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Archive for online classes

Keeping Music Alive During the Pandemic

It’s going to take more than a global pandemic to stop the music.

In early March when the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak, numerous videos went viral across social media in which musicians and singers in Italy were seen sharing musical performances from their balconies.

Since then, musicians worldwide were forced to adapt to social distancing regulations by flexing their musical muscles online. Music teachers had to re-think their strategy to provide effective music lessons for students while being apart.

For some areas of business, taking their expertise online has been challenging. For music lovers and teachers alike, new challenges brought upon new opportunities.

Girl and women playing the piano

Because so many people have had free time to learn a new hobby or rekindle an old passion, many turned to music. This led numerous Canadian stores to see a significant spike in purchases of musical instruments.

Although adapting to teaching music online was challenging at first, music teachers have embraced technology such as Zoom to keep their business alive and share their passion with so many eager students.  There were some students that had to discontinue due to this change, causing some financial challenges, however, on the flip side, teaching music online is a great way to reach out to a new demographic of people who may not have had the time to learn music before the pandemic.    

Online lessons are a great way to fill your time because it will allow you to practise a new skill while releasing endorphins from the sound of music. This can put you in a more positive frame of mind. Personalized online lessons will allow you to learn from the comfort of your own home with more convenient times in place to schedule a lesson. Less time spent on commuting to and from real-life classes also means that there’s more time to find creative ways to play and practise at home.

Thanks to social distancing, both students and veteran musicians have brushed up their musical skills.  Many music teachers have commented on how much better their students have been doing since March 2020.  Artists are now performing live streams for their fans on Instagram and Tik Tok, and with extra time on their hands, many artists were able to create entire albums for fans during quarantine. We encourage fans to purchase music produced by your favourite artists to help support them. 

There’s no doubt that the global pandemic has changed people’s lives all over the world, but at least one silver lining was found for many during the hours spent at home and that’s sharing the joy of music.

Zoom 101: Tips for a Great Online Zoom Lesson

Zoom classes have become an increasingly common form of education over the past year. Switching to an online learning platform may seem overwhelming at first, but Zoom is a great tool that makes it easy for individuals of all technical backgrounds to get the most out of their online lessons.

Here are a few tips to follow if you would like to have a successful Zoom class:

How to Download Zoom on your computer or laptop

Before your class begins, it will be important to set aside some time to download and test Zoom on your computer. Open your computer’s internet browser and visit the Zoom website at Zoom.us.

Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Download button located in the website’s footer.

Zoom homepage footer

After clicking Download for the second time under the Zoom Clients for Meetings, the Zoom app will begin to install to your computer. When the app is finished installing, double click the ZoomInstaller.exe to complete installation.

Zoom welcome screen

If you are using a phone or tablet, you can download the Zoom app from your device’s app store.

After Zoom is installed, you can visit the Zoom website to create your account. Please ensure that you visit zoom.us/test to test your webcam and microphone before attending class.

Getting Started with your Lesson

If you create an account, the Lippert Music Office will provide you with a link to your Zoom class set for a certain date and time. Once Zoom is installed on your computer, you can simply click the link, and Zoom will automatically open under the account you created earlier.  Please look out for a link sent to you 24 hours prior to the class via an Automatic Lesson Reminder. We recommend clicking on the link five minutes before your class begins so that you can test your audio and video settings to ensure that everything is working properly.

Use Original Sound

Zoom’s built-in audio enhancement features were originally meant for meetings where people talk, meaning that the original setting will reduce background noise and cancel echo. This feature is great for speaking, however, will affect the quality of sounds of your instrument during class.

Luckily, we can change this setting.

Before your meetings begin, launch the Zoom app and click on the Settings gear. Click on Settings > Audio > Advanced, and then check the box that says Show in meeting option to Enable Original Sound from microphone.

Zoom audio setting

You can also disable automatic volume control by unchecking Automatically adjust microphone level in the same window.

Audio sound setting

Navigating Zoom During your Lesson

A handy Zoom Menu Bar will appear at the bottom of your screen once you and your instructor are both signed into your lesson.

Zoom Menu Bar

Zoom menu bar

The Zoom Menu Bar will allow you to do the following:

  1. Mute or unmute yourself at your instructors’ request
  2. Start or stop your video
  3. Communicate with your instructor in the chat box if you are having issues with audio or if you would like to post or receive a link to relevant content
  4. Share your screen

Helpful Zoom Lesson Tips

  1. Before your lesson, ensure that you are in a quiet room with no background noise.
  2. Ensure that you are in a room with great lighting so that your instructor can view your screen with ease.
  3. Ensure that you have access to fast LAN or a fast Wi-Fi connection.
  4. If your instructor asks, mute your audio when they are talking to prevent distracting background noise.

We hope that these tips and tricks will help you receive the best possible Zoom lesson!