The search for band and orchestra repertoire is a quest for quality. It is easy for band or orchestra directors to find lists of music; in fact, the quantity is often overwhelming; professional magazines, free miniscores and CDs, and the constant stream of offerings from publishers bombard the music teacher with the message "buy me." The sheer volume can make the hunt for proper music difficult. The problem: How to discover high-quality materials worth using with young instrumentalists. Inexperienced directors tend to either be too influenced by the publishers' lists and buy all the latest music or use only material presented in methods classes or used by their college ensembles. Both are certainly fine ways to begin, but many directors overlook good materials simply because they are too busy. The best teachers and the finest conductors appear mediocre when they use poor-quality music. However, an average music teacher can achieve exceptional results with high-quality materials. This article offers some helpful tips teachers can use to recognize and purchase excellent music materials.