Finding Your Voice: How Music Supports Communication and Connection

Communication is much more than spoken words. It’s the countless ways we connect. Communication is gestures, expressions, sounds, movements, and even technologies.

For some people, spoken language comes easily. For others, it doesn't. Some people experience changes in speech after a brain injury or illness. Some toddlers take longer than others to develop spoken language. Some people are non-speakers their entire lives. Yet all of these individuals communicate. Gestures, facial expressions, sign language, body language, vocalizations, and tools like AAC devices are all valid and meaningful forms of communication.

What matters most is being understood. And this is where music can be such a powerful ally. Music provides a bridge between different ways of communicating, opening new pathways for expression and connection, no matter what form someone's "voice" takes.

How Music Helps

Music is different from spoken language. And our brains know this. Music engages multiple brain systems simultaneously, which is part of what makes it such a powerful tool for communication. Music activates regions involved in auditory processing, motor planning, memory, and emotion. In other words, music combines sound, movement, and feeling in a way that can support communication skills. On a neurologic level, music opens doors to communication that are simply unavailable through spoken language alone.

For example:

• The structure of rhythm and melody is predictable. Repeated rhythms and sounds give the brain a framework to anticipate what comes next, which can make it easier to respond and join in.

• The emotion in music encourages expression without the need for words. Dynamics, tempo, harmonies and melodies all contain meaning and help convey things which are difficult to put into words.

• Music offers nonverbal pathways for communication. Humming, drumming, strumming, and moving with music are all ways of expressing feelings and connecting with others.

Everyday Ways to Use Music

You don’t need to be a therapist, or even a musician, to use music to support communication. Here are a few simple ways to bring music into everyday interactions:

• Echo and mirror: If someone hums, taps, or vocalizes, echo it back. You’ll show you’re listening and encourage them to keep continue.

• Call-and-response games: Present a short musical phrase, then pause to let the other person respond with a sound, word, or rhythm.

• Offer choices through music: Let someone decide between two songs or instruments on a visual choice board or AAC device., promoting decision-making, autonomy and expression.

• Move to music: Dance, sway, or clap to music together. Coordinating movement and music supports nonverbal communication and shared attention.

• Use familiar songs for emotional expression: Singing or playing recorded songs someone knows well can help them convey emotions, recall memories, or initiate interaction.

  
  

These moments don’t have to be polished or perfect. What matters most is the connection.

What Music Therapy Adds

While everyone can access the benefits of music, working with a board-certified music therapist takes it to another level. Music therapy isn't just enjoyable, it's intentional, evidence-based, and tailored to each individual's strengths and needs.

A music therapist begins with an assessment of communicative abilities and designs individualized interventions to support client goals. For example, someone recovering from a stroke might choose to work on improving speech fluency and articulation through guided singing exercises. A child who communicates through an AAC device might practice making song choices or expressing feelings. In a school group, a music therapist might co-treat with a speech-language pathologist to improve receptive and expressive communication.

Because music engages the brain differently than spoken language does, it offers meaningful ways to support many styles of communication. For people who are gestalt language processors, who use sign or AAC, who are deaf or hard of hearing, music can support existing strengths. Rather than replacing other modes of communication, music works alongside them, providing another channel for connection.

Music therapists also support families, caregivers, and educators by sharing strategies for using music outside of formal sessions. This might include incorporating music into daily routines, or providing practical strategies that reinforce communication, attention, and emotional connection.

Finding Your Voice

I believe that communication, like music, is full of variation and nuances. “Modulations” if you will. Every person has their own rhythm, tempo, and style of expression, and music can help reveal and support that unique voice. Whether through song, rhythm, movement, or melody, music provides pathways for connection and self-expression that go beyond words.

My goal as a music therapist is to help others communicate in a way that feels natural, meaningful, and empowering. By adapting to each person’s needs and celebrating every type of expression, music therapy can transform simple interactions into opportunities for connection, understanding, and joy.

If you’d like to learn more about how music therapy can support communication for your loved one, student, or community, I’d love to talk with you. Together, we can explore how music helps every voice be heard.