Keep scrolling to read about how Skype, FaceTime or Zoom piano lessons can benefit you and how to get set up. Short of time or don't have a reliable internet connection? Try video exchange lessons instead. Interested in music theory? Try my music theory lessons by correspondence. Find out fees for lessons here.
Hi Ruth
I just wanted to let you know that I am really enjoying my piano lessons with you. I really like your style of teaching. You are always so encouraging, as well as giving great ideas and techniques of ways to improve.
I also really like doing the lessons via FaceTime, it really suits me being able to do it from home. I get just as much out of the lesson as face-to-face so it’s definitely how I would like to continue.
Lucy
You no longer have to be limited by the choice of teachers in your own area. With online piano lessons via Skype, Zoom and FaceTime, you can choose a teacher who is a good fit for you, even if they live thousands of miles away. Video call lessons are so convenient, and just as effective as face-to-face lessons, they are just another means of "meeting up".
Ruth has been teaching my 8 year old daughter on Zoom since September 2020. It has been an absolute pleasure to see her enjoy her lessons and progress to obtain a distinction in her Initial ABRSM. Noynika is enthused to practice both her exam and non-exam pieces without needing any encouragement from me. Ruth is a calm, patient and dedicated teacher and I would highly recommend her.
Reshma
Private piano tuition via live video calling using Skype, FaceTime, Facebook, Zoom, Google Hangouts or Whatsapp.
I am a fully qualified ISM registered private teacher in my 40s, and I have had many years of experience teaching piano to both adults and children privately. As technology has advanced, more and more students have liked the idea of using video calling (e.g. Skype or FaceTime) or video sharing as a medium for participating in piano lessons. The increasing ease and accessibility of video calling on smartphones and tablets has made this a realistic and easy option in recent years. Nowadays, tablets and smartphones tend to be well designed for video calls. In my experience, the children I have taught via this medium have found it fun and motivating; and adults have found it convenient. My students of all ages have tended to find it very effective.
When you take part in online piano lessons via Skype video calling, it can feel like the other person is in the same room as you, even if they’re actually thousands of miles away. As long as you have a fast broadband internet connection, video call piano lessons via platforms such as Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger can be just as effective as in-person piano lessons. The fact that neither you nor the teacher has to travel anywhere makes this method more convenient and less expensive. More about pricing. This also allows you to have lessons in the comfort of your own home, with the familiarity of your own piano. Every piano feels different to play, and this can be very off putting for many piano students when they have to have lessons on an unfamiliar piano in a teacher’s home or studio.
Required equipment: For Skype video calls you only need a smart phone, tablet or webcam and a fast internet connection. If you don’t have a fast enough or reliable internet connection you may want to consider video exchange instead, i.e. sending me your practice videos for feedback and receiving video responses. A tripod or stand is useful for holding your phone, tablet or webcam in a good position for lessons. The ideal position is one that allows your upper body and the keyboard to be in the frame. You can buy special mobile phone/tablet holders and tripods, or a music stand can work well. Alternatively, just prop up your phone/tablet on a nearby shelf or table. You can read more about how to get set up here.
Software or apps: There are many video calling apps available for free and you are not limited to Skype. Alternatives include FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger.
Sheet music: Both student and teacher will need to have the same sheet music to refer to. I can provide you with free sheet music from public domain sources which you can either print off or read from your tablet or laptop. There is a huge selection of free public domain sheet music to choose from, and much of it is essential repertoire for building solid technique within classical training, which will give you the skills to tackle any style of music. Alternatively if you prefer to work from a book of sheet music I can recommend what to buy, or guide you through something you already own. I teach all styles of music.
Extra tuition if needed: You have the option to combine Skype lessons with video exchange lessons, by sending videos for feedback and receiving instructions/demonstrations/PDFs in between scheduled Skype lessons, if you want. This can be particularly useful if you are working towards an exam, or if your schedule only allows infrequent or ad hoc sessions. You can find out more about video exhange lessons here.
When you take part in online piano lessons via Skype video calling, it can feel like the other person is in the same room as you, even if they’re actually thousands of miles away. As long as you have a fast broadband internet connection, video call piano lessons via platforms such as Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger can be just as effective as in-person piano lessons. The fact that neither you nor the teacher has to travel anywhere makes this method more convenient and less expensive. More about pricing. This also allows you to have lessons in the comfort of your own home, with the familiarity of your own piano. Every piano feels different to play, and this can be very off putting for many piano students when they have to have lessons on an unfamiliar piano in a teacher’s home or studio.
Required equipment: For Skype video calls you only need a smart phone, tablet or webcam and a fast internet connection. If you don’t have a fast enough or reliable internet connection you may want to consider video exchange instead, i.e. sending me your practice videos for feedback and receiving video responses. A tripod or stand is useful for holding your phone, tablet or webcam in a good position for lessons. The ideal position is one that allows your upper body and the keyboard to be in the frame. You can buy special mobile phone/tablet holders and tripods, or a music stand can work well. Alternatively, just prop up your phone/tablet on a nearby shelf or table. You can read more about how to get set up here.
Software or apps: There are many video calling apps available for free and you are not limited to Skype. Alternatives include FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger.
Sheet music: Both student and teacher will need to have the same sheet music to refer to. I can provide you with free sheet music from public domain sources which you can either print off or read from your tablet or laptop. There is a huge selection of free public domain sheet music to choose from, and much of it is essential repertoire for building solid technique within classical training, which will give you the skills to tackle any style of music. Alternatively if you prefer to work from a book of sheet music I can recommend what to buy, or guide you through something you already own. I teach all styles of music.
Extra tuition if needed: You have the option to combine Skype lessons with video exchange lessons, by sending videos for feedback and receiving instructions/demonstrations/PDFs in between scheduled Skype lessons, if you want. This can be particularly useful if you are working towards an exam, or if your schedule only allows infrequent or ad hoc sessions. You can find out more about video exhange lessons here.
Ruth Pheasant, Qualified and Experienced Tutor. DBS Checked. ISM Fellow. ICO Registered. Read more about me
Ruth helped my daughter Dorina complete her first four piano grades, she's a wonderful teacher and it has been a pleasure to have her. She is a patient and kind teacher, would definitely recommend her!
Lucia
Making Skype lessons fun for children (and adults too)
For younger children I use musical flash cards as part of music theory games, and my young pupils always look forward to this part of the lesson, as well as finding that it helps them learn to read music. I also include listening games in Skype lessons, e.g. where I get the student to close their eyes and I play intervals, fragments of tunes or chords etc. (depending on level) which the student has to name or try and play themselves. Not only does this greatly develop the ear and help with aural tests during exams, but my child pupils absolutely love these games.
I use exercises and games following the same principles for older children and adults too.
I use exercises and games following the same principles for older children and adults too.
Skype lessons actively engage the child’s brain much more
During Skype lessons it is not possible to teach the lazy way - i.e. by physically picking up the pupil's hand and moving their fingers to the right keys, or pointing at every key the child has to play as they go along. This kind of teaching can prevent the pupil from becoming actively engaged in their learning, and they don’t retain as much this way, so I have never believed in this way of teaching even during my in-person lessons.
During a Skype lesson I am already sitting at my piano so I don’t have to waste time swapping seats and getting into position to demonstrate something. I have multiple webcams so that I can show different views of the piano, including a close up view of my fingers on the keyboard so my students can see exactly what I’m playing. I have found this kind of demonstration to be much more effective than physically moving a pupil’s fingers into position or pointing directly at the keys, as a lot of in-person teachers do, because this kind of demonstration involves the eyes and ears of the student much more. When the student sees and hears me demonstrate something on the screen, they’re not just thoughtlessly moving their fingers to where the teacher is pointing. Instead their brain is working to interpret and imitate the position on the keys, hand shape, movement and sound I’ve shown them. The fact that their brain is much more actively involved in the process seems to ensure they retain more. In my experience, children learning this way develop critical thinking and independence so that they are able to practise on their own, instead of always relying on the teacher to point to the keys they should be playing, or physically move their hands to the right place on the keyboard. Despite all this hard work the brain is doing during watching, listening, interpreting and imitating of demonstrations, my young pupils have always picked up what I’m showing them much more quickly than when they’re shown the lazy way. In my experience, this has frequently resulted in lasting benefits; e.g. a better understanding of the complexities of musical patterns, movement patterns within technique, and how this all relates to reading music. Back to top.
During a Skype lesson I am already sitting at my piano so I don’t have to waste time swapping seats and getting into position to demonstrate something. I have multiple webcams so that I can show different views of the piano, including a close up view of my fingers on the keyboard so my students can see exactly what I’m playing. I have found this kind of demonstration to be much more effective than physically moving a pupil’s fingers into position or pointing directly at the keys, as a lot of in-person teachers do, because this kind of demonstration involves the eyes and ears of the student much more. When the student sees and hears me demonstrate something on the screen, they’re not just thoughtlessly moving their fingers to where the teacher is pointing. Instead their brain is working to interpret and imitate the position on the keys, hand shape, movement and sound I’ve shown them. The fact that their brain is much more actively involved in the process seems to ensure they retain more. In my experience, children learning this way develop critical thinking and independence so that they are able to practise on their own, instead of always relying on the teacher to point to the keys they should be playing, or physically move their hands to the right place on the keyboard. Despite all this hard work the brain is doing during watching, listening, interpreting and imitating of demonstrations, my young pupils have always picked up what I’m showing them much more quickly than when they’re shown the lazy way. In my experience, this has frequently resulted in lasting benefits; e.g. a better understanding of the complexities of musical patterns, movement patterns within technique, and how this all relates to reading music. Back to top.
Higher levels of focus during Skype piano lessons compared with in-person lessons - resulting in more productive sessions
In my experience, children who tend towards restlessness and difficulty maintaining attention in person, tend to manage to stay focused better during a Skype lesson. For example, one young student who I regularly taught in person, was always full of energy, which is no bad thing, but it meant she had trouble sitting still for any length of time during lessons, and had a habit of getting up and wandering round the room or doing cartwheels periodically throughout her in-person lessons! As much as I admired her athleticism and energy, this was not ideal for staying focused on the lesson.
When circumstances meant we were unable to meet up in person for lessons for a while, we tried Skype lessons, and I found her focus to be much better. She was clearly less inclined to keep wanting to get up halfway through the lesson, because if she did that she wouldn’t have been able to see me anymore. The fact that I was on the screen of the iPad meant she had to stay seated at her piano in order to keep me in sight. She was also aware that if she got up and wandered round the room, I wouldn't be able to see her either. Consequently, she stayed seated and focused for the entire lesson each time (a real achievement!) and we managed to get a lot more done during those Skype lessons.
It also helped a great deal that every time I needed to demonstrate something, I didn’t have to ask her to get up so we could swap seats, because of course I was already sitting at my piano at my end. She could stay seated at her piano and watch me demonstrate very quickly, no time wasted swapping seats. Also, this avoided giving her the excuse to start running around the room, as she often did during in-person lessons whenever I needed to ask her to get up so I could sit at the piano to demonstrate things.
Overall, she was much more focused during Skype lessons, and the lessons were undoubtedly more productive. In turn, she found the lessons more rewarding. This is just one example, there are many more situations where I have found children to be more focused during Skype lessons than during in-person lessons. Back to top.
When circumstances meant we were unable to meet up in person for lessons for a while, we tried Skype lessons, and I found her focus to be much better. She was clearly less inclined to keep wanting to get up halfway through the lesson, because if she did that she wouldn’t have been able to see me anymore. The fact that I was on the screen of the iPad meant she had to stay seated at her piano in order to keep me in sight. She was also aware that if she got up and wandered round the room, I wouldn't be able to see her either. Consequently, she stayed seated and focused for the entire lesson each time (a real achievement!) and we managed to get a lot more done during those Skype lessons.
It also helped a great deal that every time I needed to demonstrate something, I didn’t have to ask her to get up so we could swap seats, because of course I was already sitting at my piano at my end. She could stay seated at her piano and watch me demonstrate very quickly, no time wasted swapping seats. Also, this avoided giving her the excuse to start running around the room, as she often did during in-person lessons whenever I needed to ask her to get up so I could sit at the piano to demonstrate things.
Overall, she was much more focused during Skype lessons, and the lessons were undoubtedly more productive. In turn, she found the lessons more rewarding. This is just one example, there are many more situations where I have found children to be more focused during Skype lessons than during in-person lessons. Back to top.
Video call lessons can be taken via free apps such as Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Hangouts and Facebook Messenger. If you have an iPad, iPhone, MacBook or iMac you will automatically have access to FaceTime which is Apple's own built in video calling app, and will not need to download any other apps for video calling unless you want to. For video exchange lessons you can use a free file sharing platform such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or YouTube.
Videos
You can watch some more videos of me playing the piano below. The first two videos were recorded using an iPhone and iPad, (and the third using a webcam, laptop and external microphone), so this gives you an idea of the sort of quality of sound that is possible during Skype or FaceTime video calls. As you will hear, the on board microphone on a phone or tablet is all you need for acceptable audio during a video call.
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