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After a couple of lessons, this is the setup I've settled on (as student). The iPad on the tripod runs Skype and has an external mic attached to it. The music stand is sturdy enough to hold a laptop computer at a useful hight for music that's not printed out. The ceiling is low, but it's too hot to do this outside, and I've tried at least stay away from the walls.

Do you have any tips for what setups can help get he most out of remote lessons (from either end)?

I use a webcam on the end of a selfie stick with a tripod base. My monitor is on the other side of the room (65" TV) so I can move around the tripod where ever I need it. So far so good, but it sure does help when students have decent Mics. Some of the phone mics are just trash

My biggest challenge is not spending the first 15 mins with the student fiddling with the software on their end. Zoom has settings to automatically adjust mic volume by default which have to be turned off. But even then Zoom seems to overload the audio. PC laptops have typically horrible built in microphones. So I have had to downshift the student to using Facetime on their iDevice, since the mic on an iPhone is generally ok and Facetime doesnt seem to mess up the audio. The downside is the student is usually too close to the device and I cant see them play.

I think its too much to ask even in these hi tech times for a student to have a "good" mic and a setup where that mic can connect to their computer equipment. The most I would really expect would be some USB mic but not everyone is going to have that.

And then theres the space they are in, its hard to get a sense even with a good mic of the presence of their tone, which is why having a good view of them playing helps to sort of complete the picture a bit.

All in all I would say remote lessons can be useful, they are lessons, you can hear someone play and give musical instruction.

But, "is it good?". I would say not really. Its better than nothing. I would put it up there with chess by mail.

One more thing. Dynamics are practically non existent over zoom, regardless of mic settings

LeMark wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:33 am One more thing. Dynamics are practically non existent over zoom, regardless of mic settings

I've been using Facebook Messenger for my bi-weekly lessons. Seems to work well, and my teacher and I don't seem to have any issues yet.

Not a bad idea, but not many of my students are on Facebook

My teacher asked me if I had it and I do happen to. It works well and he says he can hear dynamics, but I won't claim anything.

My teacher says he can hear dynamics pretty well over Skype, with an iPad and plug-in mic on my end. But I can't hear dynamics from his end, whatever he's using. Part of it may be that the external mic has control software that lets you set levels instead of using automatic gain control.

LeMark wrote: ↑Mon Aug 31, 2020 10:33 am One more thing. Dynamics are practically non existent over zoom, regardless of mic settings

Even with “Use Original Sound”?

Do you use headphones?

Yes even with original sound. I use the sound system attached to my TV. I teach lessons in my den using the TV as a Computer monitor

Cats are essential to home productivity, of course!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

jonesbrass wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:35 am Cats are essential to home productivity, of course!

She frequently sits next to me and looks attentive. As if she enjoys it. But maybe she just hopes I'll take the hint and move on to something quieter.

There has been a recent update to Zoom which offers better sound for music. You must first update Zoom (Google it if you don't know how) and make sure that auto mic volume adjustment is unchecked and the background noise suppression is set to low. In advanced audio settings there will be a High fidelity music mode that you can check. I taught a lesson this afternoon to a student who was using a budget USB mic and the sound was much improved. Not the sound of a motorcycle race that we sometimes hear.