How can I become a better performer while singing?
August 24, 2015 4:01 PM   Subscribe

I'm going to be singing in front of an audience soon. I'm confident in my voice but am a lousy performer -- awkward, stuff and timid. What can I do to improve my physical presence on stage before Thursday night?

The Y that I go to is having a block party which will end with a talent show. The prize is a free year's membership. I decided to audition, singing "Let It Go," and was asked to sing at the party.

I feel like I have a good voice and I love to sing, I'm not worried about that part of it. But I'm very awkward physically. I have no grace and no coordination, and advice like "just let go and let your body move" is worthless to me. I also get anxious about being the center of attention, knowing that I look stiff and feeling foolish, and that also makes it hard to relax and look natural.

I've been regretting lately I can't play the guitar, so I could sit in one place and have something to do with my hands while I sang. But I can't, and I'm singing a dramatic, emotional song so I don't want to ruin the effect by standing still with my eyes closed. I don't really watch singers, and I'm drawing a blank: how do people move while they sing? What do they do with their hands? I'd appreciate any suggestions -- I really want this membership, and I want to impress people, not make them feel pity!
posted by shirobara to Media & Arts (11 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: When I've read my stuff it helps to know that I won't be dealing with everyone in the audience.
posted by brujita at 4:17 PM on August 24, 2015


Best answer: Playing in front of a mirror helps a LOT.
posted by billjings at 4:17 PM on August 24, 2015


Best answer: I'm a budding square dance caller, and at a workshop weekend before last did a passable rendition of a singing call. Then Scot Byars asked me to try it again but focus on the feeling of the song. Square dance calling is a little different, I have to be aware of where the dancers are and ready to adjust to them, but that let me take the actual singing bits and and make the heartbreak of getting dumped the focus of my voice.

I'm told the next run-through was way better, I didn't notice 'cause between the dancers and the feeling of that song... well...

So it helps me if I can ignore the individuals of the audience (even though I have to pay attention to the patterns they're making) and try to method act my way through the lyrics.
posted by straw at 4:29 PM on August 24, 2015


Best answer: I think it's totally fine to just stand still and sing with your eyes closed if that's what you feel most comfortable doing. That's actually what a lot of professional singers do, just with expressive hand movements! Take a look at some YouTube videos of people singing to audiences, and then maybe try to incorporate some of their movements into your song by practicing in the mirror? I'm thinking of people like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Adele, or Beyonce. I think the good news about singing a ballad instead of something dance-y is that people won't be expecting a lot, movement-wise; or at least, I wouldn't be, if I was in the audience. Will be crossing my fingers for you!
posted by stellaluna at 4:30 PM on August 24, 2015 [4 favorites]


Best answer: I don't think standing still ruins the effect at all. If I were in your shoes I'd probably just keep my hands at my side, or possibly clasp them at my waist - assuming you won't be using a mic, then I'd use both hands to hold the mic because that's what's comfortable for me.

I've seen some pretty good singers and I couldn't tell you what any of them were doing with their hands - so I think you are probably thinking about this more than your audience will ;)

Good luck!
posted by bunderful at 4:37 PM on August 24, 2015 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Keep the microphone in the stand, if possible, and then just close your eyes and sing away! I've sung in front of audiences before and I've always preferred to have the microphone in the stand. My hands are usually shaking so badly, the microphone is visibly shaking, so it makes it easier to have the mic in a stand. Also, having the mic in the stand lets me hold on to the stand and offers a little support and people don't notice the shaking hands as much. Like others said, since it's a ballad, there isn't much movement or real performing expected out of you.
posted by TurquoiseZebra at 4:53 PM on August 24, 2015


Best answer: Plan to sing in front of people three times before the talent show (if possible, fewer if not possible, but at least once), and at least one time after the talent show. That way, the talent show is not your one and only chance to get the song right. If the show is the only time you ever plan to try this, then you will likely put too much pressure on yourself, and you may fall prey to nerves.

If you can do some other performances and reduce the pressure on yourself, you may well be relaxed enough to "be natural" -- which is usually nearly impossible, but nearly achievable with practice.

If you feel nervous, just own it, admit it to yourself, and sing as a nervous person -- that's a fine thing to do.
posted by amtho at 4:54 PM on August 24, 2015 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Play a character. You have this whole story about how you're awkward, etc. and it's hard to let go of those kinds of stories. Get up there & be someone else entirely - Idina Menzel, Lady Gaga, Bjork, whoever. Someone with confidence who audiences love. Watch some videos of your character to prepare, then get up and try to let go of your own persona as much as you can.
posted by judith at 9:01 PM on August 25, 2015


Best answer: If you like, close your eyes, the audience likes that, it's emotional.

What to do with your hands: just hold your arms down straight at your sides and point your fingers to the floor. Then as the song gets in, you can just wave them around some, if you feel like it.

If you're nervous, remember that it's normal for any singer to have stage fright. Tony Bennett said: "I always have stage fright when I go on stage, you're supposed to, it shows that you care."

Let It Go.
posted by ovvl at 6:21 PM on August 26, 2015


Response by poster: Thanks to everyone's advice, I had a fun time and I did really well! I won the talent show and the free membership, and I think more importantly I started to change my mindset. I have bad memories of being singled out in jazz choir for looking awkward when I sang. Being told that I was actually probably fine made me realize that my problem wasn't being awkward so much as it was feeling that I was awkward. Once I realized that, I think I was in a much better place to take all the other advice and prepare myself. In the end, I was able to really throw myself into the song -- and even did some hand movements! Singing at the party felt so different, and so much better, than how I did at the audition when half my brain was concentrating on how awkward I probably looked. I delighted all the little girls in attendance and even got asked to autograph some arms, which is definitely a first for me.

I've been told that there'll be a follow-up contest with all of the winners from the other Ys in the area. I'm going to keep reviewing this thread, watching other singers and practicing, and I'm going to do my best to win that one too! I am so grateful to everyone who had advice for me, every comment was helpful to me in some way. I especially appreciated stellaluna's links to videos of specific performers, and amtho's advice to sing in front of people multiple times. My husband gave me the same advice later that day, and I'm like, oh, metafilter is way ahead of you.

Thanks again!
posted by shirobara at 8:16 PM on August 27, 2015 [3 favorites]


YAY! So happy for you, that's awesome!
posted by stellaluna at 1:46 PM on September 2, 2015 [1 favorite]


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