“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.

It’s an issue I personally had to overcome the hard way. (Although anybody watching me on stage now might find that hard to believe.)

Why those old stage fright tricks don’t work long-term

1. The “underwear” thing… If you’re spending your mental energy and your imagination putting skivvies on the audience, then you’re shortchanging them big time with your performance!

You can’t do that AND be simultaneously involved mentally and emotionally in the heart of your song. (See my article about being mentally present from yesterday.)

2. The “nervousness = energy” excuse… I feel like I’m trying to lie to myself with phony woo-woo stuff like that. My truth-o-meter is on tilt, and it’s screaming at me, “That’s not energy, you idiot! That’s fear!!! I’m having an out of body experience here!!!”

Pretending you’re not afraid is like pretending a hot stove won’t burn you. In order to overcome stage fright, you must first acknowledge, and accept, your fear.

How I’ve learned to overcome stage fright for good

There’s no way around it — this is a deep subject. But we’re going to do a little scratching of the surface of it with this track off my new Warmup CD. Hope it begins the journey for you to peace and security and ultimately true freedom on stage.

By the way, everyone who registers for the 6-week “Science of Switching On” Virtual e-course gets a free copy of my new Warmup CD free! (See below)

How to Make a BIGGER Difference in Your Shows in 2011

Starting next Wednesday, Jan 5, I’ll be teaching a brand new 6-week voice and performance course online. It’s called “The Science of Switching On: Virtual Training Course,” and I’m super excited to offer it.

We’ll be covering stage fright in detail for artists, musicians, and stage performers, along with better singing techniques, strategies to design your set list, dealing with stage fright, and a deep dive into “The Science of Switching On” — all my very best material in a 6-week e-course you can take in your PJs.

Want to be a part of the course? Check out the details and register here

I’ll even throw in a coupon for $50 off the registration price — use discount code HOLIDAY50.  But you gotta hurry if you want a seat.

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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.

Instead, being centered with a very still and focused mind is the way to go. And if you master this little step, it will pay dividends in all your performances. You’ll be fully present and in the moment with your audience.

But it takes practice. Repeated practice. Training your mind to quiet down on cue is easier said than done.

The key is to practice finding this centered place again and again so that when the time comes to “switch it on,” it’s natural, and you default to quiet calm, rather than defaulting to being frazzled.

How to practice disciplining your mind

1. Meditate
2. Practice stillness by sitting quietly and just focusing on one of your senses — like just listening to the sounds around you and any time you notice your mind starts going again, refocus on the sounds. (Even if you have to do that multiple times every 10 seconds.)
3. Get yourself out into nature and turn off all electronic devices, even no music. Disconnect from everything and experience the stillness in nature (see the video above)
4. Develop the discipline of concentrating on one task at a time, such as when you wash the dishes (assuming you do) REALLY wash the dishes. Don’t let your mind wander. Be the dish! (just kidding)

All these things will help you discipline your mind so that when you ask it to focus, it will.

I have to think about something, right?

Now that you’ve quieted your mind, the second part is you need to know what to focus on before you walk on stage.

First, you need to know that you are there on stage to communicate something. (And that something is different for every single song. And there can be many things within each song.)

You may find that there are dozens of things for you to communicate, so where do you start? And how will you ever remember it all?

It’s easy. Just focus on the first moment, when you walk out on stage. Discipline yourself to be completely focused on that. Even if it is saying hello. You know how to say hello.

And if you’ve done your homework to be clear on the next task, you’ll do that one and then the next. Moment by moment.

Trust yourself

And the final thing you need to attain the power of stillness is trust.

You must be able to trust that if you release trying to think about everything and just be still in the moment, that (1) all will be OK, that (2) you will be safe and taken care of and that (3) your innate abilities will emerge.

Being a whirling dervish of activity and thought will only cloud and disperse your power.

My personal technique before taking the stage

1. I make a commitment to myself that I’m leaving the venue, theater or studio feeling good about myself regardless of what happens during the performance. In doing that, I make my self-esteem and self-worth independent of my performance.

2. I remind myself that I’m there to communicate something. And I get clear about what that “something” is. I generally have an “overall communication” I want to make and then specific moment-to-moment things I want to communicate.

3. Immediately before I begin, I make sure I know the very first thing I want to communicate. And then I even let that out of my head, and I take a moment of stillness to gather myself.

How to Make a BIGGER Difference in Your Shows in 2011

Starting next Wednesday, Jan 5, I’ll be teaching a brand new 6-week voice and performance course online. It’s called “The Science of Switching On: Virtual Training Course,” and I’m super excited to offer it.

We’ll be covering the mental game in detail for artists, musicians, and stage performers, along with better singing techniques, strategies to design your set list, dealing with stage fright, and a deep dive into “The Science of Switching On” — all my very best material in a 6-week e-course you can take in your PJs.

Want to be a part of the course? Check out the details and register here

Like this article?

If you enjoyed this article and found it helpful, please help us spread the word by forwarding this on to your friends and posting on your social sites.

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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.

Ready for it? Take more risks. (And I mean “emotional risks” on stage.)

Look at it this way — skiing and snowboarding is dangerous. People get injured all the time, but most willingly accept that risk because the thrill of zooming down the mountain at breakneck speeds far outweighs the potential pain of crashing.

It’s the same on stage. When you’re performing, playing it safe is never as fulfilling, enjoyable, or exciting as the thrill you get when you really push your boundaries.

Don’t forget, limits are made to be broken. You may not realize it, but boundaries are breaking all the time in sports, technology, medicine, and many other arenas — why not in entertainment? Why not in your shows?

Brian Tracy says, “In order to achieve things you’ve never achieved before, you must be willing to do things you’ve never done before.”

So try singing a song twice as fast, or twice as slow, or in a different key, or on the edge of the stage, or crouched down in the fetal position, or take the mic down into the crowd… anything. It doesn’t matter what you do — just be open to risking your pride by trying something new and out of your comfort zone.

Sometimes it won’t work (hence the risk). But many times it will work. And when it does, it’s magic.

Remember, audiences are there to have an emotional experience. Give them one, and they will reward you generously with their applause, their energy, their enthusiasm, and even their wallets. They’ll come back again and again, and even bring their friends — all from one emotional moment you gave them in one show.

But you have to take the risk if you want the reward. It’s hard. And it’s scary. But aren’t screams and whistles and thunderous applause much cooler than… well, cool or luke-warm responses?

Which would you rather have said about your show?

“The Crowd Went Wild!” -or- “The Crowd Went Mild”

It’s your choice. Personally, I’d rather send people home saying, “Wow! I had no idea it would be that amazing!” than “It felt good to come out and support Steven.”

So make it count every time you’re out on stage. Take chances. Do things that scare you. Go out on a limb — that’s usually where the fruit is.

How to Make a BIGGER Difference in Your Shows in 2011

Starting next Wednesday, Jan 5, I’ll be teaching a brand new 6-week voice and performance course online.  It’s called “The Science of Switching On: Virtual Training Course,” and I’m super excited to offer it.

We’ll be covering risk-taking in detail for artists, musicians, and stage performers, along with better singing techniques, strategies to design your set list, dealing with stage fright, and a deep dive into “The Science of Switching On” — all my very best material in a 6-week e-course you can take in your PJs.

Want to be a part of the course? Check out the details and register here

I’ll even throw in a coupon for $50 off the registration price — use discount code HOLIDAY50.  But you gotta hurry if you want a seat.

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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… but yet again, some rhythmic, R&B stuff that’s pushing the envelope a little bit more for me as an artist,” “I wanted to make sure that there were no boundaries. I’m 23, and I wanted to make sure there was nothing boxing me in musically or content-wise.”

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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 nomination

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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…

The West Coast Songwriters 2010 conference up in the San Francisco area.

My good friends Ian and Joanie Crombie put on a really terrific event.

Wonderfully talented people sharing their music. I introduced a new workshop — top secret still — but you’ll be hearing about it in the near future.

Performing the World 2010 Conference — Can Performance Change the World?

This incredible event took place in NYC and was attended by social activists, educators, therapists, researchers and yes… even some performers!

It centered around performance — particularly improvisational performance — as a tool for social and personal transformation. A real departure from the music conferences I usually attend and a major “heart and brain high” for four days!

There were also some professional performers there, but the context was sooo different. No one was there to have an “entertainment business career.” For them, “good” performance or “bad” performance were meaningless. It was the simply the act of “performing” that was the transformation itself, the end in itself. I’ll be writing more on this later.

Check it out at:

http://performingtheworld.org/ and http://www.eastsideinstitute.org/

The very first… NYC “Science of Switching On” Workshop.

We had an amazing group with a couple of people from the Performing the World conference as well as members of the singer songwriter community. This was also the first “Science of Switching On” workshop with an accompanist present, which added a whole new dimension to the proceedings. And we will be having a piano player from here on. We used him very creatively for everyone in the workshop. You’ll have to attend to find out how!

And we topped it all off with the…

TAXI Road Rally 2010!

Wow! What an event. Exciting from top to bottom. Met wonderful new artists. Hung out with dear old friends, both presenters and attendees.

I was asked to open the conference by Michael Laskow and very honored to do so. Here’s the short video of my opening talk.

I presented two breakout workshops both of which were shot with two camera video. AND I was able to have a main ballroom presentation… Transform Your Performance… which we also shot multi-camera. These will be coming out soon for those who are interested in them.

There’s a lot of insights and learnings I’ll be sharing over the next several months. So make sure to subscribe to the site (use the box in the upper right) to keep current. AND you’ll be seeing a whole new look on my Facebook Page in the next few weeks. Make sure to drop by and “like” it.

Thanks for being a part of the “The Science of Switching On” community! We’re going to keep making sure we give you valuable tools and information to help you achieve your goals and aspirations. And don’t hesitate to leave a comment or shoot us an email with any questions you have.

All the best,
Steven

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What is your single biggest question about singing and performing live on stage? Each month Steven answers the most popular questions.

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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?

The truth is what’s “good tone” is a tough question to answer. The issue’s incredibly subjective. If you’re talking to someone who’s only into classical music they’re going to have a very different opinion than someone who’s into death metal. (I wonder is there such a thing as “Death Opera?” If not, maybe we should try it!)

However if you look at the idea of “good tone” in it’s purest form, good tone is the result of good technique. It’s that simple. The more aligned the mechanics of your voice, the more consistent and pleasing your tone becomes. Then after that’s established, if you want to mess with it and change things around to create more style, you’ll do it better than ever before. Even a growl will sound like a cooler growl.

A good balance of the registers, enough breath to do the job, not too much compression on the vocal cords and a clear sense of where you want to experience the resonance are all components of a technique that produces great tone.

Acquiring this ability includes a few basic steps:

1. Relaxation when singing is very important. A tense singer will have a weak resonance and tone in their voice. Relaxing also inhibits the tendency to strain when attempting to hit notes at the edge or your natural range.
2. Breathing is another key factor to getting good tone. Babies breathe properly, as only their stomachs move during the intake and release of the breath. As adults we often need to relearn this method of breathing, so practice taking in and releasing your breath with a minimum of movement from your chest and shoulders. But don’t get yourself knotted up trying to “do it right!” Sometimes just suck down a big pile of air and don’t worry about how you’re doing it. I see too many singers holding their breath or hardly inhaling at all.
3. Develop consistent vocal warm-up techniques. Humming is suggested as a method to warm up the muscles your body will use while singing.
4. Study your role models. Copy their performances. Imitate their voices. Do this with enough artists and eventually you won’t remember what belongs to whom. Then just go for it without thinking and see what shows up. You’re naturally creative and you can’t really do them anyway (they’re them) so you don’t have to worry about being “unoriginal.”
5. Experiment with different types of music, and different performance styles. Find one that you are comfortable with and that allows you to stay relaxed and breathe properly. If a highly active performance style leaves you short of breath, get into the gym for god sakes!
6. Get a job singing! Nothing can replace practice, and getting paid for it! So after you feel comfortable with the techniques described above, put yourself out there. Get used to singing in front of people. In addition to developing your vocal abilities, you will also be able to practice other very important aspects of a professional singer such as stage presence, and the ability to read a crowd and get in touch with their moods.
7. Track your progress. Record yourself singing (you will be surprised at how different you sound at first!). Doing this once a month will help you detect areas of weakness you can improve and areas of strength to draw upon during a performance.
8. Learn how to care for your voice. Avoid straining your vocal cords by yelling or screaming. Drink plenty of fluids, at least 64 fluid ounces of water a day to keep your vocal cords hydrated, but avoid dairy as they produce mucous which will make it hard to keep your throat clear. Smoking or being around smokers for extended periods of time should also be avoided. The chemicals in a cigarette can be damaging to vocal cords.
9. Lastly, if you can budget it, find a voice coach. There’s no substitute for one-on-one coaching. Remember… you don’t know what you don’t know!

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“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 deal with, so my voice must be in top condition to make it through. He gave me the tools I need to keep it together in a high-stakes environment.” -Adam Levine, Maroon 5

More:

• View Steven’s List of Celebrity Clients
• Maroon 5 Website

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