Anyone who runs a school or county band, or teaches an ensemble in a classroom setting, will probably have heard of Essential Elements (EE), but it’s likely that they won’t know the full power of the method. For years, the go-to method for ensemble teaching in the USA, Essential Elements has been the introduction to music-making for millions of children. Here we explore the reasons for its success.
For those who don’t know the method, EE offers beginner students sound pedagogy and engaging music, all carefully paced to successfully start young players on their musical journey. It features familiar songs and specially designed exercises, created and arranged for the classroom in a unison-learning environment, as well as instrument-specific exercises to focus each student on the unique characteristics of their own instrument. EE provides both teachers and students with a wealth of materials to develop total musicianship, even at the beginning stages, and as a method with music-making at its core, students are able to take part in their own mini concert just weeks after starting the course.
To see what it’s all about, you can download a free Perusal digital book from Musicroom here, which uses pages from across the Book 1 editions to give the full experience of how the method develops and encourages students.
However, EE’s real strength lies in its market-leading interactive teaching companion, EEi, included for free with the purchase of an Essential Elements method book. EEi includes:
• EEi Music Studio – Professional soloists demonstrating each exercise, with multiple accompaniment styles, which also allows students to record their music to share with teachers or friends. Includes tempo controls, practice tools such as a built-in metronome, tuner and fingering charts, all in an easy-to-use interface making playing, recording and sharing simple and fun!
• Video Assignments – Students can record their own playing in the Music Studio, or music being performed in class, allowing teachers to provide more detailed feedback.
• EEi Resources Section – including new HD Videos with extensive pedagogical lessons, individual studies for all instruments, music theory lessons and worksheets, training worksheets, and additional songs, duets and trios. Teachers can also upload, share and archive their own materials, creating their online classroom.
• Assignments – allowing teachers to provide more guidance for students in their home practice, with recording assignments, self-assessments, practice records and much more.
• Calendar & Communication – making connecting with students and parents easier than ever, with flexible group calendars and email-to-text conversion to make keeping in contact simple.
And EEi continues to evolve, ensuring it will always be the world’s leading online instrumental teaching support.
Why not get your own copy of Essential Elements Book 1 and explore the series and the ground-breaking EEi resource for yourself? We’re offering 50% off any individual Essential Elements Book 1 book of your choice, to explore on your own instrument and see the EEi platform for yourself. We’ll also give you 15% off your first order of EE for your school or hub ensemble. Find out how here.