Online Carnatic Music Concert Preparation: Tips for Aspiring Performers

Performing live can be exciting for a number of reasons. But, it can also be overwhelming in the initial stages of your performance career. Especially the first time can come off as challenging, making the performer feel nervous.

Fortunately, there are ways to overcome this stage fright.

We have put together some tangible tips to make this experience much more professional and smoother for you. Read below to find out.

10 Useful Practice Tips for Carnatic Vocalists

1. Maintain the right posture

Maintaining the correct posture is important to produce clear and resonant tones. A good posture not only enhances your Carnatic vocal performance but also ensures your overall well-being. Below are some checkpoints that should be kept in mind:

1. Chair Height: The ideal chair will allow knees to be at a ninety-degree angle and feet flat on the ground.

2. Proper Alignment: Ensure your back is straight, shoulders relaxed, and head aligned with your spine. 

3. Feet Positioning: Keep your knees at hip level or slightly below, with your feet shoulder-width apart. This foot positioning will provide a stable base for the posture.
   
4. Keep Your Head Upright

Avoid tilting your head and keep facing forward, as otherwise, it may strain your neck and affect your vocal projection. Keeping your head upright ensures a clear, resonant sound and prevents discomfort during extended singing sessions. 

3. Avoid Murmuring or Singing Between Your Teeth

For numerous reasons, a Carnatic vocalist must avoid muttering or singing between their teeth. To begin with, this method makes articulation and pronunciation of lyrics difficult. Carnatic music emphasises perfect pronunciation to help listeners grasp and appreciate the lyrical content.

Clarity is compromised when singing between the teeth, potentially leading to misinterpretation or loss of the desired emotional message.

Secondly, singing with an open mouth allows the oral cavity’s resonance chambers to magnify the sound, resulting in a fuller, richer tone. When sound is trapped between the teeth, the potential for resonant projection is reduced, resulting in a weaker and less compelling performance.

Singing between your teeth can also cause strain and tension in the jaw and facial muscles. It may create pain or even potential vocal health issues over time. To generate a wide range of tones and nuances, proper vocal technique entails employing the entire oral cavity, including the tongue, palate, and teeth. This dynamic range is reduced when the sound is limited to the space between the teeth.

Also Read: Everything You Need to Know about the Basics of Carnatic Vocal Music

4. Always Practice with a Tambura or Shruti Box

Practising with a tambura or shruti box can help you polish your Carnatic music vocals skills.

For starters, it gives a consistent and unchanging reference pitch, which aids in the development of perfect pitch accuracy. This is especially important in Carnatic music, where accurate intonation is required to express the intended melodic complexities and elicit the appropriate emotional resonance.

Second, the tambura or shruti box acts as a dependable drone, laying a harmonic foundation. This establishes a tonal centre, allowing the vocalist to confidently learn Carnatic music. It also aids in the development of aural skills, allowing the vocalist to detect and adjust to minor changes in pitch.

Moving further, it also promotes a greater sense of musicality and phrasing. The constant drone prompts the vocalist to concentrate on dramatic expression, enhancement, and emotional characteristics of their performance.

5. Take Breaths at the Appropriate Time

Carnatic music is characterised by its intricate melodic and rhythmic patterns, often featuring long phrases and rapid note transitions. Maintaining an open chest will help your lungs expand better and allow better breath control. Properly timed breaths allow the vocalist to maintain the continuity and fluidity of these complex musical passages. 

Carnatic music also emphasises emotional expression and lyrical interpretation. Taking breaths at the appropriate times ensures that the vocalist can effectively portray the intended emotions and meanings of the lyrics. It enables easy variations and modulation of the voice, which improves the overall expressive effect of the performance.

Moreover, Carnatic music keeps to an extremely rigid rhythmic framework, with pieces frequently arranged in complex time signatures and cycles. Properly timed breaths match the rhythm, allowing the performer to stay in sync with accompanying percussion instruments such as the mridangam and tabla.

6. Practice in the Morning

Taking Carnatic music classes in the morning has various advantages. The voice is usually fresh, allowing for better vocal control and precision. Also, the calm environment of the morning improves focus and is ideal for immersed practice, resulting in enhanced skill development.

7. Practice Diligently Every Day

Consistency improves muscle memory, sharpens methods, and increases vocal endurance. It also helps with improvisation and interpretation by deepening musical comprehension. Consistent practice ensures consistent improvement and a polished, proficient-looking performance.

Also Read: What is Carnatic music? A beginner’s guide to the classical genre

8. Test Your Voice to See if You are Exercising Correctly

Carnatic vocalists need to continually test their voices throughout practice. It functions as a musical compass, guiding you in determining accuracy, pitch, and tone quality. By doing so, you ensure that your workouts comply with Carnatic principles, setting the road for improvement while staying on track with your musical journey.

9. Listen to Music & Understand the Song

Listening to music and understanding the lyrics is a useful technique for aspiring Carnatic vocalists. It places one in the rich tradition, introducing them to different ragas, compositions, and styles. This active listening sharpens the artist’s musical ear, improves the understanding of melody, and fosters a stronger connection to the art form.

How Do You Prepare for a Live Singing Performance?

Preparing for a Carnatic Music concert as an aspiring Carnatic vocalist is an art in itself that requires ardent planning and practice. Some of the tips that might help you are listed below:

1. Carefully pick songs: Select songs that showcase the vocal range, skills, and emotional depth. Make sure they are appropriate for your current level of proficiency and the occasion or theme of the performance.

2. Practice is the foundation of perfection: Allocate time for daily rehearsals, giving special attention to the details of melody, rhythm, and pronunciation. Practice in a variety of settings so that you’re prepared for any unexpected situation that might accompany an online music concert.

3. Relax before a performance: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualisation. The more confident you are, the better you will be able to perform. 

4. Perform in front of a mirror or a small audience: This will help you improve your stage presence in order to enhance the connection with the audience, work on posture, gestures, and maintaining eye contact.

5. Rehearse with instruments: If you plan to have any accompanists (such as a mridangam player), rehearse to ensure perfect coordination because timing and synchronisation with accompanists are crucial for a harmonious performance.

6. Soundcheck is important: Whether you’re performing online or on-site, arrive early to run a sound check. Make sure all the technical equipment, such as microphones and monitors, is in working order. Become familiar with the space’s acoustics.

Also Read: Why is it important to learn Carnatic Music?

How Can I Improve My Voice for Singing Carnatic Music?

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced vocalist, everyone needs to constantly improve their vocal skills to remain at the top of their game. Mentioned below are a few steps that lead to the path of fresh and improved skills for a Carnatic vocalist.

1. Train every day: Training properly is crucial for voice improvement. We always suggest aspiring vocalists seek professional training or Carnatic vocal music classes. This is because structured lessons that are targeted to one’s level of expertise help them build a solid musical foundation.

2. Focus on gamakas: In Carnatic music, mastering gamakas (ornamentations) is essential. Focus on executing these embellishments with accuracy because they give your singing more richness and beauty.

3. Embrace the music and culture: To give your performance real emotion and expression, understand the lyrics and their place in history and culture. Carnatic music is not just about hitting the right notes; it’s about conveying emotions through your voice.

4. Assess your development strictly: Record your practice sessions and listen to them over and over again. Tracking progress aids in the overall vocal improvement over time and pinpointing areas that need work.

5. Feedback is important: Don’t hesitate to seek constructive feedback from your teacher or fellow musicians. Positive criticism can offer insightful suggestions for growth.

6. Vocal exercises: Regular vocal exercises are important to improve voice quality. We suggest you practice scales, Sargams, and alankarams so that your vocal cords can strengthen, pitch accuracy is improved, and your vocal range is expanded.

7. Improve breath control: Long phrases and intricate melodic patterns are common in Carnatic music. To seamlessly sustain notes, concentrate on breath control. Breathing exercises and techniques such as ‘pranayama’ can help.

Wrapping up

You can enhance your vocal abilities and set out on a successful musical journey by focusing attention on the advice in this blog. Remember that it takes time to improve one’s voice for singing Carnatic music. Be patient with yourself and maintain the optimism. Don’t forget to celebrate the small achievements along the way!

To master the art of concert and performance, regular practice and the right guidance can be extremely important. At Atrium Academy, we offer comprehensive Carnatic music programs covering the intricacies of stage performance. Contact us today to book your free demo.

Don’t miss your chance to shine. Book your free 1:1 Carnatic music lesson.