Let’s be honest, the word practice usually isn’t a huge hit with most kids. Many children dread practicing and often fight it. That isn’t because music is a poor fit, it usually has something to do with the perception of practicing as sitting still in the same room for longer than they would like, playing the same notes over and over. Practice sounds and awful lot like another dreaded word… homework. Now, the above is not my definition of practice. I consider practice as any time spent bettering your grasp of what we have worked on in lessons. That could mean doing flash cards, writing a song, watching a video on youtube about playing piano, reading about a composer, sitting at the piano for 5 minutes, playing a new strum pattern on guitar, talking about lessons, etc. So, with the Olympics starting TOMORROW I wanted to come up with a fun and engaging way to get my students practicing more! I found my inspiration for this activity on http://averyranchmusic.com/winter-piano-olympics and adapted it to suite the needs of my students. Starting today, my Read More
Category: Music Therapy & Lessons
We Are…Musicians
As MUSIC therapists we are defined as being MUSICIANS. MT’s have often debated whether we are primarily musicians or whether we are mostly therapists but, personally, I believe it is a good balance of the two. When completing a degree in MT, students must learn to play guitar and piano, as well as learning to sing. MT’s are also required to take courses in music theory & music history, perform in ensembles, and take lessons on their primary instrument. On top of all that, MT’s are always learning new music, practicing, and performing. Many of the MT’s I know are involved in performance groups or bands and some record their own music. When I tell me\y students that I practice almost every day, I’m not kidding. I am making music all the time! Being in a music related profession was never a question for me. Music has always been a huge part of my life and I feel so lucky to have found a profession where I can use my love of music to better the lives of others! Read More
A Very Special Christmas Gift – “On Christmas Day” a song by Savanna Schafer
As a music therapist, I have the opportunity to do a lot of song writing. Often, I am the individual writing songs to meet the specific needs of my clients, but sometimes I have the pleasure of collaborating with my students and clients. This year, one of my students wanted to write a song for her parents for Christmas. I was thrilled about the idea! After some brainstorming, discussion, and lyric writing, she had come up with three versus, a distinct chorus, and a unique ending all based around a Christmas theme! I am so proud of the finished product she has created and with permission from her family I am able to share it with you! I wish I could have shared this song with you before Christmas, but we wanted it to remain a surprise for her family! Needless to say, they loved it and were very surprised! This is Savanna and here is her song, “On Christmas Day”. On Christmas Day by On A Good Note Read More
Apps I Love – Dust Buster
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts (DoReMemory, Piano Monkey, and Apps I love For Teaching), sometimes my students need a little extra help comprehending and practicing what we are learning in lessons. I use the iPad at the end of lessons both as a reward for doing good work and as an reinforcement of what we worked in the lesson. Dust Buster is an app both my students and myself love. Unlike the other apps I have posted, Dust Buster feels a little more like a game, uses full songs, can be used with or without a keyboard, and can be played by students who are not yet reading the staff. When you view the home screen you have the choice of using either an on-screen touch piano or using a real piano/keyboard. You will then be guided to a screen where you can chose from the simple “Germ Attack” game or the more advanced “Staff Master” game. In “Germ Attack” mode, the notes fall from the top of the screen on to the key that needs to be played. Read More
Can You Play It Like This? – Music Therapy Game
The other day I came across a speech therapy website that listed several wonderful interventions, apps, and word lists the therapist was using within sessions. Her lists and ideas got me thinking about some ways I could apply the same ideas within my music therapy sessions. I took the idea for The Action Bag, gave it a musical twist, and used it within my sessions to target the following goal areas: following directions, reading, articulation, eye contact, creativity, expression, gross/fine motor, turn taking, and exploring new vocabulary. You can also adapt this musical game to meet your clients’ specific need! Materials needed: Brown paper bag, markers, paper, scissors, 1 durable instrument (I used an egg shaker) Directions: Decorate the bag however you like. Print out the list of actions available for free download on The Action Bag webpage or create your own list of actions. (I did a little of both and did not include all of the actions listed on the printable page. Use your best discretion when planning for your particular client) Cut apart the actions and place them in Read More