Setting Up Your Home Studio
Most likely the things you need to have online music lessons are things you already have!
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Your instrument (Digital Piano works and even a keyboard can get you started!)
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A stable Internet connection
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At least one video-capable mobile device with a front-facing camera (Smartphone, Tablet, Chromebook, or Laptop)
Let's set them up:
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The camera should be placed that your teacher can see your hands and fingers
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Pianists should set it up to the sides (imagine the camera lens where your teachers face would be)
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Other instruments should set up with upper-body, both arms and hands clearly in view.
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Check to make sure you can hear sound clearly out of your device's speaker (Use a headset if you have one!)
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If you have two mobile devices available, let's utilize them both!
Here are a few examples of how to set up for a piano lesson:
Single Device
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Smartphones will work fine, but if you can choose the device go with the one with the largest screen.
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Set it up next to the player and focus the camera on the keyboard.
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Turn on the selfie camera to check the view.
Two Devices
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Set up the "Capturing" device - use the one with the better camera (and if you have two cameras on the device, use the better one of the two) - the same way you set up with a single device. The "Capturing device will be your primary device: make sure the camera, microphone, and speaker are are working properly.
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Then set up the "Viewing" device - use the one with the larger screen (it will be muted and silenced) - place it on the piano desk.
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Logon to Google Hangouts Meet following these steps on both devices
* Please make sure to
Silence the Microphone &
Mute the Speaker on your
Viewing device.
Additional Tips
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Try flipping the phone/tablet stand backward if you are struggling to set the camera up at a good angle
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Most importantly: Don't stress if your setup isn't "perfect", it just needs to be good enough for you to start making music with your teacher!
