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NBC's "The Voice" question for someone who has auditioned

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childaking

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Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and I apologize up front if this post is not in the right area of this forum. I did not find an appropriate category to post this question so I did the best I could. I have a question for someone who has actually gone through the audition process for NBC's "The Voice" television show. I will be auditioning in Feb and my question is in regards to the next step following the initial audition where you are given a red card or "call back". The information I got from the voice's web site appears to suggest that in the event a call back is given, the second phase of the audition process is scheduled and happens at a different time and on a different day. Info on their web site seems a little unclear to me. Is this correct? I really need to know if I should prepare additional songs for the possibility of a call back that could happen on the same day of the initial audition. Also, I would need to bring my guitar along for the call back portion. I will be flying into LA, so this could have an effect on flight scheduling as well. Thank you for your time and responses!

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I don't know of anyone here that was involved with the show you are talking about. I've only known of one other member, about a year ago, that was trying out for one of these televised talent shows. And we knew nothing about their logistics, either. I'm not being a downer but you are probably in a hurry for information and just knowing that you might need to ask elsewhere can help, maybe.

Good luck, anyway. Knock 'em dead.

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The Voice huh. Good show. Now I really can't help you out with the audition process from experience, but from what I've seen from the audition forms {I'm that much of a fan} you pick a city to go too, they'll give you audition dates, and you have to get yourself to travel there. I think they'd give you a date but I'm not too sure. Well that's the most I can do for you. Good luck with the show and I know I'll be watching it.

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I got through the first rounds of The Voice auditions here in the UK to the call back stage. You're told to be free on a certain day, times and dates arranged on a sheet. My callback was between Nov 1st-Dec 20th.

I didn't get a call back but have gotten connections within the company from tutors to producers. My voice isn't where I'd like it to be but getting contacts in my eyes is better than winning.

That is a secondary goal alongside perfecting my voice. I don't enter them to win, I enter to inspire people and get my voice and persona . That way I can make it on my own, tough road but I'm willing to walk the path.

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I have had a couple students and friends audition. The best advice I can give you is have a drama filled backstory ready to tell. There are alot of great singers that get passed over because they have no story they are boring( my friend Wendy sick vocalist) but an old student of mine Leland got on with a girl as a duo because they made up a relationship between them. You might remember them they were from nashville and not the greatest singers. So create a story about yourself beating a disease or living on the streets and that will help your shot as well as singing good. I have told many of my students parents to do this for there kids as well. Good luck:)

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I have had a couple students and friends audition. The best advice I can give you is have a drama filled backstory ready to tell. There are alot of great singers that get passed over because they have no story they are boring( my friend Wendy sick vocalist) but an old student of mine Leland got on with a girl as a duo because they made up a relationship between them. You might remember them they were from nashville and not the greatest singers. So create a story about yourself beating a disease or living on the streets and that will help your shot as well as singing good. I have told many of my students parents to do this for there kids as well. Good luck:)

This is the exact reason I don't like TV singing competitions. Riddled with hopeless acts and sob stories.

Yes fair enough not everyone gets a great start in life or a great life period, but a sob story is just their way of marketing you as a "Drama case". Oh Deff Starr deserves this because he went through x and x, no I deserve this because I believe in myself, I have a dream and I'm willing to put in my all to go forward.

I have no sob story. I'm 22, I live with my Nan and Grandpa and my 2 year old son. I'm a sales assistant for Game and I literally do nothing every time I get home from work except play on my xbox and sing my heart out every night training. I'm well off and never had to struggle.

My story is not what TV competitions like. They like suffering. Makes good television. Either that or someone who makes someone suffer because they are tone deaf and squeal like 2 cats fighting.

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Hi Childaking...

I don't qualify for that show, as I am Canadian - however - considering what it is, and what it's about, you need to treat it from the start as a Job opportunity, and this is your Job interview.

You have to be professional - but interesting -- serious - but playful to stand out.

Change things up a bit with the arrangement in the songs you are doing -- BUT keep the essence, and by all means - if it is a "timeless" piece - don't change it!

If you want to come off as pathetic, whinny, full of excuses, then present them with a sob story that was mentioned above... It CAN work in your favor, but remember - at the end of the day - the judges will judge you with your voice...

The audience will judge you with your voice, and your presence on stage, as well as appearance. The SOB story will stick with you, and have people shaking their heads - POSITIVE energy feeds the audience, if you are negative they aren't hungry -- if you know what I mean.

So in short :

Practice your vocals, stay healthy and learn your material 100%

Dress and look appropriate for the genre you want to do, and YOUR AGE.

Remember this is a JOB INTERVIEW

Be professional, witty, entertaining and courageous

Allow the song to fill you, and sing with emotion (so many become robots)...

And just have FUN.... that's most contagious way ever... As D. said - it's about the contacts as well, and there are MILLIONS at home watching (if you make it to the live show).... There will be TONS of industry pro's watching

I have never heard them calling you back on the same day as your initial Audition... They will give you time and space to prepare, and probably a set list to pick your songs from (after all the band needs to make sure they know the songs)... ALWAYS bring your craft with you (Guitar).

The website is a little flaky on the procedure I agree... but don't sweat it... They are not set to have you fail... they want you to do the best you can - so appropriate time will be given..

I'd master a few of the songs you want to do, just in case..

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@david. I not kidding about the drama thing. I figured Wendy a friend of mine would be on that show no prob. She's gorgeous, and a very pro singer has made her living singing for a long time and is pheonamonal cross between Whitney,Chaka,Ann Wilson. And she didn't even have to do the cattle call she sang for the second or third round producers (they contacted her)but she has no back story and didn't make one up. If she had like Leland she would have been on the show no problem.

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Hi Childaking...

I don't qualify for that show, as I am Canadian - however - considering what it is, and what it's about, you need to treat it from the start as a Job opportunity, and this is your Job interview.

You have to be professional - but interesting -- serious - but playful to stand out.

Change things up a bit with the arrangement in the songs you are doing -- BUT keep the essence, and by all means - if it is a "timeless" piece - don't change it!

If you want to come off as pathetic, whinny, full of excuses, then present them with a sob story that was mentioned above... It CAN work in your favor, but remember - at the end of the day - the judges will judge you with your voice...

The audience will judge you with your voice, and your presence on stage, as well as appearance. The SOB story will stick with you, and have people shaking their heads - POSITIVE energy feeds the audience, if you are negative they aren't hungry -- if you know what I mean.

So in short :

Practice your vocals, stay healthy and learn your material 100%

Dress and look appropriate for the genre you want to do, and YOUR AGE.

Remember this is a JOB INTERVIEW

Be professional, witty, entertaining and courageous

Allow the song to fill you, and sing with emotion (so many become robots)...

And just have FUN.... that's most contagious way ever... As D. said - it's about the contacts as well, and there are MILLIONS at home watching (if you make it to the live show).... There will be TONS of industry pro's watching

I have never heard them calling you back on the same day as your initial Audition... They will give you time and space to prepare, and probably a set list to pick your songs from (after all the band needs to make sure they know the songs)... ALWAYS bring your craft with you (Guitar).

The website is a little flaky on the procedure I agree... but don't sweat it... They are not set to have you fail... they want you to do the best you can - so appropriate time will be given..

I'd master a few of the songs you want to do, just in case..

Thanks David for the positive advice. I agree with you 100% on the approach to the audition. I am not a negative poor poor me type person and will certainly not pretend to be for the audition or make up some wild story about my past that is not true. I will prepare and perform to the best of my ability and leave the rest up to God, because when you have thousands of people that sing good, you have to have an edge and that's mine. BTW, I looked in the FAQ on the voice's web page and discovered that the call back session is 1-3 days after the open call. I'm assuming it would be in LA as well, but not positive on that either. I think the guitar is going with me and I will just prepare to stay in the event of a call back.

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To back up Daniel on the drama thing, let me relate a real story that I have told before, so, of course, I must tell it again.

There was young lady that auditioned for American Idol. They like drama. She had none. She was just a nice young lady with a bluesy voice who liked to write songs. With that show, you audition first for support staff. By the time you get to the televised auditions we all see, you have already auditioned at least once, sometimes twice.

This young lady was rejected at the first round of auditions because she wasn't "dramatic" enough. She was pretty, polite, and totally had her chops down. She knew how to sing and write. So, she did get some contacts, went out, got her own album deal and wrote a top 20 song.

Would anyone like to know who this polished, competent singer and songwriter was, who really was rejected because she just didn't have that "train wreck" thing going on?

Colby Calais. And she wrote "Bubbly."

And I am not trying to discourage anyone from trying these talent shows. Just realize that is as much about "show" as it is real singing talent. I mean, really, if a bad singer auditioned for the producers and staff, who would send them on to Simon Cowell except as lambs being led to slaughter, for the purposes of ratings? It is show "business."

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@childaking I was just trying to give you real advice on the situation you are about to embark on. It wasnt negative or wild it was a little heads up on what you are going to be dealing with. Good luck

Ron did you know colby's father produced Fleetwood Macs rumors record. Just a little side note she had huge connections

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Ron did you know colby's father produced Fleetwood Macs rumors record. Just a little side note she had huge connections

I didn't know that. I am always collecting trivia.

I guess she wanted to go out and get connections on her own.

I've got one for you, totally unconnected from this thread. David Lee Roth had weak bones in his legs as a kid and had to wear braces on his legs until the age of 11, when he started adolescence kind of early and the bones started gaining mass. Once he got those off, as a kid, he dove head-on into Kenpo Karate. Had a black belt by high school and currently has a 2nd degree black belt.

Bob Dylan was trying to sound like folk singer Woody Guthrie. And missed. But he is still a living legend and an icon.

Axl Rose slept in the storage room where the musical equipment for GnR was stored.

Jewel and her mom lived in their van and under bridges when they went to California.

When Tina Turner left Ike, she was literally penniless.

Where you start is not always where you end up. You, whomever you are, can decide where you are going to go. The Voice, AI, whatever. Find your dream and go for it, regardless of what any of us say.

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I've slept in the car. I've slept in the bed of a pick-up truck (belonged to a friend.) I have slept on a friends floor. I've been homeless twice.

Although I haven't loss the house, yet, I have lost all savings and have gone flat broke twice since 2008. Nobody wants an old master electrician that can do everything. Seriously, really. They wanted 20 year old helpers at small pay, regardless that those young'n's will make mistakes right and left and they will spend 2 or 3 times the man-hours to fix the mess-up.

Now, I work for a company that actually values my abilities. I'm still not used to it. And thanks to a misunderstanding between me and the finance company, I just dented the heck out of my bank account to keep my car. So, it looks like I will not be able to hire a local voice coach this year. My voice shall be ruined and lost in the wilderness. I keep the internet account because I have to do some work from home and need internet access.

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i auditioned, but was not called back.

by all means, go ahead and enjoy yourself and give it your very best. it's great experience.

just be mindful of the fact that they are looking to fill very specific, very calculated, predetermined "slots".....remember first and foremost, this is an entertainment program.

they have to sell that junk food. they are responsible to the sponsors.

i personally think these shows are clever test markets to make sure whomever they pick and invest in, makes them money before they spend on all the production and promotion.

the very best of luck.

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i auditioned, but was not called back.

by all means, go ahead and enjoy yourself and give it your very best. it's great experience.

just be mindful of the fact that they are looking to fill very specific, very calculated, predetermined "slots".....remember first and foremost, this is an entertainment program.

they have to sell that junk food. they are responsible to the sponsors.

i personally think these shows are clever test markets to make sure whomever they pick and invest in, makes them money before they spend on all the production and promotion.

the very best of luck.

Sounds like a tricky "game" to play huh? I certainly will do my best and enjoy myself. Can't read the judges' minds, I'll just have to be myself and hope they see my uniqueness and energy.

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