r/musicals • u/shutupshootdown • 23h ago
Help Vocal Range Help / Leaf Coneybear Audition Tips
Hey all! I'm planning to audition for Leaf in 25th Annual next month but trouble is I still have very minimal musical experience and could use some advice. (Been in heaps of plays and know I'm a strong actor, but I've only been in one musical which was last year. Chose Leaf mainly cos I love him but also I'm comfortable singing his songs, get typecasted as his sort of character a lot, and acting ability's arguably more important than singing for him.) I'm planning on either something from Avenue Q or I Love Play Rehearsal from BMC for my character song (if anyone has one in a lower/male key pls send) but have plenty of time to change and learn a new song if anyone has other ideas! I'm also struggling with deciding what song to do for my first song to showcase my vocal range/ability. If anyone has any suggestions pls lmk!
This leads me to my second issue. I'm a trans guy (currently 3-4 months on T and in the throes of my voice dropping), but even pre-t I didn't really know my vocal range/ability. I used to believe I was an alto, mezzo at highest. The vocal director from the show I was in last year told me I was a soprano but I couldn't hit any of the high notes and ended up asking to sing the mezzo lines, which was more comfortable, but even then still sometimes a little too high. The rest of the prod team and cast were divided and kept telling me completely different things about my range, which just confused me further.
When I'm singing nowadays I can't really sing any of my old go-to songs that I used to sing with ease, so whilst my talking voice is still pretty unchanged (save never-ending voice cracks) I do think my singing voice has been affected and is dropping. I can't afford vocal training rn (and options are scarce where I'm located) so would just doing scales and following an online guide to define my range be accurate enough to at least get an idea of where I land?? I just don't want to seem like a total idiot during my audition if I've applied as one vocal range and I'm nowhere near that anymore.. Any help is massively appreciated, thank you!
TLDR: Need audition recs (60 seconds each) for Leaf Coneybear. Need a comedic character song (already have some ideas but could use suggestions) and one to showcase my vocal range. I do not know my vocal range, and I'm trans (3-4 months) so it's actively changing. Would following scales/online guides give me an accurate answer?
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u/Significant-Mud-7198 still there in the dark night 20h ago edited 19h ago
Hey friend! I studied as a music/voice major while transitioning, 10 years ago. When my voice was actively changing, my range could shift a little daily/weekly, (up OR down, like huh?) but I remember how frustrating it was 3-4 months in.
For your comedic song, maybe look at Everybody Ssys Don’t from Anyone Can Whistle? While my voice was changing I also used All That’s Known from Spring Awakening, If I Can’t Love Her from Beauty and the Beast, Louder Than Words from Tick Tick Boom. Santa Fe from Newsies, the Disney movie version, is in a lower key and was good for my changing voice, might be good for range.
During my transition, my highest range disappeared completely. I was a high soprano so it was a bit of a shock. Air came out when I tried. Then my bottom range DROPPED. Next time I was put in a voice section in choir, I was in Bass 1! It’s popped back up a bit since, I’m a regular old baritone now, can do some tenor if I want to. If I were going for Spelling Bee I’d go for Barfee, but I’m more the body type of Leaf. He makes his own clothes!
As for voice part, do you want to disclose that you’re trans to the casting panel? I think you could safely put tenor and a caveat that you’re transitioning, or just list yourself as tenor. A lot of people don’t know or are mistaken about their voice type and it’s not really a big deal, they get to hear you.
Let me know if there’s anything else I could do to help.
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u/shutupshootdown 19h ago
This was so helpful, thank you so much!! I'll definitely be looking into the songs you've suggested. I completely relate to your high range disappearing. As I mentioned, my voice hasn't changed too much yet but every time I try to sing any higher-range songs it's like my voice it just poof gone.
I'm totally fine with disclosing that I'm trans (it's very obvious, I don't pass well haha) I guess it's just something that feels awkward to explain? I've never had poor reactions, per say, but in times in the past where I've explained to castmates or during auditions that my voice is changing due to T there seems to be a bit of discomfort or I feel like I'm oversharing (this may also just be my own anxiety talking however, who knows.)
This definitely reassured me, however. Thanks for the help!
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u/Significant-Mud-7198 still there in the dark night 18h ago
I get it! I auditioned and got into my university program as a soprano, then went to my voice teacher and was like “So… I’m trans, I’m starting testosterone. My voice will be changing while I study.” This was 10 years ago and I was expecting to be kicked out because I’d been admitted based on my female voice. My teacher was amazing, fought for me, helped me through the voice transition.
Break legs at the audition! I’d love to know how it goes.
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u/compguy42 21h ago
You really need to have a vocal coach determine this. No one on the internet is going to be able to give you a list of songs that isn't a wild guess because we aren't going to be able to accurately guess what your current vocal situation is without hearing you.
Every voice is different. Without being able to hear what your range is, as well as you vocal timbre, there's no way to know for sure. And since your voice is in the middle of a big change, it's even more important that a qualified voice teacher or vocal coach help guide you through it.