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ONLINE LESSONS

All private students are expected to follow my studio policies & expectations; they can be viewed here.

Image by Tianyi Ma

I do provide an online option for private lessons. However, I do not recommend this option unless in-person lessons are not a possibility. For starters, students are limited to playing on the instruments available to them at home. Similarly, they are limited to their materials - i.e., I cannot pull out a related text from my shelf to for them to play out of without first scanning the pages and sending them to the student (a waste of lesson time). Teaching a lesson online also complicates my ability to play

alongside the student (due to the sound delay) and limits other music technology I normally utilize. Lastly - technology can be unpredictable at times. All it takes is an internet outage or dead iPad battery and all of a sudden the lesson is over.

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That being said, online lessons in a pinch (bad weather, etc) are better than nothing, and when properly planned can still be quite beneficial to the student. Below I have posted some tips to help make the most out of an online lesson.

 

For more information on my private lesson offerings, please view my Studio Policies & Expectations.

 

For available times, lesson rates, or for more information, please contact me at schadt.ricky@gmail.com.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL ONLINE LESSONS

  • Many devices can utilize video communications apps - however, some work better than others. Smartphones, Tablets, and Computers all can work very well. However, Chromebooks (and other 'netbooks') tend to result in choppy/low-quality video and limits the quality of the feedback I can give a student. iPhones/iPads provide fantastic video quality.
     

  • When doing an online drumset lesson, headphones are recommended so that we can still hear each other talking, even while playing.
     

  • My preferred video communications app is Zoom as it has settings that allow me to get the clearest sound. However, FaceTime (iOS devices only) also works very well.
     

  • If using Zoom, I recommend downloading the app rather than using it in a browser. For best audio quality on a PC or Mac, find the |^| icon in the bottom right corner and select "Audio Settings". When the window pops up, click the "Advanced" button in the bottom right corner. Make sure both "Suppress Persistent Background Noise” & “Suppress Intermittent Background Noise" are both set to "disabled". "Echo Cancellation" should be set to "auto". Lastly, make sure the box next to "Show in-meeting option to "Enable Original Sound" from microphone" is checked. These options are NOT available on mobile devices.
     

  • Place the recording device a moderate distance away from the student; this will help it pick up sound evenly. Placing the device right next to an instrument will sometimes result in 'clipping' (audio becoming distorted/cutting out due to too strong of a signal).
     

  • Try to put the recording device between the student and a light source. Placing the light source behind the student results in a dark, silhouette appearance making it more difficult for me to see the nuances in their playing.
     

  • Have all materials ready and within reach prior to the start of the lesson.

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