How do I set up Zoom for music lessons?
A fundamental pillar of good online music lessons is getting the Zoom settings adjusted to prioritize sound quality. Happily most of that happens on the host side (mine), but for the rest of it I’ve made some platform specific videos and checklists.
If you’re working on a PC or Mac (a full operating system), click here for a checklist (note: as of 8/26/21 the verbiage for original sound has changed to show ‘Original Sound: On’ when it’s on), and here for a video walkthrough. If you’re working with a mobile device (iOS/Android) the checklist is here, and the video here.
When it comes to actually getting the angles right, I suggest the student have an iPad/laptop they can keep in front of them for seeing me/having eye contact, as well as some other device to the side as I demonstrate in this video.
What’s the right age to start lessons?
Common ages range from five to nine years old. Having given the quick
answer, the more precise answer is that there is no right age, so much
as markers of interest.
- Do they like to sing?
- Do they enjoy patterns?
- Do they pay attention to music you play at home?
- Do you hear them humming to themselves as they play?
- If you play an instrument, are they interested when you do?
If you answered yes to most of those, now may be a good time to introduce regular music lessons, regardless of age. If you’d like to learn more, I suggest starting with this article from PBS.
Is it too late to learn?
Emphatically, categorically, no!
Music is a natural part of human communication, our best means for pure emotional communication, and we all have the capacity to express ourselves.
The main barrier any of us face, young or old, is that of actually carving out the time in your days to practice. If you can steal even half an hour from your day to practice with intent, five days a week, you can make greater gains than you’d ever dream at any age.
How can I encourage my child’s interest in music?
Surround them with music. It’s more or less that simple. Sing in the
shower, while you’re driving, or wherever really. Play music. Recordings or otherwise. Ask them what they hear, what they like, what they’d change. If you can play an instrument, do it around them. If you can’t, consider learning. Take lessons together at very early ages, and it’ll be easier to help down the line! Make space to answer their questions, show them what you’re doing.
We all learn to speak some language or another because everyone else is doing it so I want to also, says the child within (and Shinichi Suzuki, more or less). Music is a language, give them a reason (or even the idea) to speak, and you’ve done most of what you could hope to do to influence the flow of things.
What do I need to start?
To begin with, you’ll need a keyboard, digital or acoustic, a computer
with an internet connection capable of running Zoom, and a USB mic. I
highly recommend watching this video for a couple suggestions that offer a good balance of quality and cost. Otherwise, if the keyboard is digital it should be full sized, with weighted keys and at least one pedal. For reference, I currently use this Roland model for my online lessons.
Depending on your budget, what you already have, and where you are in your musical journey there are a million other ways to optimize the
experience past what I’ve described above. If you’re unsure of how to
begin, please contact me and I’ll be more than happy to help you
navigate the process of pulling it all together.
Do you do in person lessons/tutoring?
Due to COVID-19, I do not currently offer in person lessons or tutoring. Having said that, there are many aspects of the online experience worth celebrating! Beyond the sudden reclamation of time spent shuttling to and from lessons, scheduling has become significantly more flexible, and the ability to personalize follow up in the beginning stages of the learning experience has never been more robust. Recitals are suddenly international affairs, and life changes such as moving aren’t such certain ends to the relationships we build.
So far as tutoring in particular goes, the whiteboard function within
Zoom is a revelation when it comes to working through complicated
material clearly and interactively.
Do I need to pay for Zoom?
Nope! You do need an account, which you can sign up for here. Otherwise all the rest of it should be handled on my side. With music students in particular there will be a touch more setup to optimize for music rather than speech, but as with everything else on here I’ll be more than happy to help you navigate the extra dotting and crossing, so to speak.
How is your billing setup?
Billing runs through a service called FONS, for which you can make a profile here.