Feeling vibrations from a hearing and dual-sensory impaired perspective

Authors

  • Russ Palmer University of Helsinki
  • Olav Skille
  • Riitta Lahtinen University of Helsinki
  • Stina Ojala University of Turku

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47513/mmd.v9i3.538

Abstract

Working with hearing and dual-sensory impaired clients presents challenges for music therapy professionals. Feeling and experiencing the vibrations produced by music help to understand what the concept of music is. Music and vibroacoustic therapies have overlapping effects. Music is for listening while vibroacoustic therapy is mainly similar to physiotherapy. Where vibroacoustic (VA) facilities are not available, some flexible methods could be adapted. One can use a music centre with two separate, moveable speakers positioned on a wooden floor to enhance music vibrations. In conjunction inflatable balloons can be manipulated by the clients. Balloons can be held towards the sound source and used to test the variations of the intensity and dynamics of the vibrations in the room. The choice of music styles plays an important role to amplify the vibrations and introduce music to the clients. Clients’ feedback was very positive indicating they were able to feel some musical tones from low, middle and high levels. These methods appeared to enhance musical vibrations and give some therapeutic experiences, i.e. relaxation and awareness of musical tones. This approach has been tested over 25 years and the individual feedback supports notions on how tones are felt through the body.

Author Biographies

Russ Palmer, University of Helsinki

ISE research group

Riitta Lahtinen, University of Helsinki

ISE research group

Stina Ojala, University of Turku

Department of Information Technology

References

Skille, O. & Wigram, T. (1995). The effects of music, vocalisation and vibration on brain and muscle tissue: Studies in vibroacoustic therapy. — Wigram, T., Saperston, B., & West, R. (1995). The Art and Science of Music Therapy: A Handbook. Harwood Academic Publishers, UK.

Palmer, R. & Ojala, S. (2016). Feeling music vibrations - a vibrosensoric experience. Proceedings of BNAM2016, paper53.

Helmholtz, H.L.F. (1877/1954). On the sensations of tone. Translated into English 1954. Dover, New York.

Palmer, R. & Ojala, S. (2011). Basic musical haptices. Available online at: https://matskut.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/176/MfA%202011%20Stina%20Ojala.pdf?sequence=6

Palmer, R., Lahtinen, R. & Ojala, S. (2012). Musical Experience and Sharing Musical Haptices. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 45, 351-358.

Lahtinen, R. (2008). Haptices and haptemes. A case study of developmental process in social-haptic communication of acquired deafblind people. Academic dissertation, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Punkanen, M. & Ala-Ruona, E. (2012). Contemporary vibroacoustic therapy: Perspectives on clinical practice, research and training. Music and Medicine 4(3), 128-135.

Ailioaie, LM., Ailioaie, C., Ancuta, C. & Chirieac, R. (2011). Effects of physical and vibroacoustic therapy in chronic pain in juvenile arthritis. Revista Română de Reumatologie, 10(3), 198-202.

Grocke, D. & Wigram, T. (2006). Receptive methods in music therapy: Techniques and clinical applications for music therapy clinicians, educators and students. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Skille, O. (1989). Vibroacoustic Therapy. Music Therapy 8, 61-77.

Wigram, T. (1996). The effects of vibroacoustic therapy on clinical and non-clinical populations Academic dissertation St. George's Medical School London University.

Boyd-Brewer, C. & McCaffrey, R. (2004). Vibroacoustic sound therapy improves pain management and more. Holistic Nursing Practice 18(3), 111-118.

Lehikoinen, P. (1997). The physioacoustic method. — Wigram & Dileo (1997). Music Vibration and Health. Jeffrey Books, Cherry Hill, NJ.

Lahtinen, R. & Palmer, R. (2005). Body Story. Creating Musical Images through Touch (CMIT). Cityoffset, Tampere.

Skille, O. (1997a). Potential applications of vibroacoustic therapy. — Wigram & Dileo (1997). Music Vibration and Health. Jeffrey Books, Cherry Hill, NJ, 49-57.

Skille, O. (1997b). Making music for vibroacoustic therapy. — Wigram & Dileo (1997). Music Vibration and Health. Jeffrey Books, Cherry Hill, NJ, 235-241.

Skille, O., Wigram, T. & Weekes, L. (1989). Vibroacoustic therapy: The therapeutic effect of low frequency sound on specific physical disorders and disabilities. Journal of British Music Therapy 3(2), 6-10.

Wigram, T. (1997). The effect of vibroacoustic therapy compared with music and movement based physiotherapy on multiply handicapped patients with high muscle tone and spasticity. — Wigram & Dileo (1997). Music Vibration and Health. Jeffrey Books, Cherry Hill, NJ, 69-87.

Wigram, T. (1997). The effect of VA therapy on multiply handicapped adults with high muscle tone and spasticity. — Wigram & Dileo (1997). Music Vibration and Health. Jeffrey Books, Cherry Hill, NJ, 57-69.

Kandel, E.R., Schwartz, J.H. & Jessell, T.M. (2000). Principles of Neural Sciences. Elsevier. 4th edition.

Internet references

http://www.kela.fi/documents/10180/1978560/Health-and-rehabilitation_brochure2015.pdf

Downloads

Published

2017-07-28

Issue

Section

Full Length Articles