Meet Emmy S.
This is Emmy’s Music Video of her original song, “You’re Perfect.” Emmy is speaking out against Bullying and Insecurity! Thanks Emmy! You’re Perfect!
Student Events for the 2018-2019 School Year
Meet Kaylea, our 1st Ever Student Event Coordinator!
Student Seasonal Event Calendar
Please Sign up for these events and bring your money the day of the event.
Contact Kaylea Binney, our Student Event Coordinator, if you have any questions.
417-793-6691
Please let Kaylea know if you would like to be a chaperone/driver at any of these events.
Summer
- Back To School Kickoff!
August 3rd
1-2:30 p.m.
Schifferdecker Aquatic Center
Children $4 Adults $5
You can meet us there or ride with us.
We will leave at 12:15 from the MLMC.
Please include $1 for gas if you ride with someone.
Fall
- Myer’s Inn Spook House & Lock-In at MLMC
October 27th
6:00 pm -7am
$15 for Spook House, extra $5 for lock-in (for snacks)
You can meet us there or ride with us.
We will leave at 5:45pm from MLMC.
Please include $1 for gas if you ride with someone.
Bring pillow and Sleeping bag/Air Mattress.
Winter
- Movie Night (Movie TBD) at Regal Northstar Stadium 14 in Joplin.
January 11th
7:00 pm
Children $13
Adults $16
You can meet us there or ride with us.
We will leave at 6:30 from MLMC.
Please include $1 for gas if you ride with someone.
Spring
- Movie Night (Movie TBD) Route 66 Drive In
Gates open at 7:30p.m. Showtime 9:10 p.m.
April 26th
Children $4
Adults $8
You can meet us there or ride with us.
We will eave the MLMC at 6:50
Please include $1 for gas if you ride with someone.
Studio Calendar to follow shortly 🙂
10 Steps to Becoming a Professional Musician
At some point or another, I feel like, we all see an epic performance by a legendary musician and think for half a second…could I do that? I’m here to tell you, you might J. Being a musician, like any other profession, is attainable. And music, like any other profession, has dues that need to be paid. Being a musician means you’re running your own company selling yourself. You’re the CEO, Financial Manager, Marketing Department, Product, Inventor, Project Manager, Salesman, Janitor, etc. You’re running every part of the business and you’re the product. So, being strategic with your goals is going to be key in your success. That’s why I’ve given very actionable steps for you to follow. Think of these broad steps as starting points. How you apply them to your brand will be specific and unique to you. I’m so excited to see and hear how you apply these steps!
Disclosure:Some articles on this site may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, Starting Your Own Teaching Studio may earn a commission if you click through and/or make a purchase.
Keep in mind, like any business, you start from the ground and build up, slowly. Artists who sell out arenas are like the mega chain stores in all the big cities with endless money and resources. And you’re like the little mom and popshop starting out in your hometown. You’re the little fish in a big pond. But, give it time, be strategic with your plans, and stay diligent. You’ll find your business booming and growing in no time!
I’m going to assume you want to make a livingbeing a musician and so your definition of success is going to start at being able to make a living as an artist, not just being cool and playing the part of ultra hip guy or girl that can sing and play guitar. I’m assuming you want more and are willing to set professional goals and see them through.
Before you start taking steps toward becoming a professional musician, take some time to cultivate a visionfor the type of artist you want to become and come up with a personal mission statement for yourself as an artist. Verbalize why you want to become an artist and remember this picture in your mind, when times are hard. There will be many tough struggles, like with any goal worth achieving.
10 Steps to Getting Started as a Professional Musician/Artist
- Develop Skills and Sharpen Talents. Well, this is like, “duh,” but seemed like the right place to start. Put the hours in to master your instrument. (As a voice teacher, I include the voice as an instrument.) Don’t be good by accident, here’s how you master your instrument:
- Take Lessons
- In person. Taking lessons in person with an instructor is great because they can see your specific strengths and weaknesses and help you with them. Private instruction is great because it is customizable and you’re held accountable for your progress every week.
- Online-Is great because it is sometimes easier on the pocketbook and you can go at your own pace, if you’re dedicated enough to stick with it on your own.
- Courses
- Brett Manning’s Singing Success is my favorite ‘go to’ for vocalists
- When I teach, I use the Hal Leonard series for all of the instruments I teach at The Maple Leaf Music Company.
- Take what you’re learning in your lessons and find more practical applications of the theory concepts and techniques. Learn all your favorite songs and master them!
- Take Lessons
- Songwriting. At some point in your career as an artist, writing songs is going to be a must. You will have to create your own material. There are a host of resources for this, but the ones below have helped me. Much. They contain many exercises that can be completed easily to demonstrate all of the songwriting concepts presented in the books. If you think your songs are ready to be recorded, I have a publishing company and would love to look at your songs and give you pointers, contact me HERE.
- Pat Patison’s book, “Writing Better Lyrics.”
- Simon Hawkins’ book, “Song Maps.”
- Sheila Davies’ book, “The Craft of Lyric Writing.”
- Berkley Press-“Melody in Songwriting.”
- Practice. Practice the Music. Practice performing. Then when you perform, video yourself and evaluate your stage presence and image. Tom Jackson’s Live Music Method is an awesome video and resource for helping with crafting your stage performance.
- Practice the music until you can play it in your sleep.
- Practice the performance. When will you talk between songs? Where will you move on the stage? Will you stand or sit? How will you transition between songs? Is the emotion conveyed in each song? Will you be transitioning between instruments? If so, do you know what you need to make smooth transitions?
- Once you perform video yourself, then watch it back and make notes. Did it go as you planned? Evaluate each piece of the performance and use it to propel you forward as the artist you want to be.
- Your Product. Your Brand. Once you have gone through a few cycles of booking a gig/performing/videoing/evaluating/tweaking/and repeating the process, ask yourself if your ‘product,’ a.k.a your music and yourself, is ready to move past the beta stage. Start viewing your music as your business. The Book, “Unsigned and Unstoppable,” by Nona Jones is a great read for Independent Artists.
- Ask yourself these questions to help you learn represent your business the most professional way possible.
- Booking. Do you have a template or a method of ‘pitching’ yourself to prospective venues?
- Product Examples. Do you have link to or an electronic press kit for the venue to view to see if you’re a good fit for their event/location?
- Do you feel comfortable speaking with the venue contact person about fees, payment, sound arrangements, and logistics?Do you have a method to get this information to the venue?
- Do you arrive early enough to cover set up/sound check? Are you prepared for the concert/gig?
- Is your performance translated to the audience the way you hope for it to? Does your performance/image/sound best represent your brand?
- Are you comfortable with following up with venues about future performance opportunities?
- How can you make it better?
- Ask yourself these questions to help you learn represent your business the most professional way possible.
- Keep Performing. Perform anytime you have the opportunity. The more people and venues that hear and see you, the bigger your fan base will become. Your fans are your best advertisement for you. The more fans, the more reach you will have. So, learn what your fans love about you and give them what they want!
- Since this is your business you’ll need a financial plan of action for making money to live on and also to grow your business. You’ll eventually need products to sell like albums and possibly other merchandise. Consider these possible ways to generate funds as a musician.
- You can make money at the door, tips, or by negotiating a predetermined fee from the venue.
- Sell downloads of recordings on places like iTunes or Amazon. Yes, that’s a shameless plug for my music 🙂
- Partner with organizations as their musician spokesman. Places like Child Fund International and Compassion International love partnering with musicians. Plus, it’s a wonderfully rewarding way to use your music to give back and make a global impact.
- Sometimes you can acquire sponsorships if you perform about 30 shows a year. Sponsors can help provide equipment for you in exchange for advertising at your gigs.
- Online Artist Presence. See Below.
- Expenses. Consider your expenses, make a list, and check them off as your business grows and you’re able to acquire the items you need. Start out with simple items then go for more expensive items. Here are a list of items to consider.
- Business Cards
- Sound Equipment
- Banners
- Trailers for sound equipment and instruments.
- Instruments
- Lighting Equipment
- Camera/Video Equipment
- Merch-T’s, buttons, stickers, etc.
- Online Presence, Social Networks, and Networking.Getting the word out about who you are, where to find you, and what you do is VITAL! We have so many free ways to get mass amounts of information out to mass amounts of people. If you’re not promoting your music online, you’re missing HUGE opportunities.
- Create Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter Artist Accounts. Make sure to use your artist email. They’re free, too. Use your favorite email provider, and get it going J. Use your artist email on your business cards, too.
- Set up your Artist Youtube channels and video your performances! You might even get enough views to get paid from Youtube!
- These can be free. I like WordPress or Hostgator. Use your website to promote your music, merchandise. Allow people to see your bio, find links to all your music , youtube, and social media. Your website can be a place to contact you for booking, and read your BLOG!
- A Blog is a great way for people to get to know you and for you to even make an extra income!
- Blog about what you’re doing and learning.
- Become an influencer of your favorite products through affiliate marketing.
- Get to know your fans through communication and comments.
- Recording. When should you record?
- When you have fans/people that actually want to buy something from you, your performance is top notch, have something unique to give to the world, have enough money to pay for it, and a plan of action to use the recording to generate more opportunity and income. Use your recordings to grow your business. Make sure you have a marketing plan for the release of your single/EP/album.
- The Book, “Unsigned and Unstoppable,” by Nona Jones is a great read for Independent Artists and touches on this topic.
- If you’re interested in learning to release your songs on iTunes and don’t know how…Shout out to me and I can help!
- Make sure to join a Performing Rights Organization to help make sure you’re getting all of your royalties J
- Go!Turn Heads.Take Risks. Be Amazing!
An Investment into the Future
| Did You Know? |
| We consider private music lessons an investment into each student’s future. How Are Lessons An Investment? We believe lessons are an investment in 4 basic ways: Benefits from Lessons 1. Improves reading skills, increase vocabulary & language ability. 2. Develops listening skills, aural awareness, abstract thinking, and imagination. 3. Increase memory skills, builds concentration and attention span. 4. Builds social skills, self-discipline, patience, and improves behavior. 5. Stimulates and strengthens the same part of the brain needed for math and reasoning. 6. Piano lessons particularly develop fine motor skills needed for writing. 7. Lessons build confidence and emotional growth and makes for a happier child. 8. Children who have music lessons score higher in their SAT’s writing, math, and science areas. 9. Children in music lessons have higher grades, in general. 10.Music lessons develop skills that provide a firm foundation for learning. 11.Students learn to accept Constructive criticism. 12.Lessons inspire creativity. 13.Lessons give the student the opportunity to experience and see a marked development and growth in themself. 14.Lessonshelp students to gain and value Long term vision when approaching tasks 15.Studentslearn time management skills, how to prepare and meet deadlines 16.Students have the opportunity to become a more responsible individual.
Benefits from studio 1. Students benefit by being part of a team/group 2. Students develop friendships 3. Students have shared experiences with peers through classes, performances, and events. 4. Students engage in Co-creativity (duets, classes, songwriting) with their peers. 5. Students are surrounded by young role models and learn to become role models, themselves. 6. Our studio offers a 40-hour internship. The internship gives students training in this career and potentially a job opportunity. 7. Through our internship, students have the opportunity to teach at the MLMC as a Junior Instructor. 8. Our Performance Companygives students the ability to earn College scholarship for performing at community events.
Performance benefits 1. Music performance teaches students to deal with nerves and stressful presentation situations like in interviews and class presentations. 2. Students learn to meet deadlines. 3. Students experience their hardwork pay off. 4. Learn to represent themselves and organizations publically and professionally. 5. Students learn to manage tension and stress through performance opportunities 1. Our mission statement states that we exist to equip students with the power of music. We strive to encourage students to use their skills and talents to make a better community, impact their culture, and change the world. We believe our mission statement makes us unique in that encourage each student to dream big! Over the long term we use their 30 minute weekly lessons to help them get a vision and use their voice to change the world. 2. We strive to teach students the importance of ‘giving back,’ and howto give back using their musical skills. 3. Through our various performance, artist development, and songwriting opportunities, we teach the students to stand behind their workand learn the importance of representing themselves in the best way possible. 4. Through our internship program students have the opportunity to learn life skills and become career minded. 5. We strive to encourage higher education and get the students, ‘college minded,’ through our Performance Company Scholarship Program. 6. Through our Artist Development Programwe offer professional artist and songwriting experience.
Take a minute to think of all the ways this ‘Investment List’ has benefitted your student or might benefit them in the future. Then, pat yourself on the back! Great Job for investing in the student in your life! We love your little student and love partnering with your student to invest in their lives! Let us know how you have seen music lessons help your student, or how we can help out your student and invest even deeper into their lives! Sincerely, Kacey Baugh-Lee & The Maple Leaf Music Company
Kacey Baugh-Lee Owner of The Maple Leaf Music Company Creator of Vocal Tonic Author of, “Starting Your Own Teaching Studio: The Basics,” Book and Workbook |
How To Take Care Of Your Voice
8 Tips For a Healthy Voice in Any Season
By Kacey Baugh-Lee
We all know this time of year can bring havoc on the voice. It feels like a never-ending cycle of sneezing, dryness, sore throats & colds. I put together a list of, “8 Tips for a Healthy Voice in Any Season,” to help with different seasons and the transitions between.
• Germs
o To combat the spread of germs in your studio, make
sure to disinfect: doors, handles, pens, pencils, keyboards, picks, tuners etc. We love regular old,Lysol Wipes Double check with your students after they finish using the bathroom, that they washed their hands. This will minimize the transfer of germs from one student to the next.
o Keep a bottle of Purell beside the piano, in the lobby, and in the bathroom.
• Sleep
o Sleep is one way the body heals itself. So it is essential for good health, not just during cold weather. Feel Free to snooze away. Calms forte and Melatonin are great ways to help you fall asleep naturally.
• Water
o Winter is known for its dry air. Add in the necessary evil of central heat and air, drinking enough water can be very difficult. Staying hydrated keeps the vocal folds flexible, and helps maintain the delicate mucous lining. So drink up.
o Remember, it actually takes about 20 minutes for the effects of water to effect the voice.
o Try drinking one or two more glasses of water per day. More if you drink caffeine. • Warm Liquids
o Hot drinks help keep your throat warm and vocal folds ‘warmed up,’ or limber.
o If you’re in the middle of summer and a hot drink isn’t quite what you’re craving, try drinking water at room temperature. This is better than ice-cold water.
o Caffeine tends to dehydrate your body and affect the protective mucosal lining on your vocal folds. So, if you like caffeinated tea or coffee go ahead and drink one or two more glasses of water per cup of caffeinated tea or coffee.
o Add Ins. There are many things you can add into your tea or coffee for flavor that
have added vocal benefits.
- Honey is great to soothe the voice. I
love Honey Sticks. You can get them in a variety of flavors, too. - Oranges or Lemons are great if you have excessive mucous. They cut through the excess mucous.
- Cinnamon. Holy Moly the benefits of cinnamon are incredible. Cinnamon, like honey, has antimicrobial benefits. This spice also helps with inflammation, circulation, and sore throats!
- Ginger can help ease the pain of a sore throat. Add this into your tea with honey and feel the wonderful effects.
- I like Vocal Tonic, a Citrus and Cinnamon vocal spray or warm beverage additive. This is actually a formula I came up with and is available on our website. You spray it either on your tongue and swish it around and swallow, or you spray 2 or 3 spritzes in your warm water, tea, or lemon water and sip until your cup is empty. The ingredients offer vitamins, minerals, coconut oil, aloe vera, almond oil (Zinc rich), cinnamon (for circulation) etc. for a healthy voice. It’s been described as Christmas in a Cup.
• Don’t forget to Warm-Up
o Warming up is essential all year round, but especially in the cold months. It might even take longer in the colder months. Also, if you’re just coming in from cold air and strong winds, allow your body a few minutes to warm up before you begin your vocal warm ups.
• Immunity Support
o Help your immune system fight! Use Multi-Vitamins & Minerals. My favorite mineral for a sore throat is Zinc. Using Zinc can help with stress in even increase the rate for healing.
o Gargle with warm salt water. This can help detoxify the throat and get germs out! This is great for a sore throat, as well.
• Lozenges or Pastilles
o I love Grether’s Sugarfree Pastilles and Fontus Green Apple Throat Lozenges. The Grether’s Pastilles help promote healthy saliva production and the Fontus Lozenges’ main ingredient is Aloe Vera. The Aloe Vera helps
with vocal dryness. I like these because they don’t contain sugar. Sugar creates excess mucous and can weaken the immune system.
• Watch out for Cold Remedies or Medication
o Some decongestants dry the vocal tract and nasal passages. If you must take these medications, please make sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It is also ok, if your schedule allows for it, to take a vocal break until you are back to 100%.
Teachers, the best thing you can do is prepared yourself and your studio. Have water and tea available for students, make sure to warm them up properly, and keep everything disinfected. Well, there you have it, “8 Tips for a Healthy Voice in Any Season.”
This article is not meant to treat or diagnose any disease or illness. Please see a doctor for any and all sickness, disease, and or infection. This article does contain affiliate links.
Kacey Baugh-Lee
Owner of The Maple Leaf Music Company: http://www.themapleleafmusiccompany@gmail.com
Singer/Songwriter: iTunes Link
Author/Speaker: “Starting Your Own Teaching Studio: The Basics”
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Top 3 Best Vocal Products of 2018
Hello Friends!
I was just thinking about tall of my favorite vocal products out on the market, and wanted to take a minute to share them with you!
- The Best Vocal Spary (Mine, of course :)) Vocal Tonic
- The Best Pastille: Grether’s Pastilles. Blueberry are my favorite!
- The Best Lozenge: Fontus Green Apple Lozenge
There are Affiliate Links in this Post
2018 Studio Calendar
2018 Studio Calendar
As of Jan 2nd 2018. Subject to change.
- January
- Saturday January 27th 12:00-5:00 pm-Performance Company Carthage Deli. 6 slots available.
- Don’t forget to sign up for the Talent Show (Deadline is March 6th, Show is May 5th)!
- February
- Date & Time TBD Performance Company. Joplin Avenue Coffee
- Date & Time TBD Performance Company. Gusiano’s Pizza
- Don’t Forget to Sign up for the Talent Show
- March
- 6th. Deadline for Regional Talent Show.
- 24th Performance Company. Joplin Avenue Coffee
- April
- 13th Performance Company. 4-5 pm Food Truck Friday
- 27th Performance Company. 6-8pm. Art Walk
- May
- 5th Regional Talent Show
- 11th Performance Company. 4-6 pm Food Truck Friday
- 19th Spring Awards Recital & Fundraiser
- 25th Performance Company. 6-8 Art Walk
- June
- 8th Performance Company 12-3pm Food Truck Friday
- 22nd Performance Company 6-8pm Art Walk
- 23rd-July 1st Kacey’s Summer Break (Covered in 5th Week Schedule)
- July
- 13th Performance Company. Food Truck Friday
- 27th Performance Company. Art Walk 6-8 pm
- August
- 10th Performance Company. Food Truck Friday
- 24th Performance Company. Art Walk 6-8 pm
- September
- 14th Performance Company. Food Truck Friday 4-7 pm
- 28th Performance Company. Art Walk 6-8pm
- October
- 20th. Maple Leaf Festival & Fall Recital 11am-5pm
- November
- 17th-25th Thanksgiving Break (Covered in 5th Week Schedule.)
- December
- 10th Christmas Parade Caroling
- 15th Christmas Recital 11 am or 1 pm
- 15th Neighbor Hood Caroling 4-6 pm
- 22nd-Jan 6th Christmas Break. (Covered in 5th Week Schedule)
Community Caroling Event
Saturday December 16th at 6-8 pm The Maple Leaf Music Company, is hosting a Community Caroling Event! This is open to students and and community members! We will be ringing the Salvation Army bell and caroling in front of the Carthage Walmart.
If you’re interested in coming, we’d love to have you!
Here’s What to Do:
- Please email Kacey at themapleleafmusiccompany@gmail.com to let them know you’re coming!
- The Maple Leaf Music Company will be making music packets, so please let us know in time for us to make the correct number of packets.
- Please arrive a few minutes early.
- We will meet on the market side entrance.
Our mission at The Maple Leaf Music Company is to use the skills we learn in our lessons to help our community and our world. Please join us at this event we would love to have you!
If you’re interested, please email me for details! themapleleafmusiccompany@gmail.com
Using Our Music to Give Back
Using our Music to Give Back
This Holiday Season we will be recording our Christmas Recital Songs onto a compilation Studio CD! This can be done during your lesson or on down time (when no one is using the equipment.) CD’s are available in exchange for a donation! The proceeds of the Studio Christmas CD will go to a family in the community in need of some Christmas Cheer!
If you’re interested in getting your hands on one of these CD’s let us know! They will be available by the Recital, Dec. 9th.
Donate HERE
The Maple Leaf Music Company 