Music therapists frequently hear the question, “What is music therapy? Do you have people listen to music?”

Yes! And no.

Active participation

There is a lot that goes into playing a musical instrument. When I play the piano, my hands and feet play the instrument, my ears hear what is happening musically, and my brain processes the auditory feedback I receive. Sometimes I use my vision to read music, and other times I improvise as I go, using a different set of skills and processes. In a typical music therapy session the client actively plays musical instruments including keyboard, guitar, and rhythmic instruments.

Passive listening

Although our bodies my be passive here, music listening is far from a passive activity for our brain. When we listen to music we hear melody, rhythm, tempo, timbre (sound quality), instrumentation, and language in the form of song lyrics. Music activates all of the different areas of the brain. Brains like exercise! In a typical music therapy session, there might be a small amount of “passive” listening, depending on the client’s needs.

Personal interaction

Music therapists do have people listen to music – and so much more. After conducting an individualized music therapy assessment, the music therapist will determine the goals of each client. She will then design appropriate music therapy interventions to address those goals. This might include music listening. However, much of what I do as a music therapist requires active participation from my client or student and active direction from me. Music is also a valuable social tool. It is often more fun to make music with others.

Lastly, if you’re saying to yourself, “I don’t play a musical instrument,” I will challenge you to reconsider. Your voice is a powerful instrument! Ask any soprano. 😉