Vocal Performance: The Eyes Have It, Pt. 2 -- Maintain An Even Plane

Now that you have practiced your points of focus: start Center, look Left, look Center, look Right, look Center, etc. (always coming back to center between Left & Right), you want to make sure that you "maintain an even plane."
In other words, don't let your eyes go over the audience's head and don't let your eyes look down at their shoes, either.   In an audition, you might have three people sitting at a table.  Not a problem.  When you perform, don't look your auditioners right in the eyes, that can be fairly uncomfortable for everybody.  Better yet, create/imagine a friendly face right next to the face of the person in the middle.  Imagine your new friend sitting at that table.  Look them in the eyes.  This will be your center focus.
Now imagine a friendly face just next to the face of the person on the left at the table.  Left Focus.
Now imagine a friendly face just next to the face of the person on the right at the table.  Right Focus.
There you have it.  Three simple points of focus that don't invade the casting people's space, but that share the same eye plane for all to see and feel your vocal performance.
This works for all singers from the stage whether it be Pop, Rock, Cabaret or Broadway.
Another issue for those of us watching you; if you close your eyes to show us how moved you are by your own performance, you've lost us.
Next: WHEN to change your point of focus.    

Pirates in the Studio, Robot at the Roxy, Powers in the Dawghouse

Here are some quick mid-week updates on a few of our voice studio clients:

Royal Pirates fans, I had the opportunity to sit in with Moon, James and Sooyoon last night at their rehearsal studio.  Got to hear their newest stuff and, while I am sworn to secrecy, I can tell you that not only will you not be disappointed, you will be OVERWHELMED when you hear it.

Katherine Pawlak and Sad Robot will be at the Roxy next Friday night 5/20.  Tracks are up on iTunes.  Bunim/Murray just picked up Sad Robot's music license for Bad Girls Club.  Congrats, KP!

B.K. Cannon will be guesting in a non-singing role on the season finale of Law & Order: LA.  Looking forward to her scene with Alfred Molina.

Peter Husmann is back in the studio prepping for the lead role of John Adams in 1776 at Glendale Centre Theatre.  Nice to have you back, Peter!

And Mary Powers (who now goes by "Bloody Mary" Powers) will also be gigging with The Modern End on 5/20 at Dawg House.  You might remember Mary from last season's American Idol:



Oh yeah, and our young friends Inversion will be making their debut this Sunday at AmplyFi.  Keep a watchful ear and eye out for Molly Kirschenbaum on vocals and keys and Keaton Applebaum on guitar.  P.S., they ain't even in high school yet...

Vocal Performance: The Eyes Have It, Pt. 1 -- Points of Focus

The eyes do have it.  While your voice can fill a room with energy, it is the eyes that bring it all into focus.

Points of Focus (Left/Center/Right) are crucial in vocal performance; in sharing your eyes or line of sight with the audience.

Some people read lips.  Everybody reads eyes.

Simplest approach (for now) is to:
1) Stretch out your arms in a "V" in front of you.  It should look like you're about to hug someone. Eyes are already at Center.  Pick a point about 15 feet in front of you and "see" it.  Really see it.
2) Turn Eyes and Face (just your eyes and your face, not the whole body) left along the left arm.  Don't go beyond the left arm.  Let the eyes lead the face, don't go all robot on us...Pick a point about 15 feet in front of you on the left and "see" it.
3) Back to center.  Eyes first, face follows.  Center Point of Focus.
4) Eyes lead face to right along right arm.  Pick Right Point of Focus (15 ft., etc.)
5) Back to center.  Eyes lead the face.

That's the start of it.  More tomorrow...

Sneak Peak: Royal Pirates at Wokcano Thursday Night

Royal Pirates will be playing a short set at 8:45p at an open charity fundraiser Thursday night, May 5 at Wokcano -- no age limit, no admission charge, what's not to like?  Yeah, I know it's right in the middle of your Cinco de Mayo celebration, but if you're in the area, take a break from the salsa and cerveza in favor of sake and sushi and the Royal Pirates!  See you there!

Find more ROYAL PIRATES songs at Myspace Music

Being Present

I talk about this all the time....

But it does bear repeating.

In an audition, many things are out of our control.  We usually don't control who our scene partner is when we get paired up to read for a musical.  Today's economics pretty much dictate that we don't hire and bring our own accompanist to a musical audition anymore. We certainly can't control whether or not a production team sees us as having the right look or image for the characters and matchups they have in mind (even if we do wear an original sailor's outfit from Dames At Sea to the first audition -- btw, don't do that...).

But we can certainly control whether or not we are "present" when we audition.  "Present" means simply being there.  When you walk in the audition room, be there.  If they say hello, say hello back. Don't prepare a speech or a witty line for when you first walk in -- that moment of inspiration is long past and you might not have their immediate attention if and when you do say it; you may unwittingly appear controlling or just loud and obnoxious, possibly interrupting their conversation about the singer who auditioned just prior.

We flip the switch when we are asked to perform.  At that point, we must let go of all self-observation as it is most important that we are present and focused on not just how we sound, but what we are saying, who we are saying it to, why we are saying it and thinking all the thoughts that go along with the freedom of being present.

When you can walk away from a vocal audition and honestly say, "I felt present when I sang," then you truly did your work as an artist.