How Music Teachers Can Make Custom Student Workbooks

Generic method books are a starting point, but every student is different. One plays fingerpicking folk songs, another wants to shred metal riffs, and a third is working through classical études. A single textbook can't serve all of them well.

What if you could hand each student a custom-printed workbook with exactly the pieces, exercises, and theory they need — organized in the order you teach them?

Why Custom Workbooks?

Custom workbooks solve several problems that music teachers face:

• No more loose sheets. Students lose handouts. A bound book stays together.
• Personalized progression. Order pieces by the student's actual skill progression, not a textbook's generic sequence.
• Mixed sources. Combine pieces from different publishers, your own arrangements, and theory worksheets into one book.
• Professional presentation. A printed book with a cover, table of contents, and chapter dividers looks polished and makes students take lessons more seriously.

What to Include

A good student workbook typically has:

1. Warm-up exercises — scales, arpeggios, finger exercises
2. Technical études — pieces that target specific skills
3. Repertoire — songs the student is currently learning
4. Theory sheets — chord charts, key signatures, rhythm exercises
5. Performance pieces — recital or exam repertoire

Building a Student Workbook

Here's how to create a custom workbook using MakeMySongBook:

1. Collect your PDFs. Gather the exercises, pieces, and worksheets for this student. Name each file clearly.
2. Upload everything. Drag all PDFs into MakeMySongBook.
3. Create chapters. Group content into logical sections: "Warm-ups", "New Pieces", "Review", etc.
4. Add a cover. Include the student's name, the semester, and your studio name on the cover.
5. Generate and print. The book auto-generates a table of contents and handles double-sided page alignment.

Chapter Ideas for Teachers

• Semester structure: September Pieces → October Pieces → November Pieces
• Skill-based: Technique → Sight-Reading → Ear Training → Performance
• Exam prep: Scales → Études → Sight-Reading → Repertoire
• Genre-based: Classical → Jazz → Pop → Student's Choice

Scaling Up for Multiple Students

If you teach 20 students, you don't need 20 completely different books. Create a core set of chapters (technique, theory) that most students share, then customize the repertoire chapter per student.

Tips for Music Teachers

• Start small. Make a book for one student first. Once you see how easy it is, scale to your full studio.
• Add descriptions. MakeMySongBook lets you add text to chapter dividers. Use this for practice instructions or notes.
• Update quarterly. Refresh workbooks each semester or quarter as students progress.
• Parents love it. A printed book shows parents the structured approach you bring to lessons.

Frequently Asked Questions