Prepare your material. Being able to perform a wide variety of songs in several different styles is the first step to moving your career into the limelight. A versatile repertoire expands the number of performing opportunities available to you and makes you more popular with audiences, as well. If you are planning to perform in a band at weddings, bar mitzvahs, clubs and other events, you should have at least 40 songs memorized and performance-ready.
Create a typed song list. In order to work as a band singer, you will need a song list ready to go. Categorize the songs you are able to perform by music type—pop, dance, ballads, up-tempos, musicals, R&B, hip-hop, standards and jazz. Format your list into two columns, one with the name of the song, the other with the key you prefer. Be sure to memorize your keys as well as your songs, so that you can call them out to the bandleader when you are auditioning and performing.
Keep your voice in shape by vocalizing for at least 20 minutes each day. Using ascending and descending scales, alternate consonants and open vowel sounds until you have worked the full spectrum of vocalizations. Practice breathing exercises as well to increase your wind power and vocal support. After you have vocalized, spend at least a half hour each day rehearsing your material to make sure the songs on your list are performance-ready.
Create a demo tape with excerpts of several songs in differing styles. Ask local musicians to recommend professional demo studios or producers that are affordable and qualified to record a tape that will show off your voice. You do not need a backup band for your vocal demo—only a pianist or guitar player. The most noticeable thing about the demo should be your voice—not the musicians backing you up. If you are making your demo to look for band work, you might use karaoke backup tracks to create a fuller sound, but make sure your voice is prominent and distinct in the mix. Label your demo with your name, contact information, vocal range and availability.
Get a professional 8-by-10 headshot and polish your resume. For singing gigs, your headshot should be sexy or glamorous, in full makeup and stage attire. Your resume should include your name, contact information, vocal range, singing styles, any performing experience you have had, training, special abilities, instruments you may play and the type of reliable transportation you plan to use to get to your gigs.
Don’t be shy: Let everyone you meet know that you are a singer looking for work. Check local website help wanted lists for local bands and clubs that are hiring singers. Post fliers at your local music stores. Make the rounds at places where bands play and musicians hang out. If there are talent agencies in your town, send a copy of your picture, resume and demo tape to their office, and call them at least once a week until you get a response. If there are catering halls nearby, find out who is in charge of booking bands, and ask for information on any band that might be looking for a singer. Check trade papers and websites, such as Backstage for upcoming auditions, as well as the classified section of your local newspaper.
Look in the phone book under “bands,” and call every number listed to ask if they are hiring singers. Large booking houses keep a stable of performers on hand to plug into performances as needed. Send your tape, picture and resume to these houses, and be ready to work at the drop of a hat when they call you—if you refuse them the first time they call, they might not bother to call back.
Arrive at auditions looking your best, and be prepared with your song list, tape, picture and resume. Know your keys, and be able to convey those keys with confidence at any time.
Learn musical sign language. Often the bandleader will move the musicians from one song into another with no break in between. You should be familiar with key signature hand signals to communicate with the bandleader mid-song. Referred to as “the number system,” the signals are a form of musical sign language. Hold your fingers out for the amount of sharps or flats in a key. Sharp keys are shown with fingers pointing down, and flats use fingers pointing up. Practice these hand signals, and you will make any bandleader’s life easier.
Wear comfortable, but attractive shoes when you play singing gigs, as you will probably be standing for several hours at a time. It is a good idea to have a decorative and functional shawl or overcoat when playing in hotel ballrooms and catering halls, as the air conditioning in such places is usually uncomfortably cold for someone standing still for long periods of time.
If you need a “cheat sheet” for your song lists or keys, bring along a small index card or two, but don’t get caught looking at it too long! You want to appear confident and professional when performing.
Most of all, have fun! Whether your audience is attentive and appreciative or obnoxious and loud, let your own love of music be your reward—that, and the money you’ll get for singing!