If there is any proof that the music industry is a tough place to thrive, take a look at all of the guides that are published so you will know where to send you music to for getting signed, getting representation or getting airplay. And if it isn't aimed at where you need to send your music there are countless guides on how to present your demo and build up your social media presence and how to secure a gig. All of this is well and good but these books operate from the premise that you've got your stage act down cold. Do you? In comes PEPPER JAY a woman with decades of experience in coaching performance skills for actors, public speakers and singers along with her coaching partner JOHN MICHAEL FERRARI. After years of coaching those seeking to strengthen with presence and sharpen their performance skills, PEPPER JAY shares her wisdom in her new book DYNAMIC SONG PERFORMANCE: THE SINGER'S BIBLE. ROCKWIRED had a chance to speak with PEPPER JAY in regard to her new book. Here is how the interview went.

DYNAMIC SONG PERFORMANCE - THE SINGER'S BIBLE is a fantastic guide in an age where we are flush with all kinds of how-to guides aimed at singers. What do you feel gets over looked the most by people who want to get onstage and perform?
The main thing that gets overlooked is the audience and how the audience is reacting to what you are doing. I call it audience psychology. Whether one is an actor, a singer, a comic or a lawyer or public speaker  - anyone in front of an audience can fall into the trap of being more concerned with what they have to say instead of how the audience is reacting to it and why.

What was you inspiration for putting this book together?
I have been teaching for over forty years now so I took all my notes and organized them because I thought they would be helpful. At least that was the response to my teaching that had always received. It's been the same response that my teaching partner JOHN MICHAEL FERRARI whom I coach with.

What were the challenges of putting this book together?
When I'm in person with someone or via SKYPE they can see me and that goes away substantially when you are in a book. I tried to use photos of celebrities that people are familiar with as visual aids. I try to use words to describe what people lack by not seeing a physical demonstration  by me and I think that it works.

And so far what sort of reactions have you been able to gauge from the release of the book?
The book was just released a bit ago. So far I've been pleased by the response. I'm surprised but I'm very pleased. More than anything it surprises me that people believe that the information in the book is transferable to just about anyone who is in front of a camera, in a recording studio or in front of an audience of ten or ten thousand. The performance skills written about in this book can really be applied across the board.

What are some of the rudimentary steps that you take readers through in this book?
When we have a student we don't know what we're going to teach them until we get to understand who they are and and  what their goals are. When we know that then we know what to focus on. I try to divide everything up into sections . I tried to put everything that I could think of that I had ever taught anybody in this book from how to move on stage to how to address an audience to how to take a picture. Anyone can find what they're looking for in this book by checking out the table of contents but surprisingly people have been reading this thing cover to cover and taking notes. It's important to me for people to find what there needs are in this book.

Bring us back to your beginnings as a performer.
As a child I didn't know the difference between being in a library play and being on the set at CBS studios. It was all the same to me. To me, it was all about going out and having fun, playing a character, meeting fun people and working with them. It wasn't until I was 14 or 15 that I appreciated what I was given the opportunity to do. My family was heavily involved in the industry. They had me tag along and one thing led to another. When I became an adult I started teaching it. I still act whenever there is a good role that comes my way whether it's stage or film but these days I enjoy teaching more.

And what inspired you to become a teacher?
I was a public school teacher for many years. I have a lifetime teaching credential in the State of California. I spent more than a decade teaching in Los Angeles.  When I left the public school system I still loved teaching so much that I wanted to continue doing so in some fashion so I started private coaching and teaching. I spend a lot of my time public speaking and doing workshops and seminars. I still try to take on individual students every once in a while with JOHN. If we feel that we can bring them closer to their goal then we'll take them on. If not we'll refer them to someone else.

What all do you consider before taking on a student?
Taking on a student is time consuming. There's a commitment there. Certain things happen immediately . The intricacies and subtleties of what they're doing become clear.  We try to give them information and try to help them find their niche out in the world. If they need a lot of vocal training  we're not singing teachers. We help them with their singing if there are certain things that we can improve on immediately. But if someone needs singing instruction there is a list of wonderful singing instructors that come to mind. 

Now available on Amazon: 
https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Song-Performance-Singers-Bible/dp/0692268391  
Dynamic Song Performance Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/dynamicsongperformance/