Los Angeles Voice & Performance Coaching
“Just imagine them in their underwear!”
“Use your nervousness! Think of it as excitement. It will give you energy!”
This is the kind of moronic advice I hear frequently dispensed from other performance coaches as ways to handle the fear and anxiety associated with public speaking, singing, acting, and performing in front of people.
I know… Those are pretty strong words — but I’m passionate about this subject. Here’s how to overcome stage fright for good…
You know that feeling of being jumbled, frazzled and unfocused with your mind spinning on a thousand things? The old “monkey mind?”
Ever find yourself starting a show that way? Not intentionally, of course, but realizing half-way through your first song that your mind is wandering?
Maybe you catch yourself thinking about your set list, your chord changes, your lyrics, your bandmates, or maybe you catch yourself anticipating the audience’s cheers and applause before you finish the song?
It happens. It’s natural. But it’s a reactive habit (rather than a “proactive” one), and it’s definitely not a good way to be/feel before you take the stage or before pressing “record” in the studio.
The holidays are wrapping up, kids, and if you’re like me, you’re recapping 2010 in your mind — taking stock of what went right and what went wrong, and how to make things better in 2011.
This week I took a snow day in the mountains with the fam, and as I watched the dozens of skiers, snowboarders, and sledders that dotted the main slope, something hit me. Smacked me right in the face.
No, not some wayward newbie on a snowboard, but an idea. (Good thing I brought the video camera!)
So here’s a tip for how to make a BIG difference in your Shows in 2011.
It’s always exciting when one of my students releases a new album! And this one is no exception. Jesse McCartney’s 4th studio album called “Have It All” is set to be released in January 2011. McCartney commented on the album in an interview with Billboard: “It’s full of sexy, four-on-the-floor beats with big pop melodies… [...]
Singer/songwriter and Steven Memel student Sara Bareilles has been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for her song “King of Anything” off her album “Kaleidoscope Heart.” Congrats, Sara! Your hard work is paying off, and we couldn’t be prouder! More: Official Grammy Nominees for 2010 Sara’s blog post about the [...]
Hi friends! It has been an amazing last three months for yours truly and The Science of Switching On! This blog is a little long because so much has happened, but as I travel and work with artists I’m constantly thinking of you and how I can help. So enjoy reading! Here’s where we’ve been…
What is your single biggest question about singing and performing live on stage? Each month Steven answers the most popular questions.
One of the most important skills to acquire from any vocal lesson is how to create good tone when singing. It’s an important skill no matter the gender of the performer or the genre they perform. But… what is good tone and how do you get it?
“I worked with [Steven] long before anyone had heard of Maroon 5. But I didn’t know how good he was until recently. Since we’ve had a #1 hit, we’ve been touring nonstop, and that schedule really takes a toll on your body. Anyone that knows our music knows the extremes of range I have to [...]
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