About the Method

String Explorer is a synthesis of the best pedagogy of the past aimed at the future and forged from the authors' combined total of more than 75 years in the classroom. Designed with the teacher in mind, the series includes all materials needed for the classroom with cross-references between them so they are easy to access. Designed with the student in mind, String Explorer has the fun and information-packed look of a web page. Characters lead the way through the book and point out all the information that a teacher or student will need to know for each unit! Skills are presented sequentially and never more than one at a time.

Questions not answered here? Try our FAQ or contact us! Alfred Music Publishing supports music teachers by providing in-services and clinics with the authors around the world.

To learn more about String Explorer and its features, please click the links below to view the pages of our Series Overview:

View Series Overview 1 2 3 4 5 6
 

String Explorer, Book 1

Click the chart below to enlarge it for information on the scope and sequence of Book 1:

Book 1
Violin (00-20601) ● Viola (00-20602)
Cello (00-20603) ● Bass (00-20604)
Begin with colorful, easy to follow set-up photos and continue through rote, aural and reading skills, ensembles, solos, and activity pages which include theory, history, composition, world music and more. Designed to work well in private or heterogeneous settings.

Teacher's Manual (00-20605)
This textbook-style manual includes teaching tips, lesson plans, interdisciplinary units, and a full score of all the music in the student books. A copy of the Interactive Explorer practice CD is included with every manual.

Teacher's Resource Kit (00-20606)
The Resource Kit for Book 1 includes reproducible materials for assessment and classroom work in note reading, music history, rhythm and theory. This kit also includes 80 rhythm flashcards that are correlated to specific units in the student books and cross-referenced in the Teacher's Manual. A listening CD with samples of professional orchestras playing the original literature of each composer in the book is also included. All resources are notated with the corresponding unit numbers.

Piano Accompaniments (00-20624)
Just what it says! Well written accompaniments that may be used in teaching situations or at home to accompany students.

Accompaniment Recording CDs (00-20607)
A 2-CD set with recordings of every tune in Book 1 featuring wonderful acoustic recordings with a MIDI background. Each unit includes violin, viola, cello and bass as the solo instrument.

Free Interactive Explorer Practice CD (00-102347)
Teachers can request free CDs for their students by clicking here, or by calling 818-892-2452. This exciting CD includes the first 68 tracks from the 2-CD set of accompaniment recordings. It also has bonus multimedia content that can be accessed on virtually any home computer. This innovative practice program, the Interactive Explorer, has MIDI arrangements of all the music in the book and allows students to choose violin, viola, cello or bass as the solo instrument, adjust tempo, change the volume of various accompaniment parts, and record themselves playing along (requires a microphone). Each background arrangement was created with care to reflect the style, period, and character of the piece.

 

String Explorer, Book 2

Click the chart below to enlarge it for information on the scope and sequence of Book 2:

Book 2
Violin (00-20505) ● Viola (00-20506)
Cello (00-20507) ● Bass (00-20508)
Book 2 introduces tuning and vibrato with dynamic color photos to be used when your students are ready. Includes new keys and positions that provide the necessary background for players in late middle school or early high school.

Teacher's Manual (00-20503)
This textbook-style manual includes teaching tips, lesson plans, interdisciplinary units, and a full score of all the music in the student books. A copy of the Interactive Explorer practice CD is included with every manual.

Teacher's Resource Kit (00-20500)
The Resource Kit for Book 2 contains reproducible materials for assessment and classroom work in note reading, music history, rhythm, theory, and alternate clefs for viola, cello and bass. This kit also includes 80 rhythm flashcards that are correlated to specific units in the student books and cross-referenced in the Teacher's Manual. A listening CD with samples of professional orchestras playing the original literature of each composer in the book is also included. All resources are notated with the corresponding unit numbers.

Piano Accompaniment (00-20502)
Just what it says! Well written accompaniments that may be used in teaching situations or at home to accompany students.

Accompaniment Recording CDs (00-20509)
A 2-CD set with recordings of every tune in Book 2 featuring wonderful acoustic recordings with a MIDI background. Each unit includes violin, viola, cello and bass as the solo instrument.

Free Interactive Explorer Practice CD (00-102565)
Teachers can request free CDs for their students by clicking here, or by calling 818-892-2452. This exciting CD includes the first 68 tracks from the 2-CD set of accompaniment recordings. It also has bonus multimedia content that can be accessed on virtually any home computer. This innovative practice program, the Interactive Explorer, has MIDI arrangements of all the music in the book and allows students to choose violin, viola, cello or bass as the solo instrument, adjust tempo, change the volume of various accompaniment parts, and record themselves playing along (requires a microphone). Each background arrangement was created with care to reflect the style, period, and character of the piece.