CHERTHEMUSIC.

ORG

THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO

SETTING UP ONLINE MUSIC
LESSONS

For Free Distribution/Not For Sale

Version 2020.1
 Libretto
Content, Ebook Disclaimer & Copyright Information

Content

Libretto.............................................................................................................................................................................................2
Teoh Cherylyn..............................................................................................................................................................................3
Prelude.............................................................................................................................................................................................4
Music Instruments & The Concert Hall.............................................................................................................................5
Music Score..................................................................................................................................................................................10
Manuscript & Ink.......................................................................................................................................................................11
Tuning Fork..................................................................................................................................................................................13
The Master & Patrons...............................................................................................................................................................19
Cadenza..........................................................................................................................................................................................20
Coda.................................................................................................................................................................................................21
Curtain Call..................................................................................................................................................................................22

Ebook Disclaimer & Copyright Information

Publication date: June 2020
Publication plac:e: www.cherthemusic.org
Format: E-book
Made with Canva.com
Price: Free for distribution and not for sale
Graphic and image information: Author does not claim right to any images used in this Ebook unless captioned.
Note: Information and knowledge shared in this Ebook is based on the author's opinion and experience.

2
 Teoh Cherylyn
Cherthemusic.org Owner
Music Teacher with Passion for
Technology

Studied Bachelor's Degree in Music (Performance & Pedagogy) with a minor in Music Technology
at Universiy Science of Malaysia (USM), Penang.

Worked at two international schools in Malaysia as a general music subject specialist from year
2013-2018.

Currently completing Master's in Performing Arts (Music) at University of Malaya (UM), Kuala
Lumpur and freelancing as a private piano tutor while providing other music-related services
online.

She researched about adults using piano learning applications for her Master's thesis.

Due to previous work exposure, she is familiar with iOS technology for iPad and Mac. She is
currently exploring Windows and Android technologies for music education.

Created and rebranded her first official website, Cherthemusic (cherthemusic.org) in 2019 to share
about strategies for modern music lessons and many other subject matters related to music.

Interested in educating and equipping music teachers for modern teaching and learning
challenges.

With encouragement from peers, she conducted her first online workshop, "Musescore for Online
Music Lessons" in May 2020 and was received well by participants whom are esteemed peers and
colleagues in music education.

This workshop series, "21st Century Skills for Music Teachers" is an improved version of the first
workshop and more short course offerings will be added in future.

3
 Prelude
Foreword from the Author

"How long is this MCO going to be?"

"How are we going to teach music online?"
"How are we going to do this with our bad internet connection?"
"Is this online lesson going to work?"

These were some of the questions my peers and I asked among ourselves when the Covid
pandemic hit Malaysia very badly.

Despite being busy with my Master's thesis during the Movement Control Order (MCO), I was
sought for guidance in helping my church worship team to understand more about music
recording as all social activities are forced to go online. I also discussed wtih peers and gave
them advice on setting up their online music lessons.

Through this short experience and much encouragement from my friends and mentors, I was
motivated to organize my first public online workshop. Subsequently, I realized that music
teachers are in need of resources and guidance to improve themselves professionally. This help
to spark some ideas of conducting short courses that will help music teachers in the 'new norm'
of their career.

In this Ebook, I provide practical advice on the approaches to setting up your online music
lessons. The topics will range from the environment, equipment as well as tools that you should
use. I hope that this free Ebook will offer you ideas and clarity on what works and what don't.

Please feel free to share this free Ebook to your colleagues. Some recommendations may apply
to non-music colleagues. I'd like to say one idea will trigger another.

Sincerely,
Cherylyn

P.S. I hope you have fun reading my chapter titles and description.

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 Music Instruments &
The Concert Hall
Equipment & The Environment for Online Music Lessons

This is the most important chapter of the book that I hope my readers will find useful.
Although I hate to admit it, a setup for online lessons can only be as good as the equipment you
have. This may mean that you will have to invest in some tools if you want to have a good start.

The factors to consider in setting up your equipment are sound quality, visual quality and
transmission of lesson material.

Here are some of my thoughts and suggestions:

Computer, laptop, smart phone or tablets

The above mentioned devices varies according to size and in-built quality. For good visuals, you
should use a computer or laptop so that you can see your students well and use it to control
lesson material. To broadcast a good visual demonstration, you may consider using your smart
phones or tablets because the cameras in these devices are better than in-built cameras of
laptops unless you have a webcam. To broadcast interactive material (eg. software, websites),
either of these devices will work as long as you transmit the visuals at the correct view size. For
example, a website that you open on your laptop may appear small on your student's phone
screen. Consider enlarging the visuals by zooming in so that your students can see well.

I'd like to think that most teachers have at least two devices: a computer or laptop and a
smartphone. The combination of two devices can be a great bonus to your lesson. So, maximize
them if necessary!

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 Microphone

Sound makes up a huge part for music lessons. The in-built mics of smart devices are better in
quality compared to in-built mics of laptops. This is due the embedded CASA (computational
auditory scene analysis) technology used to detect speech and it is the reason why our phone
calls are clear. It also picks up the sound of instruments but they may sound thin and even
noisy because it also detects environmental sounds.

Laptop mics are not known to be great. You may consider getting a cheap lapel mic to improve
the quality of speech transmitted from your laptop. As it is omni-directional, it also picks up the
sound of your instrument as long as it is close to you. You may also use the in-built mic of some
earphones but it is less sensitive compared to lapel mics.

I think it is only sensible that if you want to invest in a piece of equipment for online lessons,
microphones should be at the top of the list. It makes a world of difference to sound quality.

I already own a condenser microphone which is connected to an audio interface. This setup
provided a lot of audio clarity and my student is able to hear my demos well. Besides that, I am
now working both offline and online at a music school. I use a cheap lapel mic for portability
and to use with my laptop when I'm working there.

To know more about microphones:

(1) Dynamics vs Condenser Microphones
(2) BOYA BY-M1 Lavalier Mic Review

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 Earphone or speakers

The use of earphones or external speakers are optional but best used whenever possible.
Earphones help a great deal in hearing your students well and the same advice applies to your
student so that they can hear you well too. Be careful when using mic and speakers at the same
time as there may be noise feedback if these equipment are placed too close.

Instrument

Depending on the type of mic you have, acoustic instruments can sound good or bad when its
sound is transmitted over the internet. If you are in a large room, there may be echo or
reverberation, especially acoustic pianos.

If you have a digital or electric instrument, it would be best to transmit the sound via an audio
interface connected to the laptop. An audio interface is an audio device, acting as a powerful
sound card. It is commonly used as a home recording device.

Learn more about audio interface here:

(1) What is an audio interface and what do we do with it?
(2) What is an audio interface? What does it do?

If your laptop does not have enough inputs for microphone and earphone, you may consider
getting a USB sound card so that you can plug in an external mic and an earphone to your
computer.

Learn more about USB sound card here:

(1) What is an external sound card?
(2) What's the best USB sound card?

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 Room

If you're a piano teacher with an acoustic piano, your instrument is likely to be in the living
room of your home. The living room is the least sound proof area of your home if there is a lot
of space and little fabric.

If you have a digital, smaller or portable instrument, it might be best used in a small to medium
sized room. Try eliminating natural echo by having carpets or curtains in your work room.

Some resources to soundproof your home space:

(1) How to soundproof your room
(2) 10 Cheap Soundproofing Hacks...

Lighting

Ensure that you have good lighting during your lessons. If your room is using yellow or tinted
lighting, consider changing the bulbs to white or LED lighting.

If you're conducting your lessons during the day, you may use natural lighting from your room
windows. Regardless of the type of lighting you are using, please ensure that you and your
instrument are facing the light source or positioned correctly by the light source to avoid
shadows.

Learn more about how you can improve your lighting:

(1) Lighting Tips for Teaching Online Lessons
(2) EASY lighting for your online classroom...

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 Placement of equipment and devices

You might be using a small desk or a high stool to elevate your laptop by the piano. Phone or
tablet tripods are useful so that you can position your camera in the right position. Selfie sticks
can come handy if you are able to make it stay in position. I use a malfunctioned selfie stick
and attach it to my mic stand.

Here is some neat DIY solution which I think is worth considering and the best part of it is
they're free!
(1) No tripod, no problem!
(2) How to Film Yourself Playing Piano

Other useful resources to online lesson setup:

(1) Easy online piano lesson setup that work
(2) How to shoot overhead video for online piano tutorials
(3) 10 Tips for Making Online Piano Lessons Run Smoothly
(4) Zoom online piano lessons
(5) How to Set Up For Online Piano Lessons

If you like to get more advice and guidance on setting up your online lessons, feel free to
contact me here.

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 Music Score
Lesson Material for Online Music Lessons

We typically use lesson or method books for music lessons and you may continue to do so. If
you're like me, I teach all levels and I do not have all the materials that my students are using,
you may enlist the help of the parents to send photo images of their child's lesson and theory
book pages. Please ensure that these images are not distributed to general public to observe
copyright.

Otherwise, some lesson books are available digitally and you can purchase them at the
publisher's website.

You may also consider creating your own lesson material from scratch! Draw inspiration from
other online music teachers through Youtube or social media accounts.

Here are some worth following:

(1) Top Music
Youtube
Website
Facebook

(2) Midnight Music

Website
YouTube
Facebook

(3) Colorful Keys

Website
Youtube
Facebook

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 Manuscript & Ink
Digital Tools for Online Music Lessons

In this chapter, I will share a few favourite softwares and device apps that I like using for my
online music lessons. As I use Windows, some of the suggestions are system specific.

Microsoft PowerPoint:

It helped me to plan my lesson in bite size and detailed pieces which I normally would just give
a pass during a normal lesson. There are many good tools in PowerPoint like audio recording
and screen recording. I could also include short video clips or GIFs to make the lesson more
interesting.

Some screenshot of my PowerPoint lesson slides which uses a combination of online videos, self-recording and
pictures and colourful images.

Microsoft Paint:

I use Paint to help me make markings on screenshot images sent by my students. I could type
and also draw with my mouse.

A sample of using Microsoft Paint on screenshot material.

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 Zoom

I am aware that there are many video conferencing programs and apps in the market now but I
find that Zoom is far more superior in terms of delivering good sound quality. The other thing
that I like about it is that I can share my computer screen, phone screen and tablet screen with
the same Zoom account. The sharing sound feature is also very important as it enables me to
play some online interactive game and websites. Do note that only the first 40 minutes of any
Zoom meeting is free for the free account.

Learn more about improving sound quality with Zoom:

(1) Improving Audio Quality in Zoom...
(2) Teach Online Music Lessons with Zoom

Wave Financial

I use Wave to send e-receipts to my students and workshop participants. It does save me a lot of
trouble in preparing physical receipts and a lot more hygienic too. I would recommend this tool
to freelance teachers who are offering their services privately. It does very well in tracking your
finances too. Wave is also available as a mobile app.

Telegram

It functions just like any other text messaging app but I love it for a different reason. I use it
send files wirelessly between my mobile devices and computer. Aside that, it is also a good
storage app for any files because it does not have any limitation in space. You just have to make
sure that you have a good internet connection.

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 Tuning Fork
Supplementary Tools for Music Lessons

This chapter will be about digital tools for music lessons that you can use online and offline.
These are my personal favourites and I have been using them over and over again with my
students.

Musictheory.net

This website is free to use on all your devices as long as you have internet connection. You will
have access to a good amount of lessons, exercises and tools. I will normally use the Note
Identification and Interval Identification to train sight reading. The exercise settings are very
helpful in limiting the parameters of the exercise according to the ability of your student. You
can even set challenges (eg. time limit, question limit) to motivate your students further. My
students love it so much and they never tire of it.

A screenshot of musictheory.net where you can access a variety of online music theory exercises.

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 Flat.io

This is a music notation software where you can create your own music sheets and lesson
material. It is also available as a plugin on Google Docs. It is available as an app on Android and
iOS as well as a website.

To know more about digital music notation and using a professional software for music
notation, sign up for Music Notation & Publishing short course here.

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 Perfect Ear app

This app is available on both Android and iOS devices. In its trial version, you will have access
to tonnes of ear training exercises and they're really good! With Zoom, I can share the app
screen with my student and they enjoy it very much. My personal favourite is the Interval
training. It involves listening, singing and reading. A very all-rounded exercise needed for
students.

A screenshot of Perfect Ear app on my Android phone.

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 The Rhythm Trainer

This website helps you to learn and train in rhythm reading and performance. It has two types
of exercises. In Excercise A, you will tap the rhythm heard whereas in Exercise B, you will
match the rhythm that you hear. You can use it on any mobile device that you own.

A screenshot of The Rhythm Trainer interface.

To know more about other digital tools that you can use for your music lessons, sign up for
Digital Tools for Music Lessons here.

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 Audacity

This is an audio software for editing sound files. It works as a basic Digital Audio Workstation
(DAW). You can use this software to record sounds and edit music. There are many free
resources on Youtube to learn how to use this software.

A screenshot of Audcacity

If you own an iPad, learn to do professional audio recording with Garageband for iPad course
here.

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 Olive

This is an open source free video editing software. It has basic editing tools that are suitable for
beginners.

A screenshot of Olive

If you want to learn more about how you can create and edit videos for your music lessons,
learn it with this Basic Video Creation course.

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 The Master & Patrons
The Mindset & Attitudes for Online Music Lessons

You have the equipment and the tools for your online music lessons but are you and your
students ready for it? I think it is very important that we keep our minds and feelings open
about this new teaching and learning experience. For sure, we want the best in all the things we
do but there will surely be challenges that comes with new experiences. Here are some ways
which might help you cope better in this new endeavour:

Speak to the parents

Engage the parents in conversation about how you will conduct the lessons online. Assure them
that you are still doing your best while learning the ropes of this new norm. Provide and equip
them with the necessary information about the online lesson like video call security, online
meeting room information and lesson material. Keep them updated on their child's learning
progress and ask them for feedback on their child's response towards this new learning
environment. Parental support is vital in achieving a successful online music learning
experience.

Speak to your students

Have conversations with your students about how different online lessons will be. Encourage
them to respond actively so that you can still gauge their level of understanding and reduce
frustration between teacher and student. Keep in touch with their emotional side as they may
be struggling with having less social interaction with the outside world. Surely, they do miss
their friends at school. It would lift their spirits to ask them how they feel.

Speak to your peers

Discuss with close peers or teacher colleagues about this new way of working. Share ideas and
help each other grow so that you do not feel alone in this situation. Reach out to others whom
you think will help you and also help others when you see their frustration. We are all in this
whether we like it or not and I think it is best to still be giving even in the hardest of times.

Be adventurous and learn new things!

It is indeed a struggle to cope with teaching in a new environment but that does not mean we
should stop ourselves from progressing. We might procrastinate a little and wished there were
quicker solutions but take time to learn and try new teaching methods that can be found
online. Just like this Ebook, many resources are shared and I hope you try at least one of them.

19
 Cadenza
Final Words from the Author

Online lessons are not new but it has awaken sleeping giants. The traditional music lesson or the
old norm that we are used to may not be seen again for at least awhile. It may make you feel
insecure about your ability as a music teacher. Remember, you are not alone in this! As long as
you are willing and take the first step into this new era of music teaching, I am sure that you will
experience a renewed sense of purpose.

Here are some important takeaways that I hope will help you further in setting up your online
music lesson.

Plan your lesson. If you have been relying on books for your lesson, review your lesson
material again as you may need to adjust it for online teaching.

Plan your lesson backwards. Think of the lesson outcome and work it back to the beginning
of how you will teach. Consider the material, tools and equipment that you will use. Enlist
the help of the parent if more preparation is needed for your student.

Pre-recorded lessons is not a crime. If the internet connection is not consistent, consider pre-
recording your lesson so that your student can download and view it as many times as they
like. After which, your students can send a video of their performance for your review and
feedback.

Review your online lessons. Work on how you can improve the quality of your lessons by
reflecting on the strengths and the weaknesses.

Take it a step at a time. You may feel overwhelmed by using so much tools and technology
in your lessons at first. Relax and take a cup of tea. Remember that self-care is still
important. You are a teacher but you are still human too! Do not swamp your entire week's
schedule with work only. Even if it's an hour, take a step back and rest.

I hope that this Ebook has provided you some good tips and insights on setting up your online
music lesson. Teachers are one of the most resilient beings that I know. I wish you and the rest
of us the best in all that we can do for music education.

If you are interested to communicate with me, click here to contact me directly.
Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Cherylyn

20
 Coda
Thanks For Reading!

Mic
Instrument
Devices

Click this link to contact me or make inquiries

or email me at cherthemusic@gmail.com

Follow me on:
www.cherthemusic.org
https://www.facebook.com/cherthemusician/
https://www.youtube.com/user/jazzcherylyn
https://www.instagram.com/cherylynmusic/

Other products and services:

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/cherylynmusic-sheet-music/3008644
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Ms-Cherylyns-Music-
Education-Ideas

21st Century Skills for Music Teachers short courses by Cherthemusic:

Music notation & publishing 1.0: Learn to create music sheets
Music notation & publishing 2.0: Creating lesson material
Sibelius - The Professional Music Notation Software: Create music sheets with a licensed
professional music notation software
Digital tools for Music Education: Learn to apply digital tools in your music lessons
Basic Video Creation Skills: Learn to create and edit videos
GarageBand for iPad: Learn to record and edit music

21
 Curtain Call
Image References

All images are taken freely from Canva.com except the following:

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/UTB8A5_KpdoSdeJk43Owq6ya4XXaj.jpg
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