By Cari Cole
My first standing ovation was at Town Hall in New York City in front of 3000 strangers (and a few friends.) Not only was that a stellar moment, it was totally unexpected. That night was just the same as any other performance to me.
What did I do differently at that performance that I failed to do prior? A lot.
First, I put in my 10,000 hours. I trained, shed my scales and performed over 1000 performances. I vocalized 4-5x a week for 8 years. Secondly I because a better musician and songwriter. I went to music school and studied jazz. I wrote over 250 songs. Then, I became of the top vocal coaches in the world and taught over 10,000 singers. All of that happened before my Standing “O”. I had to get there first.
But that night, something in me —- shifted. Yes I had done-the-work, but there was something else that took it over the top… read on below to find out what it was…
Here are my Top 3 Tips to snag yourself a pretty little Standing “O”:
Here are my Top 3 Tips to snag yourself a pretty little Standing “O”:
1. Sing With Your Voice, Not Someone Else’s
You won’t get the admiration and respect you’re looking for without carving your own style. That means singing with YOUR voice, not someone else’s. Copycats pawn mediocrity. Real singers, don’t try to prove their fit in, they prove their originality. Stand out, don’t fit in.
2. A Powerful Vocal Arrangement
So when I got my Standing “O” the most important thing I did besides my 10,000 hours of practice and training — was to work out a killer vocal arrangement. A vocal arrangement is the layout of the vocal line, melodically, rhythmically and emotionally. The peaks and valleys. Crescendo and decrescendo. Where you put holds, riffs, soft tones, where you build and where you pull back. Listen to K.D. Lang’s version (below) of Hallelujah to listen to a great vocal arrangement. A powerful vocal arrangement is what delivers the emotion of the performance to the audience.
3. The Number One Thing That Will Bring Them to Their Feet
There I was, shaking in my boots and all. Town Hall, New York City. Packed house. Whitney Houston’s mom was in the audience (yes, the invincible Cissy Houston.) This was it. Well, first off I knew I had a vocal arrangement that displayed all the bells and whistles of the song. I built the dynamic arc of the vocal, had a big note at just the right time, high notes in all the right places, riffs that accentuated the lyrics — a vocal that delivered a truly powerful emotion to the audience.
Because I knew then from all of my vocal coaching, that at the end of the day, what hits us in our solar plexus is not only technical ability (although it’s a critical piece), it’s the vocal arrangement that allows the singer to make a real impact, to deliver great emotion. Singers who deliver a highly charged emotional vocal will win over those who sing technically perfect. But when you’ve got both? You’ve got a standing O.
Tip: Whatever you want your audience to feel, go all the way. Tell the story. It’s what you give them emotionally that gets them to their feet. Every time.
The final thing I did was pray to get out of my own way that night. Yep, right before I hit the stage, I mumbled to myself “self, help me get out of my own way tonight so I can give something big to these people”… I went out on stage, gave everything I had and then some, and when I opened my eyes at the end, everyone was on their feet clapping and brava-ing me. Surreal. That night I learned the true alchemy behind moving an audience to their feet. I was never the same performer again!!
You can DO THIS!!! Follow the steps!
Ready to uplevel your vocal technique and create Standing “O” quality vocal performances? Check it out!
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