Which is the Best Gear For Online Music Lessons? – Score Short Reads
As the world has been shut down because of the pandemic, a lot of our daily activities have shifted online. Music lessons have also witnessed a change and there has been a major surge in the number of students signing up for online music lessons over the past few months.
Whether you are a student or a teacher, you will need to be equipped with the right gear in order to participate in successful classes. A lot of people might say “I’ve got a smartphone and a Zoom account.
I’m good to go, right?” While that might cover some ground, you will need to get some more gear in order to participate in fruitful online music lessons.
The good news is that most of our recommendations for online lesson gear are based around using your existing smartphone or tablet as a streaming device. As long as you have a decently modern smartphone or tablet, you are ready to get started. Here is the gear that you need.
Streaming Microphones
A good microphone is critical to getting good sound out of your teaching studio and onto your students’ screens. So it’s best to not just use your device’s inbuilt mic.
Portable Mobile Mixers & Audio Interfaces
Your 8-channel rack interface may sound great in your control room. However, it might not be portable and moving it from room to room will be tough. Hence, you should try to get some portable USB and mobile options that are great for online instructors.
Smartphone Recording Kits
Already have a smartphone, tablet, or camera you can use for filming but no additional gear to pair it with? You should pair them with some awesome recording and video rigs for smartphones and tablets.
Stand-mount Phone/Tablet Holders
Your shot quality is only as good as the location of your camera. Phone/tablet holders mount your device to any standard microphone stand which will help you utilize your studio space to the fullest.
A Good Set of Wireless In-ears
Your studio headphones will work just fine for teaching, as long as you just teach for an hour a day. For a low-profile wireless option that’s rated for hours of comfort, you should look for some nice Bluetooth in-ear monitors.
The ones with single-driver IEMs are perfectly suited to reproduce speech and most instruments (except drums and bass). You get up to 10 hours of operation from a single charge. This should help you through at least the majority of your classes in a day.
A good internet connection
Check your internet speed before you get started to avoid having a slow and choppy connection. Once you know how fast your connection is, compare it to what is recommended for a solid live video lesson experience. A live music class needs good quality streaming in order to be fruitful.
Set up your practice space
To make the most out of your online lesson, set up in your regular practice space. This will help your teacher see you in your element. If your instructor can see your practice space at home, you might be able to receive some crucial tips about improving your practice routine.
This is very important. No matter how fantastic your classes are, unless you practice, you aren’t really going to progress. And it will help you set up for the best practice sessions between your music lessons. Ideally, you should be set up in a quiet and distraction-free space.
Try to get a comfortable chair that’s suitable for music practice. If you are learning guitar, you are better off with a chair that doesn’t have arms. However, remember to avoid chairs with wheels and swivels.
