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Singing Tips and Articles
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Feel the Fear and Sing it Anyway!
By Helen Astrid
Even the most famous and established singers get nervous before they perform. In fact, some of them have elaborate rituals they insist on going through in order to feel ready for a performance. Nerves are simply part of a singer's life. If you're a beginner then naturally it will take a bit of time and experience to become a confident singer, but with a sensible approach you can and you will develop the confidence you need. Here are some suggestions to help you “feel the fear and sing it anyway!”
Make sure you are well prepared for a performance. This means practising (preferably little and often, a good time before the date of the event). You need to know your song by heart well ahead of the date. It's no good trying to learn it the night before – that would guarantee a poor performance!
If you have never sung in front of an audience before, it would be a great idea to get a friend or family member to sit in on a practice session. If you feel uncomfortable, they could sit behind you until your confidence grows. Make sure it's someone who will give positive criticism (if you know your sister tends to pull you down, she probably won't help you gain confidence).
Now let's come to the day of the performance. There are plenty of things you can do to prepare for the occasion. The single most important thing you can do is to warm up well. If you can, a gentle 10 minute warm up should be done 2 or 3 times throughout the day. This allows the vocal apparatus to get working without straining. Include a bit of stretching and something to get your lungs working in your warm up routine. Never over practice, because a tired voice will mean a lacklustre performance.
Relaxation techniques can be very helpful for calming nerves and would be great to include in any pre performance ritual. There are many relaxation techniques out there, but try to choose something simple and short. Straightforward deep breathing is an excellent way to relax. Breathe in to a slow count of 5, feeling your tummy and ribs expanding gently. Hold for 5 then breathe out for 8. You can increase the count if necessary.
Most of our fears about performing arise from the thoughts running through our heads - “what if I mess up?”, “Maybe I can't really sing”, “what if they don't like me?”. These thoughts can play havoc with our confidence, so it helps to be aware of them and then consciously decide not to listen to them. One technique that works well for me whenever I catch myself having a negative thought is to do the following: I imagine a big stop sign with a bold red diagonal line across it. Then I imagine the words “CANCEL THAT”. That's usually enough to head me back onto more positive thoughts. Give it a try, you never know, it may work for you too!
I hope some of these suggestions will help you next time you get up to perform. Don't forget that being nervous is natural and the energy and adrenaline that nerves bring could well give an extra oomph to your performance!
© Helen Astrid 2008.
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