Authors & Innovations

Sound Innovations, Book 1 was crafted by authors and contributors who bring decades of classroom and educational experience to every page: Robert Sheldon, Peter Boonshaft, Bob Phillips, and Dave Black. Our team is constantly adding and innovating new materials to support your teaching. Sign up for our mailing list and we'll let you know as soon as new resources are released.

Book Organization

The content within Book 1 is organized in levels, providing benchmarks, assessment indicators, and intermediate goals:

Book 1 Skill Chart

Click on the skill chart excerpt below to view the full chart and review the order that concepts are introduced.

Solid Pedagogy

Clean and uncluttered page layouts as well as solid pedagogy will help your students have better understanding of the materials. Each new note is introduced with a diagram of the fingering, eliminating the need to reference a separate page. Note names are not included inside the note heads in order to fast-track musical literacy and the starting pitch is concert D for easy ranges and fingerings.

Consistent Reinforcement

New notes include an introductory exercise followed by plenty of reinforcement exercises, and skills are broken down into manageable steps in order to build success. Every exercise includes an objective stated next to the title so that students understand the goals they are working toward.

Instrument-Specific Instructional Videos

Foster more effective practice for your students with MasterClass videos that are integrated throughout the entire method, not retrofitted to it, taking your student from instrument setup and first sounds through the final solo at the end of the book. The MasterClasses allow the student to emulate the professional musician's tone, technique, and musicianship, and are available free on SI Online.

MasterClass Teachers:

Instrument-Specific Practice Tracks

Encourage at-home practice with free recorded accompaniments that are provided for every line of music in the book. Each exercise contains an example and play-along accompaniment track in a variety of musical styles that can be slowed down, sped up, and looped for effective practice. The tracks take students from first sounds through the final solo at the end of the book.

Performance Opportunities

Many performance opportunities are provided, including solos, duets, trios, and full-ensemble arrangements. Students can play along with a friend or the professional musician on the included accompaniment tracks. This serves as an outstanding introduction to ensemble playing. Correlated performance music is also available from Grades ½–2½.

Horn in F and Oboe Alternate Approach

An alternate approach pages to beginning horn in F and oboe are located in the back of the book for clear and easy access.

Comprehensive Percussion Instruction

Sound Innovations for Band offers one of the most comprehensive and musically engaging books available for beginning percussionists. Keep your percussion students interested by introducing them to detailed techniques including sticking, dampening, muffling, and rolls.

Why SI Percussion Stands Out:

• Advanced Technique Early On: Includes crucial techniques like sticking, muffling, and rolls. Plus, it is the only method that teaches finger dampening for mallets!
• A Revolutionary Approach to Rolls: Rather than simply showing a diagram of what a roll looks like, SI guides students through specific, scaffolded exercises. This builds a clear understanding of subdivision, leading to a superior production of both open and closed rolls.
• Logical Rudiment Sequence: The 10 core rudiments are introduced in a systematic sequence to promote better comprehension and execution. These include double strokes, single paradiddle, flam, flam accent, flam tap, flam paradiddle, multiple-bounce roll, five-stroke roll, nine-stroke roll, and seventeen-stroke roll.