This week, on The PlusCast, we had the riff-tastic Natalie Weiss come on to share some of her favorite teaching moments, funny audition stories, hardest riffs, and so much more.
Natalie is full of top-notch tips for those at all levels of musical experience and education, so we’ve decided to spotlight some her top tips below:
TOP TIPS FOR ASPIRING RIFFERS:
Did you know Natalie teaches a course called Breaking Down The Riffs? When navigating a new riff, she encourages you to –
- Slow it down in your brain
- Put a movement to every pitch
- Break it down
TOP TIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS:
We know it’s almost audition season for a lot of colleges, and Natalie has some insightful advice: if you are going to school for the performing arts, “Don’t choose the one that’s going to put you in debt the rest of your life. Choose the one that’s going to give you a well-rounded education.”
TOP TIPS FOR ASPIRING, YOUNG PERFORMERS:
- Early in your career, say “YES!” When you’re in an audition and they ask if you have an evil song prepared, don’t say no (because who actually has a whole section of evil songs in their repertoire). Instead, say “Mhmm of course,” and make it up on the fly! (This goes back to improv people!!!). Then, later in your career, you can start to decide when you want to start saying “NO,” which is also so powerful.
- Train with many different people to find out what works and what doesn’t work for you. Don’t be afraid to try singing in a pop style if you’ve only ever been a musical theatre singer and vice versa. Shake things up a bit! You might discover something new about yourself.
- Most importantly, surround yourself with a supportive community!
To hear more from Natalie, go listen to the full episode on our Spotify or watch it on Youtube! Be sure to check out Natalie’s riff course: Breaking Down The Riffs to see her tips and teaching in action!
