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From: Erika Shira
Date: 11 Oct 2008
Time: 20:08:51 -0500
Remote Name: 66.92.76.147
***In the example about gait training, it was said that when the client is walking unevenly, it causes the song to be played with pauses and hesitation. Is that because the song is being played by the therapist, and they match their notes in time with the client's steps?*** Basically. The MT will play and sing the song in time with the client's gait. The client's brain will then want to correct the rhythm of the song to make it more steady, so they'll move more evenly in order to make this happen. It's pretty much the same principle as entrainment; if I don't have much in the way of rhythmic skills, and I drum by myself, I'll be drumming all over the place. If I drum in a drum circle, I'll start to drum in rhythm pretty quickly. Having the auditory and vibratory feedback is going to help with my motor planning. If the drum circle were to follow along with my drumming, I'd correct even more quickly. If the drum circle were drumming and singing a song that's familiar to me and meaningful to me, I'd have even more parts of my brain (language, emotion, etc.) helping out with my motor planning. The more parts of the brain you can involve in a process, the better.