The Author's approach to teaching the basics of music provides an active role for students as they learn fundamentals through reading, singing, listening, notating, and creating music. Using a global perspective in choosing musical examples, the author uses a mix of multicultural folk materials and Western “classical” music to illustrate the musical concepts to be learned. There are many assignments for students to complete, working individually or in groups. Each chapter concludes with a list of terms for review, a chapter review worksheet, and suggestions for several creative projects.