In Line by Line, author Stephanie L. Standerfer harnesses years of pedagogical expertise in a practical guide to promote music learning by experience rather than imitation and memorization. Using well-known songs and a variety of instrumental accompaniments for all skill levels, lesson plans encourage students to first learn music conceptually by internalizing the sound and feeling before learning musical symbols. The lesson plans are tailored for five to seven spiraled class periods and take every student into consideration by suggesting ways to address specific student needs for those who need more time to process.