![]() Be nice and just sing a little faster or slower. Its' very difficult to tell if a vocalist wants to speed up or slow down from this anyway, and you'll probably just make a quick enemy of the very person who can help you the most at that moment. A sensitive accompanist will listen especially closely to you at your first vocal entrance, to make sure that you're both "together." They'll gladly follow you where you want to lead them, once they realize you know what you're doing.ĭon't: Start snapping your fingers in a vain effort to correct the tempo. (Unless the role calls for it, of course!)ĭo: If the pianist starts the song at the wrong tempo, gently but confidently lead them by singing a little faster or slower until it's right. Your body will remember the correct tempo and I promise, you won't have to dance at your audition. You can practice setting tempos by actually dancing to the song in the privacy of your own home. Either do this by counting 1-2-3-4 in the correct tempo or by singing a few notes (if the melody in fact communicates the tempo in a clear way).ĭon't: Answer the pianist's question "How fast does this piece go?" by looking at the sheet music and saying "Quarter note equals 80." This communicates nothing. The pianist can't read your mind, so you'll make everything a lot easier for both of you if you can give your desired tempo. The better you know the introduction, the more confident you'll be at your first vocal entrance.ĭon't: Begin your big audition by walking straight over to the piano and asking the pianist to quietly play the introduction so you can "hear how it goes." Do you really think that anyone's going to hire someone who's that unprepared? The better you know your intro, the better you'll sing the whole song.ĭo: Learn how to indicate the tempo if necessary. Figure out how many measures it is, what it sounds like, how it helps you "hear' your starting note, and what beat in the measure you begin singing on. There are no exaggerations here: I've seen it all and want to help you avoid the pitfalls so you can succeed as the best vocalist you can be.ĭo: Know the printed introduction. This is real advice based on my years accompanying vocalists of all ages and abilities, in musical settings ranging from Carnegie Hall, Broadway orchestra pits, jazz clubs, cabaret venues and all the way to high school and college musical theater productions and community choirs. ![]() with this in mind, here are some "do's and don'ts" about working with pianists. (Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part this is true and can continue into the college and professional years unless they do some serious "catch-up" work.) The pianist starts by learning technique and takes years to learn how to "play expressively." The young vocalist, by contrast, automatically sings expressively, but doesn't learn anything about notation for years, if they ever learn it at all. But what does a 5-year old singer do? Smile and sing "Kum ba ya, my Lord, kum ba ya." When a 5-year old goes to their first piano lesson, they're taught to read middle C on the page, press the corresponding key, and count: 1-2-3-4, etc. Rather, it's the result of the way we were taught music when we were young. To start with, there's a huge gulf between most vocalists and their instrumental counterparts. And best of all, the want to like you and enjoy working with you!īefore I give you specific tips on how to rehearse and perform with pianists better, let's take a moment to understand the situation you're both in. They want you to speak to them in a language they understand. ![]() ![]() They want you to know what you are doing. And here's the good news: the piano players want this! They want you to sing well. And from the other side, many pianists have developed about 30,000 defense mechanisms that come from working with vocalists who don't know what they are doing, either musically, interpersonally, or professionally.Īs a vocalist, you need to develop the musical and personal skills that will enable you to interact successfully with your fellow musicians. Whether you sing jazz, musical theater, pop or classical music, working with a pianist can be daunting.
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