Take your band program to the next level with the comprehensive band method Essential Elements for Band Book 1 (formerly titled Essential Elements 2000), enhanced with powerful Charms Office tools! The same popular method that integrates history, theory, creativity, and listening skills from the very first page is even more effective with the addition of Essential Elements Interactive, an innovative online resource that gives you and your students a private, password-protected website for teaching beyond the classroom. This includes practice record posts for assessment, a calendar with 24/7 access for concert and assignment due dates, email contacts, and much more! Also upgraded in this series is the CD-ROM that's included in every Student Book 1 featuring recordings of every exercise in the book, played by a professional musician, and accompaniment-only tracks in jazz, rock, folk styles and more. Students will experience playing with top musicians right from the start! (If students progress beyond the first CD, CD disks 2 and 3 are available for purchase.) This method makes those important early lessons fun to practice! Special features:

• Enhanced Learning System
• 12 Arrangements for Full Band
• Daily Warm-ups and Rubank Studies
• Easy-to-use Rhythm Studies
• Theory, History, Cross-Curriculum and Creativity
• Exceeds the National Standards for Arts Education

A wealth of features available with the CD-ROM included with each student book makes this method stand apart! They include:

• Tempo Adjustment software to play tracks at any desired tempo
• SmartMusic for exercises 1 - 100
• Play-along mp3 featuring professional players
• Duets and Trios with print-and-play parts
• A Band Music Listening Library with listening guide
• A "start up" video which helps beginning students learn the basics

Book 2 features:; CD with more great play-along tracks, covering Exercises 1-55 and Individual Studies (pages 38-41); Book 1 review section; Rhythm Raps; Daily Warm-ups; Theory; History; Multicultural Music; Creativity and Assessment; Sight-reading and Improvisation; Etudes created specifically for each instrument, demonstrated by a professional soloist; Rubank Studies and Solo - designed for each instrument from the very best of student etude and solo literature; 12 full band arrangements, including a planned concert; and more!