Frequently Asked Questions (Answered by the Authors!)

Q: I'm not a string player, but I've recently been assigned to teach strings. Will this book help me?
Q: We're under the gun in my district to teach National and State music standards. Will this book help me?
Q: Doesn't this book move awfully fast!?
Q: Does a free CD come with the book?
Q: What grade level is this book designed for?
Q: What other supplementary materials are available?


Q: I'm not a string player, but I've recently been assigned to teach strings. Will this book help me?

A: Absolutely! Recognizing the current lack of trained string teachers, String Explorer is developed to be 100% teacher-friendly. It is completely accessible to teachers who are non-string players or those new to the profession, yet logical, flexible, and comprehensive enough for veteran teachers and string majors to use.
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Q: We're under the gun in my district to teach National and State music standards. Will this book help me?

A: Yes. Designed to reflect the National Standards for Arts Education, String Explorer teaches comprehensive musicianship as one of its chief principles. Developmentally organized and sequential exercises in theory, ear training, composition, improvisation, and world music make up the book's Activity Pages. History Highlights add interesting and fun facts to pieces throughout the book, and at least one exercise in every unit involves singing with either words or solfege. The Teacher’s Guide expands on these features and also includes ideas for inter-disciplinary thematic integration. In this way, String Explorer is entirely aligned with the National Standards.
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Q: Doesn't this book move awfully fast!? 

A: Extensive field studies and a remarkable number of reports from teachers using the book demonstrate that students learn to read faster with String Explorer than with other commonly used methods. The beginning unit is a rote-oriented aural-response section that prepares students for the following units of reading by rhythm and note name recognition. Note reading is later presented in a sequential process that reflects the best practice and current learning theory. (Teachers who prefer to begin immediately with note reading may simply start at unit 5.)

String Explorer is organized into 14 identically structured units of equal length with clearly stated instructional objectives. Right-hand skills are introduced in Ready, Set, Bow sections independently from left-hand skills, which are introduced in Finger Tips sections. Each new right-hand skill uses only previously learned left-hand concepts, and vice versa. After the new concepts are carefully and thoroughly introduced, they are combined in a series of interesting and motivational tunes called Putting It Together. Furthermore, each unit contains at least one exercise that is designated as an assessment tune, allowing students to demonstrate proficiency as each new skill is mastered. Using a motivational assessment chart “Treasure Map,” students can mark their own progress as they complete the assessment pieces. This built-in reward system contrasts with other method books in which assessments are randomly placed and unclear as to the exact skills intended to be measured. String Explorer students may not turn pages as fast, but when they do turn a page, they will have accomplished a lot more!
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Q: Does a free CD come with the book?

A: String Explorer has a free interactive CD with a combination of acoustic recorded accompaniment tracks and MIDI accompaniments in various styles. Click here to download.
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Q: What grade level is this book designed for?

A: String Explorer has been field tested and proven successful for students in grades 1 through 8 in a variety of schedules. Its logical separation of skills for the right and left hands insures student success at any age level.
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Q: What other supplementary materials are available?

A: Click here for a complete listing of String Explorer Products!
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