A Quick How-To Guide for Teaching Online

We’re all in a mad dash to get teaching online in a hurry! This is by no means complete, but it will get you going quickly and then you can adjust as you get more comfortable with it:

1. Pick a device. A laptop or desktop with a camera will work best, but you can get by with a phone or tablet.

2. Pick an app. Zoom (unlimited free to use for 1-on-1 meetings) is recommended most as it takes care of lag/glitch issues better, but FaceTime and Google Hangouts/Meeting will also work in a pinch. Skype is considered very unreliable, but if you and your students are used to it go for it. There’s a very in-depth review of apps here with suggestions for audio settings on Zoom at the end: ericheidbreder.com. And NATS did a 2+ hour session on things specific to voice that’s available to view below. If you skip past the first bit where they talk about general “why the arts are important” things you’ll get to specifics about the options and even how to set up Zoom. They go into details like how to deal with warm-ups, accompanying, etc. Super helpful.

3. Get your students up to date. Let them know it’s going to be a change and an experiment, but also act as if it will be a fun experiment. Here’s what I emailed them to prepare:

Hi Everyone!

I’ll be moving all my lessons online and teaching from home for the next few weeks. The good news is that it will be easy for you to use (I’m going with Zoom, because it works on all computers and phones) and you should be able to join me by just clicking a link. All you’ll need is a smartphone, though a laptop or tablet might be even better if it’s available. Also, I’ll be able to be a bit more flexible on times if needed (for instance if you have a sibling in a concurrent lesson). I’ll have more details for you soon as I’m putting it all together right now, but wanted to keep you all updated. 

In the meantime, please reply and confirm the best email to send the lesson link and more details.

It will be a bit of an experiment, but I bet we'll learn lots of new things, and best of all we'll still be able to make music together. Thanks so much for your understanding and patience as we navigate this difficult time.

And once they confirmed, here’s the email I sent to students taking piano (it’s more involved for voice as I had to record and upload audio of warm-ups, accompaniments, etc.).

Below is the link for joining our online lesson at our regular time. A few things to make it go more smoothly:

1. You can use any smartphone, tablet, or computer. A computer gives the best experience, but a tablet or smartphone will work well, too.

2. It makes it easier if you download the Zoom app ahead of time, but you are supposed to be able to use a browser, too. In that case, Chrome works best.

The link for the desktop/laptop app is https://zoom.us/download, you can search the App Store for “Zoom” for your phone or tablet.

3. Try to have a spot for the camera that is stable and ideally will let me see you and your hands. Even if you can’t work this out for this time, we’ll still get lots done, so don’t worry if it’s not perfect.

4. Headphones can sometimes be helpful, but aren’t necessary.

5. If we have trouble with Zoom, I can also try FaceTime, though it has some lag issues, so that’s not as ideal.

Here’s the invite:

Rebecca Rice is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Lesson with Rebecca

Time: This is a recurring meeting. Meet at your regular lesson time

Join Zoom Meeting

url goes here

Meeting ID: your code here

Please let me know if you have questions. See you soon!

You may need to follow up with students as some got back to me right away and others had it go to junk, I think because there were links and encouragement to download things. Everyone so far has been lovely and amenable. Hope this helps! Good Luck!

Vocal Health for Young Singers

This is a great conversation between experts at the NYU Voice Center about young singers. If you have questions about how your voice works and how to keep it healthy, this is for you. It’s about an hour, but well worth it!

Great Free Apps for New Music Students

Since so many music students have access to iPads and iPhones I thought it would be useful to put together a list of great free apps. For those of you who use Android devices I’ve provided links where available.

Metronome: Tempo Lite by Frozen Ape 

A metronome is an essential part of any music student’s tool bag. This is a great metronome app; it is accurate and flexible. The free version has everything a new music student will need, if your music gets complicated you can upgrade to the paid app. And, if you’re an Android user there’s a paid app version for you.

Music Tutor (free) by JSplash

A great way to learn all the notes on the staff. The free version has ads, but it’s worth it for a quick and fun way to master the note names. You can customize it so that students only learn a portion of the notes at a time and then add in notes as they learn them on their instrument. There is an Android version, too.

Keezy Drummer by Elepath

This app is a fun way to experiment with rhythms. All the beats are in 4/4 time, but if students are resisting the metronome, this can be a fun alternative. Unfortunately, there is no Android version for Keezy apps yet.

Keezy by Elepath

From the same company, a great app for stepping into the creator’s shoes. You can use their sounds or make your own and then play them using the colorful buttons. It is a great way to think about music away from your usual instrument.

Voice Memos by Apple

It’s always great to have a recording device handy and since most people have a phone with them at all times it's the perfect solution. I encourage voice students to record their lessons so they can remember what we talked about and so they can use the warmup exercises from their lessons during the week. Instrumentalists and singers can use it to record an example from a lesson or to record something during practice that their teacher can then hear in a lesson. It comes standard on an iPhone.

GarageBand by Apple

If you want a great free recorder for iPad try GarageBand. This is great for recording via the built in microphone. Students can also experiment with composing for different instruments and play with loops.

Studying Voice Abroad: Summer Programs in Europe

Dale Morehouse of UMKC, my dear mentor and friend, has a witty and informative blog of his own, singeronthehoof.blogspot.com. When he posted about options for summer programs in Europe, I knew I had to share them here.

I believe that even in today’s global village, there is an irreplaceable value in going to the places where the greatest of western music was conceived and in absorbing all we can once we’re there. Language, architecture, cuisine, ethos, and lifestyle reveal music along with score study. Experiencing music’s masterpieces where they were created unstops our inexperienced ears.

And so, from our home in America - the land of air conditioning, ice cubes, free drink refills, and screens on our windows, I rise in praise of European study for today’s young classical musician. English-language programs flourish all over the continent now, each offering its own opportunities. Take care to find a program that matches your level of ability and interest, and you will grow beyond your imagination.

He has overviews of four great programs and who they work best for. Opera Viva in Verona, Italy; Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria; Orvieto Musica Chamber Music Festival in Orvieto, Italy; and American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. Dale has taught and/or sung at all of them, so he has great insight into their workings. If you're interested in options for summer study abroad, check them out.

"How ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm?" - A Paean in Praise of European Study

Using Music to Close the Academic Gap

There was an article in the Atlantic this week about several long-term studies on how music can impact academics for students in low income schools. While there have been many studies released recently on how music may impact the brain, most of these seem to be short-term studies of small groups in which the authors infer that music is making a difference in brain function based mostly on correlation. These newer studies are long term and the groups in the studies seem well balanced. The schools participating in the studies are seeing very good early results.

Though these studies are far from over, researchers, as well as the parents and teachers of the study subjects, are already noticing a change in the kids who are studying music. Preliminary results suggest that not only does school and community-based music instruction indeed have an impact on brain functioning, but that it could possibly make a significant difference in the academic trajectory of lower-income kids.

This is great news for those kids, and it's also great news for music. These studies are showing scientifically that music is important for a well rounded education. I believe that music is important for cultural reasons — beyond helping students master other subjects, music is important in its own right. However, any study that reinforces the role of music in education is an excellent tool to help get funding and community support for maintaining excellent music programs in our schools.

You can read the article at the Atlantic.