What equipment do you need for virtual music classes?

To start with, a mobile phone, a tablet or a computer with a camera, a support to place and a stable connection are enough. The best thing to do is to buy expensive equipment but to set up an audio best: to deactivate noise suppression from the video phone and to activate the original sound mode if the application has them. Then, the best-known improvements are with cable and an external microphone.

The guide focuses on equipment and configuration. For light, camera location and atril, check how to prepare your space for virtual classesand if you do not have a choice of format, start with [class at home or virtual]](/blog/clases-de-musica-a-domicilio-o-virtuales).

To sum up

The minimum: a device with a camera, a fixed support, a stable connection and a connected charger.
The noise filters from the video calls are made for the talking voice and cut long notes, soft sounds and the start of phrases.
The cable hearing aids avoid an echo and do not add up to the delay that adds up to many wireless hearing aids.
A simple outside mic improves above all the singing and the winds and with piano and guitar, that of the device will usually be good at first.
The connection mainly matters about how fast they get up, because that's what brings your sound and your image to his teacher.

The minimum to start (and what to improve after)

A device with a camera and a microphone: cell phone, tablet or computer.
A support: tripod, desk support or an atrial with an adapter. The camera cannot depend on a pile of books.
Stable connection, ideally by cable or close to the router.
The loader connected: A video call with a quick battery and a re-heated cell phone can lower the quality of the video.

That's how you can get some [piano] class.](/clases/piano)everything else is better and better to do in this order:

Upgrades for your virtual classes, by priority
Prioridad	Mejora	What resolves
1	Configure the audio of the video call	That the teacher will listen to your complete instrument with no cuts and costs nothing.
2	Tripod or adjustable support	To put the camera where the teacher needs it as per your instrument.
3	Wire and cable hearing aids	Echo, pounding beeps and the sound that cuts while talking both.
4	External phone	Clarity and nuances, especially with singing and wind.
5	Network cable or best location of the router	Stretch, frozen image and intercut audio.
6	A second device as a camera	An extra angle: piano or battery feet and a close mouth.

Cellular, tablet or computer?

Advantages and disadvantages of each device
Dispositivo	To favor	Against
Celular	A good camera, easy to place at a tripod at any angle.	A small screen to see the teacher's demonstrations and notifications and calls can be stopped.
Tableta	bigger, light, easy to support with an atrial.	Your camera is usually more basic and requires a firm support.
Computer portable	Large, comfortable screen for shared scores and theory.	The camera's attached to the screen and it's difficult to achieve a side or high angle.
Desk computer	Stable and allows to connect with an external microphone and camera.	Unmobile: The instrument has to be put into place with it.

The combination best works for many students is a computer or a tablet in front of you to see and listen to the teacher, and the cell phone in a tripod as a second camera. To that end, connect his cell phone to the same video phone with his silent microphone and volume at zero. Otherwise, echo or a pounding beep appears.

Microphone: When an outside phone's worth

A phone or laptop's microphone is designed to capture a talking voice at a short distance. Piano and guitar are put up for fight but they suffer with how soft and with how strong. That's how they change their demand as an instrument:

[Singing]](/clases/canto): That's where an outside microphone can be most felt. A USB type connected to the computer best picks up the buzzer and nuances. Put it at one or two paddles of the mouth, a little under, so that it doesn't get full air from consonants.
Wind: Don't put the microphone directly to the bell and place it with a diagonal and a little more far so that the sound doesn't get saturated. In a traverse flute, avoid putting it in front of an embocture, because it's picking up the breath of the air.
Acoustic Piano: The device's microphone, at the end of the instrument, usually suffices. with a digital piano, some models allow sending the sound directly to the computer by cable with a much cleaner result.
Electrical Guitar and Low: with an audio interface, sound enters directly into the computer rather than picking up the amplifier with the microphone.
Batteries and percussion: The problem isn't a lack of sensitivities but an excess of volume. It removes the microphone and reduces its level of entry so that the blows do not get distorted.

If you also want to get or practice with clues, at how to choose mike to sing at home We have been deeper about mike and interfaces.

Hearing aids: why they help and what to use

Without hearing aids, the sound of the teacher goes out through the speaker, goes back into your microphone and the application tries to cancel it. In that process often cuts your instrument as well: so sometimes the teacher hears you crumbling just as he speaks or as both sound at once.

With cable, better than wireless. Many wireless hearing aids add a delay that adds to that of the call.
In singinguse a single hearing aids or some with a clear ear to listen to your voice naturally. The two ears cover with a cover are common to detuning or push your voice.
In violin and rapewith a miner and with a better functioning small insertion.
On piano and guitarThat's about every hearing machine with a cable.
Retirementcommon hearing aids do not replace hearing protection: the volume of the set remains high.

If you prefer to avoid using them, put down the speaker's volume and agree with the teacher that I do not speak while you play them. Since the virtual class works by shift, the problem gets quite low.

How to configure the audio from the video call

It's the most important improvement and costs nothing. The video phone applications apply meeting-thought filters: suppress background noise, equal volume and cancel echo. With music, those filters confuse long notes with noise, cut down words and smash up dynamics.

The names change with the application and version but the path is usually similar:

Open the application's audio configuration before class, and not during.
Find the noise or background suppression option and put it at the lowest level or to remove it.
Untiring the automatic tuning of the volume of the microphone, if shown, and tipping the level by hand: your most powerful passages should not reach their best.
He looks for a way called an original sound, audio for musicians or high fidelity and put it into practice. In some applications, we also have to light it into his call with a button that appears on screen.
If your cell phone has its own microphone mode, as a voice isolation, change it to the standard mode during class.
Do a teacher test: play something very soft, something strong and a long note and ask them if they have been complete.

Connection: what matters

The high velocity weighs more than that of low, because that's what's with your audio and your video. A lot of velocity tests show it apart.
A network cable is more stable than WIFI. If this isn't possible, get close to the router or avoid thick walls between them.
Close downloads, automatic updates and video tabs while class lasts.
If the connection fails, turn off your video for a while: the audio consumes far less and the class can continue while stabilizes.
Remember with the teacher what to do if the call falls: wait a few minutes, reconnect with another application or continue with audio only.

If you're going to have [online music classes]](/clases-de-musica-online) regularly, it's worth an afternoon to put all this up. Once set up, you just have to connect and play.

Frequently asked questions

Do wireless hearing aids serve for virtual music classes?

They serve to listen to indications but many add a delay that adds up to that of the call and their integrated mike usually remains short for an instrument. If you can, use cable and device or an outside mike.

Is it better to have a virtual class from his cell phone or from his computer?

To get a good look at the teacher and shared scores, the computer or tablet are more comfortable and to place the camera at the angle required by your instrument, the cell phone is more useful. Using both at once is usually the best solution.

What's the original sound in a video call?

It's a way that deactivates the filters thought for the speaker, such as noise suppression and automatic volume monitoring, so that the music gets as close as we can to how it sounds. Not all applications have and call it the same.

Do I need an audio interface for my virtual classes?

A interface is useful if you play guitar or under electrical, if you use a professional cable mike or if you also want to record with good quality. For most classes, a USB mike or device mike are sufficient.