Music Showcase

2006-10-02
A bootleg copy of a Blues Band in Witten, Germany has come into our possession. Those of you interested in ethnomusicology and altered states may find “The Nordoff/Robbins Blues” (mp3, 5,5 MB) an interesting artifact for your anthropological archive (file under ‘Roots music’).

2003-12-17
The following piece of music belongs to the article " The effects of monotonous drumming on subjective experiences " from Csaba Szabó Ph.D .

The experiments were carried out in a quiet, dimly lighted laboratory. They participated individually in the experiment. During the experiments subjects were sitting in a comfortable armchair. The drumming was played from tape and recorded from synthesizer; its rhythm was 210/min.

( Click here to listen to a short music excerpt as MP3 )

Subjects were asked to close their eyes and listen to the drumming, and to make an imaginary journey into the underworld. The instruction and the rhythm of drumming corresponded to Harner (1990). The duration of the experiments was 30 minutes.

2003-11-03
In the following video example it is possible to observe how the symptom ataxia, caused by damage to the cerebellum, makes it difficult for the patient to control his arm movements in drumming to a regular beat given by a metronome. This failing coordination of the antagonistic muscle groups in his arm leads to an over-extension movements in all directions. This dysfunction disturbs the patient's ability to beat smoothly and in a controlled manner of expression. Read more information in the article "Growing Roots: Music Therapy in Neurosurgical Rehabilitation" by Simon Gilbertson
Click for: Quicktime-Format | MPEG4

2003-06-16
Music is used by traditional cultures worldwide to create and accompany trance states. However, the influence of sophisticated compositions and the choice of instruments on patients' recovery has been hardly examined. Rouget (1990), in his comprehensive overview, assumes that the choice of instruments and music is insignificant. We had the opportunity to assist several Iboga initiation ceremonies in 1999, 2001 and 2003 in Gabon (Central Africa). We recorded the music and finally decided to become initiated ourselves. The Iboga healing ceremony induces a near-death experience and is performed to cure serious mental or psychosomatic diseases, but people also undergo initiation rites for reasons of spiritual or personal development. This is how music in the Iboga initiation ceremony sounds like. See also article by Uwe Maas and Süster Strubelt.

2003-04-03
Why is the guitar so attractive to some people? Bob Romanowski describes at the beginning what he personally felt and is feeling still, and how he accounts for the effects. He introduces the idea of transference lines by explaining fascination and action of the guitar. The clients he describes will probably have their own ideas on what fascinates them about a guitar. This question is of particular interest for him with regard to mental handicaps. He supposes the attraction is due to the very basic stimulating qualities of this instrument, and is revealed on various levels. Just listen to the record...

2003-02-20
We started to share some music therapy recordings in our last issue as ‘Music Showcase’. The following therapy recording Folsom Prison from Johnny Cash features Jonathan on Voice, a twenty years old rock n’ roll musician who was diagnosed with blood cancer. Alessandro Ricciarelli, music therapist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, plays guitar. This was one of the songs that has been Jeromes’ therapeia, his voice and companion through his last days of life…