While at the 2010 Midwest Clinic, I had the opportunity to talk to Peter Boonshaft and the folks at Alfred about their new beginning instrumental method book series, Sound Innovations. I did a full-length interview with Dr. Boonshaft about the project, and after almost a week of learning about and studying the method, here is my review.
What IS Sound Innovations?
There are a few differences between Sound Innovations and a normal method book. First off, the folks at Alfred took an unprecedented amount of time to interview thousands of music teachers about their specific wants and needs regarding a method book. The result was a book that, in every way possible, is an embodiment of what a majority of music educators asked for in a beginning instrumental method book. Here are a few examples, all additions based on teachers’ requests:
- Cleaner page layouts
- Every line of music is included on one accompanying CD, with instrument-specific recordings
- Subdivisions (including subdivision of rests) introduced right away
- Specific goals for each exercise in the book
Another addition to Sound Innovations is the fact that each book comes with a high-definition DVD, including instrument-specific master classes featuring top performers on each instrument. These master classes feature the performers (who have all taught beginners themselves) teaching the student how to perform techniques (including posture, breathing, slurring, etc.), as well as performing every line in the book.
Director’s Choice Edition
The most exciting new addition that Sound Innovations brought to the method book world, however, is the creation of the “Director’s Choice” edition. This revolution allows educators to sign onto a website and literally build their own method book from the ground up. From customizing the front cover of the book to include your school name (or whatever else they want) to changing the pedagogical philosophies, teachers can make Sound Innovations their own. They can answer the following questions::
- Do you want to start teaching with whole notes or quarter notes?
- Do you want to start with concert Bb and work up? Concert F and work down? Etc…
- What tunes do you want to have in your book? Do you want to add alternate genres? Pop music?
- Do you want to add enrichment pages including:
- Music History?
- Music Theory/Composition?
- Full-Band Arrangements?
- Scales?
- Duets?
When the customization is complete, you can save and order your book, which will be bound, printed, and delivered to your school. Can you imagine passing out method books to fifth graders that have their school name on the front?? They’ll already love it!
Final Thoughts
As someone who has had the concepts of patterning and discrimination ingrained into my head for the past four years, I don’t think Sound Innovations is the be all and end all of method books. As a matter of fact, neither does the author – Dr. Boonshaft made clear in his interview that no method book is perfect. However, when combined with good fundamental patterning, major/minor and duple/triple discrimination, and sound-before-sight concepts, the Director’s Choice edition of the Sound Innovations method allows the music teacher to supplement basic curricular materials with materials that suit the specific needs of the students. This will allow students to develop properly, while still enjoying their beginning band/orchestra experience (I mean really… who would enjoy playing three-note major and minor patterns for the first three days? I would want to play SONGS!). For this reason, I think Sound Innovations would be a worthwhile investment for any beginning band or orchestra program!
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