First Solo Songbook: Flute, Oboe, Guitar Book

This book removes a major frustration from early instrumental study: the long wait before students can play recognizable songs. By limiting each solo to just six notes, Feldstein delivers genuine musical reward within the first weeks of learning, which transforms practice from dutiful exercise into something students actually want to do. The contemporary pop arrangements on the accompaniment recording make these familiar songs feel current and fun rather than quaint.

Familiar melodies suddenly feel like real music the moment a student can play them, even in their simplest form. The contemporary pop treatment of these standards brings them into a student's world rather than sounding like museum pieces, creating genuine pride in playing.

Beginning students in their first months on flute, oboe, or guitar who are still learning their first positions and need immediate proof that their practicing leads somewhere. This book is equally valuable for teachers introducing ensemble performance or for private studio instructors who want their young students to experience playing with accompaniment.

• Work through the solos in the order presented in the book rather than jumping around; each one builds on patterns from the previous one, reinforcing finger positions and note reading.
• Use the recorded accompaniments consistently, even in rehearsal; students internalize tempo and phrasing much faster with the backing track than with a metronome alone.
• Have students perform all thirty solos over the course of a term, rotating who plays during sectional or full rehearsal time, so every student experiences regular performance opportunities.
• Encourage unison playing when students are ready; the book supports this, and hearing themselves blend with peers reinforces intonation awareness without pressure.

Integrate individual solos into student recitals, sectional rehearsals, or informal performances throughout the year; thirty solos gives you consistent options for recognizing early learners without waiting for them to progress through several grade levels. You might also program one or two solos in a concert as an intermission moment that celebrates your beginning students alongside more advanced players.

• Reading and playing a limited pitch set (six notes) with confidence
• Maintaining steady tempo with a recorded accompaniment
• Performing for an audience without a director's cues
• Connecting musical notation to recognizable songs
• Developing tone control in a performance context