2020 hasn’t been a great year for many people, but hopefully you’ve found ways to make the most of it. In light of the pandemic and social distancing procedures, you may have put certain activities and extracurricular activities on pause, waiting for the world to resume. Though many things are paused or cancelled, did you know you could continue music education without your student having to leave the house and without inviting people into your home? Online music lessons are growing in popularity as more and more continue their education with online music teachers through platforms like zoom and skype.
If you’re new to the world of online lessons, follow these guidelines below so you can get the most out of online lessons!
Practice, Practice, Practice
Besides meeting online versus in person with an instructor, piano lessons for kids are structured the same and require the same amount of effort! Practice, patience, and hard work are all needed to see growth, so don’t allow the student to ‘coast’ with their lessons just because a piano teacher isn’t physically present. Making sure goals are set and expectations on practicing are clear will ensure you’re getting the most out of online lessons for your household.
Communicate with the Instructor
Many people aren’t afraid to ask questions and get insight when learning things in person, but once there’s a computer screen between them and their teacher, they get shy! To ensure successful lessons, your student needs to make sure they feel free to ask questions and repeat certain concepts regardless of the fact that the lesson is virtual.
They should feel like they there’s no difference between online or in-person lessons, so encourage them to communicate (perhaps over communicate) with the teacher. If there’s an audio delay for a split second, remind your student that it’s fine to alert the instructor and ask them to repeat themselves.
Have A Dedicated Space
It’s easy to get distracted by the dog or the tv when doing lessons. One of the best ways to improve online lessons is to set up a dedicated space for the student, their instrument, and their computer or tablet. This could be an office room or any other secluded area. The key is to make sure it’s a conducive environment to learning, so choose somewhere quiet and somewhat private.
Use A Good Device
Whether you use a smart phone, tablet, or computer is up to you. Some families only have one of these things, and that’s perfectly fine. The lesson can happen with any device that can connect the internet. Remember that the device should have a webcam or rear facing camera, at minimum.
It’s definitely more practical to use something that has a larger screen so the student can see the instructor and their instrument better, but it’s not necessary. Devices that have screen recording technology can be helpful as well if you want to record and re-watch the lesson multiple times.
Other Little Things to Consider
Along with the space you use for the lesson, you’ll want to be aware of these things that can impact the experience of the lesson:
Lighting
Being near a window or having a great lamp will improve the video quality for both the teacher and the student. It’s worth investing in something or rearranging your setup so it’s easy to see, especially for guitar, piano, and violin lessons.
Wi-Fi
Technology is awesome, but it’s not perfect. If you’re experiencing lag or low-quality footage, it’s a sign of poor internet connection. Often the quick fix to this is to move closer to the router or make sure no one in the house is downloading anything large (say like streaming Netflix or downloading a video game). In rare cases you may need to increase your internet speed with your provider.
Sound
This can be a pretty important item that directly correlates to a successful music lesson. Especially for guitar, piano, violin, or other instrument lessons, the teacher will need to hear the instrument clearly. While not necessary, using dedicated headphones with microphones can improve the quality of the lesson since the student will be able to hear better and transmit their instrument’s sound, to. Air pods are great since they have no wires and a great mic.
Get Started with Online Lessons Today
Online music lessons don’t need to intimidate you, and they can be just as productive and fruitful as an in-person lesson. Following these tips will ensure that you’re set up for a great online lesson experience. Contact us today if you are interested in taking online or virtual music lessons so we can get you set up with a great teacher. Our teachers are professional musicians who love to see other students succeed and become musicians, and we’re honored to help on this journey of playing music.
