Ensuring Your Rehearsal Counts for a Great Vocal Performance at Gigs

You can rehearse until the cows come home but if you don’t rehearse properly, you are wasting your time and the band’s time. Also the end result on stage, could be a disappointing vocal performance.

Here are some important ways you need to practice...no exception!

Technical Aspect: Do this first always
Learn the song – this may seem obvious but if you know the song’s structure inside out then that is one less thing your brain has to concentrate on (melody, lyrics, rhythms, when to come in, when not to come in).
Once you have the overall idea of where the songs goes, start practicing the song from the top, line by line / phrase by phrase with the vocal technique you have acquired from your Vocal Coach. This way you can address any troublesome areas in the melody and fix them. And if you can't fix them that's where your Vocal Coach will be invaluable to you at your next lesson! You want to be confident that you can nail ALL the notes in the song (pitch, power and type of resonance you are wanting) and any complicated syncopation. This is all to be vocalized in a reliable and non-damaging way. A big bonus rehearsing like this is that you are simultaneously building up your vocal stamina – you are becoming vocally fit and you are creating muscle memory.

Performance Aspect: The ‘icing on the cake’
Feeling / emotion is essential for a great vocal performance. You want to connect with your audience – make them feel the performance not just listen to the performance. Once you are happy with your vocals technically now is the time to make this song come alive, become real. So find your inner ‘space’ when you sing the song – get in the zone – emerge yourself in the song emotionally, mentally and physically. You will then be a true artist with great vocals too!