Open Mic Best Practices

Open Mics can be a lot of fun and most people, including performers don’t take them too seriously. But as a performer if you are ready or wanting to move beyond this forum, Here are some suggestions to help make the experience smooth and easy.

  

If you’re attending an open mic with the intention of singing, stay sober. If you’re there to party then you should be at a karaoke bar where you’re not going to drag down the band or the show.

An open mic is an opportunity for you the performer to live rehearse in front of an audience. It is a performance and when you get up there to sing be prepared and in control.

Get to the venue early enough to have a chat with the Music Director. If the MD is not serious enough or too busy  to have that little chat with you, that’s a red flag and you have to then up your game even more. The MD is not there to make you shine only you can do that. Have no expectations of the MD and or the band.

Have your sheet music in your key. Many singers will show up at an open mic prepared only with what songs they want to sing not considering that the accompanists may not even know that song. Have a book with at least 5 songs in your key prepared. If there is a bass player have a copy of your music available for them as well. Your sheet music should be in your key. One of the best ways to possibly create a train wreck is to expect the accompanists to transpose on the spot. 

Know your song so well that it’s all you hear in your head even while you’re being accompanied. Do not let the accompanist lead the song. Make them follow you. Set your tempo at the top of the song before you start singing. If you have an accompanist who never looks at the performers while they’re singing then you know you’re really going to be on your own while up there. Pay attention to this it’s very important. You should be so focused on your song that you can sing it without any distraction getting in the way. While at home turn on the TV or the radio and then practice singing your songs over that. Singing acapella is also a great tool for shaping your song and your performance. Recording yourself is an amazing tool and will do wonders for you.

Read (not sing) the lyric to the song. Lyrics are the other half of the whole. What does the lyric say to you personally? Sing the song as if you wrote it. Trust me when I say that there are people who will know if you’re singing the wrong lyric. Research your song and deliver it with integrity for the composer.

Unless it’s really adding something engaging, skip or minimize your patter. Less is more in this regard. Make it interesting and relevant. You can try this out on friends and get their reaction or just write it down. Then read it back to yourself, is it interesting, funny or is it even necessary?

Dress to impress. First impressions go a long way. It seems these days that going on stage in a t-shirt or looking like we can’t tie our shoes or tuck in our shirt is cool, and in many places this is acceptable. But if you want to be looked at as someone serious about the business of show, dress the part. You will get far more attention if you appear to have made the effort to make yourself look sharp and put together.

An open mic is open. That means anyone can join in on the fun. This article is written for those of you who are really using an open mic scenario to perfect your craft as a performer. You never know what to expect at an open mic so it’s best that you show up prepared and ready to deliver the goods.