Q: What do I need to get started? What’s required to take a lesson online?
A: You can get started with lessons quickly and easily, as long as you have access to a reliable, high-speed internet connection. If your internet isn’t great at your home, you can find another location (a friend, a library conference room etc.) or if you’ve got a strong cell phone signal, you can Skype with us by phone! You will also need your instrument, of course, and if it’s an electric instrument without built-in speakers, you may need an amplifier and a cord to connect them.
Q: Should I purchase any books or sheet music before our first lesson?
A: If you already own books or sheet music that you’d like to study, that’s great! But if you haven’t purchased them yet, we recommend that you wait for your first lesson. There are a variety of levels of sheet music/books out there, and some fit different learning styles and ages better than others. We’re happy to work with you to choose materials that excite you and offer a mixture of easier, quickly attainable goals with some more challenging, “reach” pieces that might be more ambitious. And for some students, you won’t even need a lesson book! We will provide videos/audio recordings and reference materials to help you reach your goals.
Q: In traditional voice lessons, the teacher or an accompanist plays the piano for warmups and for the songs you study. How do you handle that via Skype?
A: Jamie, our voice teacher, will work with you to choose warmups and songs best suited to your goals. She will then make rehearsal tracks for you to use during your future lessons. You’ll sing along to a recording and Jamie will give you feedback and make adjustments just like she would in a traditional studio setting. It works surprisingly well. Jamie has been able to teach everyone from new students (as young as age nine) up to professionally trained singers with this method!
Q: My last teacher didn’t want me to study _______________. Is it okay for us to study that?
A: Yes! All styles of music and learning are welcome, and Ross and Jamie are very experienced at customizing lessons to meet your goals and your learning style. It’s good to be realistic about what you are ready for on your instrument, of course, but whether you aspire to play metal, sing opera or something completely different, we’d love to schedule a trial lesson and discuss how we can help you meet your goals.
Q: I’m looking for more of a group lesson experience, or something self-paced. Do you offer anything like that?
A: Yes, we do! We’ve got an online ukulele course and more coming soon – head here to check it out!
Tiny Village Music 