Master the fundamentals of conducting! To the untrained eye, conducting looks simple. You just wave your arms to the music, right? Not exactly. Conducting requires precise skills. As the conductor, it's your job to guide band, orchestra, or choir through every note, coaching musicians or singers to make beautiful music together. This book will teach you how. Full of easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions on the basics and the nuances of conducting, this helpful guide gives you everything you need to know to lead any type of ensemble, in any musical genre. In it, you get- A behind-the-scenes look at what a conductor does both on and off the podium. Simple suggestions for reading, researching, and marking up a score. Tips for leading effective rehearsals so everyone gets-and stays-on the same page. Essential information on working a baton and assuming the proper stance on the podium. Lesson for learning all the beat patterns, from the basics to advanced meters and subdivided beats. Advice on interpreting a piece and mastering tempo, dynamics, phrasing, cues, accents, and even unmetered music. A primer on different types of conducting, from jazz bands to operas to video game soundtracks. Insightful interviews with today's professional conductors. Readers rave about Michael Miller's Complete Idiot's Guides®! 'Excellent book, couldn't have made a better choice!' 'While I keep the other music books in my library, this book will be on my desk.' 'Readable, helpful, and interesting.' 'This book continues to teach me everything I wanted to know but didn't have time to ask my instructor.'