Music Therapy Instruments

“So, what instruments do you play in a session?” I often get asked this question when educating people about music therapy. Music therapists utilize a variety of instruments in their practice. While we typically have a main instrument that we study prior to higher education, we are not limited to that instrument alone. Music therapists come from all kinds of musical backgrounds; voice, percussion, strings, jazz, classical, opera, etc. While completing a music therapy degree, students typically focus on piano, guitar, voice, and percussion for clinical applications. This variety provides music therapists with options in which to best meet client needs.

The piano and guitar are used regularly by many music therapists. Both instruments can be used for playing chord progressions and melodies, teaching, and improvising to name a few. Playing chord progressions on the piano or guitar allows the music therapist to provide a musical structure for the client(s) in which to sing along, play along, improvise over, etc. The piano in particular can be very useful in playing a melody for reasons such as teaching a new song or providing a melodic reminder. 

The piano and guitar can also be used by the client for improvisation. The client could improvise alone, with the music therapist, or with other clients/family members. A client might improvise on the white keys of the piano to explore emotions revolving around a prolonged hospital stay. A client might improvise on the guitar while the music therapist supports them by playing a simple chord progression on the piano. This could provide opportunity for the client’s improved self-esteem or socialization. 
Using the voice in music therapy is widely versatile. One may automatically think of using the voice for singing, but the voice can also be used for speaking, whistling, and other vocalizations such as tongue clicking, lip popping, lip trills, yawn sighs, and humming. Making sound from the body, and specifically singing, has benefits such as self-expression, social connection (when singing in a group), breath control, and anxiety. 

Percussion instruments come in all shapes, sizes, and sounds. Commonly used unpitched percussion instruments in music therapy include drums (djembes, buffalo drums, paddle drums, frame drums, ocean drums), shakers (maracas, egg shakers, tambourines), cabasas, guiros, and claves. These percussion instruments are wonderful options for clients who may not have prior musical experience, as they do not require a lot of training to produce sound. These instruments are especially useful in group settings where clients can play together. Playing percussion instruments provides opportunities for improved communication, listening skills, focused attention, self-expression, sense of belonging, and fine motor skills. 

Electronic and virtual instruments are also gaining popularity in music therapy. These instruments can be used for songwriting, recording, virtual instrument playing, and other innovative possibilities. Perhaps a client is unable to strum a guitar, but can push a button on a tablet that plays a C chord on a virtual guitar. Heartbeat recordings are a wonderful opportunity for clients to leave loved ones a legacy gift. The music therapist will record the client’s heartbeat, and then add vocals or other instrumentation to the heartbeat as the client desires. 

Sometimes music therapy sessions are focused on teaching for situations such as when a child with a developmental disability has educational goals, or when learning an instrument provides health-related goals such as improved self-esteem, sustained attention, self-expression, or fine motor skills. In these cases, instruments are learning tools that clients can use to meet their goals. 

Playing instruments and actively making music provides numerous benefits to clients in music therapy sessions. For more information about music therapy or to schedule a session, contact us. 

References:

Stanborough, R.J. (2020, November 10). 10 ways that singing benefits your health. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-singing#benefits