The Fear of Singing

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You Are Not Alone

I truly believe that everysinger (and I mean 100% of

singers)

can relateto this topic.

Of course, the amount offear differs based on

age, experience, personality, perceived talent

and other factors.

Some singers look fearlesswhen stepping up on the

stage..

Some aspiring singers dare to sing

only in the shower.

However, even famoussingers and artists

experience some level of

uneasy feelings abouttheir performance.

For example, John Bon Jovisaid in an interview that

he experienced stage frightbefore every performance.

You are not alone.

It does not matter ifyou are a new singer or

a professional.

We all experience some levelof fear of singing.

Why Are We Afraid to Sing?

These are some of thethoughts that may go through your head before singing or

while you sing:

“I am not confidentin my singing."

“I am not a good singer."

“I don’t know how to sing."

“What if everyone hates me?"

“What if I cannothit the high note?"

“What if my voice cracks?"

“What if I make afool of myself?"

What if ...?

Are any of these familiar?

They sound awfullyfamiliar to me!

All throughout my life,singing was not something

I would get praised for.

My parents are kindpeople and they nevercriticized my singing.

But they also did not gettoo excited about it

so I never felt proud ofmy vocal abilities.

My (very talented) son,being an honest 11 yearold child, also gives me

lukewarm appraisalsof my singing.

But then, he givesthe thumbs up onlyto his vocal teacher.

I have also heard manystories about mean teachers

and parents who loudly

belittled their studentsor children for singing.

I cannot imagine thethoughts rushing

through their heads.

And I also met peoplewho were told byothers not to sing.

Imagine …

I believe there aretwo main reasons whywe are afraid to sing.

Judgement and misperception.

Just look at somereality shows in whichentertainment relies on

harshly criticizingor even humiliatingone’s vocal abilities.

Then, there are studiorecordings of great singersand performers that seem

out of this world – andthey are because they are

altered and enhancedby today’s technology.

Nothing wrong with that.

Just comparing your ownvoice to these great

sounding performancescan be intimidating.

How to OvercomeStage Fright?

Figure out whyyou are afraid to sing.

When you know the whys,you can work on the hows.

If you are afraid of nothitting the high notes,

practice them or

or choose a song that iswithin your range.

If you are afraid ofbeing judged, find afriendly audience.

If you feel you are not agood singer, practice more.

Some tips to overcomethe fear of singing:

Tip 1:Over-prepare!

Yes, practice makes perfect.

It’s an old saying butit works beautifully.

It worked for me.

Prepare and prepareand prepare.

By the time you stand onthe stage, your

performance will become a

well-practiced routine thatyou can do in your sleep.

But don’t forget thatlittle imperfections make

your performancebelievable and human.

No one wants to listento singing robots.

Tip 2:Self-exploration.

Every time you practice your song again and again, you may

discover more aboutyourself, your

voice and body.

If you know your body well,then there is a lesser

chance of unexpectedsurprises.

Tip 3:Join a group of singers.

With the increasing trendof singing, there are many

choirs –

at school, at church or at a local

community centre.

Join like-minded peoplewho love to sing.

You are not in thespotlight when you sing

with others

which is a good way to get used

to singing in frontof other people.

Tip 4: Get exposure.

Sing for people.

Start with friendsand family.

They are your biggest fans.

They want you to succeed.

Once you feel comfortablein front of familiar people,

sing for strangersor bigger audiences.

Sing at church.

Sing at a karaoke bar.

Organize a streetperformance.

On the other hand, thereare people (like my son)

who is less stressed about

singing in front ofunfamiliar people than infront of family members.

We are all different.

The key is to knowwhat works for you.

Tip 5: Record yourself on

a regular basis.

Learn from listening toyour own singing or ask for

feedback to see where

you are at and what youneed to work on.

Most of us hate listeningto our own voices.

Yes, we sound differentlywhen recorded.

Accept the feedback as away to grow and improve.

Use the feedbackconstructively

not destructively.

Tip 6: Choose easy songs tostart your performance.

Choose songs that arewithin your range and

showcase yourvocal abilities.

Win some fans with asolid initial performance.

Once the audience lovesyou, they will be more

forgiving if you make a few

mistakes in morechallenging songs.

Tip 7:Let go!

Forget about your “whatifs” and go for it!

This one is easy towrite and harder to do.

But it definitelyworked for me.

I believe that letting gois what made it for me.

I realized that nothing(absolutely nothing!) will

happen if I do notsing perfectly.

Go for it!

Experiment! The feelingis absolutely amazing!

Try improvisationin singing.

It is elevating and it is agood way to learn to let go.

Tip 8:Don't take yourself

too seriously.

If you see your singingperformance as a matter of

life and death, then you

naturally createtension and pressure.

Have fun with your songs.

Entertain your audienceand enjoy the process.

If you are worried aboutbeing judged, don’t look

at your singing as

a performance butmore as a message.

What are you tryingto communicate to

your audience?

What do you wantto tell them?

Tip 9:See yourself succeeding.

I practice this one everyday and not only in singing.

I believe and teachself-fulfilling prophecyat home and at work.

If you believe that youcan succeed, you will.

Yes, it soundsfunny but it works.

Tell yourself somethingpositive over and over even

if you don’t believeit initially.

It creates an atmosphere inwhich it can become reality.

Figure out what you wantto change and become.

Make your affirmations veryspecific and incorporate

your fears into them.

For example, if you areafraid of being judged by

others, think of this:

“I will allow people to havetheir opinions because they

are trying to help me.”or,

“I will accept other people’s judgements about my singing

and I willlearn from them.”

So be fearless and sing!

If you want more tips and advice about singing, go to

www.tips.how2improvesinging.com

See you there!