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The Way of Music: Creating Sound Connections in Music Therapy

Current Copyright©2011The Way of Music: Creating Sound Connections in Music Therapy

All Rights Reserved

The Way of Music: Creating Sound Connections in Music Therapy

Kalani Das, MT-BC

Sarsen PublishingDenton, Texas

First published in 2011By Sarsen Publishing1015 Emery StreetDenton, TX. 76201

www.sarsenpublishing.com

The right of Kalani Das, to be identified as author of this work, has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a license issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.

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First Edition

ISBN # 978-1-60725-278-8

The Way of Music– Creating Sound Connections in Music Therapy.

Book and Audio by Kalani Das© Sarsen Publishing

Edited by Bill Matney

Special thanks to:Ron Borczon, MT-BC, Director of Music Therapy at California State University Northridge; Bill Matney, MA, MT-BC, Adjunct Lecturer at Texas Woman’s University; and Jim Oshinsky, PhD, Psychologist, Music for People leader.

Musicians in audio examples include:Noelle Pederson, MT-BC; Victor Lissabet, MT-BC; Cindy McGee, MT-BC; Richard Ferguson; and Tomoko Inaba.

Audio recording and production by Kalani Das

Cover art by ©Michele Ogilvie, 2011 (all rights reserved)www.standingonmarbles.com

Cover design by Kalani Das

ContentsForeword 2

Introduction 4What is Improvisation? 6

A Unique Method 7Improvisation in Music Therapy 7

About the Curriculum 9About Improvisational Competencies 14

Experiential Learning Assignments 14

Preparation 16Being Prepared 16

Your Instrument as Teacher 18Experimentation is Key 19The Sounds of Learning 21

Silence is Golden 22Playing with Sound 23

Listening Deeply 25Practicing Improvisation 26

Sound Beginnings 28Art Imitating Nature 28

A Musical Vocabulary 29Experientials 30

Spontaneous Duets 32

Musical Elements and Techniques 34Quality of Sound 39

Timbre 42Dynamics 44

Rhythm 47Dynamic Rhythmic Treatments 51

Musical Phrasing 54Musical Forms 58

Ornamentation 58The Role of Musical Elements 64

Music and Emotion 65

Intramusical Techniques 68The Drone 68

The Pentatonic Scale 70The Diatonic Modes 72

Other Scales 74Moving Bass 76

Standard Chord Progressions 77The Chromatic Scale 78

Intermusical Techniques 82Intermusical Relationships 82

Discussion Techniques 83Cross-modal Techniques 83

Role Relationships 84Preparation 85

Empathetic Techniques 88Structuring Techniques 95Elicitation Techniques 101

Dialoguing Techniques 106Redirection Techniques 111

Intimacy Techniques 119Procedural Techniques 122

Improvisation in Practice 128Improvisational Experiences 128

Improvisational Relationships 130Improvisational Session Outline 131

Leading Group Improvisation Experiences 133Group Drumming and Conducting 137

States of Play 142Flow-State Music Making 142

Improvisation Assessment Profiles (IAPs) 150Four Stages of Learning 159

Developing Your Practice 162

Resources 168Appendix A - Recommend Instrumentation 169Appendix B - Improvisational Competencies 172

Appendix C - Experiential Learning Assignments 174

Appendix D - Session Log 177Appendix E - Audio Examples 178

References 182About the Author 185

The Way of Music

1 The Way of Music

Foreword

When Ken Bruscia wrote his landmark book Improvisational Models of Music Therapy in 1987, who knew that it would take so long for other music therapists to expand the literature of this very important method in the field of music therapy. Most notably Tony Wigram’s book Improvisation: Methods and Techniques for Music Therapy Clinicians, Educators and Students (2004) and Susan Gardstrom’s Book Music Therapy Improvisation for Groups: Essential Leadership Competencies (2007) brought to the field of music therapy guides on how to teach and learn clinical improvisation. There have been prominent music therapists who have used improvisation as a clinical tool such as Juliette Alvin, Mary Priestley, Paul Nordoff, and Clive Robbins. In their respective texts they describe their work with clients using improvisation as a base. Priestley describes her psychodynamic approach with adults in her first book Music Therapy in Action (1975). In this text she describes being with clients working through their issues by being involved in various types of improvisations. In 1975 Juliette Alvin wrote an important book on improvisation titled Music Therapy for the Autistic Child. Beginning in 1965 Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins with Art of Music as Therapy, began to outline their position and theory based on an improvisational approach. Their reach into the world of music therapy has been international in scope. I often talk about how, through an improvisation, the client might be trying to connect with us in a nonverbal way or possibly trying to communicate something, like a feeling state, that he/she cannot communicate through words. The language of music discovered through the improvisation process can be a language of trust and honesty. It is through this language that relationships can be formed and often understood. When bridges are formed through this experience and self-knowledge is discovered, part of the mission of being a music therapist is fulfilled. Improvisation is a part of life. Much of our conversations are improvised based on our ability to communicate through a language we both understand. Many of our actions are also improvised. We may

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have done them before, but with new situations we may behave a little differently than what we once learned. Our ability to improvise our actions on a daily basis has been refined through how we have moved through our lives. For example, how much thought goes into someone’s conversation while they’re talking on the phone or driving? Are they really preparing each sentence they are going to say in response to what has been said? Improvisation in life is, at times, second nature. In music however, it is often something that needs to be taught. I have been teaching improvisation for many years. In that time I have been able to watch students grow and understand how important improvisation is in relationship to working with their clients. One of the greatest challenges in teaching students, however, is that they are often at different levels of musicianship when coming into the program. Even starting them with basic concepts I find that because it is called “improvisation” many students seem to panic, in the belief that their skills and experience are inadequate. The Way of Music is a refreshing look at learning how to improvise. The author has researched the literature and not only adds to this knowledge but also presents a unique system for learning the skills related to both musical and clinical improvisation. Through a hierarchical system of “experientials,” the reader learns new ways of becoming comfortable with the art of improvisation. The recording that accompanies the text is very well done and can aid the reader in moving through the concepts of improvisation as it clearly presents the techniques that the author is has put forth. The author is a highly skilled musician and understands the need for improvisation in clinical settings and has put together this text with the intent of helping one learn the basic tenets of improvisation–both musical and clinical. I am honored to write the foreword to this book, as I believe it represents a significant contribution to the field of music therapy education and practice with regard to this unique method. As the student becomes a professional and goes beyond the basic competency level of improvisation, the ultimate significance of their training will come to the clients. It is our clients who deserve to have a new way of communicating through the musical language of improvisation.

–Ronald M. Borczon, MT-BCProfessor of Music

California State University, Northridge

3 The Way of Music

Introduction

For centuries, people have used music making as a dynamic force for change. This dynamic and universal ‘language’ of humankind seems to have the ability to cut through the clutter of our minds and reveal basic truths about our nature and beliefs. Playing music with others offers myriad opportunities to form various types of static and dynamic relationships. The relationships formed through musical play so often parallel and inform our lives in ways that are both surprising and profound. Much has been written about music’s ability to reach us in ways that words cannot, breaking down the barriers of language and culture. It provides us with a means of expression that is somehow tied to our unconscious, allowing us to access potential within ourselves that otherwise would remain hidden. In essence, music making has the potential to act as a powerful catalyst for positive change. In over 30 years as a professional musician, I have witnessed the transformational powers of music making, from my personal experiences using musical practice and performance as a means to rebuild confidence that was lost through a struggle with childhood dyslexia, to witnessing life-changing experiences in my many years as a performing and recording artist, music educator, and more recent experiences as a board-certified music therapist. The presence of music does not paint the full picture, however. There’s something else that runs parallel to the music that also plays an important, if not crucial role in the process of connection: how the music is being created. Through the process of organically finding one’s way, of freely expressing oneself in the moment, one experiences music not simply as a performance process, but as a dynamic form of creative expression. Through improvisation, we may find the means to connect with our deeper selves and form powerful connections with others that are on par with the most intimate of experiences.

“Anyone who can get another person to express himself freely is powerful because he allows all involved to recognize their collective and individual power.”

–Victor Wooten, (2006, p. 107)

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The goal in presenting this material is to explore improvisational concepts that are free from any instrumental and/or idiomatic orientation, thereby making them universally accessible and applicable across a wide range of media and approaches. What follows is a progressive investigation into the musical elements and techniques that support all approaches to improvisational music making as well as clinical improvisation. Although the focus herein is on music therapy, the concepts are equally applicable to improvisational music education models, such as Orff-Schulwerk, and any other form of improvisational music making, whether it be recreational, supportive, therapeutic, or otherwise. Threads from various approaches to music improvisation, both inside and outside of music therapy, have been sewn together to support commonalities across the spectrum. At the same time, different perspectives on a single topic are discussed to illustrate the diversity and richness that exists within the method. While we certainly use various idioms and specific styles of music in our work, the principles of music making and specifically improvisation are universal and all encompassing. Therefore, the focus here is on teaching concepts and techniques, not re-creating or emulating idiomatic styles, such as ‘classical’ or ‘jazz.’ Once you master some of the fundamental improvisation skills, you will likely find idiomatic music much easier to learn and play. Another reason we will not spend time studying musical styles is because there already exists a great body of work that serves that purpose. Any student who wishes to learn about a specific genre has many choices. Just as with genre-specific music instruction and resources, there are many resources available that focus on clinical music therapy applications, populations, interventions, vignettes, strategies, etc. Students who wish to learn more about clinical music therapy in general are advised to seek out many of the fine resources that are available on any number of different topics. Visit the American Music Therapy Association website (musictherapy.org) and search for resources online. Because the focus of this book is on building musical improvisation skills, the content is appropriate and useful for the music therapist at any point in his/her career. This material is meant to serve both as an extension of, and complement to, existing music therapy and improvisation literature. The goal is to empower and facilitate music therapists (and others who use music improvisation in their work) to: 1) develop their own music improvisation skills, 2) practice those skills with their peers, and to 3) apply those skills to help better serve their clients.

5 The Way of Music

“You can discover more about people in an hour of play than a year of conversation.”

–Plato

What is Improvisation? We do it when we talk, as we navigate our workday, as we play over weekends and holidays, as we make our breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and create art. We essentially create our lives through the process of improvisation.

One definition of improvisation is: To create and perform spontaneously, without preparation.

‘Without preparation’ might be a deceptive phrase because it makes it sound as if we are unprepared. As you will discover, there is a difference between not preparing and being unprepared.

Another definition is: To produce or make from whatever is available.

‘From whatever is available’ is a key phrase because while we often find ourselves ‘looking around’ for material, while what we ‘carry within’ is more than adequate. Ironically, it is often the ‘looking’ (as if what we have within is inadequate) that hinders the improvisation process!

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

–Carl Jung

At the same time, we can expand the possibilities for producing something of relevance and value when we learn to connect to the vast resource that surrounds us. To accomplish this, we must learn to look beyond perceived limitations (and formal training) and create sound relationships with all things musical. There is, perhaps, no other area of life where the word improvisation fits more comfortably than with the creation of music.

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A Unique Method In a landmark study (Limb and Braun, 2008), researchers used fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to measure changes in the brain during musical improvisations with experienced jazz pianists. The results show significant activation changes in specific areas of the brain during improvisation versus a learned musical passage; more specifically, the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (LOFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which are largely associated with monitoring, evaluating, and correcting goal-directed behaviors as well as problem-solving, conscious self-monitoring, and focused attention, were largely deactivated. At the same time, improvisation resulted in an increase in sensorimotor activity. The authors write:

“… deactivation may be associated with defocused, free-floating attention that permits spontaneous unplanned associations, and sudden insights and realizations.”

As you might imagine, the unique characteristic of improvisation to allow unconscious impulses, thoughts, and feelings to manifest and develop during musical experiences is paramount to the therapeutic process. When used skillfully, within a treatment program, improvisation is a unique tool, unmatched with regard to its therapeutic potential.

Improvisation in Music Therapy Improvisation is one of the four primary methods used in music therapy (Bruscia 1998, p. 29), the other three being, re-creating, composing, and listening (receptive). As a music therapist, your work involves a dynamic process and individualized treatment programs that must be flexible and open to adaptation. Even after having created the ‘perfect’ session plan, real-life situations require creative modifications and sometimes complete in-the-moment makeovers. Unexpected changes in the environment, time span, resources, population, and clients’ moods and preferences may result in the need to quickly and effectively change and adapt a plan to meet the needs of your clients. Improvisation skills are useful in virtually all clinical settings, from private practice to institutions, and applicable to virtually all types of populations, from children with special needs to hospice patients.

7 The Way of Music

Within the context of this curriculum, improvisation primarily refers to clinical improvisation, as opposed to musical improvisation. Musical improvisation is the process of creating a musical product of aesthetic value, such as within a performing ensemble or music class. Clinical improvisation is the process of co-creating a musical product that is of therapeutic value, as part of the assessment, treatment, and/or evaluation phase of an individualized treatment plan. Within clinical improvisation, the client and therapist develop relationships (with the music, the self, and others) that inform the therapeutic process and often vary in aesthetic value. The primary role of the music therapist, although he/she may be functioning overtly as a musician, is that of therapist. With few exceptions, music therapy clients are able to participate in improvisatory experiences. The clients’ individual abilities will determine to what degree and in what ways they experience the improvisation, but in more instances than not, with your help, they will find a way. Not all improvisation leads to a ‘musical’ outcome. In some cases the improvisation will produce a ‘sound form’ (Bruscia, 1987), something that is more about using instruments as referential or expressive tools without regard for the musical or aesthetically pleasing value. Sound forms are nonetheless vehicles for creating sound relationships, which tend to both inform and lead to interpersonal relationships, and therefore are useful and valid in clinical practice. In cases where re-creative and compositional music making may pose challenges (for clients with severe intellectual disabilities, for example) improvisation offers clients a means of expression, and offers the therapist a chance to build sound relationships. Even within re-creative and compositional music making, improvisation is almost always present. Because music therapy is a dynamic process, in-the-moment changes with regard to key, meter, rhythm, tonality, timbre, lyrics, and instrumentation are common. The therapist who is comfortable and confident in his/her improvisational abilities is better equipped to quickly and effectively make changes that facilitate the therapeutic process and as a result, provides the highest quality service. In his book, Free Play, author Stephen Nachmanovich (1990, p.99) writes:

“Shared art making is, in and of itself, the expression of, the vehicle for, and the stimulus to human relationships. The players, in and by their play, build their own society. As a direct relationship between

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people, unmediated by anything other than their imaginations, group improvisation can be a catalyst to powerful and unique friendships. There is an intimacy that cannot be reached through words or deliberation, resembling in many ways the subtle, rich, and instantaneous communication between lovers.”

At the heart of the therapeutic process is the client-therapist relationship. Forming rapport and bonding with the client (and between clients within a group) is an important step towards creating positive change. When players “build their own society,” they establish norms and values that reflect who they are. When they create through the nonverbal medium of music (“unmediated by anything other than their imaginations”), they form bonds that are not limited by words, thoughts, and ideas, but that have the potential to run much deeper, connecting them on the unconscious level and forming “powerful and unique friendships.” Through improvisation, everyone contributes a part of him/her-self, which creates a sense of belonging and comfort. Everyone’s input is valued and important to the outcome. As a result, players are often more invested in forming collaborative relationships with each other than if asked to conform to rules that come from an outside source or authority. Because improvised music making has the potential to be the catalyst for the formation of intimate relationships, based in authentic expression and communication, it is at the core of many music therapy models1.

About the Curriculum This curriculum examines the building blocks of musical expression from a conceptual perspective, relatively free from idiomatic guidelines, moving on to intramusical techniques, intermusical techniques, and finally to listening tools and group leadership strategies. It is not as concerned with management strategies, session planning, charting & note taking, or most nonmusical activities that are associated with clinical music therapy, although some information is offered that may help you connect the musical with the nonmusical aspects of your work.

9 The Way of Music

1 Some examples include; Creative Music Therapy (Nordhoff-Robins), Free Improvisation Music Therapy (Alvin), Analytical Music Therapy (Priestley), Experimental Improvisation Music Therapy (Riordan-Bruscia), Orff Improvisation and others (Bruscia, 1987).

Throughout the book, and particularly when discussing the intermusical techniques (Chapter 5), I use the terms “therapist” and “client.” This is to clarify role relationships for the many practice ‘experientials’ you will have, as well as to provide a context for considering how you might use this material in your work as a music therapist. That being said, the musical tools and techniques presented herein are applicable to any number of music-centered professions, including music education, music performance, and recreational music making. In some circumstances, the terms “teacher/student,” “player/partner,” and “facilitator/participant” might be substituted for “therapist/client.” Any substitution must occur with the understanding that the goals in those cases change; improvisation in education, or in recreational environments, is not to be equated to providing clinical treatment, nor is it to be considered the same as providing music therapy services. For anyone who is interested and willing to work to improve his/her knowledge and skills, there are many uses and benefits to be gleaned from this material, both inside and outside of clinical music improvisation. One benefit will likely be an increase in your own personal enjoyment when offered the opportunity for improvised music making. Ultimately, it is those you are serving that will benefit from your ability to listen, connect, and interact on a deep and meaningful level–no matter what your title is or your service entails. The following is a brief description of each chapter.

Chapter 1 examines the nature and potentialities of improvisation, both as a practice and within the context of music therapy. It also helps prepare your mind and spirit for the process of experimentation, reflection, insight, and assimilation of this material.

Chapter 2 helps develop and deepen your capacity for listening and connecting with the sounds that are in your environment, a needed and sometimes underdeveloped skill. You will practice hearing all sounds as musical sounds and begin to interact with them as a kind of personal improvisation.

Chapter 3 focuses on the development of expressive techniques and a musical vocabulary. You will work with the elements of music, progressing from the elemental to the complex in a holistic and organic manner. Mastering this material provides you with a foundation for musical improvisation.

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Chapter 4 focuses on the development of intramusical skills, learning how to form musical relationships using dynamics, tempo, timbre, duration, meter, rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, and form. Mastering this material helps you connect with the instruments, musical elements, and prepares you for making music with others.

Chapter 5 focuses on developing intermusical skills within partner and/or group experiences. You will practice wide range of dynamic techniques that will help you become a responsive, flexible, intuitive musical partner and guide.

Chapter 6 identifies the primary types of improvisational experiences common to music therapy and provides an outline for approaching the practice of group improvisation.

Chapter 7 examines two assessment tools that can serve to inform your practice through various visual and auditory frameworks. This material prepares you to create, lead, and assess various types of improvisatory experiences for individuals, partners, and groups.

EXPERIENTIALS Each of the following elements of music is practiced through at least one type of ‘experiential.’ The experientials are suggestions of how to explore a particular musical element by using one or more technique. Because many techniques are based on general concepts, discussions about how a particular concept might manifest outside of any musical context are often included. Just about anyone will tell you that the best way to learn a language is to live somewhere where that language is spoken. Think of music as a place you can go, a place you can live, a culture unto itself. The way you will make the most progress as an improviser, is to immerse yourself in that culture. You can read about it, listen to it, and intellectually grasp certain concepts, but it is only through living music, that you will master it. For this reason, it is extremely important to your learning process that you participate in each experiential to the fullest degree possible. Each is designed to move you closer to mastery, but they must be YOUR experiences. Reading and thinking about music is not enough. You must spend time in music, live there, and become a native speaker. Believe that music herself is your teacher. She is happy to have you as a student, but you have to show up and engage her in what is surely the conversation of a lifetime.

11 The Way of Music

PLAY RULES AND GIVENS Throughout this text, you will see references to what are commonly called “play rules” or “givens.” These synonymous terms are found in the canon of music therapy clinical improvisation literature (Bruscia, 1987; Gardstrom, 2007; Wigram, 2004). Play Rules refer to any set of criteria, limits, or restrictions that are agreed to and followed by the participants. The purpose of Play Rules can be: 1) to create a safe structure for improvisation; 2) to help organize play around a central idea or theme; and 3) to challenge players to create from ‘what is available.’ Play Rules may apply to virtually any criteria and be static and/or dynamic in nature. This book will narrow the focus by describing givens most often related to the music itself. Some common categories within which play rules or givens may be implemented include:

• Tonal: Ground, scale, register, melody, harmony.

• Timbral: mono-timbral, multi-timbral, specific types.

• Temporal: Tempo, meter, patterns, changes, forms.

• Dynamic: Volume levels, accents, and changes.

• Instrumental: One or more category, pitched or un-pitched.

• Technical: Struck, scraped, blown, plucked, hands, mallets.

• Procedural: A then B, If A then B, quickly, slowly, cycles.

• Referential: Represent X, Represent changing from X to Y.

• Ensemble: All, small groups, duets, solos.

• Relational: Imitate X, match X, contrast with X.

Examples of play rules for improvisations include:

• Using instruments set to the C pentatonic scale (tonal), enter one at a time (procedural), playing to a medium-tempo, 4/4 meter (temporal). Once everyone is playing (procedural), gradually replace your instrument sound with a vocalization (procedural/instrumental). Build the volume over 30-45 seconds (dynamic) and end together with a “HEY!” (procedural)

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• Chose an instrument one at a time (procedural) making sure no two are the same (instrumental). As a group (ensemble), create music that reflects the hustle and bustle of city life (referential). After three to four minutes (procedural), transition into playing what represents a place where you find peace of mind (referential/individual).

• Using only low drums (instrumental/timbral/tonal) played with the hands (technical) and at a very low volume (dynamic) play like ‘David’ does when he enters (solo/relational). When David chooses a new leader by looking at him/her (procedural), that leader will change the music and everyone will match his/her playing (relational). Repeat this process (procedural/cyclic) until everyone has had at least one turn and not more than two turns (procedural).

As you might imagine, there are virtually limitless possibilities when employing Play Rules within improvisational experiences. As you explore these, consider in what ways Play Rules might help to facilitate a therapeutic process. What limits might help the client succeed, given his/her musical skills, history, needs, strengths, and current state? How might changing the Play Rules affect the improvisation? When might it be helpful to include the clients in choosing their own play rules as opposed to having them set by the therapist? Are they aware of all their options? How can you help them use Play Rules in their personal and social lives to create a ‘safe container’ for living successfully?

METHODS This curriculum uses all four primary methods of musical activity; improvising, re-creating, composing, and listening. Although the primary and ultimate goal is for the learner to be a more effective improviser and improvisational guide, the other three methods inform the developmental process in unique ways. Inasmuch as the following musical experiences include Play Rules, they are akin to creating music that is not entirely free and spontaneous. Just as etudes guide the student towards proficiency in a particular technique or musical effect, so do the following experiences. As you build and add to your skill set, you will combine individual musical techniques into more complex, and more clinically relevant techniques. The intention is to eventually transcend the music-learning process, so that you are able to give more attention to your clients’ personal needs. In order to discover and discuss where we traveled musically, we can use the method of music listening. Listening to the music we made, with a critical ear, helps us

13 The Way of Music

gain insights into the state of our musical and interpersonal skills. As much as our inner-critic may not want to listen to our musical ‘performance,‘ listening to one’s ‘work-in-progress’ is an extremely useful tool that will help inform your development as a musician and music therapist. When we practice a specific type of improvisation, using a predetermined framework, instrumentation, and play rules, we generally employ the method of re-creating music. Learning to improvise without considering how one is improvising, using which techniques and for what reasons, is akin to exploring a terrain without pausing to observe, take notes, and generally ‘map out’ the environment as one progresses. To the extent that we discuss, plan and notate what we do musically, with and without the application of Play Rules, we use the method of composition. Each method helps to inform our own music experiences, and therefore will inform our own musical development.

About Improvisational Competencies Throughout the text, you will occasionally see (PR#) and (MU#) references. These relate to the list of competencies in Appendix B, which are largely taken from Gardstrom (2007) and useful in connecting curriculum content to clinical competencies. The references are provided to both teachers and students as a way to show these connections. As you work with this curriculum, you are likely to find additional places where the prescribed experiences support and inform clinical competencies and practice.

Experiential Learning Assignments Appendix C lists sixteen progressive assignments that provide an opportunity for both students and teachers to evaluate the student’s progress as they work through the material. Students are asked to provide both objective and subjective accounts of their experiences. The assignments may be used ‘as is’ or modified to suite the needs of the student, teacher, and/or class.

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ABOUT THE AUDIO EXAMPLES

The included audio tracks provide numerous examples of the concepts and techniques taught in the curriculum. All of the examples were recorded during an improvisation, without rehearsal or edits. They are meant to portray what improvising often sounds like, which includes experimentation, development of ideas, dynamic changes, role relationships, and what might sound like “mistakes.” In most cases, each track is related to several musical concepts and/or techniques. Keep this in mind as you move through the material, noting specific elements within each example. You may find yourself returning to the same example several times, referencing a different concept each time. This potential increases as the pieces become more complex, with additional players, sections, and varied instrumentation. As your musical awareness and ability to identify what you hear increases, through the lens of clinical improvisation music therapy, you are likely to hear more each time you listen to an example. In many cases, you will find that a single track is referenced to several concepts, and that a single concept appears in many different tracks. Due to the holographic nature of music, this is to be expected. Each track listing includes primary features and instrumentation. When there is a therapist-client role relationship, the “therapist” instrument is listed first and in bold type, followed by the “client.” The examples provided represent a few possibilities. You may listen to them both generally, as music, and through specific analytical lenses–to note where a specific relationship exists, for example. As you prepare to practice, keep in mind that these are by no means meant to serve as models for your own explorations, which will unfold organically according to the players, place, and time. Listening to an example might be helpful, but it is only through your own experience that you will teach yourself about improvisation. In this case, as in most, the learning is in the doing.

You will find a complete list of the audio examples in Appendix E.

“Stravinsky said that composition is selective improvisation, meaning that the same kernel of an idea that you have up on the stand as a jazz musician is the same one you write down as a composer.”

–Chris Brubeck

15 The Way of Music

Chapter One

Preparation

Being Prepared The ability to manipulate an instrument to produce multiple musical effects is called technique. One can learn technique through mindful self-study, or through formal training with a teacher. As previously mentioned, this curriculum seeks to help the student develop the capacity to create music using improvisational techniques, free from specific idiomatic or instrumental confines. Music improvisation does not, by nature, fit neatly into a methodical and quantifiable pedagogical box. Teaching improvisation, therefore, poses some challenges, particularly with regard to assessing ‘success.’ Improvisation within certain idioms, such as jazz or folk music, can be assessed according to codified and objective criteria. Free or ‘pure’ improvisation cannot; however, there are certain principles and criteria that we will explore that will help us understand the nature of the relationships we form through musical play. Perhaps the most valid criteria for evaluating improvised music has to do with the relationships that are formed between the improviser and the music, and how those relationships are used to achieve specific goals and objectives. Musicality plays a key role in expressing inner states and forming intermusical relationships. Musicality is often measured and expressed in one’s ability to navigate the musical terrain, to have the tools to venture out into new territory while remaining centered. When one or more travelers are intimately familiar with the landscape, they are able to relate to each other through their shared experiences, acting as both leaders and followers at times. They are able to support each other throughout the process of discovery. Re-created

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music is like visiting a familiar land, already somewhat mapped out by prior visitors. Improvisation takes us into uncharted territory where all we may have to rely on is our ability to react and adapt from moment to moment.

There is a difference between not preparing and being unprepared.

Some people like to plan, while others would rather prepare for whatever comes up. The former focuses on a map, a sequence, method or protocol, specific strategies, etc. For some, plans provide comfort and security. “Show me where to go and I’ll go there.” –says the tourist. As we know, plans rarely pan out the way we imagine them, so in reality, we end up improvising to some extent. We take a path because it looks good. We stop where it feels right. We look, listen and feel our way through most of our lives; we can do this because we have the skills to support spontaneity. We know we have choices; we can always turn around, make a change, undo something we did, and create a new path if needed. Although we might retrace our steps from day to day in many ways (e.g., preparing for work, commuting, taking breaks, driving home, settling in for bed, etc.), we are always making choices and creating those steps from moment to moment. The argument could be made that virtually every facet of daily living involves some degree of improvisation (Schnebly-Black & Moore, 1997). Certainly almost every time we open our mouths to speak, we are improvising. Having a conversation requires that we form coherent sentences, based on our vocabulary, and respond to those with whom we are speaking. Consider cooking a meal or making a quick repair around the house. Oddly enough, when we didn’t expect to have to be improvising (making in-the-moment choices) we sometimes experience the process as stressful rather than an exciting opportunity. As we will discover later on, it is often the pushing out of boundaries, the doing something differently, that helps us feel energized and alive. To the planner, not having a plan is irresponsible, haphazard, and downright careless. Why would you ever not want to have a plan? Why indeed! To the planner, just the word “improvisation” might imply that something has already gone wrong. “We had to improvise at the last minute because things weren’t the way they were supposed to be…” About the term ‘improvisation,’ Bailey (1993, p. xii), writes:

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“There is a noticeable reluctance to use the word and some improvisers express a positive dislike for it. I think this is due to its widely accepted connotations which imply that improvisation is something without preparation and without consideration, a completely ad hoc activity, frivolous and inconsequential, lacking in design and method. And they object to that implication because they know from their own experience that it is untrue. They know that there is no musical activity which requires greater skill and devotion, preparation, training and commitment.”

We certainly can study, practice, and prepare for improvisation. One could argue that in order to serve as complete and effective musicians, therapists, and teachers, we must prepare for the unexpected. Improvisation is not random–it is in the moment. It is not haphazard–it shows great skill. It is not frivolous–it is essential. Being prepared means having the skills, both personal and interpersonal to navigate a musical landscape from moment-to-moment. It is perhaps one of the most exciting and relevant ways to be a musician, and it is likely the clearest window into the myriad relationships that only music can create. For this reason, improvisation skills are an indispensable tool for therapy. Being able to improvise provides freedom of expression and freedom from the printed page. Being able to improvise means being able to converse across idioms and cultures, free to be authentic–to be fully present in the moment.

Your Instrument as Teacher Every instrument, whether it is your voice, your body, a found object, or a formalized musical instrument, has the built in capacity to direct you towards increasing your ability to gain and master technique. An instrument provides the musician with instant feedback in the form of sound (or sometimes no sound). The quantity and quality of the feedback one gleans from an instrument, along with the sensations of playing it, guides the musician as he/she seeks out more pleasing results. Simply put, every instrument will show you what you are doing “wrong” and what you are doing “right,” according to your personal preferences. Over time, the feedback one gets, in the form of “sweet” or “sour” notes, directs and conditions the musician towards proficiency

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on the instrument. In her book, Improv Wisdom (2005, p. 114), author Patricia Ryan Madson writes:

“The essence of improvisation is action – doing it in real time. We act in order to discover what comes next. […] We begin before there is a plan. What we do moves us forward and gives us more information about how to proceed. The doing itself becomes the teacher and guide.”

Eventually, the musician might “master” an instrument by developing a high degree of technical skill, which in turn allows him/her to express his/her thoughts, emotions, and impulses freely and in great detail. The same learning concept of trial and error applies to musical content (rhythms, melodies, harmonies), both within and outside of specific styles or genres of music. The same holds true for improvisation. As you ‘practice’ improvising, that ‘process’ will inform your practice and ‘improvisation’ itself will become your teacher.

Experimentation is Key Technique comes with patience and time. It is the result of conscious and directed effort within a larger setting of musical play. Developing technique can come through intense practice, working on specific skills, patterns, and pieces of music. It can also come from hours spent in musical free play, apart from the rules of formalized music, lessons, and etudes. Part of your technique is skill, and part of it is an attitude of experimentation. Experimentation is a process of trial and error, of effort and evaluation, and of discovering what doesn’t work so you can focus more on what does. Consider for a moment, how you developed your ability to speak and put your thoughts into coherent sentences. Did you start off taking speaking lessons? Of course not, you listened, you imitated, you discovered, through trial and error, the meaning of words and phrases. You immersed yourself in language, by surrounding yourself with “speakers” and over time you became fluent. Most people become fluent in language by the time they’re four years old! How does this inform the process of learning music? Learning the ‘language of music’ is no different. Consider also that when you have a conversation with someone, you are largely improvising. Of course you might have a theme, such as

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what happened at work or an issue that you wish to resolve, but once the conversation begins, you are improvising, even if you have rehearsed your lines in your mind ahead of time. Sound familiar? Bruscia (1987, p.174) outlines the procedural phases of Experimental Improvisation Therapy which, following the warm up and focus stages, includes the following cycle:

1. Experiment: a kind of musical ‘brainstorming’ activity, which may include certain givens established in the focus stage. This is the ‘play’ stage. All ideas are valid and “on the table.”

2. React: a critical thinking phase where what happened during experiment is evaluated.

3. Find Theme: a more refined active play phase where the material becomes formalized.

4. React: a time to further discuss and refine the material, which may involve both discussion and playing examples.

The full cycle involves more stages, including a second theme and performance. A complete explanation is available in the full text.

The salient point we can take from this process is that experimentation involves trying things, evaluating, refining, and so on. What sometimes happens, and prevents people from improvising, is the thought (or fear) that if something doesn’t sound good right from the start, it will indicate or reflect a deficit in the performer. Simply put, people don’t want to sound ‘bad’ so they often don’t try to improvise. If this could be you, then you must find a way to give yourself permission to experiment. You can do this by reminding yourself and others that improvisation is a process that involves stages of experimentation (playing), reacting (listening to and considering the sounds that are being made), and finding themes (formalizing your ideas into meaningful expressions). It means you must allow yourself to experiment without judging or comparing the musical product against anything outside of the experience. It means you have to ‘just play.’

“Improvisation is the expression of the accumulated yearnings, dreams, and wisdom of the soul.”

–Yehudi Menuhin

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The Sounds of Learning A guitar instructor with years of experience and many students was asked if he ever got tired of listening to beginners all the time. “Doesn’t the sound of all those people struggling through music day in and day out ever get on your nerves?” someone asked. “No,” he replied. “I just think of it as the sound of someone learning. I actually find it quite exciting!” What a wonderful attitude, to be excited to hear someone finding their way, learning from their instrument, allowing it to guide them towards a more pleasing result. As people get older, they sometimes have less and less tolerance for “mistakes” and things that sound “bad.” They might be worried about what others will think about them if they make sounds that demonstrate a low degree of skill. They also might be afraid that they will begin to believe that they are not talented or intelligent if they spend time doing something at which that they are not “good.” After all, this is the message that many people received from impatient teachers, parents, peers, and the ever-present “inner critic.” Receiving negative messages about one’s ability to make music, whether from other people, one’s self, or one’s instrument, can certainly take its toll on self-confidence and self-concept, reducing the desire to try to play music or improvise. The question is: Are you able, regardless of the messages you may have received in the past, to provide yourself with the compassion, understanding, and support, to allow yourself to make the sounds of someone learning? Are you willing to sound like a student of improvisation while you develop your techniques and skills? Are you willing to become excited about all the possibilities? Are you able to tolerate some “bad” notes as your instrument and other musicians help you find your way? Are you willing to be as curious and interested in the world as a child?

Perhaps the difference between the doubting adult and the curious child is this:

The doubting adult pours the box of building blocks onto the floor and sees a pile of rubble. He looks for instructions. When he can’t find any he gets nervous. After some careful thought, he decides to build a castle. He looks around to see if anyone is watching as he builds it. (He wants to make sure it’s perfect before anyone seeing it.) Just when he is starting to feel a sense of satisfaction in his creation, the entire thing crashes into a pile of rubble. He has failed.

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The curious child pours the box of building blocks onto the floor and thinks, “Yay! blocks!” He starts building something, not noticing or caring if anyone is looking. After a while, he decides that it is a castle and adds on a tower. When the tower gets so tall that it crashes down, taking everything else with it, he finds it incredibly amusing. When he’s done laughing, he looks at the pile of blocks and thinks, “Yay! blocks!”

Something we might learn, through observing the play of children, is that the world is always new. As adults, we sometimes stop experiencing the world as it is, because we think we know what it is. We ‘check off’ certain things in our minds because we’ve “done” this or that and we “know” what it is. As a result, we are often thinking about something else (in the future or the past) as we make our way through life. We’re not really living in the moment because our minds are constantly taking us somewhere else. We are not present. The fact is, the world has just as much potential to be fresh and new for adults as it does for children. What we, as adults, must do, is to open up to ‘not knowing’ things, and to approach each experience as a child, with an open mind and heart. If you can do that, you will love improvising because you will be in the moment–where life happens, and life always has the potential to feel new, exciting, and in many ways, magical.

“I can only think of music as something inherent in every human being – a birthright. Music coordinates mind, body and spirit.”

–Yehudi Menuhin

Silence is Golden “Is there something wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?” If this sounds familiar, it might be because we seem to place a value on creating ‘activity’ as opposed to creating ‘nothing.’ In fact, it is often within those periods where we are silent that, we can actually hear ourselves, process our thoughts and feelings, be fully present, and manifest insights. Why is silence sometimes ‘uncomfortable?’ Why is talking with each other often preferred over being together in silence?

“The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes – ah, that is where the art resides.”

–Artur Schnabel

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In his book, Music Therapy Vignettes (1997, p. 33), Ron Borczon, MT-BC writes:

“In music, silence takes on many roles. It can be a point of rest or reflection. Or it can facilitate a great sense of tension and apprehension. The skillful composer understands these qualities of silence, and so should the music therapist. If one views the session as a musical composition, there are times in the session when silence will be appropriate. For the young therapist, these times may be difficult to sit through or assimilate. The experienced therapist and composer realize that silence is not only needed, but also dynamic.”

The organization, Music for People (MfP), uses the term “Honor the Silence” to recommend simply listening when you don’t have something to add (Oshinsky, 2008). In a way, ‘standing at the center’ of the music is akin to standing in the eye of a storm where everything is calm. Offering our silence is a selfless, and sometimes challenging, act that indicates a great sensitivity and respect for the music and for your fellow musicians. A MfP recommendation is to play a bell or chime and listen to the sound fade into silence. What a wonderful meditation and example of how sound and silence work together.

“Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on.”

–John Keats

“Don't play what's there, play what's not there.”–Miles Davis

Playing with Sound Do you love sound? If the musician’s medium is sound, then shouldn’t every musician love sound? A colleague of mine, who is also a former college roommate, makes it his mission to seek out and explore all kinds of sounds. I recall days back in school when he would come into my room with something he had found in a hardware store,

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junkyard, or deep in the recesses of the kitchen or garage. “Check out this amazing sound!” he would chime. Once he showed up with an oven rack hanging from strings, one on each finger. He had his fingers in his ears and would bang the rack on something to get it vibrating. I tried it and it was truly amazing! He was (and is) like a sound hunter. Today he is one of a few top studio musicians in Los Angeles.

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the object it loves.”

–Carl Jung

Approach your music as if embarking on a journey. Forget everything you’ve been taught about how to play your instrument and explore the sonic limits. A strategy that I often use when working with people who I feel might be intimidated by the prospect of making music, is to explain to them that we’re just “playing with sound.” This seems to relieve performance anxiety and frame the activity in a way that makes it sound fun. After all, musical improvisation is about so much more than playing certain scales or rhythms; it’s about being an explorer and lover of sound. Madson (2005, p. 35), writes:

“The habit of excessive planning impedes our ability to see what is actually in front of us. The mind that is occupied is missing the present. […] Substitute attention for preparation.”

“The more you plan, the more that can go wrong.” –Kalani Das

“Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn.”

–Charlie Parker

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Listening Deeply Listening means to stop what you are doing and attend to your surroundings. It means to develop an immediate and deep curiosity for what is outside of you. Listening is at the core of music making because what we hear informs what we play. The more you develop your listening skills, the more musical you can be. I once heard musician Bobby McFerrin telling someone about his approach to making music. You might expect such an accomplished musician to talk about notes, scales, styles, and other expressive aspects of music making–the stuff we hear. On the contrary, the first thing he mentioned was listening and how he listened with his entire body and being. Victor Wooten, in The Music Lesson (2006, p. 244), writes:

“Only through the power of listening can you truly know anything.”

This statement has profound implications with regard to music making. It speaks to the importance of presence, and the importance of actively listening all the time–in order to know what is true. Throughout this text, I use the word ‘listen’ with this type of active intensity in mind. As you move through the following musical experiences, consider how you are developing your listening skills along with your expressive skills. Most ensemble musicians can tell right away if someone in the group is listening or not. It will be apparent in the way they respond to what else is happening at any given moment. Clients will appreciate the attention to detail that you show through deep listening, whether the medium is music or talking. Just about every relationship you have will benefit from good listening skills.

“A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?”

–Edward Hersey Richards

Listening is always an in-the-moment experience. Once you hear something it becomes a memory, to be used and referred to in any number of ways. But to attach your attention to a memory is to lose your connection with the present moment. Similarly, anticipating an event is an investment of attention into the future and can manifest as a departure from the here and now. As a musician, you do reference and

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connect to past events, and you may anticipate future events, but you do this without losing your place in the present. “The improvisers lifeline is attention.” (Madison, 2005, p. 70). There is so much happening around us all the time. In fact, our brains are designed to filter out a vast amount of information we gather from our senses as a way to help us focus on specific tasks. Your goal, is to learn to be aware of and use what is happening around you to enhance the music making experience. When was the last time you paused and just listened? Is listening a skill that you can develop? How could enhanced listening skills affect the quality of your experiences?

“All experiences as well as Music are ordinary. It’s up to you to add the ‘extra’ quality that makes something ‘extraordinary.’ But like most humans, you risk missing much of the present experience by putting part of yourself in future or past experiences. I highly recommend you spend this moment in the ‘now’ so that you and the experience can share with each other all that you have to offer.” (Wooten, 2006, P.242)

Practicing Improvisation It has been said that we all have rhythm. This is true on some level, but we don’t all immediately have the skills and knowledge to use rhythm to create music. We can buy a drum, so we have a drum, but we cannot use the drum for music making, at least in the traditional sense, until we apply knowledge and techniques. Like a drum, improvisation itself is a tool, an “instrument.” The more you study and practice improvisation, the more effectively you will be able to use it. The concept of “practicing” improvisation may seem unfamiliar and even counterintuitive, but I assure you that it is something that you can learn to do. If you are a formally trained musician, one of your greatest challenges might be to ‘unlearn’ how you approach music making and open up to some alternatives that will set your creativity free. Most of us cling to what we know, even when letting go might expose us to so much more. The feeling of treading into new and “uncharted” territory can throw us off-balance and might even challenge our concept of just how skilled we are. You’ve probably spent years developing your musical skills as a performer or teacher. You’ve played in bands and

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orchestras. You’ve given concerts and recitals and now you’re being asked to take a different approach, one that might place you back in the beginner category in some ways. You might be feeling vulnerable or even insulted. “Why do I need to learn to improvise when I know a lot of music already?” The answer is simple: So you can better connect with your clients and help them connect with each other and themselves. Improvisation is something we practice just like any other musical skill. The more time you spend ‘in’ improvisation, the more skilled and comfortable you will become.

Chapter 1 Review• Improvisation in an essential tool for the music therapist.

• Through the act of play, every instrument, and music itself, is your teacher.

• Freedom to experiment is at the core of the developmental process.

• It’s OK to make the sounds of someone learning.

• Silence can be an important and powerful musical element.

• We can think of improvising as ‘playing with sound.’

• The ability to listen deeply is at the core of music making.

• Improvisation is a skill we can practice just like any other skill.

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