The second Tuesday of the month always brings a brand new episode of the Music Therapy Round Table podcast, and this time around, we’re talkin’ instruments.
Kimberly, Michelle and I took on the difficult task of narrowing down our most essential instruments for use in the music therapy setting; it was quite interesting to hear the differences and similarities in our answers, since the three of us work in varying environments.
Honestly, we could have gone on and on when it comes to the topic of instruments. After all, they are — like the title of the episode states — our tools of the trade. My studio is overflowing with small percussion, and I’m always looking for new additions to my collection.
What does your collection look like, and which instruments would you consider to be your essentials? Head on over and listen to the latest episode, and share your answers to these questions!
Being self-employed and running my own full-time business has been a dream come true, it really has. But there are definitely some noticeable voids now since leaving my job — first and foremost being my former coworkers and students. Also on that list? Paid holidays.
Today is Columbus Day, and with most of my students off from school, I’ve always canceled lessons and music therapy sessions on this day in years past. However, my studio doors are open for business today.
And as much as I miss the idea of paid holidays and vacation days, the reality is that I don’t mind working when most people aren’t. My winter break may be shorter this year, and there will be no spring break at my studio, but since the work I do doesn’t feel much like “work” at all, I’m not complaining.
I will, however, be reaping the benefits of everyone else being off today: several of my students are coming earlier than usual for their lessons or sessions, which means my work day will end before the sun goes down. That is an extremely rare occurrence, and one worth celebrating. Happy Columbus Day, indeed!
Okay, okay…so this song really has nothing to do with Halloween at all. It is, however a Listen & Learn oldie! I think three years qualifies, as such, don’t you? When I went digging through the archives to find my original post, I couldn’t believe it how long it has been around.
The original moves all involve making some kind of sound, but they don’t have to. I’m using “Ugga Bugga Boo” this month when some of my students, and we’re finding creative ways to change up the lyrics. Some of the movements we’ve come up with:
get into the beat and shrug your shoulders up and down (up and down)
get into the beat and wave your arms ’round and ’round (’round and ’round)
get into the beat and bend your knees down and up (down and up)
And of course, there are always a few silly ones in the mix, too :) With a title like Ugga Bugga Boo, that’s to be expected!
I can’t take any credit for discovering this video — I first saw it on Facebook, where it was shared earlier this week by my music therapist friends Lisa, Michelle, and Becky (among others, I’m sure).
I’m not sure about you, but I knew every one of those songs from the get-go. Just goes to prove that a song doesn’t have to have amazingly powerful lyrics to make it memorable or enjoyable.
Then again, I already knew that…most of the songs I write have lyrics meant for children under the age of 10, yet that doesn’t stop them from getting stuck in my head for days on end!
My favorite song featuring lyrics that aren’t lyrics would have to be Third Eye Blind’s “Semi-Charmed Life” (at the 2:00 mark in the video), because it had sentimental value back in high school :) What’s yours?
Upon learning of the death of Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, my husband posted this quote of his on Facebook. Many others have followed suit, and I’m doing the same now. Steve Jobs made a huge dent in the universe, and helped millions of others make their own…including me.
I vividly remember one night back in 2006: my boyfriend (now husband) and I were sitting on the couch — he was typing away at his brand new Macbook, while I did the same on my old Dell. Zach said, “You should check out this Garageband program. I bet you could get lots of use out of it for your music therapy work.” I took a quick look, and then told him I doubted I would ever need something like that. After all, I was a PC girl all the way.
But I tried it out the next day while he was at work, and was hooked. Since then, I’ve gone through multiple Macbooks, using Garageband to record hundreds and hundreds of songs for my students, myself, and this very blog.
I’ve used iMovie to create over 75 “Sunday Singalong” videos. My iPad has a place in almost every music therapy session I facilitate, lesson I teach, and gig I perform. I would feel lost without my iPhone.
Slowly but surely, I’m making my dent in the universe; and although I can’t give Steve Jobs all the credit, I will say that I couldn’t have done some of my best work without him and his creations. So today, along with the rest of the world, I’m remembering an amazing visionary and feeling thankful for his contributions to us.
Welcome! I’m Rachel Rambach, board-certified music therapist and creator of Listen & Learn Music — educational songs and musical materials for children. I love sharing my work with you, along with my behind-the-scenes creative process, adventures in business ownership, and life as a mom of two.
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