Comfort Sound® Drumming

This protocol was developed during a research study at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center where stem cell transplant recipient patients participated in small interactive drum groups to improve energy, mood, and relaxation, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Comfort Sound® Drumming is 30-minute musical experience that is an adaptation of HealthRHYTHMS® techniques combined with other drumming activities designed for each person according to their musical preferences and background. It is essentially a small interactive drum group (drum circle) created with a minimum of three people using Remo Versa® Tubanos® with Comfort Sound Technology®. The low volume of the drums is ideal for healthcare environments. Over 80% of participants reported increased energy, mood, and relaxation, over 60% had decreased anxiety, and a majority felt less distress and pain after drumming. 100% of the patients who completed surveys reported that the drumming sessions increased their satisfaction with the hospital stay and would recommend drumming to others receiving stem cell transplants.

Comfort Sound® Drumming is a technique that can be a valuable tool in integrative medicine to help heal the whole patient.

Interactive Group Drumming (IGD) study data table at the bottom of this page. The study report is published in Music & Medicine, 2022, Volume 14, Issue 1, pagers 39-46, the journal of the International Association for Music & Medicine.

See the Comfort Sound® Drumming Study Report

Statistician’s Report

Variable                                                Difference (95% Confidence Level)          p-value for change

Energy                                                   19.4 units (12.2, 26.6)                                        <0.0001

Mood                                                    14.2 units (9.3, 19.1)                                            <0.0001

Relaxation                                             17.6 units (11.9, 23.3)                                          <0.0001

Distress                                                 -1.4 units (-1.8, -0.9)                                           <0.0001

Anxiety STAI (state anxiety)                  -6.4 units (-11.2, -1.6)                                         0.011

Pain                                                      -3.0 units (-6.7, 0.7)                                            0.12

The STAI was based on the difference of Visit #4 and Visit #1 values.  All other reported values incorporate all sessions of Interactive Group Drumming for each patient.