Online Piano Lessons

how it happened

Before 2020, all of my piano teaching was in person. Students would come to my house regularly to show their progress, receive feedback, and plan for the future. When the whole world seemed to be rocked by COVID-19, I was forced to reimagine how teaching piano students would look now that we had to do it online. We started with a very basic setup, just using what we had on hand to maintain the teaching connection. When it became obvious that we would need to maintain online lessons for the long-term, I started researching how to create an ideal configuration for communication and musical excellence. This took place over time, gradually developing into the full-fledged online teaching studio it is today.  Students receive verbal, visual, and written input throughout the lesson; my 2 camera system with notes helps them to see and understand what I’m exampling, and the notes on screen give clarity to specific instructions, also serving as the template for their written assignments via e-mail after the lesson. Customized audio settings in Zoom (our chosen medium for online lessons) help to maintain consistency and minimize distractions. My USB microphone has directional vocal pickup and a dedicated instrument signal from my keyboard workstation, which helps provide clean sounds and high-quality audio.

What to expect

While we can certainly thrive as musicians in this environment, there are some challenges unique to it. Firstly, expect some latency on the call. This means that there will be a delay in communication between sides, so we both need to give some extra time for after someone finishes playing or speaking; and also give some space after we finish to allow for a response. Secondly, understand that the audio of the call is essentially one-way; when one person makes a sound, it cancels out the audio from the other side. This means that you won’t be able to hear me if you’re playing in the background or if there’s substantial background noise in your end, so be sure to limit noise while your teacher is sharing. Thirdly, recognize that some technological hiccups are to be expected, such as the video momentarily freezing or odd echoes for a phrase. We can’t entirely eliminate those errors, but the better we setup, the better we’ll be able to minimize them.

How to prepare

Just as house lessons require specific preparations, online lessons have their own prerequisites.

First of all, students and parents should manage the layout so that they can be seen and heard. Position the camera to the right of the piano, facing down the length of the keys, and make sure both the student’s head and hands are visible throughout the lesson. This will help me to see and hear you well.

Next, you may need to make an equipment purchase. The most essential item is a good microphone, since that determines the level of sound fidelity through lessons. Other items may be lights, cameras, or even computer devices. You may also need to upgrade your internet service to support a consistent quality of connection. I’m available to make recommendations based on your setup and budget.

After that, we should talk about scheduling. Please plan to restart your broadcast device approximately an hour before your lesson time, as this will help it run more smoothly. Sign in to Zoom approximately 15 minutes before your lesson, which will allow for time in case an update is needed. And join the lesson meeting approximately 5 minutes before your lesson time; that way you can be ready to go once our time begins.

Finally, remember that maintaining focus is harder online than in person. It takes longer to communicate ideas, and it’s easier to be distracted. Your results will scale based on your attention in lessons and quality in practice, so invest for the product you want.