Kalani Music

Drum Circles Defined

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Kalani defines and describes the drum circle in this LIVE episode. A drum circle is a form of community drumming where the participants are free to co-create music through an improvisational process, leading to a product of community value. Drum circles have been around since the late 1950 and early 1960’s as a form a recreational music making, defined by their inclusive and open nature. The term is an American one, given to groups of people who come together to create in-the-moment music for personal enjoyment.

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“TIAN” (energy, spring, or heaven)

tian

Types of PLAY

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Kalani LIVE Episode #15 explores two types of play, coordinated and cooperative, and introduces a new song about Summer. Consider registering for the Summer DCM Course and learn how to create and facilitate community drumming and music making in general by visiting the DCM website when you’re done listening ot this PODCAST.

It’s Summer Song

Everyone LOVES Summer so why not sing about it! You can learn and download this song for FREE – and enter to win a CD
YOU can win a Rhythm Spirit CD by writing and submitting your own lyrics for the song. Just send your ideas to: office@kalanimusic.com by June 23rd, 2013.

Download  the music for “It’s Summer.”   It’s Summer in C.

COORDINATED PLAY

Here’s an example of a COORDINATED PLAY experience in the form of Guided Interactive Drumming. Notice that the facilitator is structuring, directing, and leading the kids through a number of different tasks to achieve the desired outcomes. He is also explaining how to think about their actions and what they represent and mean. This example features Kenya Masala, an X8 Interactive Drumming Facilitator.

COOPERATIVE PLAY

Here’s an example of a Community Drum Circle, which is a COOPERATIVE PLAY experience where everyone is making their own choices about what they play, how they play, and even IF they play. Notice that there are some people playing, some listening, and some are dancing.

Facilitation Training

To learn more about facilitating drum circles, guided interactive drumming, and HOW to design a PROGRAM that reaches specific goals for any type of population, attend the Summer DCM course in Los Angeles with Kalani. Visit PLAYSINGLAUGH.COM now.

Drumming for Therapeutic Outcomes

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Group Drumming - Drum Circle - World DrummingThere’s been a lot of talk about the health benefits of drumming. From studies in group drumming as a social tool to the science of brain rhythms, drumming has caught the eye of many who work in (or want to work in) health care settings.

This article looks at some of the current trends and applications and will help you filter through some of the information, and misinformation, that you might run into.

We’re going to look at three very small, yet important, words to help us understand how drumming (music) is being used in healthcare settings. The words are: WITH, IN, and AS.

WITH

Drumming can be used “with” just about any population, from children to older adults. When use ‘with’ a specific population, the drumming is usually part of a recreational program. The approach to drumming can take the form of: a drum circle (improvisation with social goals), a musical jam (improvisation with musical goals), a drum class (music lessons), or a performance (music presentation for an audience). What’s important to note, is that the drumming is an activity that is being offered to the group as a recreational experience, for fun. Drumming can be done WITH just about anyone. Even if the population has special needs, the drumming is still recreational, just as if the same people went bowling or to the movies. When people with special needs go bowling, we don’t call it “Bowling Therapy,” even when we make adjustments to accommodate their needs.

What you need to know about “WITH”

Just because people have special needs, does not mean that everything that someone does with them is a form of therapy. Someone who provides a drumming experience for persons with autism, for example, is providing a drumming experience, not therapy, unless they are themselves a therapist and the music is an integral part of their program (We’ll get to this in a moment). Drumming with any population does, however, often require specific knowledge of that population in order to provide quality service and avoid possible negative effects, such as reactions to loud noises, for example. WITH and FOR can be used interchangeably. You can also provide a recreational drumming experience FOR just about any population.

IN

Drumming can be used ‘in” all types of programs. People who are already in a therapy program, whether ongoing or temporarily, can often benefit from group music making and other forms of creative expression. In fact, music and art have a long history of being use in programs aimed at providing some degree of therapeutic value. In this case, the drumming is used to complement other components of the program. The program itself is often designed and run by a therapist or other healthcare professional. When used ‘IN’ a program, the drumming experience may still be recreational and/or educational. It is included in the program for a reason, such as to help participants get to know one another, to help people bond, or to help them find a way to express themselves without words. The healthcare professional uses the drumming in the program, as one of many components, to help his/her clients reach their goals. 

What you need to know about “IN”

Similarly to “WITH,” drumming done “IN” a program is also not itself a form of therapy. It may still take the form of any number of drumming types (drum circles, jams, classes, performance groups, etc.) and be mostly recreational in nature. The difference between “WITH” and “IN” is that in the case of “IN.”, the drumming experience is used, for a reason, as part of a treatment program. The person running the program does not need to be specially trained in music, but they are usually trained in some healthcare profession.

AS

Drumming can be used as a type of therapy. When any or all of the many aspects and components of drumming (techniques, rhythms, cultural components, sounds, etc.) are specifically and purposefully incorporated into a treatment program to help the client reach his/her goals, that drumming is used as a form of therapy. The application of musical instruments, the music itself, and the relationships that are formed within the musical experience, to reach specific non-musical therapeutic goals, defines the profession of Music Therapy.  Although music therapists are not the only people who might use music therapeutically, the profession is defined by the use of music and musical experiences, within a client-therapist relationship, to reach therapeutic goals. In the case of music therapy, the musical experience is not simply recreational (as it is in the “WITH” experience), nor is it simply one of many other components (as it is in the “IN” experience). In Music Therapy, the musical experience is the main tool the therapist uses to help the client.

What you need to know about “AS”

Music used AS therapy is not only most commonly provided by a music therapist (someone trained in both music and therapy), it is provided with the understanding that it is the therapist’s job to help the client reach specific therapeutic goals and objectives. This is similar to the job of the person who uses music “IN” a therapeutic program, and different than the person who does music “WITH” people with special needs. Because music is being used specifically as a tool (similar to the use of medicine or medical tools by a doctor to treat patients), special training and credentials are needed in order to provide this type of service.
For more about becoming, or working with, a music therapist, visit the American Music Therapy Association’s website: musictherapy.org.

What about Therapeutic Drumming or Drum Therapy?

Therapeutic Drumming is a term that has come into use in recent years. It appears to be used when people are referring to the use of drumming both WITH certain populations and IN certain programs. As we know from the above definitions, drumming that is used “WITH” populations and “IN” programs is largely recreational in nature and is therefore, not a form of therapy itself. Appropriate terms for this type of drumming can include “Beneficial Drumming” or “Beneficial Music Making.” Both these terms are accurate, useful, and are likely to reduce any possible confusion with drumming done as part of Music Therapy; however, it is not necessary to label this type of drumming anything other than simply, ‘drumming.’ The term Therapeutic Drumming is gaining acceptance as “Any type of drumming experience that is intentionally used to produce a positive shift in one’s physical, emotional, or cognitive state.”

“Drum Therapy” is another term that has been created to describe drumming that is done WITH certain populations that have special needs. Similar to Therapeutic Drumming, “Drum Therapy” appears to include both recreational and/or educational types of drumming experiences. Because “Drum Therapy”sounds so much like Music Therapy (Drumming is part of music, of course), it is advised that this term NOT be used and that Beneficial Drumming, or just ‘Drumming With’ be used instead (i.e., Drumming with persons with autism.)

Whether an experience is a form of therapy is not determined by the activity itself, but by the application of the activity, the relationship between the people (client-therapist), and the training and qualifications of the person leading the experience. To help make this point clear, consider “Talk Therapy,” which is a service provided by a licensed psychotherapist or psychologist. It would be unthinkable, and also unethical, to promote yourself as a talk therapist (or a provider of ‘therapeutic talking’), simply because you are ‘talking’ with people, even if they get some benefit from talking to you. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that someone is providing a healthcare service just because they appear to be leading a certain type of experience. There’s a lot more to any profession than meets the eye and most healthcare services require some form of training and certification. Creating a term that ‘sounds like’ an established healthcare service can be confusing to both clients and businesses and could even be unethical.

I’m a facilitator, but I don’t have special training in healthcare. Is it OK to offer drumming to people with special needs?

Absolutely! People who live inside institutional settings, or who have limited access to creative and social experiences need those experiences as much, if not more, than the rest of us. Find out about volunteer opportunities in your area and offer your services to as many people as you can. The world needs more music making. When you do visit a facility, do some research on the population beforehand and try to talk to someone at the facility to learn about their community. When facilitating drumming for any population, make sure that you have staff members present in case a client needs attention or you have a question about how to best serve a client. You don’t need to call what you do a form of therapy for it to provide real value. We all know that music making can help people feel better. The term “Drumming” is enough.

Summary

Now you know that there’s a difference between services where drumming is done WITH people, IN a program, or AS therapy. You know that there is a difference between recreational drumming that is done with people with special needs, drumming that is part of a therapeutic program led by a therapist, and drumming that is used by a music therapist. And you know how to define and talk about the kind of drumming experiences that you can offer in a way that is both accurate and ethical.

The Art of Facilitation, Part 6: Student

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In this episode, Kalani examines ways we can each embody the student archetype or spirit as we deepen our skills as a facilitator. It doesn’t matter what you are facilitating, learning and becoming a student of your art is at the core of facilitation. Some of the concepts included in this episode are: Personal development and self-study, Observation and both a facilitator and participant, Using peer and participant feedback, and Creating opportunities for others to take the lead and become their own teachers. The Art of Facilitation is the focus of this year’s Developmental Community Music training program in L9s Angeles, July 22-26, (2013). To find our more and register for this unique and powerful course, visit playsibnglaugh.com. �Be sure to listen to the previous five episodes in this series.

A Quick Guide to Group Drumming

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Group drumming is a popular form of music making, used by all types of people for all types of reasons. From elementary classrooms to advanced ensembles and from drumlines to drum circles, group drumming offers people multiple choices for choosing ways to plug into rhythm and do something that is both fun and rewarding on many levels.

There are many forms of group drumming. Some are defined by the types of instruments that are used, while others are defined by the goals and methods that are used by the participants. This post will help you identify different types of group drumming by name, even when they might look similar in many ways. The most important aspects in identifying any form of group drumming is 1) the qualifications, training, and  experience of the leaders, 2) the dynamics that exist between the participants and the leaders, and 3) the overall goals for the experience (education, recreation, ritual, therapy, team building, etc.)

Note that the following are general descriptions and that in reality, there is some overlap between drumming types. Each type is often used in conjunction with other types. For example, within a group drumming program, the leaders might have participants engage in different types of group drumming at different times (and for different reasons). Some types look very different and some look similar, but they all have different dynamics and qualities that make each type unique.

Drumming Ensemble

Groups of people who meet to develop their drumming skills as a group, often with the goal of performance. Most ensembles fall into two main categories; traditional music and contemporary music. Many ensembles practice and perform both traditional (re-creative) music as well as write their own pieces (compositional). Drumming Ensembles are usually run by a leader or team and often require participants to audition, come to rehearsals, and maintain specific standards of skills and knowledge.

Drum Class

A drum class is a group of students who gather under the guidance of a teacher for the purpose of learning the art of drumming. Most classes meet regularly and are progressive in nature. Some do allow drop-ins, but many are setup as a series of lessons. Students learn how to hold and play their instruments, how to play specific rhythms, how to combine instruments and rhythms to create ensembles, and how to function as a member of the musical community, often guided by traditions that provide status based on someone’s level of skill and experience. Classes are taught by experienced drummers and usually open to anyone who wants to participate.

Drumming in Music Therapy

Music Therapists sometimes use drumming, either with an individual or with a group, within their clinical practice. Within the contact of therapy, group drumming can take the form of an ensemble, an improvisation (similar in appearance to a drum circle), or even a drum lesson (demonstrating, learning, practicing, etc.). The therapist determines which type of drumming experience will best serve the clients’ therapeutic goals. Drumming in music therapy is  guided by the therapeutic needs of the client and shaped accordingly by the therapist. While there might be some similarities in appearance to other types of group drumming, music therapy services are very different with regard to the types of interactions that happen on both a musical and personal level.

Ritual Drumming

Drumming is often used as a form of ritual, as a cultural tradition and within contemporary programs, as a way to structure aspects of a gathering. Ritual literally means ‘to fit together’ and group drumming, by its nature, provides structures and dynamics that assist in the creation of both temporal and textural aspects of a program. Workshop leaders, speakers, and presenters often use drumming or drop rhythm making as a way to bring people together, organize around a central theme, and create a ‘container’ for other elements of the ritual or program.

Drum Circle

A drum circle is a form of community music making where the primary focus is on inclusion and in-the-momement music making (improvisation). The main characteristic of a drum circles is that the music is co-created by the participants, who are often at various levels of technical musical development. There’s no leader in a drum circle and no agenda, except to make music together and have fun. Drum circles take many forms and might have a host, facilitator, or conductor, or they might be completely ad-hoc and open to the public. Drum circles are unplanned and spontaneous. Often, there are no requirements for participation, aside from some etiquette and general guidelines for keeping drums and people safe.

Interactive drumming

Interactive drumming is a structured music-based program that is led by a percussionist for individuals who often have no prior drumming experience and no expectations of continuing to play drums beyond the scope of the program. Interactive drumming provides instruments, musical guidance, and thematic material to safely bring a group of people through a program. ID Programs are often designed to promote certain beneficial qualities and values, such as communication, sharing, teamwork, and mutual support. ID Leaders are sometimes accompanied by dancers, singers, and other musicians. This type of group drumming is very popular in the world of corporate training and events.

Drumming Games

Drumming games, also called Rhythm Games, are uses of drums and percussion instruments within a game or play format. To qualify as a rhythm game, there must be ‘play rules’ that structure and guide participants. The rules often limit, shape, and guide the ways people interact and play the game, just like any other type of game. Games sometimes have a beginning, a middle and an end, but they can also be cyclic – ending when the leader stops the game. Games are often played with teams, but  sometimes participants self-select or switch roles depending on the play rules. Games are typically not focused on creating music as much as they are on creating certain types of relationships and dynamics between group members.

Drum Play

We engage in drum play when we use drums and other percussion instruments in non-musical ways. For example, we might create a sculpture out of instruments, or use instruments as props in a story. We might tell a story about an instrument or use drums to create a kind of ‘obstacle course’ within a space. If there drums are being used for something other than creating music, it’s likely that drum play is happening. Drum Play can be similar to Drumming Games in many ways and the two are often combined.


These are just a few types of group drumming, but there are others. I hope this article has helped you understand some of the differences and similarities between them. As always, if you have questions, please leave them below or send me a personal message.

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