music, therapy, and me

A long time ago, I did a survey with the interns in the Midwestern region (where I live) of the US. One of the questions I asked was, "what advice would you give to current music therapy students about what surprises you about being an intern?" Almost everyone responded with a variation of "don't sell your music theory book back." They went on to comment about how much they needed the theory that they had learned and then forgotten after their last final. This is a truth that I come back to over and over. Music theory is important in the life of a music therapist. I know, having to relive the days of dictation and sight singing, keyboard harmony and learning typical progressions is not always a happy thought for many of us, but it is important to know those foundational expectations when you are trying to interpret the "can you play that one song? You know, the one that goes  duh, duh duh duh, duh." Well, keep singing as I figure it out... I use theory...

Do you memorize music easily? I do, and it seems that my method of memorizing music isn't all that prevalent out there in the music therapy world, so let me tell you how I do things... I find patterns. Okay. I know what you're thinking... "Sure, MJ, that sounds easy enough, but how does that help me memorize music?" Now, I find that people who did not grow up with piano lessons and who learned to play guitar before piano tend to do this easier than those who are pianists. There seems to be something inherently different in how we learn to play those two instruments that affects how we can memorize things. If you feel differently, please let me know in comments. This is my experience over 35 interns, two organists, and lots of music therapy professionals. I don't know what it is exactly about piano and guitar that tend to send us into different ways of memorizing things, but that seems to be the learning that happens. Back to how I memorize music. I learn the patte...

I took some of my snow day, stuck at home because I'm too chicken to take someone else's car onto slick and untreated roads, and started using my music notation software. This is not something that I do enough - composing and then notation of what I've composed - and yesterday was a bit of an aberration. I had the time and the song popped into my head ready to be set on paper, so I did it! I've decided that I'm taking my laptop with me when I go on my next trip. I hope to have some time to compose - I know that I'll have lots of time in the early mornings when I wake up at an ungodly hour since I'm waking at ungodly hours here at home and my destination is 2 hours behind. My sister likes to sleep in during her breaks, but my body just doesn't sleep in...at all. So, I'll have about five hours every morning to blog and compose and make visual aids and do all that stuff. I can then leave all of my other electronic devices at home. Anyway, the re...

I am the type of person who loved music theory classes. I know, I know, most people out there did theory because it was required. It wasn't always fun for most folks, but I loved it! Well, I loved most of it. I enjoyed that most of the theory classes had rules that you could figure out and then use to figure out all of the patterns. Music theory homework were great mind puzzles for me! So, I think about music theory quite often. Since this is something that I like and something that I think about, I find that my music often becomes a bit bland. I get into theory ruts just like I get into therapeutic music experience ruts. It happens - all my songs start to sound the same - everything is based on a 12-bar blues pattern. When this starts to happen, I try to figure out ways to break out of the rut and get back into other things...other patterns...other chord progressions...other theoretical formats...you get the picture. A music therapy colleague once stated that a particular so...

I spent most of the afternoon transcribing a piece of music into a format that my church choir will be able to read and understand this morning. This has led me into thinking about how many times I've had to use the skills that I learned in music theory as part of my roles of music director, music therapist, and composer/songwriter. I don't think there has been a day where I didn't use at least a small part of what I learned in music theory, whether that be dictation, sight singing, or the actual theory lessons. I think I've used my music history information less, but theory forms the basis of all of my active musicking. This week's adventures in theory included the transcription of the anthem for this morning, but also included analyzing new songs shared by my intern, figuring out my own accompaniment patterns for new songs, and improvising music to support what my clients contributed. All sorts of music and theory as part of my day. I think that part of my s...

Today is one of those days where I don't have my database handy, so I'm going to offer something a bit different from what I usually share here. Instead of a therapeutic music experience (TME), I'm going to spend some time with my newest venture - centers - and how I'm finding my way into making things, helping my students reach independence, and making things new within a habit. Please keep in mind that I've only been doing this formally for a month now, and things are still works in progress, but here goes. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about how and why I wanted to change some of my music therapy time from what I've "always done" to something different. There are several reasons - some of them practical, others a bit more selfish - but reasons nonetheless. I needed something to challenge me and the center idea seemed to be that something. First of all, my caseload has exploded, leading to bigger group sizes and no corresponding increase...

I jumped the gun a bit last week - if I had only looked at the chapter after this one, I would have found that there was a natural synthesis break, but I didn't look, so I got in an early synthesis post. Never fear, though, I won't take another synthesis break next week. This week is dedicated to Chapter Six: In Concert: Improvisation, Cognition and Music Therapy. I have lots of new people to look up from this chapter - Aldridge, Brandt, Sloboda, Davidson, Howe, Meyer, Ansdell, Pressing, Clarke, Cook, West, Howell, Cross, Brown, Serafine, Hargreaves, Sundberg, Lindstrom, and Lee. This chapter focused on the basics of improvisation from a musical aspect and then from a music therapy aspect - something less tied to music theory and more tied to therapeutic intervention and relationship. I think I finally know why I am so comfortable improvising with my clients and so much less comfortable improvising in jazz band. One of the things that I like about this book is that Ms. ...

I am steeped in songwriting these days. I took a final leap yesterday and FINALLY submitted my application to become a CBMT pre-approved provider of continuing education for music therapists (CMTEs) (I've been talking about it for 20 years and FINALLY FINISHED THE PROCESS). As a result, I am starting to generate content for my courses, and songwriting is at the top of the list. I enjoy writing songs. I like to compose something specifically for a client. I like writing songs that help a client move towards his or her personal therapeutic goals. I've written several collections of original songs with additional therapeutic music experiences, and I think that it's good for music therapists to play around with composition and songwriting to spur creativity. One of the things that I'd wished I'd known a long time ago is that I can earn up to 20 CMTE credits for my songwriting. (It's my own fault, I've got to actually READ the recertification manual to get all ...

Some of you may have already read part one of this discussion, but in case you haven't click here for the first part of this analogy. I propose the concept that we, as music therapists, work within a common musical construct - that of the theme and variations. Our primary structure is that of a specific pitch center and construct. (Now, I am going to be making some assumptions about what we believe here - these ideas are simply my own, but I think I can make these statements pretty confidently. If not, please feel free to contact me through the comments here on this blog.) We all believe that music can affect change in the lives of human beings. We believe that, when musical elements are applied by someone who is trained in the concepts and processes of the effect of music on human beings, that music can affect exponential change in the lives of consumers. For me, this is our foundation. This is our pitch center. The pitch offers the first level of structure - before even ...

Lately, I've been playing around with a chord progression. I haven't turned it into anything other than the progression yet, and I might never add words, but I am enjoying what happens musically, and I use it to center myself. Here is the progression (I use the key of D most often). All of the chord symbols last for the number of indicated beats: I///IV///I///IV///vi///V7///vi///V7///Repeat For some reason, this progression is something that helps me focus. I love the juxtaposition of the vi chord in with the others. I've been playing this for a long time now - for at least 6 months - without being able to do more with it. I've decided that the progression doesn't need a melody at this point. One day it may include a melody and lyrics. Maybe not. I don't always attend that closely to the harmonic element of music. It is something that I often take for granted, but there are some progressions that stick with me. I thrill to most of the harmony written...

I admit it. I did it. I spent an entire week improvising things during sessions. During (almost) every session, I picked up the guitar and sang something new and never to be replicated with the clients sitting in front of me. We sang about things we liked, about moving our bodies, about what we were talking about, and about nothing at all. We incorporated sounds - both silly and functional, went between major and minor modes, and just made music. I love improvising and don't do it quite enough when I get into times of stress. It's silly, but I actually have to remember to improvise during those times when I start to feel that I am not effective in helping my clients reach their personal goals and objectives. I think it should be a natural response by now, but I tend to get more and more into planning things out rather than using my tool to make music that is based on what is happening right there in the session. When I do remember, I improvise and am reminded of what a ...

Everyday, I see posts on social media that go a bit like this... I want to learn some more songs to sing with my [fill-in population details here]. My song repertoire is getting a bit stale. Thanks in advance (most often "TIA").  - Many different music therapists I often roll my eyes, rant and rave a bit, and then move on. I don't respond when folks post things like that, mainly because I think that there are no songs that are specific to only one population and that ANY song can be adapted to work with any person sitting in front of you in a therapy session. I also think that there are so many different sources available that asking someone else to do a google search for you is just plain old silly. Take the 15 seconds and do your own search! Rant over. In my years of being a music therapy clinician, I have found that the song really doesn't matter. By shifting my focus from "song" to "music," I was able to find a deeper understanding of ...

This will not be my traditional TME Tuesday post - I am currently enjoying the early morning hours of World Music Therapy Day as well as the aftermath of Independence Day here in the states - so just be prepared. Today's post is called, "The Reasons Behind." This is a brand-new idea that is floating in the back of my head. I intend this to be a song that addresses the reasons that I have for doing what I do - music therapy. This is not really a song intended for therapeutic purposes at this point, but I think it will be readily adaptable to some clientele. (My kids, probably not so much, but I could see this type of song being the TME for a group of people exploring their own patterns...hmmm). I go into songwriting through different paths. Sometimes I start with lyrics. Other times, a melody line floats into my head. Today, I feel compelled to start with a chord progression. I've been obsessed with a specific chord progression lately. It comes into my fingers ...

I love it when ideas pop into my head fully formed. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it is almost magical. Some of my most popular TMEs with my students are those types of ideas - almost meant to be, if you know what I mean. So, yesterday I was sitting in my spot at work. During the morning transition period, I am in that place to be "spy" on the older students who now have "independence" to transition from the breakfast room to their classrooms without walking in a straight line. No one has realized that my function in the morning is to be hall monitor. They be-bop past me saying things like, "Mary Jane, I get to walk down the hallway BY MYSELF!" Anyway... I was sitting in the sunshine, keeping myself occupied through making origami fortune tellers (or some know them as cootie catchers), and the idea popped into my head. I struggle with teaching my students about notation. I've figured out how to teach rhythm and rhythm not...

After many years as a music therapist, I have started to think about what I wish I had known about being a music therapist when I was starting out. Here is that list - the top 7 things that I wish someone had told me about music therapy: Sometimes you have to choose - job or location. You often can't get both. If you want a music therapy job rather than anything else, you will probably have to relocate. If you want to live in a specific place, you may not be able to find a music therapy job. If you can go anywhere, you can find a music therapy job. Music theory is important. I once asked a bunch of interns for the advice they would give to almost interns. Almost unanimously, they said, "Don't sell your theory book back!" I laughed at that truth. The one thing that I use on a daily basis is music theory. There is a reason we take those courses - primarily, our clients are our reason. To become effective music therapists, we often have to use music theory to write ...

Wow. I was wondering what to write about today for TME Tuesday, and along came this post off the Music Therapists Unite group on Facebook. Kimberly Werner posted the following: Dorian MusicTherapy Campbell , could this be what you were referring to some time back? https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab Such an innocuous little post, but there it was, a website dedicated to tabs and sheet music that thinks like I think! Huzzah!! I don't play the piano. I have never claimed to do so. At best, I am a very good functional pianist who can fake it and play by ear, but I rarely can play an accompaniment in my left hand and an independent melody in my right hand. This effect is a combination of my own difficulties with being EXTREMELY left handed and a lousy program for class piano that really didn't teach me how to play the piano, but did show me how to do mirror scales. Anyway, it has always made sense for me to think of music in theory chords rather than in specific key signatur...

I haven't done much reading in my music therapy textbooks this week. Instead, I have been drawn to my TME files, my songbooks, and my books of poetry. I'm not really sure why I have eschewed all theoretical reading for more creative reading, but it may have something to do with the heat, with the things happening at work, and with nothing at all, just boredom. I think one of the things that I am unable to pass by is a songbook. I love having music. I enjoy looking at the songs that others have composed. I want to know the stories behind their composition, and I use songbooks to help myself become more creative with my clients. It is amazing how many songs there are out there that can be adapted to help my clients meet their goals. With a little bit of practice, I can take those songs into sessions and use them. My favorite books are Fake Books. If you don't know what a Fake Book is, it is time to look through one or two. I am much more of a guitarist than a pianist. I t...

Many years ago, I sent out an informal survey to interns asking them to identify the advice they wish they had been told before they started their internship. Almost every single one (there were only 9, but still...) stated, "Don't sell your theory books back! You will need them!!" I laughed when I saw that comment on survey after survey! It amazes me how many music therapy students do not realize why they have to take music theory as part of their music therapy education. Music theory is the foundation of all of the things I do in my sessions - ALL OF IT! I spend most of the time that I am in music therapy sessions actively engaged in making music. Sometimes I engage in musicking with my clients, other times I am the only person making music. All of my songs, chants, raps, and improvisations are rooted in the things I learned in my two and a half years of theory as well as my additional theory study over the past 22 years. Playing by ear? Helps if you can narrow down...