As we prepare for the MMVS "Mad Mint" Spring Showcase, I'd like you all to think about the songs, musicians and bands that provide the soundtrack to your life. And then realize (because it's true) that you are providing the soundtrack to others' lives every time you sing. Our January showcase touched many people and changed many people's lives for the better. I know you sometimes feel like you have more work in front of you than you know how to handle. But I'm telling you, you are already creating the change in the world that you wish to see. I couldn't be prouder.
XO,
Mel
Here is live concert footage of me singing one of my favorite songs, "Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac, with friend and MMVSer Brian Dolzani. Enjoy.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
MMVS throughout the U.S.
Are you ready??!?!
MMVS "Mad Mint" Spring Showcase
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Doors 12pm / Show 1pm
Milford, CT
 |
| Daniel Street Club in Milford Center |
Our goal for this show is to make it entertaining and surprising for our audience. Don't expect there to be 40 solo performances, one after the other. We're going to change things up a bit with duets, trios, small groups, and an exciting group of songs.
Please RSVP as soon as possible to confirm that you are performing!
In other news...
Well now, if y'all aren't taking over the world these days?!?! Proving that hard work really pays off, MMVS artists are ramping up their performance dates this spring.
Kicking Daisies plays up and down the East Coast all Spring, including BAMBOOZLE
Mike Falzone is performing in Orlando, FL at Playlist Live (with all your favorite YouTube celebs!)
Brian Dolzani wraps up his Northeast tour then spends April in Nashville, TN
King for a Day plays throughout CT all spring and gets ready to play Gathering of the Vibes
Cole Murphy is starring in High School Musical
Take Zero is in the final Warped Tour Battle of the Bands on April 10
NEVER4GET is at the town green in Fairfield May 1st (as part of a benefit for the Arthritis Foundation)
What else ya got goin on, MMVS?
Monday, March 7, 2011
Thanks Meghan Tonjes! From "Ellen" to MMVS.
Yesterday a group of highly dedicated singers nestled in to MMVS to talk to Mike Falzone about how to build a fan base with today's social networking platforms: youtube, facebook, twitter, tumblr, etc. One of the biggest lessons he gave us was how to interact with others through these platforms. What seems like common sense can be terribly enlightening when you realize how many opportunities to connect with others pass us by on a regular basis. It's hard to imagine how to actually get thousands of people to care about whatever content we put "out there."
Then Mike said "I have a surprise for you."
The next thing we knew, we were Skyping with youtube celebrity Meghan Tonjes, who was recently flown out to the Ellen Degeneres show TWICE. The first time was for an interview/live performance on Ellen's show. The second time was to meet her idol, Adele, and listen to her soundcheck.
Meghan had great advice for everyone who is just starting out, and it relaxed us to learn that she didn't get started with a bunch of fancy cameras and film editing software. Meghan has more than 100,000 youtube subscribers and her channel has something like five million views. We can't thank her enough for taking the time to talk to us and give us words of inspiration.
She reiterated Mike's #1 lesson: If you respect your fans and show people that you are a real person, you will have fans (and friends) for life.
Meghan + MMVS = friends for life. We <3 you!
Watch Meghan on Ellen:
Monday, February 21, 2011
Your Life is Not a Game Show
Stop trying to think of the quickest way to get people to know who you are. There is nothing worse than having everyone's attention and having nothing meaningful prepared to say to them.
-Melissa Mulligan (MMVS)
How many times have you heard "Like, oh my gosh you should be on American Idol!!'" If you have a decent singing voice, chances are you hear it every other time you open your mouth. I am still told I should be on that show, which is funny... maybe as a judge?
The best application of your talent, passion, and hard work is not a TV game show. Telling a good singer she should be on American Idol is like telling a brilliant science student that she should be on Jeopardy instead of going to medical school. A producer friend of mine says it's like deciding you want to be a millionaire... and then just playing the lottery.
I think most people associate American Idol with the way to "make it big" because it's the most highly publicized entry point into the music business and the rest of it seems like a big mystery. But I'm pretty sure the career that you want goes beyond being on TV for a few months and then vanishing when the season is ends. Out of the estimated one million people who have auditioned for the show in the last ten years, perhaps six true stars have emerged.
The truth is that the path to success in music requires excellence at what you do and the ability to make fans along the way. As for fame - there is no path to fame. Fame requires a funny combination of timing, luck, and excellence that you can prepare for but can't dictate. Most of the finalists on American Idol aren't famous, and they met a lot of "important" people along the way, so it's not just about who you know. The fact is there are always way more talented people than the public can be interested in at one time.
In short, nothing guarantees fame. You can't be in this for the fame. You must be in this for the love of music, the enjoyment of sharing your music with lots of people, and the desire to be excellent at all of it.
Five Steps on the Path to Excellence
1. If you want to be a performer, you need amazing songs.
2. Focus on becoming the best version of your most unique self.
3. Create a show that is fun, engaging, and musically enjoyable.
4. If you want to make music for a living, you need to work at it like it's your job. Starting now. That's right, before anyone pays you to do it. It's your education prior to graduating to the real world.
5. Stop trying to think of the quickest way to get people to know who you are. Because there is nothing worse than having everyone's attention and having nothing meaningful prepared to say to them.
-Melissa Mulligan (MMVS)
How many times have you heard "Like, oh my gosh you should be on American Idol!!'" If you have a decent singing voice, chances are you hear it every other time you open your mouth. I am still told I should be on that show, which is funny... maybe as a judge?
 |
| Brian Dolzani - excellent songwriter, excellent person |
The best application of your talent, passion, and hard work is not a TV game show. Telling a good singer she should be on American Idol is like telling a brilliant science student that she should be on Jeopardy instead of going to medical school. A producer friend of mine says it's like deciding you want to be a millionaire... and then just playing the lottery.
I think most people associate American Idol with the way to "make it big" because it's the most highly publicized entry point into the music business and the rest of it seems like a big mystery. But I'm pretty sure the career that you want goes beyond being on TV for a few months and then vanishing when the season is ends. Out of the estimated one million people who have auditioned for the show in the last ten years, perhaps six true stars have emerged.
The truth is that the path to success in music requires excellence at what you do and the ability to make fans along the way. As for fame - there is no path to fame. Fame requires a funny combination of timing, luck, and excellence that you can prepare for but can't dictate. Most of the finalists on American Idol aren't famous, and they met a lot of "important" people along the way, so it's not just about who you know. The fact is there are always way more talented people than the public can be interested in at one time.
 |
| Frank, Cole, and Shelby. We're a community at MMVS. |
In short, nothing guarantees fame. You can't be in this for the fame. You must be in this for the love of music, the enjoyment of sharing your music with lots of people, and the desire to be excellent at all of it.
Five Steps on the Path to Excellence
1. If you want to be a performer, you need amazing songs.
2. Focus on becoming the best version of your most unique self.
3. Create a show that is fun, engaging, and musically enjoyable.
4. If you want to make music for a living, you need to work at it like it's your job. Starting now. That's right, before anyone pays you to do it. It's your education prior to graduating to the real world.
5. Stop trying to think of the quickest way to get people to know who you are. Because there is nothing worse than having everyone's attention and having nothing meaningful prepared to say to them.
Monday, February 14, 2011
I Front a Loud Band - "WHAT?!?!"
Where do you sing the best - with great pitch, tone, flexibility, range and emotion?
Home alone? At lessons? When your best friend is singing with you? In the car? In the shower?
For most people the answer is not "With a live rock band in an unfamiliar venue, with very little control over the soundboard and very little vocals in the monitor, while trying to win over a noisy crowd."
I work with professional musicians who perform with full bands. In their lessons they have been progressing tremendously well; expanding their range, learning how to blend their lower and upper registers and breaking bad singing habits. Their lessons and acoustic performances are wonderfully improved.
But performing with a band is completely different. The singer often can't hear himself well, which leads to shouting over the guitar, bass and drums. This leads to pitch problems and throaty singing. The singer also now has the job of fronting the band, which requires a level of energy similar to that of doing sprints in a sauna. There goes breath control!
Many frontmen and women say they don't want to have to think about singing when they're on stage - they just want to feel the music and go with it. My answer to that is "so... practice a lot."
Here are my recommendations for anyone who plans to maintain pitch, tone, power and vocal health while fronting a band:
1. Learn how to sing with POWER without straining
2. Utilize more movement while vocalizing in lessons and rehearsals
3. Redefine what it means to vocally "bring it" on stage - there are ways to cut through the sound of the band without shouting.
4. TURN DOWN YOUR INSTRUMENTS AND TURN UP THE MONITORS.
5. Redefine what it means to bring the energy level up while keeping your vocal performance under control.
6. If you don't exercise regularly, get on an exercise program.
Peace, love and power,
M
Home alone? At lessons? When your best friend is singing with you? In the car? In the shower?
For most people the answer is not "With a live rock band in an unfamiliar venue, with very little control over the soundboard and very little vocals in the monitor, while trying to win over a noisy crowd."
 |
| Duran and Ben know how to give energetic live performances that are played and sung under control. |
I work with professional musicians who perform with full bands. In their lessons they have been progressing tremendously well; expanding their range, learning how to blend their lower and upper registers and breaking bad singing habits. Their lessons and acoustic performances are wonderfully improved.
But performing with a band is completely different. The singer often can't hear himself well, which leads to shouting over the guitar, bass and drums. This leads to pitch problems and throaty singing. The singer also now has the job of fronting the band, which requires a level of energy similar to that of doing sprints in a sauna. There goes breath control!
Many frontmen and women say they don't want to have to think about singing when they're on stage - they just want to feel the music and go with it. My answer to that is "so... practice a lot."
Here are my recommendations for anyone who plans to maintain pitch, tone, power and vocal health while fronting a band:
1. Learn how to sing with POWER without straining
2. Utilize more movement while vocalizing in lessons and rehearsals
3. Redefine what it means to vocally "bring it" on stage - there are ways to cut through the sound of the band without shouting.
4. TURN DOWN YOUR INSTRUMENTS AND TURN UP THE MONITORS.
5. Redefine what it means to bring the energy level up while keeping your vocal performance under control.
6. If you don't exercise regularly, get on an exercise program.
Peace, love and power,
M
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
MMVS Showcase Video
Enjoy this video (produced and edited by Mike Falzone), about the recent MMVS Winter Showcase and the preparation it takes to put on such a dude awesome event. Featuring: Kicking Daisies, Mike Falzone, Brian Dolzani, NEVER4GET, Take Zero, Emma Converse, and roughly twenty other MMVS superstars. XOXO
HEY MMVSers - What should our group songs be for the Spring Showcase?
HEY MMVSers - What should our group songs be for the Spring Showcase?
Friday, January 28, 2011
Level 2 Requirements & Prizes
Level 2 Requirements and prizes are posted in the margin on the right of this page. Guys... they are dude awesome.
A couple of things:
1. Every student who reaches Level 2 in 2011 gets a $50 MMVS money and gets to be in the Epic Level 2 showcase. So get your Level 1 and then get on the road to Level 2!!
2. The Level 2 MMVS Artist of the Year receives a prize package worth approximately $1,000. And it's not about who gets there first. So check the requirements link and get pumped!
3. There are smaller prizes along the way for those who move quickly. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions.
I'm editing a video now with some additional info. Should be up tomorrow.
Be fierce!
MM
A couple of things:
1. Every student who reaches Level 2 in 2011 gets a $50 MMVS money and gets to be in the Epic Level 2 showcase. So get your Level 1 and then get on the road to Level 2!!
2. The Level 2 MMVS Artist of the Year receives a prize package worth approximately $1,000. And it's not about who gets there first. So check the requirements link and get pumped!
3. There are smaller prizes along the way for those who move quickly. Check it out and let me know if you have any questions.
I'm editing a video now with some additional info. Should be up tomorrow.
Be fierce!
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