So you think you are good enough to go before Randy, Paula, Kara, and Simon? Before you try you need to prepare in advance and not rely on a silly gimmick like a costume, make-up, revealing clothing, etc. However if you feel that you don't have a chance and merely want to be on the audition reel of crazy contestants then by all means dress and look insane and sound atrocious for the audition.
When I sit down with my family during the first few weeks of American Idol auditions I realize this is my favorite part of the show's several months journey to crown the newest American Idol. Because I am a music industry professional I recognize the different levels of talent and all the shades in between. I have worked with many talented singers along with a few stinkers along the way. But I would have to say not even the worst singers I have ever worked with came close to the stink some of these auditioner's put out. Surely these people know they absolutely SUCK!! But as I mentioned in the first paragraph they are probably looking for their 15 seconds of fame because gaining 15 minutes of fame is far more difficult when so many are competing for it these days.
So if you really desire to have the strongest audition for a show like A.I. you need to do a few simple things that will help you decide whether or not you are ready to audition. First off you need to hear what you sound like and even look like while you sing. Put yourself in front of a video camera and simply sing acapella (meaning voice only - no instrumental accompaniment) a song that you might audition with. What will this do for you? Well first you will see if you have any visual tics that may be distracting like eye movement, hand movement, body language, etc. You can be a good singer but if your eyes go cross when you sing you will probably not go to Hollywood. Also wear clothing that you would wear for an audition like A.I. too! Remember that dressing hip does not necessarily mean trashy either.
The video tape of you doing a mock audition will also let you hear how you sound. Now you might not think you sound great but you should not be the judge of that, nor should your friends and especially your family. I suggest you put it on youtube.com and let the world see you. After a few weeks you can check back and see if anyone commented on your audition. Does that mean you should simply go off what these people think of you? Well no - you should however take it into context of what you may already know about your voice from family and friends. Remember your mother will always love your voice - she's not going to tell you that your voice causes diarrhea.
If your responses are good and they strongly coincide with others opinion of your voice it maybe time for you to mark your calendar for when the next idol audition is in town. However you must remember the judges are only accepting 20 people out of 10,000 or roughly 1 per 500 auditions. These are not encouraging odds.
Good luck and maybe I'll see you on American Idol. If my advice has helped you go to Hollywood with A.I. drop me an email and I'll be the first congratulate you!
Richard Kearney is a highly accomplished Radio & TV Music Writer and Producer. Mr. Kearney has composed over 500 pieces of ad music from jingles to scores and produced nearly 1,000 more. You may contact him via email after3pm@gmail.com or his website http://www.after3pmmusic.com
