Tips To Maintaining Good Musical Habits as New Music Therapists:
Post Written by Kaitlyn Byrd
In the field of Music Therapy, we use a lot of instruments! Many of us play piano, guitar, ukulele, percussion, and sing; and that does not include primary instruments for many incoming and professional music therapists. When I started my first year of college, I developed a mild case of tendinitis. Luckily it was mild and did not lead to any permanent damage, but it led me to make sure I set a routine to warm-up my hands before and after I play to avoid any injury as a music therapist. With the amount of practice often built into the profession, muscle strain can be a common occurrence if there isn’t a proper care system in place for our bodies. This is why I’d like to share some tips that have been helpful for me to build good habits into my practice.
Tip Number One: Have a Good Warm-Up
Before you even put your hands on an instrument, I have always found it handy to stretch your hands and wrist first. One article recommends stretching for roughly “10 minutes” (Cooper et al., 2012) before using your instrument to avoid any muscle pain. The article had one group of musicians performing stretches while the other was a control group. Once the rehearsals were finished the group that had stretched prior to playing did not feel any discomfort compared to the control group which did.
Using stretching videos throughout my internship has allowed me to switch from violin to guitar and ukulele without any strain in my fingers or wrists.
In addition to warming up our hands and wrists, I have learned the importance of using vocal warm-ups to increase my vocal projection without causing any muscle strain in my voice. As someone who did not have much classical training on my voice, I have found vocal warm-ups to be the most helpful when developing an idea of what my vocal range and projection look like.
Here are some of the videos that have been the most helpful for me:
The warm-up time we make can be as casual as performing vocal warm-ups in the car or as extensive as having a full yoga stretching session before beginning work in the morning, but providing that wiggle room for our muscles to wake up will help prevent any strain later in the day.
Tip Number Two: Include Breaks in Your Practice
Providing a break in between practicing music can benefit your practice session so much. Instead of feeling frustrated over not having the clearest chord resonance, give yourself a break outside of the practice space and come back to practice with a fresh start. This also provides the muscles in your hands a break so they feel ready to play again. Shifting the focus of your practice can be beneficial as well. Try switching up the order that you practice to provide something new to your routine. As you switch from working on technique from one instrument to another, giving yourselves mental breaks to hydrate and stretch your hands and muscles are important habits to develop into your routines. Because we can go from one instrument to another very quickly, providing a break can help avoid any future injuries.
One article suggests “adjust[ing] to new instruments before significant playing, taking frequent breaks and varying playing styles, and increasing practice sessions progressively across time”(Cooper et al., 2012) are all good ways to help develop a practical practice schedule.
Tip Number Three: Cool Down At The End Of The Day
As you wind down from your day, it is important to take care of yourself post session as well. “Research has shown that simple prevention strategies like proper lifting techniques, modifying instruments, and taking breaks when playing instruments can reduce the risk of injury [...] It is important that music therapists are aware of the occupational health risks associated with music therapy and practice self-care strategies to ensure sustainable, safe, and effective music therapy delivery” (Gooding, 2018). As I have been learning, in our profession where we need to be there for others, the time that we take to take care of ourselves is just as important to consider too.
Tip Number Four: Take Care Of The Whole Music Therapist
After a long day's work, it is a good practice to reflect on how we are feeling. One way to visualize taking care of yourselves is to imagine a cup of water. Ask yourself, How full is your cup?
As I have gone through my own internship, I have noticed how my productivity and mindset is affected when my cup starts to run low. When I take the time to do what makes me happy and make that a priority, my cup feels fuller. Putting the effort in caring for yourself shows up in your practice as you grow. I have seen my connections get stronger when I am treating myself with the same care that I give towards each of my clients. Overall, taking these steps towards setting up a routine that provides a sense of mindfulness from the moment you start your work day can make a big difference in minimizing strain and increasing contentment in the long run.
Works Cited:
Cooper, S. C., Hamann, D. L., & Frost, R. (2012). The Effects of Stretching Exercises During Rehearsals on String Students’ Self-Reported Perceptions of Discomfort. Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 30(2), 71-76. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123312438720
Lori F Gooding, Occupational Health and Well-Being: Hazards, Treatment Options, and Prevention Strategies for Music Therapists, Music Therapy Perspectives, Volume 36, Issue 2, Fall 2018, Pages 207–214, https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miw028
