Choosing an Audition Song: Matching Voice Type, Range, and Genre

🎤 Step 1: Know Your True Voice Type

Your voice type isn’t just soprano, alto, tenor, or baritone — it’s how your voice naturally lives.

Ask yourself:

• Where does my voice feel strongest?

• Where does it tire quickly?

• What notes feel powerful without strain?

Common Contemporary Voice Categories

• High female / light mix

• Mid female / balanced mix

• Low female / rich chest

• High male / tenor-leaning

• Mid male / lyric baritone

• Low male / baritone-bass

Choosing songs outside your natural center often leads to tension — and adjudicators hear it immediately.

👉 Voice typing is part of our assessment process in our Programs.

🎶 Step 2: Match Song Range to Your Comfortable Range

One of the biggest audition mistakes is choosing a song that sits too high or too low.

A strong audition song should:

• Sit comfortably in your middle voice

• Show range without living at the extremes

• Allow consistent tone throughout the song

Rule of thumb:
If you have to “survive” the chorus — it’s not your song.

🎧 Step 3: Choose Genre Strategically

Audition panels want to hear:

• How well you sing in a style

• Whether you understand genre conventions

• If your voice suits the lane you’re pursuing

Genre-Specific Tips

• Pop: clarity, tone, phrasing, emotional honesty

• R&B: control, agility, storytelling, groove

• Musical Theatre: clear narrative, clean technique, character

• Indie/Folk: authenticity, restraint, vocal color

• Jazz: phrasing, dynamics, interpretation

Avoid genre-hopping unless explicitly requested.

👉 Genre coaching is part of our Faculty-led audition prep.

🎵 Step 4: Pick Songs That Show Strength in the First 30 Seconds

Most auditions are won — or lost — in under a minute.

Choose songs that:

• Get to a strong vocal moment quickly

• Highlight tone and control early

• Don’t rely on a late payoff only

Great audition songs reveal your voice immediately.

🚫 Step 5: Avoid These Common Audition Song Mistakes

Avoid songs that are:

• Overdone (“Gravity,” “Rise Up,” “All I Ask”)

• Identified too strongly with one iconic artist

• Too emotionally heavy for your current skill level

• Too rhythmically complex without groove mastery

Standing out doesn’t mean being obscure — it means being intentional.

🗂️ Step 6: Build a Flexible Audition Song List

Every singer should have:

• 1 technical song (control & consistency)

• 1 emotional song (storytelling)

• 1 backup song in a different style

• 32-bar cut + 60-second version of each

This keeps you ready for:

• Last-minute auditions

• Callbacks

• Showcases

• School placements

👉 We help students build and maintain audition-ready rep through our Scholarships & mentorship tracks.