Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

How and what to teach and learn.
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Bach5G
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Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by Bach5G »

I am aiming at taking some lessons. Is any one of Zoom, Skype or FaceTime better than the others?

Do I need a better camera than what is in my laptop? If yes, any recommendations?
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Burgerbob
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by Burgerbob »

Camera doesn't matter so much, audio matters much more. I prefer Zoom, but Skype is fine as well.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
FOSSIL
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by FOSSIL »

I prefer Zoom. You can mess around with equipment and not get too far....best way to get a lesson is to pre record your performance and send it to the teacher you have selected. The live session can be used to discuss what you have done and play bits again. Has worked well with my students.

Chris
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by GabrielRice »

Zoom, but you need to have very fast, very stable internet on both sides. The best way is to plug in via an ethernet cable. If you can't do that, get as close to the wifi router as you possibly can.

And then you need to adjust the audio and advanced audio settings so that it doesn't interpret sustained sound as background noise and suppress it. There is a lot of information on how to do that out there. Initially you could only do this on the desktop/laptop version, but now these settings are accessible on ios for iphones and ipads. I don't think they're available for Android phones or tablets.

And then you can't expect to get into subtleties of tone color. A good external mic can help a little, and you can do better if you pre-record as Chris suggests, but there's no substitute for live to get to that level of detail. That doesn't mean there isn't a lot that can be accomplished! I can't hear every detail of a student's sound, but I can hear inconsistencies. And I can certainly hear intonation ;-)
Bach5G
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by Bach5G »

Ok. Good. Thanks.
Jelconga
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by Jelconga »

Can anyone recommend a good online teacher for beginning Adult player wanting guidance on my embouchure? Thanks!
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BGuttman
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by BGuttman »

Jelconga wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:30 pm Can anyone recommend a good online teacher for beginning Adult player wanting guidance on my embouchure? Thanks!
Get in touch with Doug Elliott. He does Skype lessons and is an embouchure guru.
Bruce Guttman
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Doug Elliott
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by Doug Elliott »

I recently did a lesson with an adult total beginner and got him off to a good start. It may seem extravagant to start that way, but early success makes a huge difference.

I use Skype and Zoom.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
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Re: Lessons via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime.

Post by Vegasbound »

Jelconga wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:30 pm Can anyone recommend a good online teacher for beginning Adult player wanting guidance on my embouchure? Thanks!
Have a lesson with Doug Elliott, will save you dollars and tears over the next year or so
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