I wrote a description of this song intervention in No Worries, No Hurries, and No Wrong Notes. Now you can see it in action! I am using Blue Suede Shoes as a guided music-making experience with improvisation. Because Blue Suede Shoes is a standard 12-bar blues, you can use any song with the same form. Other songs I use include Rock Around the Clock, Hound Dog, Elvis selections, Eric Clapton selections, and more.

When drumming with older adults, remember that people take comfort in synchronicity and familiarity. With that in mind, I always start the group session with a greeting song that includes everyone’s names, check-in exercise, orientation to others in the group, movement, and breathing. Then I can assess whether or not the group is ready for drumming.

Once I hand out drums, I start out with some simple familiar exercises that you can watch in the post Make Music with Older Adults. Then, I invite all the participants turn to their neighbor and say “Wow! You’re a good drummer!” As soon as the participants are comfortable making some music on the drums, then I suggest using this guided experience with improvisation.

I also use Arthur Hull‘s bunny hop technique found in the Drum Circle Facilitation book: I start with big visual and vocal cues, then gradually taper down and disappear, providing the basic chordal and rhythmic supportive structure in the background of the players. The focus is on the players, not the therapist or facilitator.

After the session, I always document the group’s behavioral and psychosocial responses. Have fun!

PS There are a million and one variations to the directions that I lay out in this example, so be sure to to adapt, change, and transform for your own groups.

What do you think? Is this similar to your drumming experiences with older adults?