Frequently Asked Questions

Posted on by Cliff

I see as well as face-to-face lessons you also teach over the internet. Are internet lessons as good as face-to-face lessons?

Both methods have their own advantages.  For online lessons –

  • No time (or money!) is wasted travelling…so Mum and Dad can relax instead of having to ferry the children to their lessons.
  • You can automatically record all lessons .  This is a massive advantage over traditional lessons and is the single biggest reason our students LOVE internet lessons. It means that students can review any parts of the lesson that they have forgotten or that require their special attention.  This may help:
    • studying what the teacher played in detail
    • reviewing the student’s own performance during the lesson
    • replaying advice and teaching from the teacher
  • Students often say they are more focused and learn faster from internet lessons
  • Students can “warm up” at the piano prior to the lesson meaning that they are not playing “cold” to the teacher often gets a more accurate assessment of the pupil’s ability.
  • Mumps, measles, minor injuries etc need no longer stop lessons.

“After being sceptical about how successful internet piano lessons would be, I no love them.  They are simple and the benefit of being able to review the lesson can’t be over-stated.  I would not go back to non-internet  lessons again.”
Margaret, a happy and active pensioner!

What happens if the internet connection fails?

This is a rare occurrence but when it does we simply reschedule the lesson.

Can you observe as much from a screen image as they would visiting in person?

Yes.  provided the internet connection is good I’ll have a crystal-clear view of your piano and fingers as well as excellent audio. I’ll help you set up the simple equipment before any lessons begin such that I will have a good view of the piano keyboard and your playing throughout each lesson – and of course you will have an excellent view of anything I demonstrate as well.  It works very well.

Is lesson time lost in adjusting cameras and microphones?

No.  These are done prior to the first lesson and thereafter everything should be in place when the lesson starts.
In fact we find internet lessons more productive as

  • Time is not lost travelling walking into the room, taking coats off, opening music cases and adjusting piano stools.
  • You don’t lose packing away at the end of the lesson.
  • We find that students often have a warm up” practice before the lesson starts which means they are not playing “cold” to the teacher.  This can sometimes be a significant factor.
  • All in all we strongly feel that you get more productive teaching minutes from an internet lesson.

How can I contact eMusicTutor?

Please see our contact page for details.

What happens if I don’t like your music lessons?

You just stop having them;  there is no contract or long-term obligation, but we are very confident you will enjoy your lessons and stay 🙂

Technical Questions (equipment etc):

Is it difficult to set up the equipment for an internet lesson?

Not at all, and we will freely give you any help you require.

Can I watch the recorded lesson afterwards?

Yes. You can automatically record all lessons. This is a significant advantage over non-internet lessons and means that students can repeat any parts of the lesson that require their special attention.  This may help:

  • studying what the teacher played in detail
  • reviewing the student’s own performance during the lesson
  • replaying advice and teaching from the teacher

You can securely watch the lessons on any tablet or device that has an internet browser.

Will my internet connection be good enough?

A good internet connection is of course required.  As a minimum, I  suggest:

  • 2Mbps download speed
  • 3Mbps upload speed

There are many free services available for checking your internet speed. I suggest clicking one of the links below: