March 06, 2025

Making Music With Your Body, With Keith Terry | Happiness Break

7 minutes

How to Do This Practice:

Find a Comfortable Space: Choose a place where you feel comfortable moving and making noise. You can do this practice standing or seated, whatever feels best for you.

Start with a Basic Clap: Clap your hands together lightly, palm to palm. Keep the pressure soft so it doesn’t hurt. Try a few claps, following a steady rhythm.

Add Chest Percussion: After each clap, tap your sternum lightly with your right hand, then with your left hand. Repeat this rhythm several times.

Incorporate Leg Taps: Extend the pattern by adding taps on your thighs.

Repeat the Full Pattern: Put it all together in a continuous loop— clap, chest (right, left), legs (right, left). Maintain the rhythm and repeat without pauses.

Focus on the sensation of movement and sound as a mindful practice.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Happiness Break host:

KEITH TERRY is a percussionist and body musician who uses a variety of surfaces to create interesting rhythms.

Learn more about Keith Terry: https://tinyurl.com/5av66v5f
Watch Keith Terry in action: https://tinyurl.com/299vuw4a

Related Happiness Break episodes:

A Humming Technique to Calm Your Nerves: https://tinyurl.com/mr42rzad
The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/y4ze59h8
How to Relax Your Body Through a Standing Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2fv4c9h8

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

Why Dancing Is The Best Medicine: https://tinyurl.com/y66hxxy9
The Science of Humming: https://tinyurl.com/4esyy6nd
How Music Can Bridge Cultures: https://tinyurl.com/5ar3c8yy

We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.

Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/275tna6h

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By PRX and Greater Good Science Center

4.5

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