Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

Today was the home opener for the St. Louis Cardinals (my home team). And when I think about baseball, I think about music therapy. Yes, I do! How can you attend a baseball game and not consider the power of music?

For example, before each game the song "Meet Me in St. Louis" is played by organist Ernie Hays with the lyrics on the large screen with the entire group of fans singing and swaying along. When the Anheuser Busch Clydesdales proudly prance around the stadium on opening day with the beer wagon in tow, the "Budweiser Clydesdale Jingle (Here Comes the King)" is played on the organ to cheering fans humming and singing along, tapping their knees and clapping in perfect rhythm. Would you ever think that more than 40,000 people, unrelated, not knowing each other, would be able to synchronize so easily?



Let's think about cheering on your favorite team. How do you root for the Cardinals in a group? The most effective is to join in a rhythmic melodic repetitive phrase. I'm sure you can remember how you would cheer "Let's Go Cardinals." Usually followed with a rhythmic clapping pattern -- ta ta ti-ti ta. It's amazing how a large group of people can instinctively match this minor 3rd interval and rhythm in the cheer.



And what about the famous "Charge" cheer? In the clip below, see how a simple music cue gets the crowd to cheer. Also, the music helps to cue clapping and cheering.



That's not all. If you are, indeed, a Cardinals fan, you will remember songs such as "The Heat Is On" as the 1980s rally song, and "Start Me Up" for when a new pitcher was warming up. What about individual players? Mark McGwire's song that was played when he came up to bat was "Welcome to the Jungle." I know I always think of these certain musical associations when I hear these songs.

So, next time you are at a baseball game, take a moment to admire the greatness of cooperation in the midst of the music and sing along.

Social Skills: Drum Conversation

An easy way to engage someone who requires practice of the elements of conversation is a drum conversation. This can be done in many ways (and with different instruments), but this is my favorite way to implement.

1. Choose an appropriate drum size. The drum should be able to be played independently without each person having to move or hold it. I like a free standing tubano or floor drum.

2. Place the drum between the two people conversing (or in the middle of a circle for a group intervention).

3. Use only one mallet.

4. The person who has the mallet is the one speaking. This individual can tap the rhythm of their speech pattern or simply play the macrobeat on the instrument. They can address a certain person by name and ask a question.

5. When they are done speaking/playing, the mallet is passed to the conversational recipient. This cues waiting, eye contact, body position, etc.

6. The person with the mallet answers the question posed previously, then can continue with their own question.

This can be fun! It is great with a group to work on listening skills; you have to listen for your name to be called, etc. What about your family doing this to ask about what happened at school/work instead of normal dinner table conversation? What would your children think about that?

Try it out. :)
~Blessings! Mary