Sound Innovations for Guitar, Book 1 Method Released by Alfred Music Publishing

Los Angeles, CA — December 21, 2011

Alfred Music Publishing, the world leader in educational print music publishing since 1922, is proud to announce the release of Sound Innovations for Guitar, written by Aaron Stang (author and Grammy^® Award-winning guitarist) and Bill Purse (Guitar Chair at Duquesne  University). This revolutionary new method utilizes solid pedagogy and ground-breaking technology to provide students and teachers with the  skills needed to play modern guitar—with a focus on real-world guitar  skills.

Built with feedback from guitar teachers across the country, Sound Innovations for Guitar is the first guitar method to fully address the skills, techniques, and  knowledge required by all guitarists in a solid, linear teaching  method. Unlike other methods, Sound Innovations for Guitar starts off by  teaching chords and notes on the low E string to promote fretboard  understanding, build solid left- and right-hand technique, and to allow  students to begin playing fundamental bass-line type rock and blues patterns right away. Lessons focus on learning all skills  in the context of great repertoire ranging in style from folk to blues,  flamenco, rock, and classical music, as well as core guitar skills like  strumming and fingerpicking, chords, playing pivotal rock and blues riffs, improvising, reading music, and applying  music theory. Focused goals and benchmarks are included, organized into  six levels with clean page layouts for quick identification of concepts.

In addition, students can practice with the included DVD, which has  three and a half hours of video lessons to explain and demonstrate all  the concepts and techniques covered in the book. And, MP3 recordings of  every example and song in the book, with play-along accompaniments, and specialized instructional tracks featuring concise  explanations and demonstrations of all new concepts and techniques are  embedded on the DVD. The built-in SI Player software allows tracks to be  slowed down and sections looped for continuous practice. The book and DVD is designed so that even band, orchestra, and  choral directors, with little experience on the guitar can easily teach  a guitar class that really focuses on the skills and music young  guitarists want and need.

The Teacher Edition, available in late Spring or early Summer  2012, contains lesson plans and suggestions for expansion and  assessment. Additional reinforcement pages, supplementary materials,  assessments, and much more for the method will be available online.

Visit alfred.com/SIguitar to learn more about the method and to view the Sound Innovations for Guitar trailer.

Sound Innovations for Guitar (00-37177) Book, CD & DVD is now available for $12.99 at music retail stores and at alfred.com/guitar.