High notes in front of the audience
Joyce
Pro Posts: 131
Hello,
I've been practicing with volume 2 for 4 months.
Since I improved and made huge progress with my singing and especially high/head notes, I took the risk to pick more difficult songs but when I arrived on stage, I suddently lost faith in myself and in my high notes and as a result they were much weaker than during the rehearsals.
What I realise is that there is a huge gap between performing on stage and rehearsing at the school.
There are the microphones, (different from the ones we rehearse with) and the mood of the audience, it is like I can feel it..
That was the thought of the day.
Good day to all of you.
I've been practicing with volume 2 for 4 months.
Since I improved and made huge progress with my singing and especially high/head notes, I took the risk to pick more difficult songs but when I arrived on stage, I suddently lost faith in myself and in my high notes and as a result they were much weaker than during the rehearsals.
What I realise is that there is a huge gap between performing on stage and rehearsing at the school.
There are the microphones, (different from the ones we rehearse with) and the mood of the audience, it is like I can feel it..
That was the thought of the day.
Good day to all of you.
Comments
Good lesson, @Joyce.
We do that to ourselves. That's why we just have to get out there and do it. And then get out there and do it again. Next time we will at least remember we survived the last time, and, oh yeah, this time I won't get distracted by the moving targets of the performance experience.
We gain experience through our training and also through the lumps we take when our nerve fails us.
Yes, the mood of the audience. Are they all judging me? Do they all think my voice is terrible? Do they all want me to fail?
Of course, this is our own self-doubt. The audience actually wants us to succeed. But then, there is also the "Gladiator in the arena" aspect, and the fact that we can fail on a difficult note sometimes has them at the ready to see us fall.
That's why we want to rely on being well-trained and well-rehearsed. So we can go into autopilot when the mind starts racing. Muscle memory can save the day, especially when we allow ourselves to be scared stiff!
Risk carries with it the chance of great rewards, and also the possibility of disappointment. Don't stop taking risks with challenging songs. Just be sure you have the tunes down so well that the right result just leaps out of you, automatically. All you have to add is the feeling, energy, and emotion to make it come more alive.
Just chalk that one up to experience. You'll be stronger next time.
: ^ )
Bob
How about when you look into the audience and notice somebody is pointing your way. The person next to them is looking, too, and then the both of them shake their heads in a disapproving way.
In your mind (as your song is moving along) your imagination says the first person said "Did you hear that last note?" And the other person says, "That was horrible!" Then they both shake their heads in dismay.
What may have really happened was the first person said "Is that a Fender Bassman amp behind the singer?" Then the second person said, "No, I don't think so." Then the first person said "No, neither do I."
Meanwhile, you think they're on the verge of walking out on your performance and you're just about to that really high note that only works when you're in just the right frame of mind and body...
So lots of singers look out just above the heads of the audience and don't really look right at the audience when they want to be sure to concentrate on the execution of an important part of a performance. Others pick out one person in the audience and sing to that person. ...Or they move from person to person in different quadrants of the theater.
The more you get back on the horse and ride, the more comfortable you become in that element. It becomes a natural state for you to be in, one in which you can thrive.
Bob
"Muscle memory can save the day" very true, fortunatly I had repeated my songs million times.
And it is not about the mood of the audience, it is about my own mood, very changing and unstable.
Also I sing with my whole body and my soul, not only with my voice, and if my soul is broken my song will be too.
To Cinema : I thought about that, go back and sing easy songs to regain my confidence,
and then go back with more challenging songs.
Thanks for your replies, it's feels good to have a place where we can talk about those issues with experienced singers!