Haley Borchers

Method Book Review

Foundations for Superior Performance

Overview
 The book is organized by concept and key. There are three main concept sections that are
organized by key.
 Elements covered:
o Articulation
o Warm-ups (long tones, warm-up sets)
o Technique (scales, chords, arpeggios)
o Chorales
o Tuning Exercises (tuning intervals and chords)
o scales
o Scale and chord theory
 The introduction page of the book gives some factors to consider when using book and
examples of ways to use the exercises in the book. There are also conductor reference
pages before each section in the book which explain the purpose of each section, how
they are structured, and some rehearsal tips.
Keys Covered
 The book includes all major and minor keys.
Percussion
 The authors include exercises for percussion for each section of the book. The Warm-Up
section includes exercises for snare and mallet instruments, the Technique section
includes exercises for snare, mallet, and auxiliary instruments, and the Chorale and
Tuning section includes exercises for mallets and timpani.
Appendices and Additional Inclusions
 The appendix includes reduced exercises for each of the instruments, chromatic scales,
scales ranges for each instrument, and fingering and trill charts for the instruments.
 There is no CD or website with this book.
Physical Characteristics
 The instructor’s manual is one page at the beginning of the book.
 The binding is spiral bound and looks pretty durable.
Other Thoughts
Something that I liked about this book was there were useful conductor reference pages before
each section. I also liked that it included exercises and tips for tuning and long tones. I it also
useful that the appendix included exercises for each of the instruments. However, I didn’t like
that many of the percussion parts were not shown in the score, but shown on a different page.

Essential Techniques for Band

Overview:
 The book is organized by key. Each key is introduced with scales, etudes, and chorales.
 Elements Covered:
o Rhythm
o Scales
o Arpeggios
o Thirds
o Etudes
o Music history
o Theory
o Balance
o Sight-reading
o Jazz style
o Music terms
 The introduction pages of the book give an overview of what the book will include and
what the CD includes.
Keys Covered
 The book covers B-flat, E-flat, F, A-flat, C, D-flat, G, D, and G-flat major and their
related minors.
Percussion
 Each exercise includes a part for percussion.
 Each exercise has a part for keyboard percussion and other various percussion
instruments.
Appendices and Additional Inclusions
 Fingering and trill charts are included in the back of the book, as well as snare drum
rudiments and an index.
 The book includes a conductors CD.
Physical Characteristics
 The instructor’s manual is six pages.
 The binding is spiral bound and looks pretty durable.
Other Thoughts
I liked how this book was organized by key, in that it had all of the scales, etudes, and chorales
associated with that key right after it. I also liked that it had various musical and historical
information listed throughout. The information was also colorful so it was easy to see. I thought
it was useful that it had percussion rudiments in the back for the conductors use. I also really
liked that it had exercises that you could use for sight reading and also a section about jazz.

Sound Innovations
Overview
 The book is organized by key, with each key followed by different exercises and
concepts.
 Elements Covered:
o Warm-ups (passing the tonic, long tones, chorales)
o Major and chromatic scales
o Flexibility
o Arpeggios
o Intervals
o Balance and intonation
 Perfect interval
 Diatonic harmony
 Layered tuning
 Moving chord toned
 Shifting chord qualities
 Family balance
o Rhythm
o Subdivision
o Meter
 Not much preface information is included except a paragraph about what the book will
include.
Keys Covered
 The book covers all 12 major and minor scales
Percussion
 Each exercise includes and part for keyboard percussion and other various percussion
instruments.
Appendices and Additional Inclusions
 The appendix includes fingering charts for the instruments and a description of all
percussion instruments with rudiments.
 No accompanimental CD is included in the teachers score.
Physical Characteristics
 The instructor’s manual is one page.
 The binding looks very durable.
Other Thoughts
One thing that I liked about this book is that it has a lot of exercises and etudes, especially for
balance and intonation. It has all of the concept exercises after each major and minor key instead
of just the major key. I also like that all of the percussion parts are shown on the conductors
score. However, I didn’t like that it didn’t have any information about theory, history, or musical
terms, as the Essential Elements book did. 55