7 Essentials for Effective Virtual Music Therapy (VMT)

7 Essentials for Effective Virtual Music Therapy (VMT)

During the pandemic, music therapy, like most of the world, went virtual. This shift allowed therapists to continue work despite physical distancing and learn and adapt to the ins and outs of VMT through Zoom. There are still needs for VMT today, and I have had the pleasure of working with a client virtually. Here are things that I have learned to help my session flow, and things you might consider if doing VMT. 

1. Original sound
   1. Before your client logs in, it’s important to set your audio settings to original sound. This allows for participants to hear both your voice and your instrument in real time rather than canceling each other out or causing a delay.
2. Use visuals through a session powerpoint or slides
   1. Using session powerpoints helps provide visual cues and/or schedule/structure for clients like lyrics, visual choices, or images, for clients to be aware of session flow and help therapists transition between interventions.
3. Be comfortable with sharing your screen.
   1. Using session powerpoints requires the therapist to share their screen with their client through Zoom. Being comfortable with this allows sessions to flow seamlessly, especially when sharing audio or video. 
4. Use the keyboard to your advantage
   1. Keyboards are essential to VMT as they have several different features that help both the client and the therapist and support the flow of sessions. 
   2. Add a style : backbeats (called styles on most keyboards) add a continuous driving loop that is easily heard for both client and therapist. Backbeats can be adapted to fit different genres, time signatures, and instrumentations which apply to a variety of needs in sessions. Giving options between different style options (e.g. rock or dance beat) gives for variety and choice within the session for the client
5. Using single-finger chord accompaniments when leading movement interventions
   1. Movement interventions through zoom can be difficult due to the lack of in-person modeling, the limiting view that therapists have of clients, and potential audio/visual lagging. Thankfully, most keyboards have a one-finger chord accompaniment feature. 
   2. This allows the therapist to play full chords by pressing only the root note of the desired chord. This feature frees the therapists hands for modeling movements while still easily accompanying themselves.
6. How to sing with someone else through zoom
   1. Singing in unison with someone through zoom is challenging due to the audio lag between participant and host. In my experience, it has worked best when either therapist or client takes the vocal lead when singing. The client I work with experiences vocal fatigue, so I typically lead songs and implement frequent phrase fill-in opportunities.
7. Pause for understandings phrase fill-in
   1. Implementing phrase fill-ins sets clients up for successful singing opportunities while avoiding the audio delay. This also functions as an indicator of client engagement or understanding.

Tips

• Test your tech
  • Testing your audio, video, internet connection and share screen components before client login helps the session flow smoothly
• Be flexible
  • Know how to troubleshoot for technical issues/glitches

Mia Falcon