Have you ever had an American Idol audition? Do you want to?? Every year, thousands and thousands of singers try their best to make it through to Hollywood, but only a small number get there! And that’s when the competition really starts… once you get there. So what you’ve got to do to get your foot in the door is blow the judges away at your American Idol Audition!
Everyone has a different level of vocal ability. Here are a series of tips and processes to make the absolute most of your voice before and during your American Idol audition to give yourself the best possible chance of making it to the next round!
Preparing To Sing
The first thing you should probably focus on leading up to the audition is getting your voice in the best shape it can be in. The way to do this is by practicing technique-building scales and exercises that are designed specifically to build your vocal range, sharpen your pitch and keep your voice flexible.
There are different kinds of scales that can accomplish these things for you, but be prepared to work at it a little! If you’re a serious singer hopefully you’re already practicing scales on a regular basis anyway but if you’re just getting into it, try to practice a few times a week at least for a couple of months leading up to the audition.
Singing scales are like exercise for your voice. Just like going to the gym, your voice needs exercise to make it strong, powerful and beautiful. So don’t neglect your scales!
The next thing to think about is what song you will sing for your American Idol audition. Pick something you like and are familiar with, and try to make it your own. If you watch the auditions, you’ll see that the “favorite” ones are usually songs that the singer puts their own personal spin on. With that said, don’t take over-the-top risks with it.
The purpose of this audition is to get you through to Hollywood, not win the whole competition right then and there. Once you get to Hollywood, your goal is to just get to the next level, so on and so on. So do enough that they like you and push you through without being over-kill.
Here’s something really important- DON’T scream. Singing with power is one thing, screaming or yelling your way through a song is another and won’t fly. LOTS of people make that mistake and they never go through.
Another important point is to make sure you know where and when to take your breaths in the song so you don’t run out. Practice singing the song and mark down on your lyric sheet where it’s most comfortable to take breaths. Experiment with different places until you find what feels best to you, and memorize it.
Before your American Idol audition, record yourself singing your song and listen to it. You may be surprised at what you hear. You may think it’s really good when it could still use some improvement! Don’t take this lightly, most people don’t do this and everyone should. This is where you’ll catch things in your performance that you don’t like, and you’ll be able to fix mistakes before you go in! Listen to it and make adjustments as necessary.
Also, have an honest friend listen to it and give you constructive criticism. That will be your best feedback, so get them to tell you about specifics that they liked and didn’t like.
Make sure you practice, practice and practice some more. Go over it and sing it over and over again. Repetition will make it flawless.
At The Audition
So now you’re at the audition ready to sing. At this point, you might be nervous. Now is the time to get control of your breathing and warm up. Practice some relaxation exercises like rolling your head and shoulders around to loosen up.
Practice taking a controlled breath. This means to take a deep breath in from your diaphragm, and let it out in a controlled stream over ten seconds. When you start your lungs should be full, and when you finish they should be empty. Do this ten times to get control of your breathing and heart rate. Also, practice some easy scales quietly to warm up your voice. Practice your song once or twice as well. (And don’t feel silly… others will be doing it as well!)
Following this advice will ensure you give yourself the best chance of making it through. So now, just a couple of final tips to make sure you have the perfect mix of voice and presence!
Remember, American Idol is not just a singing competition. It’s an “Idol” competition, which takes into account personal appearance and marketability as well. So when you’re at your audition, make sure you look nice. Don’t wear dirty or poor fitting clothes. It’s important to show your personal style, but be realistic about it and pay attention to societal norms.
Do not show up looking like a vampire, or something else that you’re obviously not! If you’re goth for example, that’s fine; show up goth. But, leave the cape and fake fangs at home.
Last but not least, in fact, one of the most important points is to make sure you have a good attitude. Do not by any means be arrogant! There is a fine line between confident and arrogant, but don’t walk in telling them you’re the next big thing.
Focus on being polite and courteous instead and let your singing and appearance sell you. If you’ve watched any of the audition shows, you’ll see that the judges generally don’t put people through that they don’t like, even if they have decent vocal ability. So don’t be rude, but don’t be a brown-noser either! Just be nice to them!
All in all, if you prepare yourself properly and you pay attention to your appearance and attitude, you’ve done all you can to give yourself the best possible shot at making it through. So go do it, and good luck!
Elisha Rae is an internationally known vocal teacher. Her website, Sing Like A Pro! has a wealth of singing information, tips, free articles and videos, to help you overcome all of your vocal challenges!