Taking lessons online
Student Guide for Online Lessons
We are so proud to have created the world’s first online tuition portal, designed specifically for music. Our portal removes so many barriers that prevent people taking lessons! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about online music lessons. In return, we want to give you the best service and let you know how to have the greatest online learning experience possible In this article, we’ll explore the features inside the portal and give some pointers on what makes a great online lesson!
Contents
Benefits of Online Tuition
Getting Ready for your Online Lesson
Ensure notifications from other apps or messaging platforms are disabled, so no notification messages pop up on your screen, or the sound from these notifications doesn’t disrupt the flow of the lesson. You can also expect your tutor to take the same steps.
Close any tabs in your browser which are not pertinent to the lesson. You might need a tab open for resources but close down anything you won’t need for the lesson. Your tutor will also do the same.
Make sure anyone you share a home with knows you are in a lesson and you are not to be disturbed. The learning environment should be focused on the lesson. The tutor will also strive to take these steps.
As tempting as it is, the fact you can now learn in pyjamas doesn’t mean this is a good idea! Treat the lesson just as you would a face-to-face lesson; be ready ahead of time, (slippers are OK)
Online Lessons with Children? Here is our Advice
As far as possible, take the lesson with a plain background behind you. The same is true of the tutor - a background pertinent to music or a plain background is advised. The advice here is based around not revealing aspects of personal life: A floral wallpaper is not going to cause an issue, pictures of the beach holiday, best avoided.
Our tutors find it reassuring if a parent or guardian is available at the beginning and end of the lesson to check in, say hi, and be sure that the content, purpose and practice material after the lesson is understood.
What to Expect in your Online Lesson
Learning online is different from learning face-to-face. Here’s what you need to know beforehand to plan for a great online lesson!
Turn Taking
Despite the high speed internet connection you and the tutor both have, and regardless of the quality of the technical equipment, a delay in connection and transmission must be expected. This is how it is with all online learning, no matter what platform is used. For that reason your tutor will structure the learning in a way that you “ping-pong” between one another, rather than playing together at the same time.
For example, if you’re working on a passage in the music, the tutor might model it first, before you play it back. Feedback is given on dynamics or tone etc, tutor models again and then you play it once more. Although there are drawbacks to the limitation online (not playing together), I’d be interested to know if you think (as we do) that, overtime, it can encourage more independence and a more rapid progression in most situations.
Connecting with your Tutor
The atmosphere, compared to face-to-face learning will be different. 2 people being in the same space creates an atmosphere. Whilst you can still “tune in” to somebody at a distance, don’t be alarmed if it feels a little strange at first. Connecting with someone without being in the same room is still very achievable. Don’t worry, the atmosphere will develop as you and the tutor both get used to the online environment.
Resources to Support Online Learning
Your tutor may use an online storage facility like Google Drive or Dropbox. This is perfect for online tuition as any resources can be placed in there prior to the lesson and instructions issued on how to use them. Other tutors will look to prepare accompaniments for you, or suggest sheet music resources you’ll need to purchase ahead of the lesson. The screen share feature in the platform will help you focus on any parts an online or print resource which you need help with.
Technical Guide
All you need, at a very basic level is a computer, tablet or phone which can run a browser such as Firefox or Chrome. It is possible to use the inbuilt camera and microphone settings and take a lesson. However, this basic level of audio quality has been, until now, a real drawback in online learning. To make the most of our portal and to give you the best possible experience, some equipment is required.
Headphones and Monitoring
Use headphones instead of the built-in speakers in your computer. They will provide a better sound experience. Headphones that cover your ears fully, will most likely give you a better sound experience than, for instance, a pair of Apple EarPods. Even better is a set of monitors connected to your computer, these needn’t be expensive but will raise the quality of the audio you hear to that of your hi-fi setup at home.
Microphone
Research options for using a different microphone than the in-built option in your computer. Microphones that are built-in are designed for speech, and easily overpowered when singing or playing loudly. There are plenty of low-priced options of USB microphones out there.
External sound card
If you are playing an electrically amplified instrument, or would like to plug in a microphone using XLR cable, we recommended that you use an external audio interface. They can be found in all shapes and price ranges, but it would usually be recommended to choose one with minimum 2 channels, so that it is possible to plug in both a microphone and an instrument.
Camera
Another great feature in the portal is the ability to add more than one camera to your setup. The inbuilt camera in your laptop is most probably fine for eye contact and instruction with your tutor. A second webcam can be focused on your hands, body position, fingerboard or keyboard of the instrument, or even the feet on a drumset. No need to move your computer around, just switch between the two cameras!
Questions about “Online Lessons"
How do I Book my First Online Lesson
How do I Enter the Online Classroom?
I Can't See or Hear Anything!'
What can I do if I Need Help?
How to Find Online Music lessons!
Just type the instrument you're interested in learning into the search bar! All our tutors who offer online lessons will appear with a green banner Online lessons!'
- Online Guitar Lessons
- Online Piano Lessons
- Online Singing lessons
- Online Drum Lessons
- Online Violin Lessons
Contact us
The office team of MusicTutors are all professional musicians and educators. We also believe that we have the best job in the world. We get to spend our day talking to tutors and students across the country about how much they love music and we have helped hundreds of people connect with the perfect, professional tutor for them. We love helping people! Please get in touch with us and tell us your story. 07946125613 Or send us a mail to [email protected]. We can't wait to hear from you!