(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 21, 2012 ) San Diego, CA -- Today the music industry mourns the loss of legendary R&B singer Etta James, whose adaptable style, powerhouse voice, and fiery hit “At Last” made her one of the most recognizable blues performers of all time. Her talent has been recognized in several different ways, with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and six Grammy awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.
As with many soul singers, a voice that powerful demands a commanding stage presence as well. For singers on the shy side, however, sometimes all it takes is some extra performing experience to break out of that habit.
TakeLessons (http://takelessons.com), the nation's fastest growing music lessons provider, took the opportunity to share a list of great ways to get performance experience, in order to build up one's on-stage confidence. The following is an excerpt from the TakeLessons blog post:
"- Open mic nights. Great for getting used to singing with a live band, and for getting seen. Many bands started as a result of people meeting each other at open mic nights.
- Peruse Craigslist for bands looking for lead or backup singers. (Being a backup singer is a great place to start if you have no prior live band experience. YouÂ’ll learn a lot even as a backup singer.)
- Start or join an a cappella group.
- Student recitals. If you are taking lessons with a voice coach or at a music school, there are probably performance opportunities through there. They may not be the rock-star performance situations you ultimately envision yourself in, but theyÂ’re valuable stage time nonetheless.
- Start a duo. Team up with a pianist, develop a repertoire, and start playing in restaurants and bars.
- Start a band. Easiest if you are a teen or twenty-something, before your peers have real jobs, kids, and mortgages.
- Hire a band. For those with deep pockets: if youÂ’re willing to pay for a professional bandÂ’s rehearsal time, even a novice could start a rock trio and play standard covers in bars.
- Try out for a role in a musical theater production.
- Join a choir. There are lots of community choirs – some are open to all ages and levels, others require auditions.
- Prepare yourself to sub in a party band. Even if you donÂ’t win an audition to be a party bandÂ’s new lead singer, they may find themselves in a tight spot one day if their lead singer gets sick. If you prepare a standard party repertoire, youÂ’ll be ready to step in if and when a last-minute opportunity arises."
By sharing the list with blog readers, TakeLessons hopes to continue engaging current students and help with any musical goals they may have. Readers are invited to share their thoughts by commenting on the TakeLessons blog, where they can also read audition tips , and comments are also welcomed on Facebook (http://facebook.com/takelessons).
About TakeLessons
Headquartered in San Diego, CA, TakeLessons is America's full-service music and voice lessons provider. With private lessons taught by TakeLessons Certified™ instructors in cities nationwide, students of all ages can start living their dreams through music. Founded in 2006 to help people discover their creativity and pursue their passions, TakeLessons also offers turnkey music programs for schools and community centers.
(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 21, 2012 ) San Diego, CA -- Today the music industry mourns the loss of legendary R&B singer Etta James, whose adaptable style, powerhouse voice, and fiery hit “At Last” made her one of the most recognizable blues performers of all time. Her talent has been recognized in several different ways, with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and six Grammy awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.
