Knowing a song from beginning to end (memorization) is the most essential part of musicianship/ singing etc because without the knowledge of the song, how can one begin to perform it. Agreed? And with that comes, yes, you guessed it, practice, rehearsal, writing sessions, whatever you wish to call it. So what do I mean when I say “performance shape”?
I would assume that most people know what it means to be “in shape” physically. Of course the definition varies but for the most part it can be said that if one is in shape then, one is eating healthy and keeping the body’s cardiovascular and muscular systems in good condition with consistent mid to high level physical activity for an extended period of time. As singers, performers, musicians, it’s a no brainer to commit time, energy and often times money on rehearsing the material we plan to present. It goes hand in hand.
However and I have to be honest, most people never make the leap of faith or cross that line and subject themselves to public criticism ie: performing.
Sure, there are many reasons or what I like to call excuses why people don’t perform. Read and see if any of these sound familiar to you. “I don’t like the way I look”; “I have stage fright”; “It’s not the right kind of venue”; “I have to go to work tomorrow and it’s not on the weekend”; “I want to get paid for my talent”; and the list can go on and on. But my question to you is how can you grow as an artist without feedback? How do you know your strengths and weaknesses if you don’t allow anyone other than yourself to see them? How do you become successful at your craft? Let me be very honest and say, there is no fun in being a closet performer or a career shower singer IF one’s goal is to truly develop the artistry and perform for others to experience life through the artist’s eyes. One can and WILL miss out on the purpose of performing which is sharing through song, dance, etc.
My suggestion is if you’re out of shape then create a workout plan to get yourself in performance shape. Start small and work your way up to the big events, the big shows. Start with karaoke parties at the house. Then, maybe work in a weekly open mic, etc, etc. One must crawl before they walk and walk before they run.
Hope this food for thought helps. Try it out and good luck!
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