Everybody loves you when you’re easy…

Singers can have a reputation of being difficult divas, hard to work with, and not up to the same standard musically as the rest of the band.

How do you know a singer is knocking at your door?-they never know when to come in! 

What do you call a person who hangs around musicians?-a singer.

You may have the impression that you can just waltz in and sing and the rest of the world will do whatever you want because of your awesomeness.  Well, in reality, musicians value a vocalist who knows what they are doing, who doesn’t waste other people’s time, and who works with the band as a group.  Yes, I know as a singer you are out the front connecting with the audience, but your band need you to communicate with them too.

So here are a few tips:

*learn your stuff before rehearsal. Don’t be learning words or entries at this stage. Coming prepared to rehearsal means you can work on how you are fitting together with the other musicians.  It shows you respect their time, and in return, they will respect you

*develop your skills as a vocalist.  Just because your instrument is your voice doesn’t mean you don’t need to understand how music works.  Get educated, learn which chords and beats you like.  The more musical knowledge you have, the more you will be able to explain what you want to your band.

*ask to go over something when you need to.  Ok, so I said don’t be a difficult diva, but you need to be able to rehearse enough that you feel confident.  After all, it’s you out on that stage, so be assertive when you need to.

*have fun.  Don’t take yourself too seriously.  Playing music is a pleasure and a privilege, and the more you enjoy it, the more enjoyable you will be to watch.