Practicing
Practice speeches: “Speeches from the stage should be treated as a part of the performance. I am constantly amazed at seeing the most natural, gifted and articulate stage performers come up to an open microphone during a break in the performance and talk utter drivel. Or a lead singer making an impassioned speech, only to have the drummer and bass player launch into the next song halfway through the speech, completely drowning her out. Every pro band I work for has this kind of planning on their set list.”
—Andy Reynolds, tour manager
Vocalize: “Why practice the hell out of your instruments and leave the harmony vocals to chance? Big mistake. Figure out who your singers are in the band and put them to work. Song ideas may develop from that. If someone is not a singer but can manage some group choruses or shouts, put them in the mix but know their limits. Everyone in the band can be a better singer than they are today.”
—Robbie Gennet, songwriter, author
Watch yourself: “The first step in rehearsing the ‘show’ is for you to watch yourself in a mirror while practicing or, even better, film yourself. You can set up a Flip, iPhone or video camera, then perform your set—either in rehearsal or at a show—and film it. Do not watch the tape immediately after you have captured it, however. Wait a couple of days or even a week. Then sit down (with the rest of the band if you are not a solo performer) and watch. If you find it painful to watch your own show, then think about how your potential audience will view your performance.”
—Andy Reynolds, tour manager
Look ‘em in the eye: “When in rehearsal, set up in a circle so that everyone has eye contact with everyone else. The singer(s) should be standing opposite the drummer. This positioning prevents the sound from the drums being picked up by the vocal microphones; drums are loud enough anyway without the vocal microphones amplifying them through the PA. Other band members should then complete the circle, bass players being next to the drummer and brass or string players being next to the vocalist.”
—Andy Reynolds, tour manager
Audition your rehearsal studio: “Budget studios have budget equipment; you will often find that the high-end frequencies are missing from the PA speakers. This is because the components that produce those frequencies have been destroyed through misuse or lack of maintenance. Without the high-end in the speakers, there will be no vocal clarity. This means you will not be able to hear yourself sing very well, and you will often end up shouting or overstretching your voice, limiting your potential rehearsal time, and maybe causing permanent damage to your vocal cords.”
—Andy Reynolds, tour manager
Singing Tips from vocal coach Jeannie Deva
Easy on the consonants: “Emphasizing most consonants [when singing] will cause disruptive pops and hisses. Think of your consonants as needing the same amount of air as their accompanying vowel sounds. Vowels are the sounds of your voice, consonants are the rhythmic articulators.”
Find your mic: “Which model you use will either enhance or detract from the sound of your voice. Mics are designed with their own sound personality. If the mic doesn’t fit the personality of your voice, you can unconsciously tense up throat muscles in an attempt to compensate for the electronic alteration.”
Know how to angle the mic: “If you sing into a mic from a wrong angle, your voice will be only partially amplified. Important tonal characteristics will be lost. Sing into the center of the nose of your mic––not the side or across the top of it.”
