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Johnny Carson was known to regularly get physically sick before going on stage, and yet when Ed crooned "Heeeeere"s Johnny" he walked on stage and once again become the king of late night television. There are many variations of this scenario experienced by some of the greatest singers, dancers, athletes and performers in our world. Obviously they know how to deal with stage fright. Do you? First, understand that stage fright is simply the fear of failing in front of others...of being judged. Most of us have created a life for ourselves which shields us from such judgement and criticism. We live in a kind of cocoon we call a "comfort zone." Walking on stage and letting everything hang out in front of strangers threatens that comfort, and places us in a strange and frightening place. But knowing what it is, and overcoming it are two different matters. Here are some tips that can help: 1. Practice, practice, practice. Know the lyrics and be comfortable with them. Practice your moves in front of a mirror. Record yourself. (Just be aware that most of us don't like the sound of our own voices. Get over it and be convinced that others will like it.) 2. Whether you are performing Karaoke or with a band or accompanist, preparation is absolutely essential. If you are unsure of any part of your performance you will experience stage fright. 3. Karaoke singers: choose your songs before you get to the club. It helps much to have your songs already on a cd, in the right keys so you don't have to worry about whether the key is wrong or the backing track is different than the one you are comfortable with. Choose 2-4 songs and stick with them. You can add to your list as you become more comfortable with performing from the smaller list. Of course you'll have to memorize your lyrics or have them on a card you can hold. There's nothing wrong with holding your lyrics. Nobody cares. 4. While you are sitting in the audience notice what you are thinking about the singer on stage. Are you judging their pitch, their style, their vocal quality? Probably not. If they are good you probably are just enjoying. If they are bad your attention turns elsewhere. Remember this when you get on stage. The audience, no matter how big, is essentially just one person listening or not listening. But they probably aren't judging, just enjoying... or not. 5. Get into the song. Replace the fear of being judged with your attitude and feelings. Turn your attention to the meaning of the lyrics, the fun or the beauty of the melody. Close your eyes when you find yourself experiencing nervousness. Tune out the audience and sing for yourself alone. You can't just make stage fright go away; you must REPLACE it with something else. The song, the enjoyment of singing, the smiling faces of friends out there in the audience. Above all, understand that your believing that the audience won't like you is YOUR thought alone. You created that thought, and you can replace it with positive results. Above all be completely prepared to do your best.
Al Koehn has spent over 30 years working with top professionals in all aspects of their careers; voice development, performance, recording, producing and managing. His powerful new FREE ebook called "SINGING IS SERIOUSLY SIMPLE: Important Tips, Tools and Techniques for All Singers" is now available for downloading.
Access the Ebook FREE here http://vocalvision.com/ad1.html
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