Feeling huge anxiety about singing in acappella group

akajello

So the thing is, while singing in an semi-professional group, I sing the alto part and I tend to stray off pitch (usually going flat) without myself really noticing (though i pay huge mental effort in "trying to find the right pitch") but I end up hindering the overall quality of the group because no matter how much i try, I just can't seem to get it right. i "know there is something wrong" when the harmony sounds off, but i have no idea whether to go sharper or flatter...and i sometimes just try to hold the pitch, but in the end i still get it very wrong, and i feel very sorry for my members.

sometimes, my pitch intervals gradually gets "squashed" together, they become narrower and narrower as I sing, while others seem to hit the pitch center/ not stray too much off pitch while singing, and i'm wondering if i have a neurological problem (i'm probably just neurotic, haha, but still, this issue has been causing me huge anxiety) in my pitch perception

desperately need some advice

HuduVudu

You need a pitch app. If you have an iPhone you can use SingScope if you have an Andriod you can use SingSharp. I am assuming that you have the sheet music for what you are singing. Slowly sing each note of the song. Verify that you are on pitch using the pitch app. Find the areas were you struggle to make pitch and then focus in on those areas and correct them one by one.

Klaus_T

@akajello , also, you might want to record yourself (during practice alone or with the band) and listen to it after the fact. maybe it will be clearer for you afterwards, when the pressure of the moment is gone, and you don't have to focus on the actual singing. if you don't do it already, get yourself a playback track of the piece and practice your voice in isolation, without the outside pressure. record that as well. or get the others to record all of their voices and practice on top of that, by yourself. the fact that you chose to put "anxiety" in the title tells me it might be more the (perceived) pressure in the group, rather than your ear

Klaus_T

maybe you've already seen his video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTCrWRCsna8

akajello

i tried to record myself singing all the parts (like a one-man band acappella) and it seems to help me with "perceiving" what is the right "feel" of the harmony, but when i go to practice/ get to performances, i just stray off pitch again. I have no idea how people manage to hit pitch center at all....