First of all, I’d like to thank American Idol for giving me such fuel for my blogs.  They are really helping to make my job easy!

Last night watching the men again, I was ignited by Aaron Kelly’s performance of ” My Girl” .  I am not going to be commenting specifically on him, he did a good job and is only 16 so perhaps he did an amazing job.  But what I did notice first and foremost about his performance was that he performed the first two verses of his song exactly the same.  And that is an improvement he needs to work on and a great subject to blog and discuss for all singers who are going to do any type of performing.

Making a song interesting to listen to.

In general a song is made up of verse and chorus repeating.  So what can you do to make that verse or chorus pop from a repeating one?  There are several things to think about when approaching your song such as: intention, dynamics, emotion, and melody variation.

Like an actor a singer needs to perform a song like a monologue, finding the beats and the intention to each phrase.  Consider this is type of blocking that you need to do in your mind before you sing the piece.

Intention-

Who are you singing to?  What is the difference in your intention from the first time you deliver a verse and the second.  For example:  the first time you may want to be getting their attention with your words, the second time you may want them to really be listening.  Or, the first time you may be just opening up and the second you may be singing from your whole heart with resolve.  These different intentions need to show themselves and they can do so in a few different ways:

Dynamics- Simply, your volume.  For a love song a quiet intro may be a sign of your vulnerability and a louder repeat a sign of your resolve.  For a “you hurt me song”  starting on a sorrowful quiet and switching to an angry loud “fed up” verse can show growth in your song journey.

Emotions- Your first verse may be timid, the second, holding nothing back out of desperation.  The first first may be coy, the second down right sexy, etc…

Body Language- You can start sitting on a stool, then stand for the second verse, or start standing at a microphone then hold it for verse two.

Melody- You can play with one verse over the other, adding runs, holding out a note, or changing up the line.

There are many things that you can do to a song.  But you need to plan for it like an actor.  That will take you to a higher step then just someone who can sing pretty.  We as singers need to tell stories.  Use your resources of dynamics, emotions, body language and melody to help you do so.

Sing well people!

written by Ariella Vaccarino creatof of Voice Lessons To Go (singing lessons on CD) and author of Vocalize!

-want to receive immediate feedback on how you are singing from me?  Sign up for my Vocal Assessment.  Then send me a link or mp3 of  you singing (audio/ or audio visual) with your questions and I will get back to you with my advice right away.

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