Teaching music lessons online has become increasingly popular in recent years, and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption. During the lockdowns, the video conferencing platform, Zoom, became widely known and is now one of the most popular online music lesson tools. Online music lesson offer flexibility and convenience that traditional in-person lessons cannot match, but this article does not aim to debate online music lessons versus in-person music lessons. What’s best for one person may not be best for another. However, if you are a music teacher who does not offer online music lessons, you’re likely missing out on potential students. If you do teach online music lessons or plan to in the future, it is essential to get familiar with Zoom.
Is it still important to have online music lessons after the COVID pandemic?
Many music teachers were forced to teach online during the pandemic due to restrictions. Although most music teachers tend to prefer in-person teaching, online music lessons still have a significant place in the music education industry and are likely to continue growing in popularity. Consider a hypothetical scenario of a typical parent with two children taking piano lessons.
With in-person lessons, the parent spends around 30 minutes just driving to and from the teacher’s studio, plus additional time for waiting and switching between their children. This results in the parent spending about 1 hour and 40 minutes for both children to receive just 30 minutes of piano instruction.
On the other hand, with online piano lessons, the parent can help one child with homework while the other has a lesson and then switch. Each child gets 30 minutes of piano instruction, and the parent doesn’t have to spend any extra time driving or waiting.
Even if music teachers prefer in-person lessons, it’s important to recognize that many busy parents prefer online lessons for their convenience. To adapt, music teachers should incorporate online lessons into their schedules, even if they prefer traditional face-to-face music lessons. With repetition, teachers will get more comfortable with online teaching and attract more music students by teaching music online.
Why choose Zoom for teaching online music lessons?
Zoom isn’t the only online meeting application used for music lessons, but it might be the best. Here are ten reasons Zoom may be the best choice for teaching remote music lessons.
- Convenience: Zoom makes it easier for private music teachers to conduct lessons from the comfort of their own homes, saving them the time and effort of traveling to their student’s location. It also allows for more flexibility in scheduling lessons, which can be particularly helpful for students with busy schedules.
- Increased Reach: With Zoom, private music teachers can reach students beyond their local area, expanding their potential client base and reach. Teachers could market to students in other time zones to fill up their schedules better. This can lead to increased business opportunities and revenue.
- Improved Engagement: Zoom’s interactive features, such as screen sharing, virtual whiteboards, and chat, can make lessons more engaging and interactive for music students, helping them to stay focused and motivated during the music lesson.
- Recording Capability: Zoom allows private music teachers to record their lessons, which can be a helpful tool for both the student and the teacher. Students can review the lesson material at their own pace, and teachers can use the recordings to evaluate student progress and adjust their teaching methods accordingly.
- Reduced Expenses: Using Zoom for online music lessons can be more cost-effective for private music teachers as they can save money on transportation, rental of a teaching space, and other expenses associated with in-person lessons. This might be a great approach for music teachers to start teaching instead of trying to start a music school right away.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Zoom works seamlessly across multiple devices, including PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android devices, allowing teachers and students to connect from anywhere on any device.
- Collaborative Learning: Zoom allows for interactive collaboration between teachers and students, enabling them to work together in real-time, share files, and even co-create music. This can enhance the learning experience and help music students stay motivated and engaged.
- Free Plan: Zoom offers a free plan that includes essential features needed for most music lessons, such as 40-minute meetings and screen-sharing capabilities. This can be a cost-effective option for private music teachers who may not need all the advanced features of the paid plans.
- Easy to Use: Zoom’s user-friendly interface and intuitive features make it easy for private music teachers to set up and conduct online music lessons. It also provides a virtual waiting room for students, allowing the teacher to control when they join the meeting, ensuring privacy and security.
- Easy Scheduling: Zoom allows private music teachers to schedule recurring music lessons. The platform allows teachers to save invitations for recurring meetings, eliminating the need to send a new invitation for each lesson. This feature is particularly helpful for music teachers with regular students who must schedule multiple music lessons in advance.
Zoom alternatives for music lessons
Zoom isn’t the only online music lesson platform that music teachers can use for teaching online. We reviewed the pros and cons of popular online music lesson platforms in another article. Without getting into detail, some Zoom alternatives for online music lessons include:
- Google Meet: a video conferencing tool provided by Google that allows up to 100 participants in a meeting.
- Skype: a widely used platform for video calls that allows users to share their screen and record the session.
- FaceTime: a video and audio calling service exclusive to Apple devices that supports up to 32 participants in a call.
- Microsoft Teams: a platform for online collaboration that includes video conferencing and screen-sharing features.
- Cisco Webex: a platform for video conferencing that allows up to 100 participants and includes features such as screen sharing and file sharing.
While there are several Zoom alternatives for music lessons, Zoom is probably the easiest to use. A big benefit that Zoom has going for it is that it doesn’t matter what kind of device each person has. Zoom works with Macs and PCs. You can use a phone, iPad, or other tablets, so you don’t need to worry about your student’s device. Millions of young people were educated on Zoom in 2020 when the pandemic lockdowns occurred, so students will likely know how to use it already. When this article was written, Zoom was free for a 40-minute meeting, which is typically long enough for most music lessons. If you teach more than 40 minutes, you’d need the Pro Plan, which is very affordable.
How do I teach a music lesson using Zoom?
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to initiate a Zoom meeting with a music student.
Step 1: Download and Install Zoom
The first step is downloading and installing the Zoom application on your computer or mobile device. The Zoom app is available for free and can be downloaded from the Zoom website or app store. After downloading, install the app and create a Zoom account.
Step 2: Schedule a Meeting
After creating a Zoom account, schedule a meeting with your music student. You can schedule a one-time meeting or a recurring meeting for multiple sessions. When scheduling the meeting, choose the appropriate time and date that works for both you and your student. You can also choose to enable video and audio for the meeting.
Step 3: Send Invitation
Once the meeting is scheduled, Zoom will generate a unique meeting ID and password that you can share with your music student. You can send the invitation via email, text message, or any other communication method you prefer. MusicTeacherNotes provides a very easy way for teachers to share their Zoom invitations with their students. Ensure that you provide clear instructions on how to access the meeting, including the meeting ID and password.
Step 4: Prepare for the Meeting
Before the meeting, prepare your teaching materials, such as sheet music, instrument, and any other resources needed for the lesson. Ensure that your internet connection is stable and that your camera and microphone are working correctly.
Step 5: Start the Meeting
At the scheduled time, open the Zoom app and click on the “Join Meeting” button. Enter the meeting ID and password, and click on “Join.” Once you and your music student have joined the meeting, ensure that your video and audio settings are correctly configured, and begin the lesson.
Step 6: Conduct the Lesson
During the lesson, use Zoom’s interactive features, such as screen sharing, virtual whiteboard, and chat, to engage your music student. Share your screen to show your music student any teaching materials or demonstrations you have prepared. Use the virtual whiteboard to write down notes, highlight important sections of the music, or illustrate techniques. The chat feature can be used to answer any questions your music student may have during the lesson.
Step 7: End the Meeting
Once the lesson is over, end the meeting by clicking on the “End Meeting” button. You can choose to save the recording of the lesson, which can be helpful for your music student to review the lesson material at their own pace.
Tips for Teaching Music Lessons on Zoom
While teaching music over Zoom may seem daunting at first, it has proven to be an effective tool for many music teachers and students. Here are some tips for using Zoom for music lessons:
Ensure a stable internet connection
A stable internet connection is essential for a successful online music lesson. Make sure that you have a reliable internet connection and that your bandwidth is sufficient for streaming audio and video. If you experience connection issues during the lesson, try to troubleshoot the issue before the next lesson.
Use a high-quality microphone
The sound quality of your lesson is important, so make sure to use a high-quality microphone. A USB condenser microphone is a good option for most people, but a headset with a built-in microphone can also work well.
Adjust your camera position
Make sure that your camera is positioned so that your student can see you and your instrument clearly. If you’re using a laptop, try propping it up so that the camera is at eye level. This will give your student a more natural perspective of your playing position.
Share your screen
Sharing your screen is a great way to show your student sheet music, scales, or other resources. You can also use a virtual whiteboard to draw out examples and explain concepts visually.
Make use of the chat feature
The chat feature in Zoom is a great way to communicate with your student during the lesson. You can use it to send links to resources, ask questions, or provide feedback.
Use the recording feature
Zoom has a recording feature that allows you to record your lesson. This can be a great tool for students to review the material covered in the lesson, or for you to assess your own teaching.
Keep the lesson engaging
Keeping students engaged during an online lesson can be challenging, but there are ways to make it more interesting. Try incorporating games, exercises, and other interactive elements into your lesson to keep your student engaged and motivated.
Use in conjunction with MusicTeacherNotes
MusicTeacherNotes is an online platform that allows you to manage your music lessons and communicate with your students. One of its features is the ability to save your Zoom invitations in the student’s lesson view so that they don’t have to search for the email you sent. The student can see the Zoom link in their own MusicTeacherNotes account. This makes it easy for them to join the lesson without having to search for the invitation.
Conclusion
Teaching music lessons online with Zoom offers flexibility, convenience, and a valuable teaching tool for music educators. While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption, it is likely to be a part of teaching music for the foreseeable future. Zoom is a popular video conferencing platform that offers a user-friendly experience for music teachers and students alike. By following some basic setup tips and using Zoom’s scheduling feature, you can easily teach music lessons online.
In addition, using a platform like MusicTeacherNotes can further streamline your online teaching experience by allowing you to manage your lessons and communicate with your students in one place. By incorporating these tips into your online music lessons, you can create an effective and efficient learning experience for your students.
Do you want to get more students and grow your music teaching business?