Method and Design

Principles

At its most basic level, music can be understood as directed audible patterns designed and employed to express and communicate.  Its universal scope and its impact on the human psyche have a long and well-documented history, both anecdotal and scientific.  Songs often work as conduits, connecting us individually to the world outside ourselves by illuminating shared experiences and by evoking physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual responses.  Music can and does serve as an important tool for basic human needs such as connecting and expressing.

​For some, there may exist obstacles which hinder fulfillment of those basic needs.  These obstacles can be neurological or physiological in nature, affecting basic speech processes.  They can have psychological or emotional roots, such as a fear of being judged, frustration due to difficulties effectively relating ideas and emotions, or some other known or hidden foundation.  Such obstacles can lead to an aversion from normal interaction or from social engagement.  Often times, difficulties communicating and expressing manifest in the forms of even more negative behaviors.  We believe that through music and its power to connect, individuals who may otherwise experience difficulty communicating often find a familiar and inviting mode of expression that helps them encapsulate and share their thoughts and feelings, thus helping fulfill basic communicative and expressive needs.

Application

A nearly 30 year span of positive experience teaching, observing, and working with individuals with special needs, partnered with a deep appreciation for the therapeutic properties of music, have led to the development of a performance-based method of interactive expression we call Full Contact Karaoke.

It starts with a song of the singer's choosing.  But unlike typical karaoke where there might be one or two alone in front of a microphone before a separate audience, our method puts the audience "on stage" with the singer by encouraging their creative, expressive, and supportive instrumental accompaniment. 

Along with a professional PA system, we provide an assortment of hand percussion instruments such as djembes, cajons, bongos and claves, plus an array of shakers and tambourines.  With instructive guidance and emotional support, participants are given their choice of user-friendly instruments with which they can express and join in the fun.  And they do!

We have been working weekly at Abilities Unlimited in Paragould for 2 years now (even before officially incorporating), making friends and building strong relationships there.  We have recently expanded and made new friends at FOCUS in both Paragould and Jonesboro, with the hopes of growing even more in the near future in order to reach as many individuals who can benefit from our programs as possible. 

Benefits

A song is a message.  It can be a message of both thought and emotion, of hope and aspirations, of joy or sorrow, of a life experienced or a life dreamed of, or of anything to which we might relate and desire to express. 

For individuals who are non-verbal or verbally limited, a song can serve as a tool, effectively enhancing their range of expression by providing a usable template containing complex words, thoughts, and emotions that might otherwise be difficult for them to articulate.

We have witnessed repeatedly the positive effects that occur when one's ability to communicate is enhanced through music.  Personal transformations are often the norm.  Individuals who may tend toward introversion often "come alive" with expression.  Non-verbal individuals might position themselves before a microphone and communicate through a song of their choosing a message that is truly in their heart and of their being, but difficult or nearly impossible to express directly.  Individuals with stuttering issues and other speech impediments might communicate in a more clear and fluid manner.  Individuals with concentration concerns may become more focused and engaged.  Personal developments in self-confidence and of self-worth are not uncommon.

Supported musical participation in a group setting, where cooperation is emphasized, encouraged and developed, can unlock expressive inhibitions, resulting in feelings of inclusion and acceptance. Individual developments in cooperation skills, physical coordination, pattern recognition, and memory skills are not unusual.  Individuals with latent musical abilities may find an opportunity to discover and develop their talents.  The list goes on....

But it's quite possible that the greatest benefit gained by those participating in our programs is that of real joy, which is plainly discernible on their faces, in their voices, and in their actions.  The combined power of music and free expression never ceases to amaze, surprise, enrich and delight.