TME Tuesday: Songwriting with Adolescents

One of the things that I struggle with is getting my students, all with a developmental disability and at least one psychiatric concern and about 75% with an additional intellectual disability, to engage in making original music. They all want to be songwriters, but no one wants to work at the actual process of writing music. They all like the idea of making up raps and songs and being famous, but they are often uninterested in learning how to do those things. I get frustrated with the disconnect between what they KNOW to be true (they will be rich and famous musicians) and what I know to be true (being a rich and famous musician isn't an easy path). Most of my students want to be Luke Bryan without realizing that a) that role is already taken, and b) that Luke Bryan did lots of work in music areas, networking, and other jobs to become the country star that he is today. It wasn't simply a matter of thinking "I'm going to be famous," and POOF! There were lots of steps and hard knocks to get there.

So, I continue to struggle with finding ways to get students engaged in songwriting in ways that illustrate both the creative freedom and the need for learning about music to be successful at the endeavor.

This is a work in progress, and something that other populations may be able to do much more quickly than my clients. I'm sharing the start of this idea with everyone today in the hope that it will allow me to think it through a bit more deeply and that others may have some ideas about how to go about this TME with my clients.

Have you ever really thought about how much goes into songwriting? It is absolutely staggering when you start to analyze the tasks, especially when you have to start before the beginning. I have to teach students how to use the computer recording software, the music notation software, how to use a microphone, how to write melodies, rhythms, and accompaniments, and the list goes on and on and on.

This is not a quick process, but I am determined to finish it someday!

Session Type: 60 minute sessions; 1 session per week

Client Population: Adolescents with varying ability levels

Group Goals: emotion recognition; emotion regulation; communication; addressing trauma history; impulse control; relationship building; awareness of others; interaction within musical format; expression of emotion in socially appropriate manner; appropriate interaction with peers and staff members

Materials: book, folder, or journal for each participant (unique to them); pencil or pen for each participant (music therapy room property); prepared inspiration sheets; prepared music tracks; prepared topics; prepared Decision Trees

Rationale: A portion of the session must be dedicated to exploration of current emotions and/or past trauma history. Could be accompanied by music improvised by therapist and/or clients in order to provide musical stimuli during project. Prepared worksheets could provide therapist with direction for future sessions and for individual treatment. Prepared worksheets will provide topics for consideration during sessions. This will allow for some guidance for persons who are reluctant or unable to think of a topic. Topics will be recommendations, not requirements.

Therapist’s Jobs:

·         Make beat recordings

·         Make chord progression recordings

o   Guitar

o   Keyboard

·         Develop topic sheets

·         Find folders

·         Plan journaling time and music time into each session

Participants’ Jobs:

·         Write or improvise song about topics

·         Set these down in a fixed manner

o   Recording

o   Video

o   Sheet music

o   Lyric sheet