Book 1 uses a note-to-note sequence with easy-to-read notation. Students begin with the note names written inside the note heads, and then the names are gradually eliminated.

Contemporary pedagogy starts from the "top" of the hand. Violins and violas start with three fingers down, cellos with four. This technique creates better left-hand shape and helps develop proper playing position from the beginning. Teaching the double bass is accomplished without displacing the octave.

New material is carefully paced, sequential and immediately reinforced. New notes are approached by step, then gradually played with wider skips and crossing strings. Each new rhythm is introduced as a Rhythm Rap, which can be shadow bowed, then played on an open string, and finally placed in an appropriate melodic setting.

The right hand is thoroughly and sequentially developed through a series of seven Bow Builders. Each one defines a specific action required to produce an acceptable bow hand.

Only one new concept is introduced at a time. The pacing encourages student mastery without excessive repetition. You can move from line to line quickly within each class. Students master quarter notes, then move to eighth, half, dotted-half, and whole notes.

New concepts are presented in familiar keys and rhythms. These skills are integrated in shaded sections called Skill Builders to combine rhythms, pitches and bowings into comprehensive exercises to develop solid technique.

It's all right in each student book, correlated with the music and concepts they are currently learning. This is by far the most efficient way to meet the National Standards, integrate other subjects into the music curriculum, and still teach the essentials of music performance.

A variety of rounds, duets and orchestra arrangements (11) are included. These can be used independently throughout the year, or combined for a pre-planned concert.