Make the Most of Your Online Lessons

Online lessons are a great way to continue your musical journey in a convenient and safe way, especially during lockdown. Here are a few tips to get you started or improve your online lesson experience.

Your device

To make the most of your Zoom or Skype lessons, the first thing you’ll need is a device to use the Zoom app on. I like using a laptop as it’s easy to see each other and see any information shared on screen. A tablet is great too, and if nothing else, a phone works just fine. 

A second device

The second device is a great way to play backing tracks to sing to. When you play them from the same device that is running Zoom, it can muffle the sound of your singing. Having another device with your backing track and taking a step back from the microphone really helps your teacher hear your singing more clearly.

Sound settings

The standard Zoom settings are not designed for music teaching. There are two things you can do in your Zoom preferences/settings that will improve your musical experience, where you’ll be able to hear and be heard when you’re playing or singing. 

 From the Audio Settings Panel in Zoom:

Suppress Background Noise: 

🔘 Select Low (faint background sound)

Music and Professional Audio:

✔️ Tick Show in-meeting option to enable original audio

✔️ Tick High-fidelity music mode

✔️ Tick Echo cancellation

 If you’d like to learn more about why these settings exist, you can read more here.

Lesson space

Make sure you’re in a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. This might sound obvious, but it can be very hard to concentrate with others in the room, even if they are being quiet. 

If you can’t find a private space, try using headphones as this can help with focus.

Prepare

Make sure you have all of your music, your second device, and a pen and piece of paper handy to take any notes. If you’re singing, have some water nearby. 

Make sure your instruments are tuned. If you’re singing, do a quick warm up to get your voice ready. 

You don’t want to use your music lesson time finding or preparing these things.

And, most of all

Enjoy that we can continue learning and growing using this amazing technology!