Duetting with a stranger

Going back to working with the pianist in an audition (or duetting with a stranger as I called it in the Successful Singing Auditions book). Did you know that it takes only 10 seconds to give a professional audition pianist the speed and feel of your piece? If you've got a complicated song with lots of "map-reading" (several verses, repeats from the beginning etc) then it could take 15 seconds, but no more.

As an audition pianist I am very experienced both in playing for other people and (usually) in the type of repertoire of the audition. I usually know the song you want to sing (or something by the same composer, so I have the style in my ear anyway), and just need to know your version - the exact speed and feel that you want, and if you are doing any cuts.

Incidentally, I do differentiate between speed and feel - one is tempo, and the other is the swing or emotion that underlies the piece - does the tempo drive or is it laid back. I cover this in more detail in the book or on the Successful Singing Auditions course.