Dodger11 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 I've entered one here in a music shop in Belfast - not used to singing or playing live apart from at home - anyone any tips? I'll be playing my EJ160e... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Rehearse. And then rehearse some more. Turn the TV on and rehearse in front of it so you're accustomed to playing your song(s) with distractions. If there are any open mikes in your area you can hit beforehand, go to them and play. Nothing prepares you for stage time quite like time on the stage. A general thing to remember is to not over-play or over-strum. Townes Van Zandt said the accompaniment should "serve the song," and that is what you are shooting for. Enunciate. If the judges don't have written copies of the lyrics, it helps to have them know what you're singing. Keep in mind that songwriting competitions are, by their nature, subjective. I've entered several through the years. Won some, didn't even place in others. Got fed up a couple of times because I thought the people the judges picked as winners didn't write good songs and/or didn't perform them well. You have to get over that feeling and realize that what makes your songwriting motor hum isn't necessarily what makes the judges' songwriting motors hum. Just get up there and be the best YOU that you can be. Above all, have fun. Find your personality and be enthusiastic about it. Be glad to be there. That kind of attitude comes across when you're on stage. Make the judges want to pick you. But if they don't, figure out why and learn from that. If they offer critiques, accept them with grace and a desire to learn. But above all, stay true to who you are as a writer and performer. I've had critiques that I learned from immensely and I've had critiques that went in one ear and out the other because the judge was basically wanting me to be someone I wasn't. A bad judge is like a bad editor; he/she is always wanting to re-write the writer's words the way they would've written it if they'd been writing the song. A good editor, meanwhile, understands the writer's style and works within that framework to try and make it better. Similarly, a good judge understands (and accepts) each performer's point of view and works with that. If you're at it for any length of time, you will encounter good judges and you will encounter bad judges. I'll repeat this: Keep in mind that songwriting competitions are subjective. I will capitalize that: SUBJECTIVE. Once you have accepted that fact, you'll probably be ok. I hope you do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Invaluable advice mate - thanks for taking time to reply. I'm 42 so no spring chicken but have never entered anything like this - my voice isn't great but I hope the songs are strong enough! Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StijnV Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Invaluable advice mate - thanks for taking time to reply. I'm 42 so no spring chicken but have never entered anything like this - my voice isn't great but I hope the songs are strong enough! Thanks again I know the feeling; I'm 40 and also recently started going to open mikes; it's pretty different from what you are used to, but I completely agree with dhanners, that you simply need to practise and practise on the stage to be able to get used to it. I'm still not used to it either. Thanks for the good tip dhanners for playing in front of the television; never thought of that ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lengle1981 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Takes me back to my first gig. I did it the hard way doing an acoustic set on my own. I played at an old theatre with other acts on the bill, mostly bands. I remember getting up with the lights on me and couldn't see anyone in the audience due to it. I sat on my stool and just went for it. Halfway through the first verse I settled. Those nerves never really go away in my opinion but at the same time it keeps you on your toes. Most of all enjoy it. I haven't played live for around 5 years. The last time I did a close friend of mine died in an accident shortly after and I haven't played since. I'm going to have to get back to playing, I miss it. Hope it goes or has gone well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Well, I'm assuming the OP already has had the experience. IMHO, age 40-42 is just a kid, by the way. All the advice is good. I guess I think songwriting contests aren't something I'm interested in, but they do offer a bit of incentive to some folks' mindset that can get them off their couch and into going out among 'em. Nothing, IMHO, ever entirely removes stage fright among almost all entertainers. I was most scared as a 19-year-old "tame folksinger" some 50 years ago when I was stuck at what seemed to be the end of a hallway while a refrigerator-size TV cam of the day was pointed at me with nothing human at all except that ... huge cyclops glass eye. A week or so later I was in front of... I dunno, a cupla thousand people? Forgot the words of the song, improvved some BS and finished. Nobody knew but me. Heck, I probably did better then than I could now... <grin> Lately I'll agree that my least favorite pickin' is if there's a high stage, hot lights and I can't get any feel for audience response at all. That's to me "uncomfortable." I'd say being on stage is a good exercise for nearly all humans of all ages. Not all of us, but nearly all... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Thanks for all the replies - the other contestants were all great singers (I'm not but I'm just OK ) and I struggled to find pitch through the mic - I need some practice there but I really enjoyed the experience and the camardarie was great as well. I need to do some open mics before i do anything similar again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffmac Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Rehearse. And then rehearse some more. Turn the TV on and rehearse in front of it so you're accustomed to playing your song(s) with distractions. If there are any open mikes in your area you can hit beforehand, go to them and play. Nothing prepares you for stage time quite like time on the stage. A general thing to remember is to not over-play or over-strum. Townes Van Zandt said the accompaniment should "serve the song," and that is what you are shooting for. Enunciate. If the judges don't have written copies of the lyrics, it helps to have them know what you're singing. Keep in mind that songwriting competitions are, by their nature, subjective. I've entered several through the years. Won some, didn't even place in others. Got fed up a couple of times because I thought the people the judges picked as winners didn't write good songs and/or didn't perform them well. You have to get over that feeling and realize that what makes your songwriting motor hum isn't necessarily what makes the judges' songwriting motors hum. Just get up there and be the best YOU that you can be. Above all, have fun. Find your personality and be enthusiastic about it. Be glad to be there. That kind of attitude comes across when you're on stage. Make the judges want to pick you. But if they don't, figure out why and learn from that. If they offer critiques, accept them with grace and a desire to learn. But above all, stay true to who you are as a writer and performer. I've had critiques that I learned from immensely and I've had critiques that went in one ear and out the other because the judge was basically wanting me to be someone I wasn't. A bad judge is like a bad editor; he/she is always wanting to re-write the writer's words the way they would've written it if they'd been writing the song. A good editor, meanwhile, understands the writer's style and works within that framework to try and make it better. Similarly, a good judge understands (and accepts) each performer's point of view and works with that. If you're at it for any length of time, you will encounter good judges and you will encounter bad judges. I'll repeat this: Keep in mind that songwriting competitions are subjective. I will capitalize that: SUBJECTIVE. Once you have accepted that fact, you'll probably be ok. I hope you do well. got to agree 100% could not have said it any better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Even though your contest is over, Dodger11, the one tip I should have added, but didn't, was MAKE SURE YOUR GUITAR IS IN TUNE. You would be surprised (or maybe not) how many people get up on stage at these competitions and their guitars are out of tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger11 Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 Even though your contest is over, Dodger11, the one tip I should have added, but didn't, was MAKE SURE YOUR GUITAR IS IN TUNE. You would be surprised (or maybe not) how many people get up on stage at these competitions and their guitars are out of tune. There were a couple whose guitars were out of tune now that you mention it! Mine was OK (well close enough for jazz anyway!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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