09/03/2020 06:32 PM
During the pandemic, many of our students have moved to online lessons. The transition from in-person lessons to virtual lessons can be awkward. But, here are some quick tips to help you get the most out of your online music lessons!
CHOOSE THE RIGHT CAMERA ANGLE
To give helpful instructions during an online lesson, your teacher needs to see exactly how you’re playing. Different instruments will need to use different camera angles.
Voice students should make sure the camera captures the entire upper body. Pianists should position the camera from the side so that the teacher can see both hands. A violinist or guitar student should make sure the angle is wide enough to capture both the fingering hand, and the strumming or bowing hand.
ASK QUESTIONS
Sometimes, instructions may not be as clear in a digital lesson as they might be in person. Remember that it’s always okay to ask for clarification, or a demonstration.
Your teacher will be able to give you an example of how they want you to play!
LEARN THE LINGO
The best way to understand what your teacher is asking you to do is to make sure you know the vocabulary of music. Your teacher will use measure numbers, phrase markings, and other terms to tell you where they want you to start & stop, and how they want you to play.
Ask your teacher for a quick refresher on music vocabulary to make sure you know what they’re asking you to do.
TAKE NOTES
When your teacher gives you an assignment to work on or tips on how to fix a section of music, make sure to write it down. It can be difficult to remember instructions days later.
Keeping a practice list, or assignment notebook is a great way to keep track of what you need to practice, and how to fix a recurring problem.
PRACTICE SMALL
Usually, the best way to practice isn’t playing a piece of music from start to finish. Focus your practice on the parts of the piece that you frequently miss. Practicing a difficult passage several times in a row will do more to improve the piece overall than practicing the same piece from start to finish, and you can do it in a fraction of the time.
If you need help identifying what parts of a piece of music need the most practice, ask your teacher. They can help you break the piece into smaller sections so that you can isolate and fix problems.
SET CLEAR GOALS
The goal of lessons is to learn how to be a better musician. But the goal of an individual lesson can be more specific. In every lesson, set a practice goal for the week. For example: “This week my goal is to learn measures 9-16.”
Setting a specific, achievable goal will help you measure progress during practice time, keep you focused on what to practice, and accelerate the timeline for learning the entire piece of music.
For more tips on how to get the most out of online lessons, check out these 5 Tips for Practicing More Effectively.
To get advice on how long you should be practicing, check out this blog post from our teacher Nick F.
Still need help adjusting to music lessons in the virtual world? Sign up for lessons with one of our teachers!