Video Audition Tips & Tricks
Avoid Common Mistakes | Tips for Videos | Before You Record
The goal of a strong video submission for the National Student Auditions Preliminary Round is to make it easy for adjudicators to focus on your singing, storytelling, and artistry — not on technical problems. Qualified singers get an invitation to the Preliminary Round in early April. From this video audition process, approximately 15 singers per each of the 30+ categories are selected to move on to the National Semifinals that happen in June/July.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
The checklist specifically identifies five common problems to watch for:
- Recording vertically
- Standing too close to the camera
- Missing deadlines
- Poor lighting
- Uploading the wrong song
Tips for a Successful Video
- Record horizontally (landscape), not vertically. Landscape gives adjudicators the best view.
- Make sure the singer’s face and full or upper body are clearly visible. Do not stand too close to the camera or too far away, position the camera too high or too low, or hide the face behind a music stand.
- Use good lighting and avoid dark or backlit spaces.
- Ensure that you have followed the provided instructions for YouTube settings so your video can be viewed by adjudicators.
- Ensure that nothing in your video's background or YouTube account name, video title or video description reveals the identity of your teacher, school, chapter, region, or hometown.
- Check your sound before recording. Make sure adjudicators can clearly hear the singer and that the singer and piano or pre-recorded track are properly balanced.
- Record each song in one continuous take: Start. Perform. Stop. Do not splice videos, edit out mistakes, or combine multiple takes.
- Do not use AutoTune, audio filters, AI voice enhancement, or audio editing.
- If using a background track, use a high-quality track that supports the performance.
- Use legal music and follow copyright rules.
- Present yourself professionally — think recital, audition, or masterclass.
- Verbally slate each video as required.
- Before uploading, make sure you have the correct repertoire, sound has been checked, the singer is visible, the recording is a single take, and the video is in landscape format.
- Watch the entire video before uploading and submit it before the deadline.
Before You Record
These are only the highlights. Singers and teachers should review the complete NSA Video Submission Guidelines before recording and again before uploading their audition videos.
