpse of who you are, what you feel. This is sometimes difficult to do especially if you are anxious about singing a particular phrase properly or hitting the high notes cleanly. Your audience is looking for only one thing. They will forgive almost anything if they think you are giving it your best. They WANT you to take the chance.
Think of performance as a kind of contract between you and your audience. You promise to deliver the goods - and they promise to pay you for it !
How you deliver those goods is entirely up to you but you must be prepared to take the chance. This is the most essential element in all music. A performer must be willing to commit to the best performance possible always. No playing it safe, no shyness - just sincerity. That's often all it really takes for an audience to be happy.
Here are some great ways to build your vocal confidence.
Choose your songs carefully. Don't pick a song just because you think it's cool or you like the original singer. It is critical that the song you choose to sing actually suits your voice and vocal style. Many beginners fail to consider this simple fact. Very few singers can sing literally anything. Consider this a plus. What you need to discover is your own unique sound. Finding the right material is half the battle. If you have a smooth voice, try to find songs that allow you to make the best of that characteristic. If you have an edgy tone to your voice, listen to other great singers who have that sort of voice and learn from their song choices.
Find the right key. I cant stress this enough. Don't sing so high that you feel like you are straining. This is both damaging to your voice and pointless as a performance. It's painful to listen to a singer who has stupidly decided to sing a song in a key that is way too high for them.
Sing regularly. This means that you should take every opportunity that presents itself to have a sing. Don't however sing so much that you feel tired or your voice will start to suffer. Singing regularly will build your vocal conditioning and give you familiarity with a wide variety of material. It's that variety of your song choices that will allow you to develop a more distinctive style all of your own. So, don't just sing the songs that you currently like. Try lots of different material. If you like hard rock -try singing some country music. If you like singing jazz - have a go at some show tunes. These things will help you to expand your musical horizons and take you from mere imitation to being a unique singer.