Selections from Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Instrumental Solos, Volume 2: Flute Book & CD

This collection lets you play the songs you've heard on the radio and in movies. From the smooth soul of 'I Got You (I Feel Good)' to the soaring rock of 'Hotel California,' each arrangement preserves what makes the original memorable while giving the flute room to shine as the lead voice.

Flutists in their second or third year of study who are ready to move beyond beginner method books but still need support from well-crafted arrangements. These pieces work for anyone wanting to build confidence through music they actually care about hearing.

• Use the demo tracks to familiarize yourself with phrasing and style before tackling the play-along version. Each song has its own rhythmic pocket, and hearing it first keeps you from imposing classical articulation onto pop idioms.
• Pay attention to the exact tempo on the play-along track. These are pop and soul songs with groove; rushing or dragging will pull you out of the pocket fast.
• Listen for how the recorded accompaniment breathes. Leave space where the band does, especially in ballads like 'You Send Me' and 'A Whiter Shade of Pale.'

Pull individual selections for a casual concert showcase, a student recital, or a pop-music-themed event. Alternatively, flip through the whole book as supplementary rep during the school year when students need motivational material that bridges classical training with popular music. These songs work equally well as solo features or as ensemble pieces if you have the companion books for other instruments.

• Phrasing in contemporary song styles
• Reading at a consistent tempo with accompaniment
• Breath management in longer melodic lines
• Stylistic flexibility beyond classical articulation
• Listening and responding to recorded ensemble sound