EMOTIONS

The latest poll proved what one might suspect - your favorite aspect of singing is the emotion! Ahhh, me too! It's an odd thing though, most of us enjoy the emotional expression, but when it comes down to it, we tend to hold back. And any audience can pick up on a performance that is lacking in emotion or even one that is overly dramatic. So, how do you maintain control of all the technique and still emote effectively?

I don't have a simple checklist for this one. This is a very personal aspect of singing. But there are a few things you want to keep in mind:

- the audience wants to feel something

- the audience will NOT receive if you have nothing to give

- constantly closing your eyes is a way to close yourself off from your audience and have a personal experience without allowing them to participate

- the audience will feel offended if there is too much drama and not enough technique to accompany it

A concept I tend to use is the internalization/externalization method of expression. This means that first, you must know what your lyrics mean and what emotions you personally can attach to those words. Try to find a way to personally connect with the music for your own emotions. When you truly connect with your own feelings attached to the song and "LIVE" that moment, your body will automatically respond to your inner emotions and outwardly express what you inwardly feel. In addition, remember to use your eyes as tools of expression and find faces to look into in an attempt to externalize or "give off" the same emotion to your audience.

Take note, if you are not accustomed to outwardly showing your feelings or "opening up," performance might be one of your most difficult tasks. Don't be afraid to cry, or laugh, to get angry or excited as you practice, but practice lots so that those emotions don't override your technical ability. Technique and performance are best as balanced equals.