Twenty-five
years ago, writing about healing music was not
something that many musicologists would do. As
the newly appointed Coordinator of Music and
Medicine at the University of Louisville School of
Medicine, I was stepping into new territory.
But I was SO thrilled to have this opportunity and
jumped in with both feet and eyes wide open!
One of the first things I began studying and
researching was the components and characteristics
of healing music. We all know what music we
like and, depending on our mood and energy level, we
know what music to reach for to calm us, soothe us,
comfort us, energize us or simply to distract us!
But no matter what music you prefer and choose,
there are certain characteristics common to all
healing music.
Here are the top seven things
to listen for when trying to determine your optimal
choice:
Melody-a simple melody with a narrow range
and primarily step-wise melody with small
intervallic leaps.
Harmony- harmonies can use triads and 7th
chords, but texture should be spare with perhaps no
more than 3 or 4 notes per chord. This is a
matter of taste, but when choosing healing music,
the sicker a person is, the simpler the harmonies
and texture should be.
Rhythm- in order for entrainment to happen,
the rhythm and pulse of the music should be
basically steady with little if any syncopation or
complicated rhythms.
Tempo-for healing music, a moderate tempo is
ideal. Again, the sicker a person is, the
slower the music and the harmonic rhythm will be.
Dynamic range- for healing music, the dynamic
range will probably be anywhere from pianissimo to
mezzo forte. A person who is quite ill and
perhaps in the ICU will not want loud, fast, or
rhythmically complicated music.
Timbre-a soft beautiful tune played on a
flute or a harp will sound very different played on
a trumpet or a trombone. Each instrument and
each voice has its own unique timbre. That's
how we know who is calling us on the phone before
they even say their name. We "recognize" their
voice and we "recognize" the sound and timbre of
different instruments. Instruments for healing
music tend to be soft and gentle and easy to listen
to.
Instrument-the most popular instruments for
delivering healing music seem to be the harp, the
flute and the piano. These are generally
considered to be easy to listen to and mellow.
The more percussive instruments such as drums or
xylophones, or brass instruments such as trumpets or
tubas, would not be popular for healing music.
All of this is certainly open for discussion, if not
debate, but these are seven important facets to be
seriously considered when choosing music for your
healing, relaxing and calming.
Healing Music Blog
Healing Music Delivery:
Live, Recorded, Headphones,
Ambient?
This is a question that many
people want to know. And the
fact is, all of the above
are viable and effective
choices if you want to use
the music you love for
healing purposes. As a
general rule, live music is
always the best, but it’s
just not always practical to
have a live and capable
music playing in your living
room, hospital room or
bedroom.
To have music being
specially chosen and played
for you by a music therapist
is ideal, but that is
probably not available to
you very often. In New York
City, Los Angeles and other
large cities, live musicians
and music therapists go to
the operating room, the
delivery room, the ICU, CCU,
and individual patients
rooms to provide
patient-chosen music, but in
the vast majority of
hospitals, this is not
available to patients.
So how can you benefit from
the healing powers of music
in the most effective way?
The next set of choices
include recorded music
through personal headphones,
speakers in the wall of
perhaps a boom-box or CD
player with speakers in the
room. Patients occasionally
use their own iPods or
iPhone with earbuds, which
are far from ideal! Not only
do their iPods and iPhones
bring lots of germs with
them, they do have cords
that can become entangled
with other objects, and the
ear-buds are notorious for
falling out!
The operating rooms that
have speakers in the wall
are set up for playing music
for the surgeon. For several
decades now, surgeons are
choosing and playing music
that they like and that they
believe the patient will
enjoy while going under
sedation. The problem there
is that what the doctor
likes and often chooses is
high energy music that is
good for him and his work,
but the music the patient
needs is slow, steady,
soothing music that will
allow the phenomenon of
entrainment to kick in and
relax the patient without as
much medication.
Just being aware of these
various pros and cons will
give you a tremendous
advantage when planning your
surgery, chemo, cosmetic
procedure or other medical
procedure. Questions? Feel
free to contact me at
More
Benefits for Music with Surgery: HIPAA compliance
Today I was talking with a nurse at a large
mid-Western hospital. They had contacted me about
buying our pre-programmed headphones for their
surgery patients and I was answering her questions
and beginning to understand what their specific
needs were. The nurse told me that they specifically
wanted them for pre-surgery, because there were
invariably a room full of patients waiting to be
taken into surgery and that each was allowed to have
two people with them.
Occasionally, the nurse went on, the room is crowded
with surgical patients and one of them begins having
a problem or an issue of one kind or another. The
nurses congregate at the one nursing station to
discuss the patient/issue/medical crisis and all of
the other patients and family members can easily
hear the conversation! Of course this is totally
against HIPAA compliance with privacy and patient
confidentiality. In other words, one of the main
reasons they wanted the Surgical Serenity Headphones
was so that patients achieved privacy and sonic
“space.”
When we look at benefits, we typically cite
reduced anxiety
stabilized blood pressure
stabilized breathing and oxygenation of
blood
reduced anesthesia requirements
faster recovery for patient
less nausea and vomiting after surgery \
back to work and life faster because of less
medication
Now we have a new one: better HIPAA
compliance! And that is truly a big deal.
I’ve worked at several different hospitals since
HIPAA was put into law and I know that the fines for
violating HIPAA laws are enormous. Hospitals can
even lose the accreditation is they repeatedly
violate HIPAA laws and policies. Very important!
Take note, hospital administrators!
Have you ever had the experiencing of
bursting into tears when you heard a
piece of music that was so achingly
beautiful that you couldn’t hold back
tears? I have. Have you ever heard music
that simply made you smile/grin from ear
to ear because it was so clever or even
funny? I have. Have you ever heard music
that totally gave you the “creeps?” I
have.
Music can inspire and elicit hundreds
of shades of emotion. It can be
familiar or it can be something you’ve
never heard before. I remember that
first time I heard the theme music from
“Schindler’s List.” It was one of
these hauntingly tragic melodies, played
on the violin that just made me want to
sob immediately. Listen to a little of
it:
This is the power of music and I believe
that it is a power we can harness, with
intention and healing, to help people
process painful feelings, and also to
enjoy their good feelings all the more.
It can also be used, of course, to help
people deal with physical pain,
neurological disorders, surgery and so
much more.
An interesting study from Northwestern
University suggests that people with
musical training are especially
fine-tuned to the emotions of others.
For nearly two decades, I've been helping people use the music that
they already love to heal their lives and increase their wellness
quotient!
I
am one of the world's only clinical musicologists and hold
a Masters degree in piano performance, a Ph.D. in
musicology and a Master of Social Work in clinical social work. I
am also a licensed clinical social worker. I work with people and
diagnoses of all kinds, enabling them to find healing, acceptance and
hope.
I love
performing, researching, and teaching and have put them all together
in a career called "Music Medicine."
Dr. Alice H. Cash is often asked to share her
Grand Rounds Presentation with hospitals' doctors and staff. Learn
what is currently happening around the world and the results they are
having.
"It was the
easiest of all hand surgeries! I was listening to music, then a slight
lull of nothing and then back to the music. Wonderfully comfortable. The
best surgical experience yet. I am honored to know, worked with and
utilized Dr. Cash's magnificent creation. I do hope the medical field
understands the import of her invention!"
Twenty-five
years ago, writing about healing music was not
something that many musicologists would do. As
the newly appointed Coordinator of Music and
Medicine at the University of Louisville School of
Medicine, I was stepping into new territory.
But I was SO thrilled to have this opportunity and
jumped in with both feet and eyes wide open! 
I
am one of the world's only clinical musicologists and hold
a Masters degree in piano performance, a Ph.D. in
musicology and a Master of Social Work in clinical social work. I
am also a licensed clinical social worker. I work with people and
diagnoses of all kinds, enabling them to find healing, acceptance and
hope.
