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Tips for Choosing Songs for Auditions

If you have a big audition coming up, you’re likely already both nervous and excited. All these emotions can be stressful to manage and even more so when you haven’t picked the song you’ll be singing yet.

Don’t worry. Choosing the perfect audition song isn’t difficult if you remember a few crucial factors. Here’s what you need to know!

Keep Your Role in Mind

Most auditions either require a “short cut” of 16 bars or a “long cut” of 32 bars (or the equivalent amount of time in seconds). However, the requirements may differ based on what you’re trying out for. Speak with the casting director if you need more information, and don’t forget to come prepared with sheet music if you’ll have piano accompaniment. 

Talent Auditions

Are you auditioning for America’s Got Talent or another talent contest involving vocals? Talent auditions are different from musical ones because the judges can and will cut you off mid-song. Because of this, it’s important to come out of the gate with something impressive. Here’s some advice to consider:

  • Feel free to choose a piece that shows off your personal vocal style, since you don’t need to worry about matching a musical’s theme.
  • Don’t choose a slow buildup or ballad piece for this song. Pick 30 to 45 seconds of a verse and chorus that’ll catch the judges’ attention immediately.
  • Have confidence introducing yourself and your piece, but don’t spend too much time talking. The focus is on your singing, not your dialogue.

Musical Auditions

Are you auditioning for a musical? Unfortunately, you don’t always get to choose your own piece when it comes to musical theatre audition songs since the judges will often want to hear how your voice will fit the tone of the show you’re auditioning for. However, if you do get to pick a song yourself, keep these tips in mind:

  • If you do pick a song from the musical you’re trying out for, don’t sing the titular song or the main theme. This gives you the best chance of standing out from the rest.
  • Consider choosing a song from a musical, but not from the musical you’re trying out for. It’ll show off your knowledge of additional musical works and serve as a breath of fresh air for the audition panel.
  • DON’T pick an overly popular musical theater song, such as “Defying Gravity.” The judges have heard it enough times that it’ll be challenging to make your performance memorable. Instead, choose something that’s not as well-known.

Learn Your Range

You don’t need to know your exact vocal range to try out for a small part — you just need to have a general idea of what feels “too high” and “too low” to sing. But if you have big dreams of musical stardom, it’s essential to learn more about the specific type of singing voice you have. This is one reason why private singing lessons can be so helpful! Are you an alto, a soprano, a bass, a tenor, or somewhere in between these ranges? One of the qualities of a good singing voice is that it comes naturally, so don’t try to force yourself to sing a part that’s not meant for your vocal range. It’ll just be harder to practice and can end up causing you to feel extra stressed on the big day. 

Once you’ve learned more about your range, it becomes much easier to find a song that you’re comfortable singing — and one that showcases your talents. Consider singing a song that both complements and challenges your range, so you can really show off your skills. Always remember to use head voice, chest voice and mix voice to get the most blended and dynamic voice possible. Learning to use all 3 voices and blending them to sound uniform can be difficult, which is why taking singing lessons with a trained teacher skilled in all 3 is very important.

Ready to Choose?

Are you ready to pick the perfect piece for your audition? We hope these tips enable you to choose with confidence. If you still need a hand choosing the correct song, or want some help practicing or improving your skills before the big day, you can always speak with the musical coaching experts at Singing Pro for help. Now go forth and break a leg!

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