Could iTunes & Amazon be dealing...drugs?

I read a very interesting article that talks about MUSIC being used to get "high." The effects of "digital drugs" have been compared to the chemical effects that actual illegal drugs have on your brain.

There is an I-Doser software available that allows you access to different tracks like "peyote," "alter-x," and "first love." It works on the idea that on biaural beats in which two different frequencies are played. The article I read explains, "The mind creates a hum that's a balance between the two."

There is a lot more interesting information about I-Dosers in an article put out by the Seattle Times. The I=Dosers software is available on CNET.com, and tracks can be found on iTunes and Amazon.

There is a lot of skepticism out there about whether these biaural beats can actually have chemical effects on your mind. But all the same, there is a lot of concern out there. Some are worried that digital drugs can be the gateway to illegal drugs.

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.

Again, self-concept...but now we have a plan!

Man, I suppose I've been doing a lot of posts on self-concept lately. It seems only natural because we've had some patients lately at the BHC that really need to address this.

I am posting a plan today that utilizes the Who I Am video posted yesterday. This is a plan that I prepared for the BHC for a 50 minute session. As you read it, it no doubt sounds a little silly. Rather than posting a task analysis like normal, I wrote down talking points for my own personal use. One thing I've really been working hard on at my internship is flowing smoothly between activities. No awkward jumps in conversation. Writing these talking points really helps me in this. In the left column you'll see what the activity is. Most of it is song discussion. There is also a worksheet (that I discuss below), a video discussion, and Who I Am sign making (a little bit of crafts).

There is a worksheet (which I do not have available on the computer) full of positive fill-in-the-blank statements. You can definitely make one of these yourself. Positive affirmation statements might be:
I'm really good at_____________________________.
I look by best when_____________________________.
My best personal trait is_____________________________.
My friends like me because I_____________________________.
The worksheet I used had 20-25 of these statements.

One more important thing... this plan was used for a group of girls. If you have boys in your session, rethink the songs used for song discussions and some of the talking points that I listed.

Who I Am: video for self-concept

I love this video. It is great for addressing self-concept with adolescents. Questions we typically ask include:
+What signs did you see in the video and who was holding them?
+Were you surprised by any of them? (Usually kids are shocked that the gothic girl could be an honor student)
+If you had a sign to describe who you are, what would it say?
+If you had a sign for Who I Am with family, friends, and alone, would they be different?
+What would they say and why do you think these signs would be different?

Showbiz Tonight: Nordoff-Robbins MT

Adapted instruments

One of my favorite projects in school was an assignment from Dr. Alice-Ann Darrow. In our Music in Special Education class, we were asked to adapt an instrument as though it were for a student with a physical disability. We could either find an adapted instrument or create one. The adapted instrument I chose was deskbells.


I'm sure most of us are pretty familiar with the colorful handbells sold at West Music. But fewer of us know about the adaptation to those same handbells that make it much easier to produce a note. With a button on top of its handle, the bell can be set on top of a flat surface and ring by being tapped. If a person can move a part of their body, they can play this instrument.

Many of my classmates constructed their own awesome adaptations using household items. If your client is limited in mobility, think carefully about what sort of accommodations you can make. Some assembly may be required.

If you are not up to creating your own device, you can find deskbells at West Music, or check out other companies that specialize in other adapted instruments. A Day's Work is one of these. If you are reading this and know of another place to find adapted instruments, please leave a comment.

Three bears with a beat

I really love this activity! I first heard it from Darcy Walworth in our Music Therapy Lab class. It is perfect for young children. For each character in the rhyme, there is an action/sound/facial expression:

Papa bear: Hold hands up as though they are claws/"Rawrrrr," low-pitched growl/teeth bared, nose wrinkled, eyebrows furrowed.
Mama bear: Hold hands up with palms out, wiggle hands/"Ahhh!"High-pitched scream (not a real scream, please)/mouth open in surprise, eyes wide
Wee bear: Fold arms, shrug shoulders, hunch over/"Hmph," little-kid grunt/lip pout, eyebrows furrowed

At the request of the website owner, I will not copy/paste the rhyme here. However, here is the website. Pat knees in a moderate tempo. Each word with (parenthesis) is a downbeat.

Use this activity to work on emotions, facial affect, and listening skills.

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

Music Jeopardy

I'm in the process now of developing a Music Jeopardy game. In this game, you will divide your group into two teams. Have the teams select a name and decide who goes first. Each team will get a turn to choose a question based on the number of points it is worth. To find the answer, the team will work together. Like Jeopardy, 100 point questions are simpler than 500 point questions. The questions and points are as follows:

100 points...Name that tune
Much like music trivia, play a song from the iPod and have the team guess the song's title.

200 points...Artists that start with the letter _____
Name a letter. A=Aretha Franklin, Aerosmith, ABBA.

300 points...Song scramble
mi awglink no nusihens=I'm Walking On Sunshine

400 points...Fill in the blank
Fill in the missing word(s) in the song title. I Walk the___________=I Walk the Line

500 points...Song titles that include the word _____
Give a word found in some song titles. Have the team come up with a title that incorporates that word. "Stop"=Stop! In the Name Of Love, Don't Stop Believin'

Beach ball game

I am working on a session with one of my groups with the theme of "Beach Party." It being summer in Florida, it seemed only appropriate. One of the games I have planned is a game of catch with a goal of cognitive stimulation. To fit the beachy theme, I am playing catch with a beach ball. But really, you could toss a beanbag, a regular ball, etc.

Materials:
Beach ball
iPod/speakers (the song I chose for this activity was "Surfin USA" by the Beach Boys)

Procedure:
When music begins, clients will toss ball back and forth. When MT stops the music, the ball stops moving. The person left holding the ball when the music stops will be asked a question*.

*The question asked will depend on the functioning level of the patient and the goals you are working on in that group. The patients I will see tomorrow are generally low functioning adults. I may ask questions like, "What kind of things can you find at the beach?" or "Name another song that the Beach Boys sang." If I am working on self-concept with children, I might ask them to name one thing they like about themselves.