Today, July 7, 2010, at noon, Ringo Starr asks us all to stop what we're doing and say: "Peace and love; peace and love" in honor of his 70th birthday. Image: "Choose Love" CD cover.

Ringo Starr turns 70 today. The former Beatle is asking people to do him this favor – at noon:

“If you’re on a bus, if you’re on a boat, at noon, where ever you are, just go, ‘Peace and love, peace and love.’ That’s your birthday gift to me. How great is that?” asks Starr in a video message on his website.

A writer named Dave Itzkoff of the New York Times talked to Ringo Starr about his milestone birthday. See an excerpt of the interview below and the full interview here. Some of the questions were silly, ‘gotcha’ types of questions; not one was about Ringo’s music - past or present. Although it would have been nice to see a question or two about Ringo’s current U.S. tour or his latest album “Y Not,” it was not meant to be. Oh well. Peace and love! Here’s the excerpt:

NYTimes: What would you like to get this year?

Ringo Starr: You know what I’m asking for: peace and love.

NYT: How are you feeling about the number 70?

Ringo: As far as I’m concerned, in my head, I’m 24. That’s just how it is. The number, yeah, it’s high. But I just felt I’ve got to celebrate it. I’m on my feet and I’m doing what I love to do, and I’m in a profession, as a musician, where we can go on for as long as we can go on. I’m not hiding from it, you know.

NYT: When you were 24 what did you think you’d be doing at age 70?

Ringo: I don’t know, but when I was 22, actually, I remember this so well, and I was playing, and there was another band, and these people in that other band were 40, and I was saying, “My God, you’re still doing it?” [laughs] Which doesn’t look funny in black and white, but it was incredible, and now I’m waaaaay past 40. My new hero is B. B. King. I have a great line: B. B. is still playing, even though he is sitting down now. But hey, I’m sitting down already. You’ve just got to get on with it. I’d like to be out there pretending I’m only 55, but I’m not.

NYT: You’ve had a few interesting things happen to you over the last year. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is taking one of your drums.

Ringo: They’re taking a whole snare drum. I’m lending it to them because, it’s well-documented, in 1964 that old Bill Ludwig, he presented it to me. I bought these Ludwig drums, and in the shop in England, the guy wanted to take the sign out, but I love everything American, the music and the instruments. So I made him leave the sign on. So I was a running commercial — on Sullivan, and all that touring of America, it said Ludwig drums. And so to thank me for that, they gave me this gold drum, and that’s the one that’s going into the Metropolitan for a year.

NYT: How does that make you feel, to have one of your possessions on display at the Met?

Ringo: Well, yeah, cool.

NYT: That’s it?

Ringo: I mean it. I’ve had a couple of pieces of clothing in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

NYT: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn’t too shabby, but come on, this is the Met.

Ringo: It’s cool. That’s all I can say. It’s very cool.

NYT: A few weeks ago the Vatican finally gave its approval to the Beatles. How did you feel about that?

Ringo: It didn’t affect me in any way, but I do believe that the Vatican have better things to deal with than forgiving the Beatles. I don’t remember what it actually said — it had some weird piece in it, too. That they’ve forgiven us for being, what, satanic? Whoever wrote it was thinking about the Stones.

NYT: Are you ever surprised by the unpredictable ways in which the Beatles continue to resonate in the popular culture? There’s a novel out now called “Paul Is Undead,” which imagines that you’re a ninja and your band mates are zombies.

Ringo: I only ever see the covers and the titles. I don’t read it all. But it’s always on. There’s nothing we can do about that. What’s more interesting to me is that our records are still coming out. And they’re the same records and the new generation gets to hear them, and as far as that’s concerned, that’s the most important thing to me. The music we make, it’s still going on.

NYT: Do you get much chance to listen to all the Beatles covers that continue be produced?

Ringo: You have to talk to Sony about that. They have the publishing and they’ll give it to anyone.

NYT: You’re using the occasion of your birthday to give a message back to your fans.

Ringo: Yes, I want to spread the word that at noon, wherever you are — in New York, in L.A., in Paris, in London — I just pray that you’ll put your fingers up and say, “Peace and love.” I did it two years ago, it was the first time, and I did it out of Chicago because I was on tour. This year, we’re playing Radio City, so we’re doing it in New York. In Japan there were little get-togethers and it went worldwide, so that was great.

NYT: Do you think we’ve got a good chance at getting peace and love this year?

Ringo: I think the more we promote it, the more chance we have of getting it.

Kat Fulton

“There’s no wrong way to play” is usually my mantra when facilitating a drum class or music therapy session with older adults. In music, dance, and art, there is no wrong way to express yourself. Whatever comes out is an extension of yourself. (Leave the judgment and criticism behind during this article.) Truly, as much as we urge people to play the “right” notes, get the “right” rhythm, harmonize on the “right” interval, listen for the “right” chord progression, please be mindful that what’s “right” is relative.

As a classically trained pianist with an undergraduate degree in piano performance and music theory, I strongly value what we consider to be “high quality” performance, according to the genre. At the same time, I appreciate another aspect of music, something that goes beyond rules and standards. Something that touches our very core.

Today, there is a separation between musicians and non-musicians, artists and non-artists, dancers and those who say, “Oh, no, I certainly don’t dance.” The truth is that we all have rhythm, we all make art, and we all dance. The heartbeat, our footsteps, our breathing, toe tapping, finger snapping, hand clapping, and vocal rapping! You cannot avoid rhythm.

In my work as a music therapist, the easiest way to prove my point is to hand out a bunch of drums. I provide music therapy to groups of older adults in independent living retirement communities, assisted living, skilled nursing care, and Alzheimer’s/dementia care.

When I meet a new group of older adults, I always ask: “How many of you took music lessons as a child?” Usually more than 90 percent of the participants raise their hands. When I ask: “How many of you play now?” Less than 5 percent of the participants raise their hands.

When I ask them why, some common responses are “I got my hand slapped by my piano teacher or “It wasn’t fun anymore” or “When I sang in the chorus, our director asked me to lip sync” or “I was always intimidated by the requirement of playing in recitals.” After listening to some comments, I suggest that by the end of our session, negative associations with making music will be debunked. Then I demonstrate how fun, easy, and stress-relieving making music can be.

One music therapy experience that I often use is this: Everyone has a drum. I have a guitar. I say “Everyone play just one beat. On your mark, get set, *GO* On your mark, get set, *GO* On your mark, get set, *GO*… *GO*… *GO*…” By then, everyone is playing the tempo to “Blue Suede Shoes,” so “it’s a *ONE* for the money, *TWO* for the show, *THREE* to get ready, etc.” Because this tune is a standard 12-bar blues form, solo and duet opportunities occur during some of the choruses. I simply provide the rhythmic and chordal framework with the guitar and voice while every player is showcased. I encourage participants to make up their own rhythms and experiment during the music. The music-making is a successful hit on the first try!

As a music therapist, I am able to combine improvisational techniques, performance of familiar tunes, drum circle facilitation techniques, and therapeutic skills in one session. Plus, therapeutic goals are achieved and documented: increased socialization, decreased isolation, agitation reduction, enhanced quality of life, and sustained gross motor movement. And, wow, what a meaningful moment it is to see a wheelchair-bound, arthritic 90-year-old woman playing music happily for the first time since childhood!

Kat Fulton is a speaker and board-certified music therapist whose passion is to inspire others to make music. She is the founder and director of Sound Health Music, an organization that uses music to elicit positive change in medical, corporate, and wellness settings.

Most drummers don't read music. Virtuoso drummer Buddy Rich never read a note of music. However, today's studio drummers generally read music.

Musicians who read music sometimes become frustrated by fellow band members that don’t read music. Most drummers, for example, don’t read music. However, most drummers don’t need to read music. They play by feel, and that often works well and the drummers sound good.

The exceptions to this, however, are the show drummers from Vegas or show drummers in any city where there are lots of ’show business’ jobs. The jobs are competitive, and the drummers often read. The recording studio is another place where you’re likely to come across reading drummers. This is especially true for television and film recording.

In most situations such as wedding bands, party bands, club bands, jam bands, etc., the drummers play primarily by feel and by ear. There are some drummers who read functionally, but not by sight or under intense pressure.

Reading is a skill that is often helpful but not always mandatory. The musical style has little to do with the ability of drummers to read or not read. There are jazz drummers who read, and those who don’t. The same can be said about rock, country, and funk drummers.

In the long run, reading is a musical skill that will never hurt you and will sometimes help you!

Note from LRG: For more on reading music, see:

• With Practice, Reading Music Becomes Like Reading Words
• Reading Roman Numerals on Lead Sheets
• Note to Guitar Players: Learn the Notes on the Neck
• Guitar Tab Too Limited

Drumming can help people with Parkinson's retain better control of muscle movement.

A college friend with whom I have not spoken in years contacted me recently. Just as she and her husband were looking forward to the next phase of their lives, she learned last year, at 49, that she has Parkinson’s disease.
 
She saw the Music After 50 site, and asked me if I knew what instrument she might take up as a form of therapy in the very early stages of the disease. Her note is a reminder that life changes in an instant, and that change is only dealt with moment by moment and day by day.
 
The beauty of music is that it requires “in the moment” focus. If you worry about the ending of a song while you’re in the middle of it, you’ll lose your place. All you can do is attack the note or measure that’s in front of you. The same is true with illness; there is often no choice but to manage it a day at a time.

From the research I was able to do, it appears that singing and drumming are two great musical pursuits for someone with early-stage Parkinson’s disease. Both are incredibly joyous pursuits, so I hope my friend gives each a try.

Neurologist Daniel Tarsy, Director of the Parkinson’s Disease Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, was recently awarded a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to lead a study comparing standard voice therapy to singing therapy to treat the decreased voice volume experienced by many Parkinson’s patients.

“Musical therapy is currently being used for rehabilitation from other types of neurological conditions, such as language impairment following stroke,” Dr. Tarsy said in a statement. “If singing therapy can also improve voice and speech disorders resulting from Parkinson’s disease, this would represent an important alternative to existing speech therapy techniques.”

CNN recently ran an article that profiled a 44-year old woman with Parkinson’s who spearheaded the establishment of a chorus called “Sing for Joy” in London that is made up of people with neurological conditions and their families.

One member of the chorus, who has multiple sclerosis, told CNN: “All neurological conditions affect the throat because it has so many muscles. So singing, which makes you lift up your body and expand your lungs, is perfect for neurological diseases.”

Drumming is another particularly powerful way to maintain coordination and keep Parkinson’s effects at bay because of its focus on rhythm. Amazingly, people whose movements are frozen by Parkinson’s are sometimes able to move normally when rhythmic music is played. Read stories here about people who were able to regain movement through practice with rhythms.
 
The neurologist Oliver Sacks has written extensively about the benefits of music for neurological disorders; he is quoted in this excellent story in U.S.News and World Report about the benefits of music for people with Parkinson’s. Most exciting is the evidence that playing the drums and other rhythm instruments may help even more than listening.

Here is a passage from the U.S.News story:

Actually playing music, which requires coordinating muscle movements and developing an ear for timing, can also bring dramatic results, says Rick Bausman, a musician and the founder and director of the Martha’s Vineyard-based Drum Workshop. The workshop uses traditional drum ensembles, in which groups of participants play percussion pieces, as one form of therapy for patients with a variety of cognitive and physical disabilities, including Parkinson’s disease. Bausman teaches participants to play along with traditional Afro-Caribbean beats like the Haitian kongo and Cuban bembe using congas, bongos, and djun-djun drums. “Participants report that their control of physical movement improves after playing the drums, their motion becomes more fluid, they don’t shake quite as much, and their tremors seem to calm down,” says Bausman.

Indeed, research on the effects of music therapy in Parkinson’s patients has found motor control to be better in those who participated in group music sessions—improvisation with pianos, drums, cymbals, and xylophones—than in people who underwent traditional physical therapy. But gains were no longer evident two months after the sessions ended, so the best results require continued therapy. To stay motivated, Tomaino recommends seeking out both therapeutic drumming groups like Bausman’s and social dance classes. Patients can also create music libraries for CDs or MP3 players that can be used to facilitate walking.

Ron Tintner, MD, a Co-Director of the Movement Disorders and Neuro-rehabilitation Center at the Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston, is researching how specific rhythms can help people with Parkinson’s get better control of their movements. Read a short interview with Dr. Tintner here. 

To see what programs may be available in your area, start by contacting the American Music Therapy Association. If you’re at a stage where music therapy sounds too, well, therapeutic, investigate local voice and drum teachers and perhaps begin lessons.

There are undoubtedly many teachers with senior students or others with various limitations that may be perfect for you. Go to a music store that carries the instrument you want to play and ask the staff for teacher recommendations. When looking for a voice or drum teacher, make sure to find one that is involved in workshops and group activities. Read Diana Cole’s advice about how to find a voice teacher.