The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of teaching beginning wind instrumentalists using a sound-before-sight (aural) approach, designed to foster the connections between eyes, ears, and fingers; and capitalize on students' musical intuitions. Participants received one hour of weekly instruction for 15 weeks. One group (n = 10) was taught with an aural/modeling emphasis (singing while fingering, playing-by-ear, call and response, playing from printed music), and one (n = 10) with a visual emphasis (playing from printed music). A series of "t"-tests showed that the aural/modeling group scored higher on two posttests, the Watkins Farnum Performance Scale and a prepared piece, though not significantly. Aural/modeling participants without prior training scored the highest followed by visual participants with prior training. There was a significant (r = 0.668, p less than 0.01) and positive relationship between posttest scores. Teaching with an aural/modeling emphasis does not hamper participants' music performance skills, and may aid them.