Online Piano Lessons

Online lessons are often the way to go these days. They are best for adults and older or accompanied kids. Little kids need a bit of parental help to navigate the online experience. But the benefits outweigh the effort! With online lessons you will:

• stay safe
• avoid traffic
• save money
• save time

Discover the convenience and effectiveness of online piano lessons! While you might be accustomed to in-person lessons, you’ll find that our online sessions offer the same level of personalized instruction and attention to detail. With live video lessons, interactive learning tools, and the flexibility to schedule lessons at your convenience, you’ll experience the joy of learning piano from the comfort of your own home. Join me and begin a musical journey that’s just as enriching and rewarding as traditional lessons!

The Lowdown on Online Piano Lessons

The Learning:

Thanks to technology, we can accomplish everything we need to at an online lesson just like an in-person lesson. If we can see each other and we share the same sheet music, those are the basics. Beyond that, I have a camera for my hands so I can demo for you. If you have a way of playing background music tracks outside of the computer, that’s a plus as well.

The Technology:

• Platforms:
  • Zoom:
    • Zoom has a 40 minute limit, so this is only for beginners doing a 30 minute lesson.
    • Zoom is best when used on a computer so you can engage Original Sound.
  • Muzie:
    • Muzie requires Chrome, but has an app for each device like tablets and phones. It’s a platform meant for music, so the settings we need are automatic.
  • Rock Out Loud:
    • This one is new to me, but I hear it is akin to Zoom. More on this soon when I know more.
• Connection:
  • Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet — Of course, wired ethernet is a much more secure connection. Many of my students use Wi-Fi with very few problems. Only the speed of a student’s connection has presented problems in the past. You can do a Speed Test to make sure you’re above 20-30 Megabytes per second at minimum whether you are wired or not.
• You Hearing Me:
  • Make sure you’re in a quiet space
  • Built-in speakers work just fine; headphones might be even better
• Me Hearing You:
  • The internal microphone does work great in most cases; an external might be a nice investment at some point.
  • Please — no television or chatting in the background. Please be in a quiet space. When we engage Original Sound, which is required, every single background noise comes through to me.
• Your Camera:
  • You should put your camera a little above the keys and pointed down at your hands. This can be difficult with an iPad or iPhone because once you tilt down — it just falls! A laptop is ideal because it can tilt without drama. Or you can get a phone or table holder. Just make sure that it has a clip so it doesn’t fall forward when you tilt it down.
  • I generally prefer a view from your right, close enough to see — which is about 3 feet.
• My Cameras:
  • Face Camera: On my end, there is a face camera which is what you’ll see most. Aren’t you lucky??
  • Hand Camera: For demo purposes, I have a separate camera in case you need to see a technique in action on the piano itself.