Music From the Heart
Valentine’s Day lends itself beautifully to music therapy, with love songs playing a prominent role in almost every session during this season! No matter the age, young or old, everyone enjoys creating music about someone special they hold dear to their hearts. But what about songs directly from the heart? Music and heartbeats have a special connection to one another. For example, did you know that people who sing together can synchronize their heartbeats with one another (Morelle, 2013)? Additionally, the steady rhythm of a mother’s heartbeat helps to soothe a baby in the third trimester (Kobayashi, 2003). The music our bodies naturally create strengthens our bonds and deepens our connection with those around us!
What if we could derive music from our bodies? In music therapy, there are unique and special interventions called, “Legacy Projects,” where patients in palliative and hospice care can create lifelong projects for their loved ones to help process grief and promote positive memory recall. Legacy projects are defined as, “tangible, physical artifacts that can bring comfort to clients while coping with a terminal illness and can help loved ones feel connected with them after they are no longer physically here with us ("Heartbeat legacy songs — RGV music therapy and wellness center," n.d.).” More specifically, “Heartbeat Projects” are a type of intervention music therapists can utilize a patient’s heartbeat to turn it into a song.
Brian Schreck, MA, MT-BC, states that family is an important aspect of the entire project. To make sure the family is as involved as possible, music therapists conduct a consult to see what music is meaningful to the patient to create a unique, individualized experience (Schreck, 2014). Next, music therapists use a digital stethoscope to record a steady heartbeat of approximately 3-5 seconds. With this, the music therapist creates a steady loop and matches music with the patient’s internal tempo, or beats per minute (bpm). Once the music therapist has the bpm of the song along with a steady loop, they can either conduct a songwriting experience about the patient and family’s experience or layer a pre-recorded song along with the heartbeat. This editing can be done via computer software, such as GarageBand, Audacity, or Soundtrap. After proper editing, the last step is to present the project to the patient and their family by providing a listening experience for them (Kiefer, 2021).
Heartbeat Projects foster connection and comfort, preserving a patient’s legacy while providing a lasting, accessible memory to honor them after they pass. These unique and meaningful projects celebrate the body's natural rhythm, showcasing its innate ability to create music that connects us all. From the moment we're born to our final breath, we create music every step of the way!
This Valentine’s Day, think about how music can connect us from our very core, and spend your day with someone you hold dear!
For more information about Heartbeat Projects and Legacy Projects, Brian Schreck’s interview can be found via this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/jbTrbySS3fU?feature=shared.
Additionally, if you are a board-certified music therapist and are interested in learning more about Heartbeat Projets, this website offers a course worth 10 continuing education credits (CMTE) taught by Brian Schreck himself! https://musictherapyed.com/courses/amplified-heartbeats-legacy-creation/#:~:text=Consider%20the%20immeasurable%20value%20of,factors%2C%20improvisation%2C%20and%20community%20connections
References
Heartbeat legacy songs — RGV music therapy and wellness center. (n.d.). RGV Music Therapy and Wellness Center. https://www.rgvmusictherapy.com/heartbeat-legacy-songs
Kiefer, E. P. (2021). Heartbeat recordings in music therapy: A sequential-explanatory mixed methods study [Master's thesis]. https://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/f/Kiefer_Emily_August%202021_Thesis.pdf
Kobayashi, N. (2003, January 1). The soothing effect of the mother's heart-Part 2 - About child science. Child Research Net. https://www.childresearch.net/aboutCS/mediscience/24.html#:~:text=It%20is%20not%20unbelievable%20that,of%20the%20soft%20beating%20sounds
Morelle, R. (2013, July 9). Choir singers 'synchronise their heartbeats'. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-23230411
Schreck, B. (2014, May 1). Musician creates beautiful music from sick child's heartbeat. Cincinnati Children's Blog. https://blog.cincinnatichildrens.org/patient-family-experience/and-the-beat-goes-on/#:~:text=I%20have%20found%20that%20the,beat%20of%20the%20patient%27s%20heart
