Hybrid music classes: how to combine virtual and at home
We show you models to combine home and virtual classes and how to distribute the contents between them.
A hybrid class combines home sessions and virtual sessions with the same teacher. It's appropriate when you need face-to-face correction of posture or sound, but your schedule, travel or location doesn't allow you to see the teacher in person every week. The key is to decide first what to work with each format, rather than to change to the race.
If you are still comparing the two modalities separately, check first [home or virtual classes]](/blog/clases-de-musica-a-domicilio-o-virtuales)Here we focus on how to mix them well.
To sum up
- A hybrid class is the same teacher and the same process with some sessions at home and some by video call.
- The face performance more in posture, sound and play together, and the virtual, in theory, reading, repertoire review and planning.
- The most common models are to start with and move to virtual, to alternate weeks, or to have the virtual as backrest.
- Planning the month with advance prevents a change of format from ending up in a lost class.
- A single notebook or shared registration gives continuity to the process, regardless of the format of each class.
What's a hybrid music class
It's not a class where some students are present and some have been connected at the same time. In particular classes, hybrids mean that your process intersects with two scenarios: sometimes the teacher arrives at your place and sometimes they have been connected by video call.
The important thing is that it be the same teacher with the same plan. If you change teacher according to the format, you lose what makes the particular class valuable: someone who knows your hands and your sound and your habits and who regains every week where they have been.
In practice, this scheme serves those living in and around Bogotá, where there are home classes, or those who spend part of the month in and out of town. If you have never had class at home, here we tell you [what to expect from a class at home]](/blog/clases-de-musica-a-domicilio-que-esperar).
4 ways to combine virtual and at home
| Modelo | How it works | It's good for them. | Eye with |
|---|---|---|---|
| By stage | You start at home and, as soon as the posture is firm, you get to virtual with face-to-face review visits. | Beginners of violin, cello or winds and children they're starting. | Do not move to virtual before time just for comfort. |
| Alternado | A week at home and a virtual, or the master they agree with. | Students with a base that wants regular physical correction without a visit every week. | Plan the virtual class so that it doesn't become a simple review. |
| Virtual backup face | The class's at home, but it goes to virtual when you travel, have a light tap or the trinter makes it impossible to get there. | Families that value the presence of teacher but have unpredictable weeks. | Have the virtual space ready for last-minute change to work. |
| By contents | Home instrument and technique; online theory, reading or dictation. | Students who prepare admissions or combine instrument with theoretical training. | That both blocks are connected and do not appear to be two different courses. |
When a hybrid scheme best suits
- Your son starts [violin]](/clases/violin) and his family travels often. The first few weeks at home build posture and arch grip and then virtual classes maintain continuity while travelling.
- You're an adult and your schedule changes every week. If there are weeks that you can't get at home with time to get to the teacher, passing that class to virtual prevents canceling.
- That's how you get ready for an audition or an admittance test. The instrument work benefits from the presence of teacher and the theory, the solphis and the dictation work very well online. If that's your case, look at the [preuniversity music].](/preuniversitario-musica).
- You live on the outsides and the distance weighs. In municipalities close to Bogotá, alternating visits with virtual classes can make the process feasible, depending on the availability of the teacher.
- A recital's coming up. Even though you study online, program face-to-face classes in previous weeks allows the teacher to listen to your actual sound, without compression, and work with you with complete interpretation.
When it's bad: with little children at an initiation of music, changing their format can often misselect their routine. At that age, the constancy of the same stage helps more than flexibility.
What to work with every format
To share the contents with intention is what makes the combination sum. That's a general guide that your teacher can suit your instrument and your level:
| Contenido | At home | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Initial posture and handheld position | Ideal: Teacher can guide you physically and see you from every angle. | It's useful to check what's been built with a good camera. |
| Ark grip, purport, breathing in wind | Ideal, especially at first. | For monitoring with close plans. |
| Sound, dynamic and fine nuance | Ideal: The teacher hears the actual sound of the instrument. | with limitations and helps to send recordings. |
| Touch duo or with accompaniment | Yeah. | Not in real time, about the delay of the sign. |
| Theory, reading and dictation | It works as well. | That's good: sharing a screen makes the job easier. |
| Repertoire and practice plan review | It works as well. | All right, especially at monitoring sessions. |
| Preparation of a recital or hearing | Ideal in previous weeks. | Useful to review structure, memory and test plan. |
How to organize a step-by-step hybrid scheme
- He lays down his scheme with his same teacher. Confirm your availability in both formats and your area.
- He's planning his month, not his week. At the start of each month, mark what classes will be at home and what virtual, thinking about travel, exams and special dates.
- Define a rule for changes. They agree with how far ahead we can get if an face class goes to virtual and by what means.
- Keep virtual space ready. Even if most of your classes are at home, have your support, camera and audio tested. Here we explain how [prepare your space for virtual classes]](/blog/como-preparar-tu-espacio-para-clases-virtuales-de-musica).
- Give every face-to-face session with targets. He arrives with a list of what his teacher has to do with and listen to in person: a passage with sound problems, a shoulder tension, a change of position.
- He's using a single record. A notebook or a shared note with tasks, moments and doubts binds both modalities into the same process.
- He's sending interclass recordings. A short audio before the virtual session gives the teacher a reference to the actual sound of your instrument.
Common errors while combining formats
- Treat the virtual class as a second class, and get to it without preparing.
- Switch format at last hour without ever trying the connection.
- To have one teacher for the face and another for the virtual, without communication between them.
- To leave the most technical for the virtual class, where it's more difficult to correct.
- With children, move to virtual without an adult close to them at first sessions.
If you still don't know what an online class's about inside, at [online music classes]](/clases-de-musica-online) with that reference, it's easier to figure out what part of your process can get to the screen.
Frequently asked questions
A virtual class costs as much as a home class?
No. Value depends on the format, duration and frequency of classes, so best to write by WhatsApp by telling what combination you care about.
How best to have an face-to-face class if most are virtual?
It depends on the instrument and level. In rubbed ropes and winds, a regular face review helps to detect tensions or posture vices that the camera doesn't show. Your teacher can suggest the frequency as you see in virtual classes.
Do you have a hybrids scheme for children?
Yes, especially from age 7 or 8 or as soon as there's something basic about them. With younger children, most classes should be presential and passing to virtual should be an exception.
What if I can't get the teacher on face-to-face day?
If they have already agreed to a backup plan, class can move to virtual. That's why it's worth leaving the camera and audio tested from earlier and agreeing how soon the change will be advanced.