Articles of Interest

The importance of hearing in singing

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Hi. I have so wanted to take voice lessons for many years, but my "stage fright" holds me back from singing in front of anyone, even if only one person is present. Help! I need advice....Thanks...
C.C. - New York City, NY

Answer 1: CC, sometimes singing in front of an audience feels like stepping off a cliff and building your wings on the way down. This is a scary thing especially when you're putting your true self out in the open. Most of the time stage fright happens because you're unsure of your abilities as a vocalist especially when you need to rely on those abilities right then and there. It sounds like you're very passionate about wanting to perform live. Don't despair even the most seasoned professional still gets a few butterflies. If you have never trained with professional but you know that you're basically in tune then you need to put the odds in your favor:

  1. Really learn the tunes that you want to sing note for note instead of just kind of knowing it. Advantages: This will greatly enhance your confidence since you'll be a lot more comfortable with the song plus you'll know the exact notes you need to hit. Then you'll learn to not deviate off of those notes.
  2. Concentrate on the music instead of the audience. Don't fall victim to Analysis/Paralysis. In other words, don't think about singing so perfectly that you freeze or stop from moving forward lest you should fail. Draw yourself into that practice world.
  3. Go for it. You could be much stronger than you know. If you never take that step, you'll never know how close you are to flying.

Consider seeing a professional vocal teacher if you have access to one. They can help you quit guessing about good technique and hitting those notes. This will undoubtedly save you time and frustration plus you'll learn how easy it can be moving from note to note with great colors. Good Luck CC!

Question 2: Hello Lee, I'm 27 and have been singing in a band for the past year. I recently recorded one of our live shows and I was shocked at how often I missed the note. Now I don't know what to do? Of course I would love to get a deal out there but with this hanging over my head...I sing in an original and cover band--mostly rock and top 40. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Tom D. - Anaheim, CA.

Answer 2: Tom, your situation is classic with nearly every band in Cali and across the country. I would guess that you know you sing in tune. I would have to assume you have a lock out, right? The problems with most bands these days is that their practices are more like jams. Turn up the volume and let's play! All of a sudden you get this mosh of sound but each player is so engulfed in their own world that they drift from listening to everything going on around them. In your case, you're off because you probably can't hear yourself sing. Once that happens singers have a tendency of "yelling" to hear themselves and at that point it's hard to control the frequency(note) of the yell therefore you're off. Do yourself a favor and take control of the practice. Lower the volumes and turn up the monitors. This should help you. Good Luck Tom!