MT 8
Bonde’s study of therapy clients’ experience of music includes reports of visual imagery, experienced
narratives, and emotional responses to polyphonic music. The study can be related to the fMRI study
by Janata et al., based on attentive listening to polyphonic music by Schubert, and the studies of in-
tense responses to music by Blood & Zatorre, and Grewe et al. No counterpart to studies of narrative
and visual imagery in GIM is reported in neuroscience.
MT 14
Schou’s study investigated three conditions; (1) Guided Relaxation with music, which is a music ther-
apy intervention. (2) Music listening, which is a Music medicine intervention.^34 (3) No music listening
in a control group. The study can be compared to Forsblom’s paper concerning music listening in
stroke rehabilitation (NM III, no. 62), and Särkamö’s report of the same study (The Neurosciences
and Music IV 2011, this chapter).
Based on these comparisons, the following fields of research in neuroscience can be suggested:
- Neuroimaging studies based on complete pieces of music.^35
- Studies of psychophysical responses, such as heart rate and skin conductance response, during
GIM sessions. Available technology permits measurements which do not disturb the musical
experience.
3.5.3. Improvisations
Holck (MT 2) describes active interplay with children with severe functional limitations. The interplay
includes vocal sounds, song, glissandi, gesture, movement, jumping, and facial expressions.
Gold (MT 4) reports improvisations which include loud and shifting rhythms, aggressive sounds,
voice experiments, games and body movement.
Ridder (MT 5) includes improvised songs and vocal improvisations in her dialogue with clients.
Garred (MT 7) uses improvised drum grooves to establish a moment of eye contact with a girl suf-
fering from autism, and reports the use of syncopation and cross-rhythms to arouse a withdrawn
client’s interest.
De Backer (MT 9) describes a particular aspect of therapy with psychotic patients; the transition from
monotonous or incoherent sensorial play to the creation of musical form and musical symbols in in-
terplay with the therapist.
Kim (MT 10) reports improvisational music therapy with children, using a large selection of instru-
ments.
Nygaard Pedersen (MT 11) reports particular features of improvised interplay; a wall of sound, frag-
mented sounds, tiny impulses of feelings or sensations, chaos and structure, one-note improvisation.
Comparisons
Musical improvisation is a core activity in music therapy. Musical improvisations are based on the
spontaneous interplay between client and therapist, and can include vocal expression, playing on
34 Music therapy is based on the active involvement of a therapist. Music medicine is based on a stimulus-response
paradigm. (Trondalen & Bonde 2012:41-42)
35 For a report of a recent study of a complete piece of music, see chapter 6.