In the professional health care environment distinction is often made between the terms 'music therapy' and 'music-medicine', although in many cases we may be talking about the same musical pieces on the concrete level. The difference is that music therapists in treatment and therapy sessions has a very active role in the different types of music therapy that exists, as opposed to the concept of music-medicine, where the music alone works as a soothing and therapeutic tool.
Music and Psychotherapist Ilse Kjær describe the distinction
between music therapy and music-medicine as follows:
"Is it meaningful to define a difference between music therapy and music-medicine? And what is music therapy and what is music-medicine? Basically music-medicine can be seen as one of many directions within music therapy.
Music therapy requires discipline and focuses on the relationship - therapist/client. A music therapeutic procedure can be seen as a way of communicating, or a kind of psychotherapy with/through music. The music becomes a tool to express the client's feelings and to mirror the emotional chaos more than aiming for a symptomatic relief, so that the client is actually experiencing a psychotherapeutic process.
between music therapy and music-medicine as follows:
"Is it meaningful to define a difference between music therapy and music-medicine? And what is music therapy and what is music-medicine? Basically music-medicine can be seen as one of many directions within music therapy.
Music therapy requires discipline and focuses on the relationship - therapist/client. A music therapeutic procedure can be seen as a way of communicating, or a kind of psychotherapy with/through music. The music becomes a tool to express the client's feelings and to mirror the emotional chaos more than aiming for a symptomatic relief, so that the client is actually experiencing a psychotherapeutic process.
What is the music doing in a music therapeutic procedure? The music stimulates inner imagery, arouses emotions and triggering memories and associations. The method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) uses music to create emotional redemption and relaxation. The method is process oriented and requires interaction with a therapist. The music used is classical music.
Music-Medicine explores music's ability to influence physiological and psychological. Many can use the music as "self therapy" to promote the biological effects, eg. detente. An anxious person may use ‘music as medicine’ to exploit music's anti-anxiety effect, as opposed to a music therapeutic intervention, which will rather seek to work in psychotherapeutic way with the problem.
In a music-medicine treatment process the music/sounds affects physiological key areas such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, brain wave patterns measured by EEG, body temperature and galvanic skin response. The music can stimulate the immune system as measured by increased serum levels of immunological markers as immunoglobines and endorphins.
Relaxing music will be flowing with low intensity and low volume, little or no accentuation of rhythm, harmonic chords changes and extensive use of legato and ostinato, soft and gentle sounds with little dynamic variation. The effect will typically be a reduction of blood pressure, pulse and respiration rate, lowered 02-consumption and muscle tension, narrowed pupils and degrees of somnolens.
Activating music that is quick, sharp, staccato, syncopated and with extensive use of dissonances will stimulate a higher blood pressure, faster - and irregular - heart rate and respiration, rhythmic contractions of the skeletal muscles, dilated pupils, increased electrical skin resistance and 02 - consumption.
Stabilizing music with the purpose of establishing equilibrium and balance, particularly at the psychological level, eg. act as a stimulus for depressive conditions or bring more peace and harmony for humans in an excited state. These unequal reactions can sometimes be caused by the same piece of music, for example simple classical symphonies."
Stabilizing music with the purpose of establishing equilibrium and balance, particularly at the psychological level, eg. act as a stimulus for depressive conditions or bring more peace and harmony for humans in an excited state. These unequal reactions can sometimes be caused by the same piece of music, for example simple classical symphonies."
Ilse Kjaer, graduated from AalborgUniversity, GIM-trained therapist. Many years of clinical experience. Affiliated with AalborgUniversity as a lecturer. Registered member of Psychotherapist Association MPF.
’Music-medicine’ in everyday life
Looking beyond the professional health care environment and scientific research into music's physical and psychological effects, it should also be mentioned that many people use music as a means of relaxation, stress relief and renewed inspiration in everyday life. It is very differentiated and deeply personal which music each individual finds suitable for relaxation in everyday life, and the main objective is of course that the music has the desired effect - regardless of genre or type. But because of recommendations from professional therapists in health care and comprehensive documentation of the specially designed music MusiCure's positive effect, many have chosen to try out this music, which is deliberately created for this purpose. This has resulted in a large number of spontaneous feedback and testimonials on the music's effect in various contexts and situations - a documentation material which has been very valuable in the work to further develop the music. Here are some examples, which we have obtained permission to publish:
"I recently bought “The Journey” MusiCure 1 CD to take with me on my daily commuting
by train to and from work: Odense - Copenhagen. The daily travel can often be stressing due to the amount of people and often seating is a problem.
I have a busy schedule both at work and at home, and I have found that listening to the CD makes my journey much more pleasant. I can just close my eyes and let the music paint pictures of tranquillity and inspiration in my mind, and I often fall asleep because I get so
relaxed. The CD runs for about the same time as my journey, and I wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the next project. I will most definitely buy the other CD's also, but I'm far from tired of this one. I highly recommend the CD."
"I have just been through an extended period of extreme physical and emotional stress, resulting in heart palpitations, high pulse rate, anxiety, muscle tension and insomnia. In my efforts to escape from this stress I have really benefited from MusiCure. By lying down, closing my eyes, and listening to the music and relaxing, I experienced a significant positive effect on my pulse rate and the tension in my body after 10-15 minutes. I was quite astonished and pleasantly surprised by this clear effect.
I have now chosen to combine the music with breathing exercises and integrate this “séance” into my daily routine. This is really helping me."