Musical Toys for Babies

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

I know a lot of people who are having babies right now or in the Spring!  Amazon sent me a link to musical toys for babies that I thought I would share.  I know our little one seemed to enjoy many of the Baby Einstein musical toys and I think some of them have fairly nice sound and musical arrangements.  If you are looking for a gift for someone having a baby in the near future, you might as well make it a musical gift!    

Musical Toys for Babies

Hospitals Have the iPad Blues

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

For Hospitals, There's No App For That

I found this discussion to be very interesting simply because the iPad seems to be so useful to music therapists. The doctor in the article mentioned that it is difficult for them to cart around the iPad easily without an additional bag. Music therapists, on the other hand, are much more accustomed to carrying around several bags and things strapped to their backs and shoulders! An iPad may even cut down on the number of things a music therapist has to carry! 


The problem with the spotty wi-fi in hospitals may also affect music therapists trying to look up a patient preferred song or research about music therapy protocols. Has anyone out there experienced problems with this? Perhaps it is worth it to get a 3G iPad and tap into a phone data plan? 


The article also mentioned patient privacy issues. Does an iPad make that more difficult for music therapists as well? Are most music therapists using the iPad for applications, information and activities that do not require patient information or are they actually charting patient progress?

How Loud Is Your iPod??

The Daily Muse     


Welcome to the Daily Muse feature of Music Makes Sense!  This daily update brings you up to the minute news about music and music therapy as it relates to our professions, events and individual lives.  You can follow the daily entries by subscribing to Music Makes Sense on Twitter or by "Liking" the Facebook page for Music Makes Sense.  Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

As a follow-up to my post about MP3 players and hearing loss, there is research from 2009 that gives some specific information about safe listening levels.  


New IPod Listening Study Shows Surprising Behavior of Teens


Not only was it interesting to find out that peer pressure to turn down their music volume more likely causes  teens to turn UP their volume instead, but the article provides helpful information regarding what exactly is music that is too loud.  


According to the research you can listen to an iPod with stock earphones for 4.6 hours per day at 70 percent volume without incurring hearing damage.  You may also listen to 90 minutes per day at 80 percent volume and be okay.  


I think it is time to go and check our iPods!