Are online music lessons for you?

Perhaps when doing a search for music lessons you found teachers near you, but also noticed advertisements for online instruction. Here are things to consider if you're thinking of taking music lessons online.
 
Access to Teachers
If you can’t find a quality teacher in your area, or any teachers at all, then obviously studying online will open up many potential options. Also, you’ll almost certainly be able to find someone that teaches exactly the repertoire, technique etc. that you’re interested in. Online lessons with a superior teacher are likely to be more worthwhile than in-person lessons with a mediocre teacher.

Distractions
Distractions in your home environment may interrupt online lessons depending on your living situation. However, keeping household members informed can prevent such problems and make you focus more on the lesson.

Human Presence
The value of human presence is undervalued when weighing the costs and benefits of virtual instruction. So many of us live isolated lives mediated by technology. There are obvious benefits for students, too. Not only do you get to interact with a live, breathing human, but the possibility of connecting more deeply with your teacher is enhanced when you are together in person. However, teachers online try to bring that in-person presence to the lesson so you do not feel like you’re not getting what you paid for. 

Instruments
If the size of your instrument (e.g. piano) means you can’t bring it to in-person lessons, you may sometimes feel frustrated having to play a different instrument than you practice on at home. Online lessons allow you to experience the comfort and security of playing your own instrument for your teacher. 

Recitals
Most music teachers like to offer recitals. While some online teachers may compensate for the lack of recitals by having students share performance videos with each other (perhaps even live performances).

Recording
The nature of online instruction means it’s also easy to record your lesson. You can save the recording for posterity, replay parts, or even replay the entire lesson again and take notes. Of course it’s also easy to record in-person lessons, as long as your teacher is comfortable with it (and most are). But have you ever done it?    
Sound Quality
The sound quality of Zoom lessons, for both conversing and playing, will never match in-person lessons. But it is getting really close to it. 

Technology
Online teachers are more likely to use tech than in-person teachers. This may include supplementary videos, phone apps, online games, computer software, etc. It’s also true, though, that many teachers who don’t teach online use state-of-the-art tech in their studios.

Travel
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of studying online is that no travel is required. Of course, the size of this benefit depends on your location. If you live in a small town and your teacher lives a few blocks away, you might not mind the walk. But if you live in a big city, especially one renowned for terrible traffic, then online lessons might be perfect for you. 

Technique
Many superior teachers like to be able to physically adjust your arms and hands to improve your technique, just as a tennis coach will physically correct your strokes. In online lessons you will need to follow your teacher’s precise instructions to get the same benefits.

Conclusion
Both online and in-person music lessons have benefits and drawbacks. Considering the corona virus thats happening now, weighing the factors above that are important to you will help you decide whether or not online learning is the best approach for you. If it is, and you're looking into taking guitar, violin, saxophone, piano, flute, cello, or improvisation lessons, please contact us at www.losangelesmusicteachers.com

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