You just signed up for online lessons, now what? Continue to read for advice on how to make your online lesson experience successful.
Whether you are an online lesson newbie or have been taking online lessons for a while, these tips will get you prepared and set you up for online lesson success. Once you have your lesson space set up and ready to go, your lessons will be much more efficient and you won't be stuck saying "I can't hear you," "what?", "what chord do you want me to play?".
Now that you're ready to set up your online lesson space, these tips will benefit any student, regardless of what instrument you are learning.
You will need a device with internet access.
Most lessons will be set up and done through Zoom conferences. Some teachers will use other applications such as Skype, FaceTime, etc....but our students are set up via zoom. Apple products are always a great go to, especially if it's a MacBook or iPad. These devices should have a good camera and microphone. If not, you can purchase an inexpensive microphone and video camera to aid in your lessons. You can use your smartphone, but don't recommend this type of device due to the screen being so small! You want to see your teacher, right?
You will need an audio playback device.
Because of the delay in sound production, teachers will often have their students play their warm-ups and accompaniment music through backing tracks. This immediately solves the latency issue and helps the student and teacher be more productive throughout the lesson. You can also hook up a bluetooth speaker in the background. It is often not recommended to use the device you're using for zoom as the playback device distorts the sound.
You will need your assigned music books.
Make sure you have you lesson book, workbook, and whatever other material your teacher has assigned you. Also make sure to have your assignment book amongst these materials. Having these materials readily available will benefit you!
You will need to set your Zoom sound preferences.
This can not be stressed enough. Having the proper zoom settings will CHANGE the way you hear and respond in your online lessons. First, go to your Zoom settings and then scroll to "audio." You will see sound settings for speaker and microphone. If you are using an external microphone (which is HIGHLY recommended) use the drop down bar to select the microphone of your choice. Under the microphone drop down menu you will see "automatically adjust microphone volume" make sure this box is unchecked. You do not want Zoom to automatically change your volume settings during a lesson. After, select the "Advance" tab option and select enable original sound. Original sound should be on during your online lessons! Then under the tab that says "suppress background noise" make sure "low" is selected. (Click in for a YouTube video on the sound settings.)
Wear a pair of headphones in your lesson.
When you are wearing a pair of headphones, you are able to hear your teacher clearly and effectively. They also help tune out any noises in the background that may be a disturbance during your lesson. When wearing your headphones, make sure one side of the headphone is in/on your ear and one is slightly off. This will keep you from straining your voice or playing your instrument too loudly.
Make sure any other materials needed are within reach and ready to go.
If you know you will need water during your lesson, make sure you have a cup (or a bottle of water) next to you. Some things you should always have during your lesson is a pencil, notepad, music stand, any other materials such as a tuner, rosin, extra strings, etc. The list goes on and on. If you are not sure what materials you need, ask your teacher, they will be happy to help you! The point is to not have to stop your lesson to run to the kitchen to grab some water. Or have to walk away and search your house for a pencil. Or have to search through your guitar bag for your tuner or capo. If all these materials are ready to go, your lesson will move along much more efficiently.
Make sure a parent (or someone who can help) is nearby.
Especially if you have a young child taking lessons. Often their ability to replicate or copy is hard enough, add the element of a video screen and you've lost them. If the child is not yet old enough, make sure to sit with them the first few lessons to make sure they are able to find middle c on the piano, or the e string on the guitar. Being able to help your child with finger placements, teacher directives, etc makes the lesson more effective and efficient!
