How to use Skype and other Video Chat Software for online music lessons

There are lots of music teachers out there who are using the internet to deliver music lessons. If you’re a piano, guitar or any other music teacher, even you should consider providing music lessons online.

For Music Teachers

If you’re a proficient piano, guitar player and want to start teaching, may be full time down the line or to earn some extra money, you can consider becoming an online music teacher. Its quite easy to get started and doesn’t require a lot of investment in terms of infrastructure.

Here’s what you need to offer music lessons online:

• You’ll need a webcam and a chat program like Skype. That’s what you need to provide music lessons on the Internet. You could be located anywhere in the world, and your students could be in different part of the world so long as they also have the same setup.
• Your local students will have the option of learning to play online, or they could come to you personally for one-to-one or group lessons.
• As far as the students are concerned, they can get started with the basics and even play simple songs using the resources & videos available on YouTube, but they will definitely need help to learn the right techniques.

Teaching Online: Studio Setup

Here’s what you will need as part of your online music studio as you start your online music teaching business. There’s no need to get overwhelmed with the ‘tech’ part; these are simple gear and getting used to them doesn’t take time.

Here’s what most online music teachers use.

• You will need a good computer and faster internet connection
• You will need Mic and Camera: It may already be a part of your computer (most computers and laptops have these), or else you may have to buy them separately before you can start teaching music online.
• You will need a video chat/conferencing program (Skype or Google Video Chat – both are free)
• Most importantly, you need some means by which you can get paid (especially in the case of international students). PayPal is the most commonly used option the world over. PayPal allows you to accept payments from students across the world, and it’s free to sign up. PayPal does charge a small fee for transactions on PayPal, but then its the most convenient way to accept money from foreign students.

Well, that’s all you need to start imparting music instructions online.

With more and more students preferring this option, its probably time to setup your own online music teaching studio.

Building a virtual studio online is the easier part, but it requires more work to get more students on-board and to maintain relationships with them.

Students Can Learn from Home

If you’re unable to find a music teacher (for learning piano, guitar or any other instrument) who can come over to your house, or if you don’t have the inclination to travel to your piano’teachers place, you may consider using Skype for your Adult Piano Lessons.

Some music teachers nowadays impart music lessons via Skype, which means you can take lessons at your own home, doesn’t matter where in the world you’re located. Skype video conferencing is becoming the go-to teaching medium for many piano teachers, and it works best for adults who’re keen to take piano lessons.

To use Skype, you simply have to download the program, set up a free account, and then either add/accept your students into your contact list.

You can only call or receive calls from people in your contact list, so make sure all your music students have been added before your first lesson begins.

Says a piano teacher, “I began experimenting with the medium in 2008 per a student’s request. I was a bit hesitant at first because I had no idea what to expect or what I would need to make it work. But, once I tried it I realized it was really no different from what I was already doing. Now, I just press the Video button on Skype to invite a student into my home versus opening my front door.” The teacher says that he has taught many of his students via Skype and really praised the benefits of the emerging teaching medium.

Using Skype for Music Lessons

Benefits
Skype video conferencing medium offers the following advantages:

• Convenience
• Flexibility of location and scheduling
• Comfort of a learner’s own space
• No travel time
• No travel budget
• Ability to work theory, analysis, and other concepts together when on the road without a piano
• Access to high-end education even in remote areas
• On-line collaboration and community with other Skype adult learners
• Relationship and fellowship that comes from both teacher and student inviting each other into their respective personal environments
• Because the student does not have to commute back home after the lesson, s/he can practice the exercises/pieces right after the lesson is over, while things are fresh. And that is a big plus. Private students can’t do this if they have to commute home after the lesson

Cons of Using Skype for Music Lessons

• As teachers, you cannot physically work with your students hands/wrists/fingers, while their hands are on the keyboard.
• It also means students will unable to have duet experiences with the music teacher. There are several good beginning method books that have duet parts written for teachers to play along with their students.
• You need good internet connection. In some countries, that would mean while you’re taking lessons, other family members may have to refrain from using the internet, else it could interfere with your experience
• Glitches still happen sometimes with Skype and Google+.
• Although sound quality has become better in recent times, its nowhere close to hearing the student in person (or vice versa).
• No recitals for the students, its practically not possible to get a big audience. Even though ‘group webcam sessions’ could be organized, its a challenge to get a bigger audience for your students.
• Similarly, advanced students who perform concertos will not be able to benefit from their teacher’s free accompanying in recitals, festivals and competitions – they’ll have to hire a separate accompanist.
• No on-the-spot remarks for your student. Teachers cannot mark or comment anything on the students music sheet / book. The teacher can give his/her comments only on email.
• You get to see your student from the same angle. When your student is physically near you, you may be able to see him/her from different angles, which will reveal more about the posture. You will be able to closely see the fingers/thumbs (in case of piano students).
• When a music teacher teaches at a students home, there are several potential distractions – TV playing in another room, siblings running here and there, babies crying, pets intruding in the teaching area. Some of these may apply to Skype/Google students as well.

Despite the limitations, music students should still consider using Skype, because you can get students from around the world, and because its good enough to teach beginner students.

For the students, the main advantage is that its convenient.

How to Set Up Skype
The good thing about using this medium is that the functionality you need from Skype is completely free!

You can set up your Skype software to video conference from your mobile, your tablet, or your laptop.

1. Follow this link and download Skype to the device of your choice: http://www.skype.com
2. Set your device with camera facing where you will be sitting at the piano.

That’s it! Just ask your piano teacher to Skype video call you during your scheduled time and walk you through positioning your device for maximum visual clarity.

Once the correct placement is done, its like you and your music teacher are at the same physical place, and the music lessons should be much more effective.

Have a Backup (Video Chat Software)

Its worth to have a backup (another video conferencing software such as Google Hangouts ) even if you do use Skype. A few years back when Skype made an overhaul to its program, it caused some glitches which made it unstable for nearly a week. Several teachers used Google Hangouts as an alternative during that period and avoided losses in revenue and student loyalty.

Google Hangouts is also a popular video conferencing program that you can use for your online music lessons.

But, in order to access Google Hangouts, you and your student will need to have a Gmail account (in order to use a plugin), which makes it a less popular program compared to Skype.