Learning to Conduct Music the Fast & Easy Way!

Students young and old can learn to conduct music easily with The Big Print Conducting Method! This unique method includes follow-along videos, audio files, textbooks in e-files and print, scores for 1 or 2 instruments, and parts for all band and orchestral instruments (Treble Clef in C, F, Bb, Eb; Alto Clef, High & Low Bass Clef). Particularly well-suited to home practice, this method can facilitate fast and easy learning in school, homeschool, worship, and community centers. These conducting skills can be used for recorder ensemble, mixed chamber ensembles, band, and symphony orchestra!

Follow the links below to acquire each component of the method series:

Instructional Books

• Complete Package from MusicaNeo ($10)
• E-File Textbooks
• Follow-Along Video
• Printed Editions Sold Separately from CreateSpace Wholesale, Amazon Discount Retail, & Other Retailers (Prices Vary)
• Textbooks Only

Exercises

• Multimedia Expanded Exercises Corresponding to Books 1 & 2 from MusicaNeo ($12)
• Conductor Scores
• Audio Files
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation

Chamber Music for Practice

• Big Print Ensemble for Flexible Instrumentation from MusicaNeo ($2-$4 Each)
• Conductor Scores & Instructions
• Audio Files
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation
• Learning Chamber Music [Regular Print] for Flexible Instrumentation from MusicaNeo ($10-$20 Each)
• Conductor Scores & Instructions
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Practicing Skills with The Big Print Conducting Method

Once students have worked through The Big Print Conducting Method textbook and follow-along videos, practicing basic skills is essential. For that reason, the multimedia package Expanded Exercises Corresponding to Books 1 & 2 is available from MusicaNeo. These exercises include:

• Conductor Scores
• Audio
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation

The Expanded Exercises allow students to hone basic skills, including:

• Conducting Basics
• Beginnings
• Endings
• Dynamics
• 4-Bar Samples with 1 Instrument
• Time Signatures
• Extended Exercises with 1 Instrument
• Integrating Skills
• Cuing Exercises with 2 Instruments
• Entry on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th Beats
• Pickup Notes

Flexible instrumentation parts provide maximal flexibility for practice, because all possible transpositions and clefs for all instrumental and vocal parts are provided for each line. The conductor simply picks out the appropriate part for each instrument. A chart of instrument compatibility is located below:

Treble Score in C

• Flute
• Oboe
• Recorder
• Violin
• Voice

Treble Score in Bb

• Clarinet
• Trumpet

Treble Score in F

• Horn

Treble Score in Eb

• Saxophone

Alto Clef

• Viola

Bass Clef 

• Bassoon
• Cello
• Double Bass
• Euphonium/Baritone
• Trombone
• Tuba
• Voice

After completing these exercises, continuing with big print is easy with Big Print Ensemble, which currently offers 40 folk tunes, classical excerpts, original pieces, and exercises written for up to 4 instruments plus unpitched percussion. Pieces in the series are available for only $2 each from MusicaNeo, including conductor scores, audio files, and instrumental/vocal parts for flexible instrumentation. 

A sample page of Ode to Joy from Big Print Ensemble is included below:

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Materials Required to Learn to Conducting at Home

Learning to conduct music at home has never been easier! With The Big Print Conducting Method, students can easily read instructions and practice basic skills by following a video! Simple scores with audio and instrument parts for 1 to 2 instruments make practicing easy! Additional pieces can be purchased in big print for flexible instrumentation pieces for 1 to 4 instruments!

The following is a concise guide to obtaining components of The Big Print Conducting Method:


Instructional Books

• Complete Package from MusicaNeo
• E-File Textbooks
• Follow-Along Video
• Printed Editions Sold Separately from CreateSpace Wholesale, Amazon Discount Retail, & Other Retailers
• Textbooks Only

Exercises

• Multimedia Expanded Exercises Corresponding to Books 1 & 2 from MusicaNeo
• Conductor Scores
• Audio Files
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation

Chamber Music for Practice

• Big Print Ensemble for Flexible Instrumentation from MusicaNeo
• Conductor Scores & Instructions
• Audio Files
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation
• Learning Chamber Music [Regular Print] for Flexible Instrumentation from MusicaNeo
• Conductor Scores & Instructions
• Instrumental/Vocal Parts for Flexible Instrumentation

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

Learning to Conduct Music at Home!

How many people have wanted to learn conducting, but have not had any access to instruction or materials? With The Big Print Conducting Method, most people can learn to conduct in the comfort of home, without ever needing an ensemble! The series, available from MusicaNeo as e-files, features the following materials:

• Instructional Books
• Follow-Along Videos
• Written Scores
• Audio Files
• Parts for Instruments

With these multimedia materials, students learn common time signatures (44, 34, 24, 11, and 68), plus uncommon time signatures (54, 74, 94) and skills for starting, stopping, and cuing instruments. While it is best if students can already read music, it is possible to learn basic conducting skills even without these rudimentary skills, simply by using the Follow-Along Videos.

The series is accompanied by multiple parts, so that the exercises can be practiced with one or two Western band or orchestral instruments. Parts are included for the following transpositions:

• Treble Clef 
• Instruments in C
• Instruments in F
• Instruments in Bb
• Instruments in Eb
• Alto Clef
• Bass Clef

The series is available in several packages, costing $10 for the instructional books with videos, and $12 for the expanded exercises corresponding to books 1 and 2.

For additional convenient home practice, students can purchase Big Print Ensemble pieces with flexible instrumentation. Each Big Print Ensemble piece contains a score in C, plus parts for four instruments in all transpositions listed above, plus audio and MIDI files for convenient home practice. In the series, most pieces are written for three pitched instruments plus one to three unpitched percussion parts. Big Print Ensemble pieces are available from MusicaNeo, with audio samples available for each piece online. Currently, 40 Big Print Ensemble pieces are available, including exercises, folk tunes, classical melodies, and original tunes, organized into 4 levels corresponding to The Big Print Music Method.

• Level 1: Simple Time Signatures, Simple Rhythms, One Octave (Naturals)
• Level 2: Subdivided Rhythms, One Full Octave
• Level 3: Compound Time Signatures, Two Octaves
• Level 4: Dotted Rhythms and Ties, Over Two Octaves

The Big Print Music Method is a series of books and videos designed for elementary music education. The series is currently being expanded, with completion expected by 2015. The full set of selections will include the following instruments and skills: 

• Orchestral Strings
• Woodwinds
• Brass
• Percussion
• Guitar
• Piano
• Organ
• Theory
• Ear Training
• Conducting

All books in The Big Print Music Method are available on MusicaNeo, with selected options are also available from Amazon and CreateSpace Wholesale.  

Additional information on The Big Print Music Method is available on The Big Print Music Method blog and Schottenbauer Publishing website.


Supplementary Materials

Individuals who are serious about learning conducting may also benefit from other publications from Schottenbauer Publishing, including the following books available and upcoming from MusicaNeo, Amazon, and CreateSpace Wholesale:

• Learning Chamber Music Series: Trios, Quartets, and Quintets for Flexible Instrumentation
• Big Print Theory & Ear Training

In particular, conducting students may benefit from Schottenbauer Publishing's multimedia ear training series in regular print, available from MusicaNeo:

• Ear Training Multimedia Series [Text & Audio]
• Tuning & Intonation
• Intervals
• Harmonic Overtone Series
• Tone Quality
• Identifying Musical Mistakes

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources


Vendors

Books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million
CreateSpace, & CreateSpace Direct Wholesale!

Links to Amazon Worldwide Affiliates
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Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, 
United Kingdom, & United States!

Sheet Music & Multimedia from MusicaNeo!