CHAPTER 1.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A POWERFUL PERFORMANCE

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

- HARRIET TUBMAN

Each of us sings for our own reasons, but usually we share one main motivation - we love it. We have something we want to share with others. This is a wonderful thing. To give to others is honorable, and audiences certainly respond favorably to this quality in a singer.

We always remember performances that have moved us emotionally, inspired and transported us, and ignited our inner fire. A memorable performance makes us feel vibrantly alive and always remains fresh in our consciousness. It's often this very experience that inspires each of us to become a singer in the first place.

Let's take a broader look at the elements that contribute to this triumphant achievement before we apply specific exercises that will enable you to hone in on the details.

Creating a Powerful Performance: Four Fundamentals

1. The Power of Purpose.

Many singers have great voices. So what?

If you have nothing to say and no reason to say it, does the tone and command over your instrument really matter?

When we focus on vocal technique and performance skill - both a necessary part of the process - it's easy to lose sight of why we're singing. Vocal skill is simply a tool, a vehicle, through which you can communicate with your audience. It's important to recognize that it is you, the performer, who gives something to the audience - not the other way around. This is because the performance shouldn't be about you but rather what you want your audience to experience from the performance.

Stardom isn't a good reason to sing .

I've asked many singers who are just starting out, "Why do you sing?" or "What is your purpose when you perform?" and I have often heard, "I want to be a star." Neither stardom nor even a successful performance career, for that matter, is likely to be in their future. That's because they are focused on what the performance can give to them. This is backward.

The audience is always the first concern .

Whether you're adapting your performance to a specific venue or to fit a predetermined theme, are hired to create an ambient atmosphere in a restaurant or club, or sing for a charity fundraiser, you can achieve a memorable performance if you recognize the importance of creating an intended experience for your audience. This can be achieved in a number of ways. We'll be discussing this in greater depth in the chapter, From Rehearsal Room to Stage Performance.

2. Your Mental Approach or Attitude Can Influence Your Audience.

Surely, we've all experienced the difference between watching a performer who is comfortable with themselves and certain of their ability to do the tasks at hand and one who fumbles about in doubt and incompetence. How do these two different types of people make you feel?

The voice is a finely tuned instrument that can relay emotions and thoughts, whether intentional or unintentional .

If you're uncertain or filled with self-doubt, your audience will know. If issues distract you that are outside of your performance, your voice will sound bland, you'll have no connection to the song, and your audience will respond in kind. Self-confidence comes from demonstrating ability; ability advances through action. If you lack confidence now, learning and practicing the exercises in this book will help you achieve it. In the meantime, you can transcend how you feel about your own capabilities by practicing some of the following steps:

~ Approach singing and performing with an "I can" attitude. If you don't believe you can, then start with "I will."

~ Commit to each song you sing. This is essentially achieved through a commitment to complete involvement with the meaning you choose to give the song.

~ Recognize that the band accompanies your voice rather than the other way around.

~ Be aware of your audience and include them within the reach of your performance. By reach, I mean extend your attention/awareness/energy/spirit with the purpose of including the individuals that comprise the audience.

Singing with confidence and conviction provides a strong foundation for an unforgettable performance. Add to this a purpose to move the audience, good vocal technique and smooth stage presentation, and you are well on your way to a powerful vocal performance.

3. Stage Presentation and Performance Skills.

A performance is a multimedia, multisensory creation and experience .

Your voice, while the single most important facet, is only one of several sensory creations that will influence your performance and audience.

A performance is visual .

Unlike a recording, your visual stage presentation is an important element of any performance. This includes what you and the rest of the band wear, how all of you are positioned on the stage, how you move, how you interact with the band and audience, the lighting, and anything and everything that goes into the visual aspect of the show.

Perform in the present .

Performance is a live communication between the singer and audience in present time. Don't create mental image pictures of someone and sing to that person in your mind. That will remove you from the present and diminish your vitality and the emotion of the song. Sing with the intention that each person in your audience receives and understands what you're expressing right at this moment.

Work it out beforehand .

Many singers learn their songs and think that constitutes preparation for performance. Unintentionally, they now approach the actual performance (the show) in a slapdash way and just hope it works. To perform on a fully professional level, your performance will require detailed pre-planning, practice and development of each ingredient of the show prior to arriving in front of an audience.

Study shortens the path .

The technique of performance includes isolating and eliminating anything that would distract your audience from complete immersion in the song and your performance of it.

Many successful performers develop their skills over a long period of time by a hit-or-miss approach. However, if you isolate and work on each aspect of your performance as you would your technical skills, you'll be able to acquire these performance skills much faster. As you journey forward in this book you'll find a variety of exercises to help you explore, develop and integrate these essentials into your own skill set. The development of your performance skills is the gateway through which your voice and expression can shine out to your audience.

4. Vocal Skills.

Your voice is a vehicle for expressive communication and vocal technique is the route to full and free expression. Good technique also provides career longevity by preventing vocal blowout. Solid vocal technique will enable you to sing freely with passion and conviction.

Ample vocal technique provides peace of mind .

If you're uncertain whether or not you'll sing on pitch or have adequate range to perform the entire song without your voice cracking, you'll tend to introvert and withdraw from your audience. This will be evident in your performance. Vocal difficulty of any kind, whether it is cracking notes, throat tension, vocal fatigue, or hoarseness, can interfere with your peace of mind and cause you to hold back.

Ideally, vocal development should result in your command of an expressive, spontaneous and passionate voice that's free of limitations. Your pitch, intonation, tone, range and vocal embellishments (if you use them) should be advanced to the point of effortless execution. When you're confident you can use your voice freely without restriction or vocal fatigue, you'll be better able to direct your attention and energy to your audience.

A properly exercised voice will easily provide you with everything .

Your vocal training should enable you to express everything you hear and feel. Therefore, it should include:

~ The clarification of misconceptions about how your voice works so that you aren't actively interfering with its natural function: Singers become involved with all sorts of gimmicks to remedy vocal problems that wouldn't even exist if they'd learned the natural workings of the voice in the first place.

~ The development of the stamina to sing as many hours as you require as aggressively as you choose: With a true understanding of the vocal instrument and the right exercises to support and amplify vocal technique, singing becomes easier and your confidence grows. Confidence in your voice is a major milestone to a powerful and unforgettable performance.

Stamina is the result of proper muscle tone .

Some singers can sound great for a song or two, but lack vocal stamina. If they sing longer than their improperly prepared vocal muscles can tolerate, they suffer the consequences...