Navigating Online Voice Lessons

With many schools and businesses gradually navigating reopening, music teachers and music schools have been strategizing and planning too. As we’ve begun to cautiously reincorporate in-person lessons for some of our students at Piano Workshop, our singers are still in absentia in the studio. We’ve been closely following guidance from our professional and academic organizations such as the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Music Educators Association (MEA), and Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA), and the unanimous recommendation is that avoiding singing with other singers in person is the only way to completely ensure safety of students and teachers.  

            So that leaves us with an indefinite period of voice lessons remaining completely virtual, even as other activities may begin reintegrating in person. For many students and educators alike, this can be discouraging both from a standpoint of technological difficulties and missing the in person interactions and ability to sing together synchronously.  At Piano Workshop, we’ve compiled our experiences to combat both of these challenges.  

            Technical difficulties are annoying—we overstand. From audio latency to poor connections to lack of access to technology to accompaniment, there is an array of barriers with which teachers and students have to contend. There are a few relatively simple things one can do to reduce these issues. The first suggestion is headphones for all—students and teachers. Any headphones will do; there is no need to purchase costly or professional level equipment. Wearing headphones on both ends of the virtual connection simply reduces latency. For an additional level of ease for teachers, wireless headphones or even headphone/microphone combination headsets are great tools. We’ve also ranked online platforms in order of best quality—barring WiFi or internet connection difficulties-- for voice lessons below.

In terms of missing the community of in person lessons and the ability to sing synchronously either with both teacher and student singing or with the teacher accompanying on the piano, we’ve found a few tricks and tips for teachers. Firstly, making accompaniment recordings or finding accompaniment tracks (YouTube has tons, and there are many sites where you can purchase tracks as well) for your student to sing along with makes it easier and more straightforward for all. If you would ordinarily do work with sight-singing or solfège singing together, record yourself singing your parts for your student to practice with and demonstrate with in lessons. Find out what kind of music or particular songs your students really LOVE, and try to incorporate them into your lessons. Even if it means a little extra homework on the teacher’s part with transposition or arranging, we think it’s worth the effort. Maximizing the fun and joy of lessons helps keep students engaged and increases student retention for teachers and programs. Finally, teachers should acknowledge the challenge of online lessons and validate the emotions students may be having about it. It’s okay to share your own feelings too. Saying, “I’m also missing making music with you in person,” or “I’m also finding this frustrating sometimes,” can make a big difference.  Remind your students that we are all in this together, even though we aren’t able to be together in person right now. The thirty or forty-five minutes you spend with a student each week might be the time they can feel the most connected and fulfilled. Russian philosopher Immanuel Kant said, “Music is the language of emotion,” and this rings true especially in these uncertain, frightening, and downright bizarre times. Music is a gift to provide joy, connection, healing, and community for all students and teachers. Stay strong, stay the course, and keep the music playing!