Online Music Lessons - Do they work?
Posted on
My experience of teaching online prior to 2020 was limited and something of a novelty. In fact, when the lockdowns kicked in and my 'in-person' students with whom I had worked for many years, moved to online platforms, it felt like we were making do rather than achieving. But - I quickly got my head around the benefits, upgraded all of my tech equipment and internet connection, and 2 years later - I no longer offer regular in-person tuition to new students! Such is the success of teaching online.
What I had to get over initially was the fact that I could no longer annotate my students music, nor could I help fix their instrument, and nor could I duet with them in real time. But - I can screen share and easily discuss the music with them, I can demonstrate and work through basic maintenance via the video chat, and I can quickly and easily email recordings (including duets for students to play along to), demonstrations, worksheets etc
The real benefits are that with me in my studio (I have never taught from here - I used to visit students) I am surrounded by ALL of my resources: Lots of music / access to the web and subscriptions / different instruments / mouthpieces / mutes / the piano / metronomes and tuners plus much more .... I am significantly better equipped to teach than I was when I was mobile.
The benefits to the student are also great: both parties can be more flexible with lesson times / location is irrelvant (I have students in France, Sicilly and all over the UK currently) / the student might choose to conduct the lesson from a part of their home that they would not invite a tutor into in person /
It became obvious quite quickly that the few downsides (it is not as easy to determine tonal quality and dynamic level as it is in person, for example) were massively outweighed by the many positives of teaching online.
And, for more serious students, I am happy to travel and work in-person every now and then if there is a reason to.
If you are thinking of learning to play trumpet or any other instrument - I highly reccomend the online option! It realy works.