Student Requirements For Live Online Lessons
In order to take online lessons students will need the following.
Free Lesson
- A laptop Tablet or Desktop Computer that can use zoom and has a camera or a separate camera.
- A microphone if the camera does not have one built-in.
- A piano or keyboard
- A phone can be used and would need to be set up at around head level to view the keys and students.
- An email address if the student does decide to continue with lessons
Lessons
Before taking lessons a few things need to be put in place these are quite simple.
- A pencil
- A book that was advised to you during your free lesson and in the email you received afterward.
- Do not join and pay until you have everything in place and have agreed to the first lesson time and date with me.
Lessons
Lessons are delivered using Zoom through a link you will be given before each lesson.
- The lessons will feature Me facing you with a view of my face and the keyboard’s keys.
- If possible, your camera should be set up to provide a similar view, to my view below. OR a sideways view from high up looking downwards. Two cameras can be set up by using a switch, Manycam, or OBS to feed into zoom. However, the more complicated your setup is. It can distract from learning the piano. The less tech the more relaxed the lesson will be.
This is the ideal view for a student’s camera with a Keyboard.Me
For a piano, this view is not possible. A high side position showing you and the piano keys is the best position.
The microphone position may need to be tested in a few places to achieve the best pick up position. alternatively, see the last paragraph for an alternative method.
Your guiding rule should be to keep things as simple as possible.
Quite a few students have set up two mobile phones or computers. One pointing at them and another pointing at the keys and their hands. The two devices are then both connected separately to Zoom. In this way, I can see both screens at the same time. This is a good method and doesn’t cost anything extra.
