As I teach my voice students at Berklee College of Music and those in my home voice studio, I am sometimes asked “When should I cancel a show?” There is not one answer to this question, but from my many years performing (and making many mistakes) I think I have gathered some wisdom on the topic! -In fact, I don’t always listen to my own advice! (NO?!)
Julie Kinscheck Vocal Trainer
Nobody wants to cancel a show; not the artist, not the client, not the audience! But sometimes it’s the best choice. Remember that your voice is part of your body. It gets tired. Sometimes it’s even like a cranky toddler… Give it what it wants, it usually If you don’t meet it’s needs, it won’t perform well- sometimes it will just quit!
- Don’t Sing Sick!
This may sound obvious, but isn’t always easy to follow. I can’t tell you how many gigs I sang in my younger years with a fever (obviously pre-COVID!) or other ailment! The big question in this category is “How sick is too sick?” and “Are some kinds of sick ok to sing and others not ok?”If you have a fever- PLEASE stay home! Nobody wants your germs- even if you can sing! My next rule of thumb is don’t sing if it hurts to swallow. You can usually tell if it’s a sore throat not just scratchy allergies or minor acid reflux.If your glands are swollen and even after a gentle 10 minute warm up you still can’t hit lots of notes… it probably means you need vocal rest.
If you have a stuffy notes but are not coughing or running- singing should be ok…When you aren’t sure if you should do the gig, try warming up with at least 10 minute of trills on 5 note scales and sirens- then morph to scales with notes… If it is really uncomfortable to try to sing- or it sounds really bad, you probably should consider cancelling. - Don’t over-book yourself
When you over-estimate what your voice can handle, you may end up in a bad situation. Just because you have another hole ini your schedule doesn’t mean you should plug it with singing… (or teaching!) So many of my Berklee vocalists lose their voices for short periods of time because they never stop. They have a rehearsal, a jam session, a recording session, a gig, a songwriting session, then there classes… and eventually their voice says STOP! Add to that the lack of sleep typical of a college student and they are headed for destruction!
Let me start with a very recent story that brought this subject to light!
I was so very excited when I had 6 shows scheduled for last weekend! I love to sing; and if you are a career vocalist or a worship leader, my guess is, you do, too! Am I right? But that was TOO MUCH for one weekend!
Months ago I scheduled an original gig at The Mill Church in Millbury! My a cappella Caroling band, The Harmony Jewels has always sung there as part of our rounds in the Millbury Chain of Lights celebration at Christmas time every December and this would be my first time there as a solo Christian artist. This show would be on Friday night 7:30-9:30p. An hour away with a sound check ahead of time. I was so pleased! (See a little clip from the show below)
Ralph asked me to sing on some songs on his set at the West Concord Porchfest Sat afternoon. Fun! “I’d love to!”
Then a preschool opening show date was moved to the same weekend for Saturday morning at 10am-11am. High energy kids music, Â an hour away and with set up the needed for amp/ mic etc. No problem.
Happy Julie Time!
Then I got word that I was given a spot in the Porchfest in W. Concord, MA for my own set. (I had been on the waitlist) Awesome! Wait a minute… 2 hours Friday night- gig early Saturday, two shows Sat afternoon, then leading worship as usual on Sunday… this is getting to be quite a lot. That was 5 shows…
Julie and Ralphykeys
But here was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back: a friend of mine couldn’t do a show on Friday and referred me to do it. I originally told them I couldn’t do it because I had a show that same night… but the client was so nice to move the show earlier to fit my schedule… AND it paid pretty well and I was only background music anyway (for 3 hours). How could I turn it down?
Mode Andover Show
But when we say yes, sometimes we forget that the gig itself is not the only output. Not only is there the driving, the set up and sound check, the schmoozing before, during and afterwards, tear down and drive home, the preparing of clothes, merchandise and charts if needed… But there is often practicing needed! In fact, I practiced so much on Wednesday before the gigs that my voice was already very tired… then I had to teach all day Thursday and by the time Friday rolled around, I was starting the weekend already compromised!
So what happened?
I paced myself at the afternoon function pretty well, didn’t over sing… but was tired afterwards and still had the most important show, the original gig to drive to and perform. God is great, and I gave my heart and soul and I sounded pretty good on the original gig (though I could tell there was some crunch in there not characteristic of my normal sound.) After everything, I got home after midnight absolutely exhausted. I had to get up at 7am to be ready and at the kids gig an hour away, set up to go by 10 the next morning. The wonderful children were full of energy and I gave it back, but I was hurting. I made it through, but not without considerable vocal struggle.
By the time I got home Sat early afternoon, the idea of loading up for two more shows that day was horrid! And what’s more, my voice was starting to go and feeling excessively fatigued.
I had a choice to make: Go sing the Porchfest shows (in the rain no less!) and probably hit my voice and not sound very good, or cancel. I felt bad to cancel- especially cancelling on Ralph’s part of the day! But at least this was the lowest profile show of the weekend (and it was free). But II am not one who like to go back on my commitments. Â But I saw my choices and cancelled the Porchfest shows.
As a result of resting  my voice, napping, drinking throat coat tea, steaming my throat, hydrating and going to bed early, I was ini good shape again for leading worship on Sunday morning. But I was very happy to have another day (Monday) with only light singing before I had a heavy singing (teaching) schedule again on Tuesday.
3. Rest & Hydrate- OR Get in Trouble!
When your voice his over used, fatigued, getting rough, you can help it or further hurt it. I once went to a big concert and the lead vocalist, a well known singer, sounded like she should have stayed home! I cringed a lot during her set. That couldn’t have been good for her reputation, and it certainly was bad for her vocal health!
A couple Christmases ago II went to see the Pentatonix in concert in Boston. I was so thrilled to go there with my daughter Hannah! But after waiting an hour in the seats for the show to start, we figured something was certainly amiss! Shortly thereafter an announcer came out and apologized that the show would have to be postponed because the female vocalist was under doctors orders to take vocal rest. There were hundreds of fans in the seats. I am sure that it was a really hard decision to make personally and financially. (Nothing like my Porchfest gig!) But she rested… and a short time later (a week?) we got to see them and they were fantastic! She made the right choice. -And so did I.
4. “The Show Must Go On” is an Out-dated saying
I used to live by that saying. I do believe it is a good standard if it helps you persevere through challenges like finding a replacement drummer at the last minute or overcoming marketing or transportation problems… NOT when your vocal health is in jeopardy. I learned that lesson the hard way years ago when I ended up losing my voice to nodes. (Read that story in my book: Vocal Training for Praise Singers). There is a time to cancel and a time to push through. In the end, it has a lot to do with knowing your own body, your own limits, learning about good vocal health practices and getting a good teacher to shore up your technique. But always remember that your voice is a gift- and you are called to be a good steward of that gift- and sometimes, that means you may have to cancel!
Resources
For more information and vocal health tips please visit my Facebook and Instagram teacher pages including the new Dynamic Praise Community group on Facebook. I also have a YouTube teacher channel, and Online Singing Course, and of course my book: Vocal Training for Praise Singers.
Finally, I have some limited availability for more voice students in my private voice studio in Billerica on online.
Please contact me at MyVoiceTeacherJulie@gmail.com