Online Music Lessons — Equipment Setup for an Optimal Experience

You’re starting online music lessons…YAY! 

Prior to COVID, most people depended on Facetime and Skype for online communication, meetings, and conferences. But what works for talking isn’t necessarily the best option for accurately projecting the sounds of musical instruments or even singing voices.

To ensure the optimal online music lesson experience, let’s make sure your technical equipment and services are set up correctly. Use the information below as a checklist prior to your lessons to avoid frustration and establish a good foundation for all your lessons to come.

Internet Bandwidth — Do You Have Enough?

How much bandwidth (the capacity at which a network can transmit data) do you have in your home? Enough to support online music lessons?

Fortunately, there are number of internet options available for your home these days:

• The Best of the Bunch. For high quality transmission and fast reliable service, a hardwired internet option works best. These include cable or fiber (though the latter isn’t always available in every community.)
• An Older Option. DSL uses existing copper telephone lines to transmit data. While DSL can provide fast speeds, its quality can vary depending on the distance from your service provider’s facility and the condition of the copper wires.
• Look Ma…No Wires. Wireless services, including satellite or HotSpots, may offer large and fast packages, but can also be more impacted by weather conditions than hardwired services.

Avoiding Freezing, Glitches, and Other Annoyances

Screen glitches and frozen screens (especially if you’re making a weird face when it freezes) can be annoying and embarrassing. One way to avoid that is to make sure there’s not a lot of competition for bandwidth in your home. 

• Too Many Devices? Multiple devices streaming at the same time as your online music lesson can compromise the quality of your learning experience. Make sure that additional computers, TVs, gaming systems, and other WiFi devices are minimized or logged off during your lessons.
• How Will I Know? Glitching, freezing, or even dropping your lesson connection are all symptoms of inadequate bandwidth. 
• What Should I Do? If you’re struggling to maintain a quality connection, your instructor may turn off their video feed to lessen the load. We may even suggest an audio only lesson if the problem persists, but this is not always a good option. Finally, we’ve found that in some situations, cycling or even upgrading modem routers will correct connection issues.

Technical Equipment — Why Quality Matters

What type of device will you use for your online music lesson? A smart phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer? These are all fine. The only difference between them is the size of your screen. In the case of online music lessons, we feel the larger the screen the better for seeing details in your instructor’s demonstrations.

Quality microphones and cameras are important for clear communication. Consider the following when you’re choosing which device you’ll be using:

• Phones and Tablets. These devices typically have better cameras, especially if they’re rear-facing cameras. Unfortunately, their microphones are universally inferior, often cheap, and when they fail, the device owner isn’t always aware of it. A plug and play microphone that fits into the charging port will ensure your instructor is hearing the true sound of your playing as well as your breathing.
• Laptops and Desktops. For laptops and desktops, there are plug and play cameras with microphones available that can greatly improve video and sound quality. For advanced woodwind players, we recommend a separate microphone for improved sound.
• Device Holders. You’ll want to make sure your equipment is stable for the best audio and video capture, so you should consider using a device holder. There are some tablet and phone holders that clip onto desks or music stands, while plug and play cameras sometimes come with their own clip or tripod. 

Zoom Settings — Skip the Fancy Features

Once you’ve got your WiFi and device lined up, it’s time to make sure your Zoom settings are optimized. 

• Skip the Web Browser. We recommend you download the Zoom app directly to your device. You’ll find It functions much better than the online portal.
• Check Your Audio Settings. After you log in to Zoom, you’ll want to check your audio and video settings. We cover how to adjust your Zoom settings in detail on our website. You can also reference our YouTube videos for tablet and phone Zoom settings or laptop and desktop Zoom settings to ensure your original audio is on and enabled.
• Take a Look at Your Video Settings. If you have an external plug and play camera, you’ll need to be sure that the tracking feature is turned off and that Zoom is using the correct camera. Additionally, Zoom video settings offer a variety of options such as backgrounds, filters, and avatars. While those can be fun to play with at other times, your online music lesson is not the place for them. The “blur background” setting in particular can be problematic as it interferes with our ability to see everything except you. Even your instrument will be blurred out! 

Student View Versus Instructor View — A Mug-Free Zone

During your lesson, it really isn’t necessary for you to see your screen while you’re playing. It is helpful, however, to set it up so that you can face the screen for instructions, demonstrations, or questions for your instructor. 

• Removing the Mugging Temptation. Parents may wish to turn off the self-view option for their student, especially early learners. This removes the temptation for the student to watch themselves or make faces rather than pay attention to the instructor speaking or demonstrating techniques for them. This also helps with students who may feel anxiety about their on-camera image, like pre-teens and teens.
• Getting the Big Picture. As instructors, our view must include both the student and their instrument. With piano students, we prefer a side angle that displays the full keyboard as well as the student’s shoulders, arms, and hands. An angled view is best for flute and saxophone players, while a more straight on view is preferred for clarinet, oboe, and shakuhachi. Of course, we’ll help with setting up the ideal view during your first lesson.

Be Camera Ready — No Jammies Please

Regardless of a student’s age, they should be dressed appropriately for their lesson. Of course, we understand that our students are at home, but please:

• No Dance Outfits, Swimwear, or Pjs. You wouldn’t wear a bathing suit or your Spiderman costume to school, now would you?
• We Want You To Be Comfy and To Be You. We only ask that you dress as you would in public.

Let’s Get Started!

We’re so excited to begin your online music lesson journey and we hope you are too! Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions! We can’t wait to see…and hear…you!