Free online audition tips - Perform with confidence!
1) Date
It’s important you know the exact day/date of your audition and it’s clearly marked on a calendar or in your diary. This way you can see how many days/weeks left you have to prepare and also so parents/friends relatives that may be taking you to the audition have made all the arrangements in plenty of time.
2) Venue
Make sure you, and these who might be taking you, know where the audition is taking place. Not just where it is but how long it may take to get there. Are you walking, going by car, travelling on the bus/coach or train. If travelling by bus, coach or train, make sure you have booked your tickets in advance. Especially by coach or train, there are limited seats available and you wouldn’t want to miss your audition due to a lack of travel plans!!
3) Time
Give yourself time to arrive at the venue either to change your clothes or to just generally prepare yourself. Don’t forget to warm up your voice and do some gentle stretching exercises to make sure your muscles are relaxed and free. If you don’t allow enough time before your audition you will feel rushed and flustered and will not perform to the best of your ability!!!!
4) What to sing
It is the general rule that if you are auditioning for a part in a west end show they would like you to prepare a song that is NOT from that show. (Unless audition info says otherwise) This is because you will always be compared to the person already playing that part. You may sing the song very nicely and with great performance; but the panel of judges will only be thinking of the ways in which they may have to change the way you sing it to suit the style they would like for the show, rather than watching you perform. Try to choose a song that shows your range and style. Make sure you are comfortable with the song and more importantly that the sheet music or the backing tracks are in the correct key!!!!!
5) How to choose the key and sheet music
Let’s say you have chosen to sing ‘Castle on a Cloud’ from‘Les Miserables’ and have been practising at home along with the CD. Now you can’t take the CD to the audition and sing along!! You will either be asked to bring sheet music or a backing track. This is so the judging panel can hear just you sing. The sheet music and the original CD keys may be different, higher or lower. Find a teacher or a pianist that can make sure that the sheet music is in the right key for you, and if need be, transpose it. You will find sheet music for most west end shows at your local library and or course in music stores. Find the music that you need i.e. ‘Castle on a Cloud’ and photocopy the music. Never take a big music book to an audition, the book will simply not stay on the piano stand and the pages will just all fold together. Make it easy for your pianist and have just the music you need taped together making sure the pages are in the right order!!
6) Backing tracks
Backing tracks are becoming more common at auditions. The easiest way the find them is on the internet. There are hundreds of companies that offer tracks and some are better than others. Here I have named a few,
These companies offer full backing tracks and many contain real instruments. There are many other companies that provide midi tracks. These are by no means full or near original sound but are inexpensive and great to practise with at home, but I would advise against taking midi tracks to an audition.
7) What to wear
Think carefully about your grooming, that is hair, make-up for the girls and clothing. Remember the judging panel see you first, before you even open your mouth to sing. First impressions count!!!!! If you are neat and tidy and have made an effort with your appearance that would hopefully be reflected in your performance and your song choice. It show’s that you have thought about the whole audition from start to finish and that you have pride in yourself as a performer. Think of it as your costume for your audition; And by this I don’t mean for you to be in dirty street clothes for the song ‘Castle on a Cloud’, but to just have a selection of outfits you can call your audition outfits/costumes. Just to mention it is never necessary to wear the costume of the character or style of the show, just to be smart and comfortable.
8) How to audition
Make sure you are fully prepared. Know your music well, without reading the music or reading a copy of the lyrics. Take more than one song, you never know they may ask you to stay and sing something else later in the day. Try to choose something as a contrast. If you sang a ballad in the first round sing an up tempo in the second. Stand a comfortable distance from the judging panel, some places may mark the spot where they would like you to stand with an X this could be because they are filming the audition or so that you can be seen by all in the room. Don’t ‘eye ball’ the panel it makes them feel uncomfortable just look slightly above their heads and don’t forget to perform to the whole audience not just in a straight line, think theatre audience. Take a deep breathe before you start to settle any nerves and only start when you are ready. If you make a mistake don’t apologise for it, forget about it and move on. Don’t forget to thank the pianist and collect your sheet music, likewise don’t forget your backing tracks.
9) Breathing and warm up
Breathing is key to an audition it helps to settle any last minute nerves and helps to prepare your body for singing. Do some simple vocal and non vocal exercises before you go into the audition room. Again this will ensure you are fully warm and will sing/ perform comfortably but also warming up is important for safety, don’t ever sing on cold voice!!
10) Relax, enjoy and smile
The title say’s it all, Relax, try the breathing exercises, if you are fully prepared you have no need not to be relaxed. Enjoy, not many people enjoy the audition process but it has to be done in order to reach the final goal…. Getting the Part!!!! Smile, no one wants to see a miserable face walking into the audition room, remember what we said before, First impressions count.
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