Feeling Confident While Performing
Spend time at the venue before you need to perform. Singing in a new place can be a little frightening. To get around this, go to the stage when no one else is around. Take some time to walk around and look out towards where the audience will sit. If you can, ask to test out the sound system or a microphone. You may not be able to practice at the venue, such as if you want to perform at a karaoke bar. You can, however, go to the bar and listen to other people perform. EXPERT TIP Annabeth Novitzki Annabeth Novitzki Music Teacher Annabeth Novitzki is a Private Music Teacher in Austin, Texas. She received her BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2004 and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Memphis in 2012. She has been teaching music lessons since 2004. Annabeth Novitzki Annabeth Novitzki Music Teacher Annabeth Novitzki, a private voice teacher, notes: "Even professional singers get nervous when they sing. The nervousness is actually adrenaline, which is an amazing energy source. Professionals have a ton of practice focusing on the meaning they want to convey with the song and using all that "nervous" energy to fuel great singing!"
Stretch out your entire body before you need to perform. Flex not only your vocal cords, but your body as well. In addition to vocal warm-ups, such as humming notes in your vocal range, do some basic yoga poses. Raise your arms, touch your toes, dance around, and loosen up. Staying active can help you forget your worries while also preparing your body for singing. Any good stretch can help, but don’t go overboard and hurt yourself. To get out excess energy and adrenaline, do some jumping jacks or air punches. Always loosen your vocal cords before singing. Try choosing a word like “Re” and singing it up and down your vocal range.
Stand upright with your shoulders relaxed. An important part of building confidence is mastering your posture while singing. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, standing straight. Lower your shoulders, keeping your head level with your audience. This keeps your airways free, allowing you to project your voice. Even the act of standing in a position like this can cause you to feel a little more confident. In addition, your singing voice improves, leading to even more confidence.
Breathe deeply before beginning to sing. Slowly breathe in and breathe out. Let the air go all the way down to the bottom of your lungs. You will need all that air when projecting your voice. You can also do this while singing. Focus on taking a deep breath, then using the air to radiate your voice out from the center of your chest. Deep breathing is calming. By breathing away any nervousness, you can relax, focus on your voice, and gain confidence. To further calm your nerves and help you focus on your performance, spend a few minutes doing a mindful meditation. You can find guided meditations here: http://marc.ucla.edu/mindful-meditations Singing from your diaphragm also makes your voice stronger and helps you reach higher notes, so deep breathing is an essential technique for newer vocalists to learn.
Avoid stopping if you make a mistake. All professional singers make mistakes. They don’t let this stop them, however. They take risks when choosing songs and keep going when they slip up during a performance. Most of the time the audience won’t recognize a mistake and won’t remember it after you’re done singing. Starting out can be scary, but mistakes are normal and help you grow. Remember that mistakes can’t harm you. What matters is how you react to them. Don’t be afraid to take risks with your performances! Choose challenging songs, go for that tough note, or sing in front of an unfamiliar audience.
Focus on your song instead of the audience. Get lost in the song, not your audience’s thoughts. You’re not a fortune-teller and their thoughts don’t matter when you’re performing. Nail your song’s lyrics and your singing technique no matter what you think of the audience. If you have to, imagine that the audience is cheering for you. Focus on the lyrics and meaning of the song. Remember why the song is important to you and why you want to share it with the audience. Even if music isn’t in a language you understand, it can still move you. Express the music’s sound and energy, since this is what will captivate your audience. You don’t even have to look much at the audience. Instead of looking directly at someone’s face, look at their forehead or look past them towards the back of the room so you don’t get distracted.
Take steps to lessen stage fright. Many professional singers struggle with stage fright. While you may not be able to eliminate it completely, you can lessen it by using tools like cognitive appraisal. Rather than focusing on what could or did go wrong, think about what could or did go well! You can even channel the boost of adrenaline from fear into your performance.
Gaining Confidence through Practice
Warm up with vocal exercises before singing. You wouldn’t try running a marathon without stretching, so don’t sing without flexing your vocal cords. Start by sighing to gently stretch your vocal cords while also releasing physical and emotional tension. Sing different notes up and down your vocal range. Stop if you feel your vocal cords straining. Warming up your voice does protect your vocal cords, but it also gives you a chance to relax and gain confidence before singing. Try warming up with lip trills. Put your lips together and vibrate your lips like you’re humming. Practice this with different notes. Also try arpeggios, such as by singing the “Do Re Mi” tonal scale. You can also choose a sound like “Re” and sing it up and down your vocal range. This exercise is called a siren. Don’t forget to use your entire body! This means maintaining your posture and relaxing your jaw.
Practice for at least 15 minutes every day. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel singing! Make some time so you can listen to yourself sing. As you hear your own voice, you will likely start caring less if others hear it too. In addition, you get plenty of time to improve your vocal skills, which also leads to more confidence. Unfortunately, practice doesn't mean perfection. Remember to practice healthy singing, such as good posture and stopping when your vocal cords feel strained. You can sing when you’re doing daily tasks like work or cleaning. This can help make singing feel second nature to you.
Accept the sound of your voice even if it seems imperfect. Love your voice because it is uniquely yours. If you don’t want to hear it, then don’t expect the audience to want to hear it either. Any doubt you feel towards your voice shows on your face and in your body language. You are unlikely to ever feel confident if you are busy doubting your voice. Many famous singers don’t make it on their voices alone. Artists like Bob Dylan, Ozzy Osbourne, Britney Spears, and Madonna aren’t technically gifted vocalists. No one is a “natural.” Success while singing comes from practice as well as confidence from personality, songwriting, and stage presence. Taylor Swift Taylor Swift, Singer & Businesswoman Embrace your passion for singing. "I have been singing randomly, obsessively, obnoxiously for as long as I can remember."
Work with a professional to train your voice. The easiest way to get started singing is to learn more skills. A teacher can guide you and give you feedback along the way. Seek out a vocal teacher in your area. Let them cheer you on as you learn to control and master your voice. Select a voice teacher that is trained in the genre you wish to perform. Express any concerns you have with your teacher. Let them know that your confidence is an area you want to work on. Teachers can show you how to relax and also find songs that challenge your limits.
Practice singing in front of family and other small groups. Singing for a vocal teacher can help you gain confidence, but ask other people to listen to you sing too. This can be difficult, so find a setting that works for you. For instance, invite a few trusted friends or family members to listen to you at home. Not everyone feels comfortable singing in front of people they know. A karaoke bar or open mic night might be better for you. You could also record yourself singing and share it with your friends and family or post it on social media. Have fun while singing. You can ask for feedback, but focus on getting comfortable on stage so you gain confidence.
Choosing the Right Song
Pick a song that has personal meaning to you. Most likely you can think of a few songs that have a meaningful place in your life. The song can be a childhood favorite, from a special moment in your life, or simply one that makes you feel like singing. When a song is personally meaningful, your desire to share that meaning can drive your performance. You'll have more confidence if you focus on why the lyrics to the song are important and meaningful to you. Since you know and love the song, you can focus on the song’s meaning or energy rather than any nervousness you feel. During a performance, you may not be able to pick out the song you sing. Research the song if it helps you give the song more meaning. Then, learn the lyrics.
Memorize the lyrics for any song you choose. Choose a few songs that you know so well you can sing them with both eyes closed, if possible. If you know all the words, you don’t have to stress yourself out about forgetting them. Instead, focus on expressing yourself and having fun. Lyrics are important, but avoid neglecting the other parts of the song, such as the tempo, the notes, and your exits and entrances.
Experiment with different genres that compliment your voice. Most people start off emulating a song or musician they admire. This is a good way to gain some confidence, but also try out other genres. If you’ve been singing classical or country music this entire time but have a voice more suited to jazz, that can be the cause of some self-doubt you may have. When you find a genre that is right for you, it will feel like finding a home. You may begin to relax, letting your voice project more while feeling happier with your musical selections. For instance, if you are a raspy baritone, you know you won’t sing screeching rock vocals. You can adjust the song to your style or look into jazz, blues, or R&B.
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