Friday Five: Arts & crafts

As music therapists, we use a lot of props. Instruments, puppets, scarves, books, and parachutes are ready-made tools that are often very useful in sessions. But what about the props we make at home? Trivia, music bingo, and bean bag toss are a few examples of the homemade props that can be used in MT sessions.

Today's Friday Five is all about the art tools I could not live without.

1) Posterboards You can find several in my home tucked away in corners, closets, and trunks. Posterboards are often the base for my props because they are big and easy to see from across the room.
2) Velcro Whenever I take a trip to the store for a MT prop, I come away with velcro. I've found it extremely handy to use on posterboards. Find examples for its use on previous posts (Halloween costume game and poker).
3) Laminating paper Really, you don't even need a bulky machine to laminate! I use Scotch self-laminating sheets. Everything comes out looking professional and durable and 1000x better than papers that have not been laminated.
4) Color printer A quality print will catch a lot of attention in your session. If it is beautiful and colorful, clients will be a lot more exited about your activity.
5) Sharpies Not only is it necessary to have the basic sharpie colors for use on posterboard, but I've recently found the silver sharpies show beautifully on black.

What are some homemade creations of your own and what tools have you found most important?

Friday Five: Hap Palmer songs you should know

So I'm going to take you back a couple decades to the Hap Palmer era. Hap Palmer earned a Master's degree in dance education in the early 80s, but was writing children's songs years before that, in the late 60s. The songs were written to enhance a number of developmental skills in young children. Below are five videos I found when conducting a youtube search, though you'll find he composed hundreds more.

The videos below can be used as is in session. But if you find these dated, I encourage you to let them inspire your own creativity! If you have any Hap Palmer songs of your own that you love, or any other ideas for that matter, please share!

Weekly Rap


Tap Your Sticks


Bean Bag Alphabet Rag


Let's All Clap Our Hands Together


The Mice Go Marching

Post-Friday Friday Five: Helpful tips, ideas, and resources

I made a few discoveries in this past week or two that were important in my music therapy-life. Of course, I want to share the things that helped me in hopes that they may help you!

P.S. This was intended as a Friday Five, but as it is in the music therapy world, we are constantly adapting to unexpected changes in plans.

1) Play Ball! music activity for geriatric clients. I was fortunate to come across this activity on Rachelle Norman's blog while looking for ideas for a session. I used it the next day and it went over beautifully!
2) Dry erase/wet erase white board trick. I found this genius songwriting tip on Michelle Erfurt's website. And if this trick wasn't brilliant enough already, Kat Fulton commented that smeared white board marker can be cured with nail polish remover.
3) Wikifonia lead sheets. Wikipedia, WikiHow, WikiAnswers, WikiBooks... now Wikifonia? Possibly the greatest Wiki ever created, this site provides sheet music for a long list of songs. In fact, this was the only place that I could find free chords for the Pennsylvania Polka. I don't know much about this site just yet, but I imagine some songs (like oldies) are easier to find than others. If you know more about Wikifonia, feel free to comment!
4) Online music games. To incorporate these in sessions, you'll have to be creative. But i believe there is a lot of potential for some of these games. Browse music games at sites like musicgames.us, PBS Kids, and Nickelodeon.
5) Preschool songs and activities. This site provides links to a number of ideas for development-related activities. Some examples include learning the days of the week, vowels, and creating a rain storm.

Hopefully you find these helpful! If anyone has more helpful tips and discoveries to add, I invite you to comment.

Friday Five: Appropriate rap/hip-hop songs

It's been awhile since I've made a Friday Five post. In the past, I've written about MadLibs, art therapy, techniques for singing country songs, and songs for positive thinking. You can find all the other posts by clicking on the "Friday five" keyword on the right sidebar of this page.

Today I bring you five songs that will win over most middle and high schoolers. They are all appropriate rap/hip-hop songs. These days, that is difficult to find.

1) Kick, Push (2006), Lupe Fiasco.
2) Kiss Kiss (2007), Chris brown.
3) You Make Me Better (2007), Fabolous.
4) Whip My Hair (2010), Willow Smith. Sung by Will Smith's daughter!
5) Good Morning (2009), Chamillionaire. I love this one especially because it samples the famous "Free Fallin" melody from Tom Petty.

For more, check out this link at Yahoo Answers.

Friday Five: Art Therapy Blogs

I know, I know... what are we doing talking about art therapy in a music therapy blog??

I have been lucky to work with some art therapists and art therapy interns during my time here at the BHC. I really should have made a post regarding art therapy much sooner, because it is a very cool thing to collaborate with art therapists in session. Even without an art therapist to collaborate with, there is much we can learn from the field. Today's Friday Five is a list of top-rated blogs that pertain to the art therapy world. Art therapy is very different from music therapy, but I challenge you to learn from these sites and incorporate some art therapy techniques in your session while still using music. For some clients, the therapeudic value can be greatly increased after putting time into creating something tangible.

1. The Healing Arts
2. Creative Everyday
3. Adventures in Art Therapy
4. Turning Turning
5. Paint Cut Paste

For more top art therapy blogs, visit this website.

Friday Five! 5 + 1 MadLib songs

Best Friday Five EVER! And it's not just because I'm giving you six activities. This session was a lot of fun. Remember to review adjectives, nouns, and verbs with your group!

You remember the old MadLibs... One person asks another person or group to name a noun. That person says "Skunk!" and suddenly you have an awesomely hilarious story. Well, if you remember the old childhood game, then this activity is pretty self explanatory. Just remember to sing the song for your patient(s) after you're done!

1. What a Wonderful World MadLib
2. I Can See Clearly Now MadLib
3. Eye of the Tiger MadLib
4. Don't Worry Be Happy MadLib
5. I Wanna Hold Your Hand MadLib
6. My Girl MadLib

Friday Five: songs for addiction/substance abuse

5 songs for addiction and substance abuse:

1. "Addicted" by Kelly Clarkson
2. "We Cry" by The Script
3. "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. "Sunday Morning Call" by Oasis
5. "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns

Friday five: songs for supportive relationships

All of these songs can be used to discuss friendships/relationships/and support.

1. I Am A Rock by Simon and Garfunkel. This song is great for setting up the discussion of why supportive relationships are so important. In this song, a person isolates himself because he believes friendships only cause pain. In your discussion, debate this opinion. List the benefits of having good relationships.

2. Help! by The Beatles. Talk about different places/people you can go to for help. I don't mean just friends and family, but hospitals/support groups/church/etc.

3. Gift Of A Friend by Demi Lovato. Discuss the qualities of a friend.

4. Thank You by Dido. This song is a great segue into writing thank you letters for people who have been supportive in our lives. We must communicate to our supports why they are so important in our lives and how we appreciate them!

5. You've Got A Friend by James Taylor.

Friday five: singing traditional hymns versus gospel

I loved my experience in hospice. I'm not one that knew much about spiritual music when I went in, but I sure know a lot about it now. In fact, I really love some of the songs my patients enjoyed. One of the biggest challenges in hospice was understanding how to sing in a style that was authentic to the music your patient preferred. Here, I discuss singing in a traditional church style versus singing in a gospel style (which can be difficult to master).

Traditional hymns use a classical, church-singing voice. Everything you see on the sheet music is taken very literally.
1. No note embellishments. Straight-forward melody line. Limited vocal range.
2. Solemn, majestic tempo.
3. Use a very smooth voice, sing notes cleanly and exactly as they are on the page.
4. Play rhythm as it is written.
5. When playing guitar, finger pick or use a straight strum.

There are many different styles of gospel music, so I will speak very generally.
1. Notes can be embellished, repeated, etcetera, etcetera. Do almost whatever you want to make the melody "flashy." Uses a wide vocal range.
2. Songs are animated and enthusiastic!
3. Again, you are free to do almost anything you want with the melody. Add some "whoa's" and "oh yeah's" anywhere you see fit. Repeat, repeat, repeat words from the melody when you can. Many families that listen to gospel even create their own verses that are unique to that family. Learn them or create some of your own. Good opportunity for song-writing, p.s.!
4. Rhythms can be lengthened, shortened, widened, flattened, etcetera, etcetera.
5. Use mostly down-strums on the guitar.

Theses examples are extremes: either very traditional, or very gospel-like. Remember that different religions can be anything in-between. The best thing you can do is listen as your patients sing along. Take clues from them as to how they prefer to hear their spiritual music sung.

Friday five: songs for self-concept

The age of braces, first loves, and even prom is an awkward stage for everyone. People are always changing and middle and high school is a time for finding yourself. Girls and boys are often judged by who they hang out with, what they wear, and which classes they take. Many of these young adults are vulnerable. They may be picked on, they may have a lot of pressure from peers, they may have stress from school and activities and sadly, some may have a miserable home life (or at least think they do).

There are also many adults out there that struggle in a similar way. They can't stand being single, they want a perfect family image, or they fear they're not doing a great job at work. Broken relationships, job loss, and financial stress can leave an adult wondering what went wrong with them.

If you work with anyone of this age as a music therapist, you may find yourself having to address self-concept. What does the client like about him/herself? What is he/she good at? Does he/she deserve more love than what they're allowing themselves? Today's Friday five is all about self-concept. Songs to introduce the subject and facilitate discussion or activities on the issue:

1) "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
2) "Video" by India.Arie
3) "You Gotta Be" by Des'ree
4) "Fifteen" by Taylor Swift
5) "Gone" by Switchfoot

Friday five: songs for positive thinking

I have many songs to share! Today, 5 songs on the topic of positive thinking:

1) "Blue Skies" by Ella Fitzgerald
2) "Drift Away" by Dobie Gray
3) "Happy" by Natasha Beddingfield
4) "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts
5) "Strength, Courage, and Wisdom" by India.Arie

Friday Five: Staying age appropriate with older adults

Older adults are not like preschool children, so why do so many people talk to them as such? Bent over, face close, hands clasped, gaping smile, voice raised an octave and, "Evelyn, it's time for music, yay! Would you like music? How about some music!" I wrote the other day that older adults absolutely love when you talk enthusiastically with them. But I'm sure that they do not appreciate anyone talking down at them, trying to get them excited for something as if they are offering them a treat for good behavior.

Below are some tips on staying age appropriate with older adults. Forget the "sweeties" and "honeys," but don't be offended when they turn around and use these words with you.

1) Consider your volume. Of course, we often have to talk a lot louder than normal to compensate for any hearing loss. I have had to work a lot at this because I normally speak softly. However, don't assume right away that you'll need to put so much power into your voice that it vibrates your entire chest. I suggest starting at a normal volume (for me, that is a little louder than I am comfortable with), then take some quick cues from your clients as to how you should adjust it. When you see them squinting, tilting an ear towards you, or furrowing their brow as though they are concentrating a little too hard on what you're saying, take a hint that you may have to speak up a bit. Also, continue to remind yourself to speak consistently at that volume. If they have to ask, "Pardon me?" again and again, they may begin to feel discouraged and frustrated with making conversation.

2) Watch your tone of voice. It was something mom always told us, and I will say it again. Not for the same reason, of course. Watch your tone to make sure it doesn't start creeping up the register. We will talk to babies and dogs in this voice, but it is not okay to talk this way to an individual who has lived long and accomplished much.

3) Let them make choices. A lot of adults in hospice or nursing homes may feel like they have had all their freedom taken from them. They often don't get choices in what they wear, what they eat, etc. Create opportunities to offer them choices. Should we play "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" or "Danny Boy"? Also, if they get up to leave, there is usually not much you can or should do to keep them in session. They are adults, and you can't beg them to stay, or raise your voice, or block them off at the entrance. You can however, offer them an opportunity to join again when they feel like ready.

4) Keep conversation. Show genuine interest in your client. Talk with them on subjects they care about. I wrote a post the other day called Keeping Conversation When It Counts. Use this for topic ideas: family, travel, hobbies, memories, etc.

5) Play preferred music. You've heard this a hundred times, I'm sure. Learn as much as you can about your older adult's choice of music. If you know nothing about your client or group, you can take a smart guess at their music preference. People tend to like the music they listened to in their twenties and early thirties. Take their age, calculate when they were this old, then begin with whatever was popular at that time. Also consider gender, religion, and ethnicity. If it comes down to it, it does not hurt to ask. In fact, they may see you asking as a sign of complete respect.

Friday Five: Getting the early country sound

As music therapists, we know that patient preferred music yields the biggest results over time. Our work is based on what we know our clients enjoy. It engages them, encourages participation, and helps to cultivate a healthy therapeutic relationship.

When we prepare music for a client, we put so much time into learning the chords and learning the lyrics. Usually we'll go as far as to memorize a song, even for use in a one-time session. If we are working this hard to please our patients, shouldn't we take it one step further by making our voices sound just as authentic as our music?

When a music therapist has a great handle on sounding like an artist in both music and voice, it is most undeniably apparent in early country music. It is hard to imagine a performance of "Your Cheatin' Heart" or "Coal Miner's Daughter" without an exaggerated country twang. Below, I am listing five techniques for getting that true country sound. These were all things I learned in a guitar repertoire class.

1) Mouth and throat are relaxed.
2) The melody has lots of embellishments and slides between the notes.
3) Voice has a bright, nasally sound ("twang").
4) Guitar plays an alternating bass strum and dotted rhythms.
5) Guitar plays a "boom-chick" or down-down-up-down-up-down strum.

To practice, listen carefully to early country recordings. Record yourself to see how closely you can authenticate artists like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, and Patsy Cline.

Friday Five: Songs about life's journey

I have often found myself desperately searching every corner of the internet for songs for lyric analysis. By the time you decide on a topic for discussion and read a dozen song lyrics for appropriateness, you may turn to YouTube only to hear that the song of choice is in a style straight out of the '70s disco era. And as much as you respect that genre and all, it is most likely that you will not be able to convince your clients aged twenty- and thirty-something that "Funkytown" is where it's at.

Honestly, starting from scratch with a lyric analysis is difficult for me. When I begin my internship, my supervisor will no doubt have plenty of songs tried-and-true for discussing coping skills and feelings of loneliness. But at the moment, I am stuck at the computer or in the car jotting down lyrics of songs I hear on the radio.

The songs in this list are perfect for discussing the paths you take in life, the fork in the road, and the bumps in your way. These lyrics are all about life's journey. If a client should say "You really like songs about roads" (which they have said to me), it makes all the more opportunity for sharing your reasons for sticking so loyally to this theme.

1. "The Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles (rock, 1970). The long and winding road that leads to your door will never disappear.
2. "Lodi" by Creedence Clearwater Revival (classic rock, 1969). Looks like my plans fell through; oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again.
3. "Lost Highway" by Bon Jovi (country rock, 2007). In my rear-view mirror my life is getting clearer; the sunset sighs and slowly disappears.
4. "Life Is A Highway" by Tom Cochrane (rock, 1991), covered by Rascal Flatts (new country, 2006). Well, life's like a road that you travel on, there's one day here and the next day gone.
5. "Everyday Is a Winding Road" by Sheryl Crow (pop rock, 1997). Everyday is a faded sign, I get a little bit closer to feeling fine.