Resonance Audition FAQ


do you resonate?

we hold auditions for all voice parts at the start of each semester. we will listen to auditions on september 2nd and 3rd, and auditions will be held on the first floor of building 4. to sign up for an audition, visit our booth in the MIT activities midway on september 2nd from 2:30-4:30pm in the Johnson Athletic Center or sign up here. if you forget to sign up, just drop by the audition venue anyway! we welcome walk-ins!

we encourage anyone who is affiliated with mit and wants to try a cappella to audition, regardless of age or experience. we take incoming freshman, upperclassmen, as well as graduate students, and some of our hottest singers have had no musical training whatsoever - they came to us straight from the showers!

what happens at my audition?

there is no need to worry or stress about auditions ... there's enough of that at MIT. resonance auditions are casual and fun!

for your audition, we'll ask you to sing a song of your choosing. feel free to bring lyrics (we're not testing memory!), and we can play a starting note for you if you wish. but alas, you cannot sing with a piano, recording, etc...it is a cappella, after all! you do not need to prepare the entire song -- a verse and chorus is plenty. other than your song, we will go through some simple exercises to get a better feel for your voice.

before you go, you'll get a chance to chat with us a bit and ask us any questions you might have about the group. we'll let you know at the audition how we'll be contacting everyone regarding callbacks as well.

what type of song should i sing?

resonance is primarily a rock/pop group (take a look at our repertoire for a better idea), so we'd like you to perform a solo in this genre or a related one. pop, rock, r&b, metal, indie, or any top 40s music tend to work well.

don't worry if you're not comfortable singing our style of music just yet! we understand that folks have different backgrounds, and we're looking for not just talent, but potential and passion.

some more tips:

  • this is your chance to impress us! choose a song that shows off your vocal range and style. don't stress too much over song selection, but also play to your strengths - your favorite song in the world may not be the one you sound best on.
  • in this respect, most musical numbers and choral music don't show us what we're looking for in a solo performance. they may show off your musical technique, but we're also looking for a song that you can rock out with.
  • we advise against picking something in a different language. we can't get an idea of your diction if we can't understand you!
  • if you want and feel comfortable with it, sing the song like you're performing it at Fenway Park! give us everything you've got!
  • pick something you'll HAVE FUN with! and don't forget to be yourself.

what happens at callbacks?

at callbacks, our main objective is to hear the way you sound in our group. we will provide you with some of our music, take some time to give you some feedback, and then you'll get the opportunity to sing with members of the group and the other auditionees. you'll also get the chance to talk with some of the members of the group afterwards!

how many people are you taking?

we have no idea! while our group size is typically kept between 14 and 18, we operate without a strict numerical minimum or limit, and we vary our size based on our current and desired sound, our current membership and the specific talents of everyone who auditions.

however, we've had a lot of members graduate over the pandemic, so we'll definitely be looking for a lot of new members!



if there's anything else you want to know, or just want to chat, feel free to email us at:
resonance-exec@mit.edu. we're looking forward to hearing you!