Ayub Rhythm + Habanera from Bizet’s Carmen = Successful Older Adult Drumming and Singing
Here’s a fun way to drum with older adults in your music therapy or group drumming sessions. I particularly enjoy introducing something new by way of something old and familiar. (Granted, the Ayub rhythm is much “older” than Carmen, it will probably be “new” to most groups in the US and west.) So, get your doumbeks warmed up and play!
The YouTube link follows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv-ZjmGSuF0
Got any more group drumming mashups? Got any thoughts to share? I’d love to hear your ideas!
Arthur Hull always says “If you can say it, then you can play it.” It makes perfect sense. If you can say the rhythm with your voice, or if you can move the rhythm with your body, then you have embodied the rhythm.
None of my nuclear family members would admit that they are musicians. However, I started saying rhythms out loud as a young girl, thanks to my dad. When I was in 5th grade, my older brother Geoff went to fight in the Persian Gulf War. When he returned, my dad, my little brother and I had prepared a Welcome Home Beat Box Piece just for Geoff. Some of our influences included The Fat Boys (the Human Beat Box and Wipeout feat. the Beach Boys), Dogs Barking Jingle Bells, and chickens singing In The Mood. But we really wanted this original beat box piece to be just for Geoff. We rehearsed a lot, and it paid off because Geoff was in tears when he heard our live performance.
Our performance for Geoff sounded like this: Boom-che-Boom, BoomBoom-che-Boom, Boom-che-Boom-Boom-che, BoomBoom-che-Boom.
I recommend “liking” DrumCircles.net on Facebook by Shannon Ratigan. You get a new rhythm to say every week! I’m taking these to my two drum classes today for my students to say out loud. Some of my favorites include:
Word association is a great way to get a 6/8 drum circle rhythm going. ♫♫♫ Fol-low-the-yel-low-brick-road-go-do-pa-ta-pa ♫♫♫
Special thanks to Shannon for sharing his rhythmic talents online!
There are examples of saying it and playing it in classical and jazz music. Because I am a classically-trained pianist, I’m especially moved by piano music. Here are some world-famous pianist examples of “saying it and playing it:”
*Classical example. Glenn Gould plays Goldberg Variations. Listen closely to #3. What’s that buzzing in the background? No, that’s not your home heater creaking or birds chirping outside your window. That is Glenn Gould himself. He was often criticized for his vocalizations during recordings, but somehow he managed to become one of the most famous and highest-acclaimed interpreters of keyboard music by J.S. Bach.
*Jazz example.Keith Jarrett plays the Paris Concert. Listen closely to the Blues excerpt. The recording engineers actually do a stellar job of covering up the voice, but, oh, it’s there. When I saw Keith Jarret play live in Philadelphia five years ago, he might as well have had a body double humming along up at the vocal mic.
What’s the last rhythm you said out loud? Share your ideas and comments below.
If you missed the 17th annual Seattle World Rhythm Festivalthis past weekend, don’t fret! DrumSTRONG 2010 is an event to raise money and support for cancer research. DrumSTRONG is worldwide, simultaneous group drumming, happening in 40+ cities around the globe on May 15-16. Find out where the nearest DrumSTRONG event is to you and go BEAT out cancer!
And, there is ample opportunity to get rhythmatized in 2010. You don’t have to be a musician or music therapist to go to any of these workshops! Check them out in order of date below. These are USA workshops and trainings only.
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?
I have been lucky enough to attend a couple of Arthur Hull’s Rhythmic Alchemy Playshops (RAPs) and the 2008 Hawaii Drum Circle Facilitation Training. I remember at my first RAP just a year after my internship, we did a clapping circle, passed out parts, had everyone make up their own, then rumbled to a stop. I was in love. Here are some of my favorite reasons to attend his trainings and playshops:
1. You learn how to empower people through rhythm. Arthur teaches facilitating without over-facilitating. He teaches to listen for space in the music that lends itself to transition. Then and only then does the facilitator step in. Drumming is about the drummers. It’s not a facilitator’s performance.
2. You don’t have to be a formally trained musician to participate.
3. You get to practice with a supportive group. Everyone at the training is in the same boat and wanting to improve skills, so you can push the envelope and try things that you might not try with clients.
4. You learn how to get rhythm going with or without drums. We practiced all sorts of body percussion (clapping, snapping, tapping, and rapping) with Arthur. I had experienced drumming with groups before his training, but to get rhythm going without drums? Beautiful. Now I know that if I ever forget to bring drums, I can always get people going with body percussion and vocal expressions instead!
5. You return to your practice rejuvenated. Arthur’s training inspired me to take his effective, fun techniques and apply them to various settings for both adults and kids (self-care, team-building, community-building, festivals). Even when I facilitate a medical bedside 1:1 session and use no drum circle techniques, I still feel refreshed. I am able to incorporate abstract ideas from the training and apply them to the session.
6. You’ll connect with some amazing people. I remember Jeni Swerdlow of Drummm showing the group how to keep a steady beat by stomping bells around the ankles. Cameron Tummel taught us some very clever techniques to use with kids for gaining immediate rapport. I learned of Scott Swimmer’s drumSTRONG organization that holds drumming events to raise funds and beat out cancer.
Because of the connection to Arthur and other facilitators, I recently ran into an awesome blog by Jim Donovan, award winning facilitator, teacher, and performer and founding member of the multi-platinum selling band Rusted Root from 1990-2005. Read some of Jim’s latest articles on Why Drumming Builds Good Teams and Why Everyone Should be Drumming.
I'm Kat Fulton. I'm a music therapist, and I believe that everyone with a heartbeat is born with *RHYTHM* Do you agree? Join the movement! Enter your name and email below to get behind the scenes at Rhythm For Good.
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