So far, I’ve Skyped 4 drumming experiences. I’m so grateful and excited to have taken part in these opportunities!
1. The first one was for Daniel Tague and his music therapy drumming class at the Florida State University.
2. The next one was for Meryl Brown and the Illinois Association for Music Therapy Student Retreat.
3. Then came the impromptu DrumSkype with John Lawrence‘s students in Canada (Edmonton, AB).
4. Finally I revisited FSU with a new class this term.
DrumSkype at Florida State, April 7, 2011 (Used with permission)
The last one was the best. I think we finally hit the nail on the head this time. Here’s what I’ve learned…
SOUND DELAY
The main issue is the sound delay. Even if it seems like there’s not a delay, there is. And you’ve got to demonstrate the sound delay to participants at the other end so they can understand why you’re coming in a full second late on cut-offs. Or why you can’t speak in unison. It won’t work! (Until technology gurus speed up the electrons that pass through the internet…)
The way I demonstrated the sound delay is by saying in very strict, steady rhythm “1 2 3 4 POW.” One end says the numbers, the other end says the POW. The end that says the numbers detects the delay as the other end comes in with POW. Take turns saying the numbers and POW because then both ends will experience the delay.
That all sounded pretty confusing, didn’t it? Just trust me. The sound delay must be demonstrated on both ends so there is a mutual understanding.
WORKSHOP or DRUM CIRCLE?
Another interesting thing about DrumSkype is that the experience becomes more like a workshop than an in-the-moment drum circle. There are a few reasons for this. First, a full circle is not entirely possible because participants must be able to see the screen. And secondly, because of the sound delay, the facilitator cannot sculpt and shape the music in a traditional way. The facilitator must set up the group to self-facilitate from the beginning.
LIMITATIONS
Here are some limits of a DrumSkype:
1. Self-facilitation required. The facilitator must provide some verbal instructions to prepare the group for self-facilitation prior to drumming. Actually I’m not sure whether this is a limitation or a good, old-fashioned challenge. Self-facilitation is really the ultimate drum circle experience, something that facilitators and therapists strive for anyway.
2. Half-circle seating modification. The participants most likely are not sitting in a complete circle because they must be able to see the screen. Self-facilitation is more of a challenge when everyone is not sitting in a complete circle.
3. Bare minimum of technology required. DrumSkype requires that each user has a webcam, internet access, and Skype on the computer. Consider including a big screen and audio amplification on the participants’ end so that the facilitator is fully visible to the group.
ADVANTAGES
Here are the advantages:
1. Your speaker/therapist/facilitator options are now open to the world. Accessibility is the buzz word these days. Now, you can find an inspirational speaker, educator, or therapist, watch videos of the person online, then decide whether you’d like to hire that person . . . from thousands of miles away!
2. More accessibility. Now therapy may be available to people in rural areas who may not be able to travel.
3. No traveling necessary. The closest DrumSkype I’ve done was 1,700 miles away from San Diego. The furthest DrumSkype was 2,200 miles away. For four DrumSkypes, that’s airfare savings of $2,306. That doesn’t include hotel and meals!
4. Super convenient. I was in my house, lounging around when I facilitated the DrumSkypes. I even had notes and coffee ready and available behind the scenes.
AND MUSIC THERAPY TELEPRACTICE?
Here are some current opportunities that I have in my music therapy practice for which I would be 100% comfortable with telepractice:
- 1:1 Adult, high-cognitive song-writing session
- Workshops (e.g. DrumSkype) for students, wellness settings, independent living, and corporate consulting
- Follow up sessions
- Professional and intern supervision
- Consulting
- Coaching
Here are some current opportunities wherein I would NOT be comfortable with telepractice (yet):
- Patients in the psychiatric setting (psychosis, mood disorders, etc.)
- Children with special needs
- Patients in the medical setting
- Groups and individuals in grief, bereavement, or hospice settings
As technology continues to evolve, perhaps I’ll move some of the non-telepractice opportunities to the total-telepractice list. Who knows~
Among all the rehabilitation therapies (music, speech, occupational, physical), telepractice seems to be most popular with speech therapists. Here are the Telepractice Key Points for speech therapists, found on the ASHA website. Here’s an interview with speech therapist Marcus Little about using Skype to provide articulation therapy. (If you don’t follow Marcus on Twitter, you’ve GOT to now! Fabulous tips.) Here’s speech therapist Jena H. Casbon’s explanation of her telepractice over Skype. You can even read what an occupational therapist thinks about Skyped sessions in the comments of that post.
There has also been a lot of buzz surrounding telepractice in music therapy. Here are 19 comments about Skyping music therapy sessions on Kimberly Sena Moore’s Facebook page. At the Online Conference for Music Therapy, we created a couple of online graffiti walls regarding the concerns and advantages of skyping therapy sessions. There’s also been some discussion about it on the music therapy listserv.
So, what do YOU think? Throw down a comment – would love to hear your thoughts!
If you liked this post, then you’ll definitely like these:
Using Skype for Music Therapy and Drum Circles, Is This the Future?
Music Therapy is Therapy for Musicians, Right?
3 Easy Home Recording Equipment Pieces to Get Started
Kat – I agree with your list of when to use and not use telepractice with one exception. I can see it would be helpful when patients are in isolation such as during RAI. Feeling alone, ill, and knowing your radioactivity can make someone else ill, is a lot to take on. Having a way to safely interact and to be supported would be very useful especially once the person is isolated at home instead of the hospital.
Excellent addition to the TOTAL-TELEPRACTICE list, JoAnn! Thanks for that point. Very important!
Hi Kat! Thank you so much for putting all this information into writing! I love the term “DrumSkype” and an very intrigued by the idea of Telepractice!
By the way, one of my students loved the way you used your hands and then fingers slowly coming together to indicate volume and then stopping the group visually over Skype. She has used it in live sessions with good success!
I look forward to more DrumSkype with you in the future!
-Daniel
So happy to hear how your students used the finger dancing! I’ve found it to be very effective in DrumSkypes. Glad it can be transferred to face-to-face sessions, too! Can’t wait for the next DrumSkype =)
Hey Kat
I admit that I am a fan of person to person interaction but you have clearly articulated the advantages when that’s not possible. I also agree that the ideal in facilitation is to create the possibility for self-facilitation. Perhaps this approach would make me more conscious of that goal.
Love it!
John
Great points, John. I think almost all people on the planet are more comfortable for face-to-face! I agree with you. I think it’s not a replacement, but another option when the alternate is nothing at all. Thanks for your thoughts and openness!
Hi Kat,
Great article thank you. My eldest son was at a Cisco conference in China last summer and they had a tele-conference going on that he was amazed at. There were no delays at all, they were looking at each other from one screen to the next and into the room…and the people were from all corners of the world. So it will be possible very soon for us to have an In The Moment drum circle in cyberspace!
Great to hear, Lulu! Thanks for sharing, and how cool that your son gets to go to CHINA for conferences!
This was a fun read for me, and not just because I went to FSU years ago and spent many class session in the room in your photo! I appreciate your critical look at this, laying out both the advantages and limitations. It’s great that your really exploring and reflecting on the issues…and we all get to benefit from your insights. Thanks for sharing.
You’re an FSU alum?! Awesome, Bob! Me too. Thanks for checking this stuff out. How funny that you spent so much time in *that* room! Ha! I think I did, too, but can’t remember right now =)