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Tips for online lessons & webinars where you will be singing

  • Dowload Zoom on your computer instead of participating via the browser, a tablet or smartphone, close all other programs on your computer and regularly check for updates.
  • If possible, work with an Ethernet cable instead of WiFi. A better connection = A better experience.
  • For Solo Group lessons & Private lessons: You will receive permission to record your personal session. You are responsible for starting the recording via Zoom’s ‘record’ function. This is only possible via the computer, not via smartphone / tablet! You are not allowed to share these recordings with third parties.

Audio settings

With most computers (especially mac) the built-in microphone is good enough. Of course, if you have an external microphone and audio interface, let’s use that! The sound-experience will be top-notch. Check out the explanation further down on this page.

VERY IMPORTANT AUDIO SETTING:
Open the Zoom app and click the Settings gear icon below your profile badge in the top right corner. 

 

Select the Audio category in the column down the left side of the Settings box. In the Audio Profile section, uncheck the “Automatically adjust microphone volume” box and increase your microphone volume to over halfway. Select “Original sound for musicians” which also turns on “High fidelity music mode”. If you’re not going to be wearing headphones during your lesson, leave echo cancellation on.

 

When we’ve started your lesson, click the Original Sound for Musicians: Off selection box near the top left of your video window. Read this as saying “Original Sound IS OFF.” When you click it, it will then read Original Sound for Musicians: On and you are good to go. You will have to repeat this last step every time you start the lesson.

Backing track

You will play the backing track yourself.

  • If you work with an external microphone and audio interface, you can send your voice and the backing track together in good quality to Zoom. Check out the explanation further down on this page.
  • If you work with the built-in microphone, it’s best to play the backing track on another device (computer, phone or tablet), connected to an external speaker. Make sure the volume is comfortable for you to sing with, but place your speaker as far as possible from your microphone, so that the music does not drown out your voice for me. If you’re not using an ethernet cable, but WiFi, avoid using bluetooth and connect your speaker to your device with a cable. Bluetooth often interferes with WiFi, which can significantly reduce the audio & video quality of your session. Another reason to work with an Ethernet cable 🙂

External microphone & Audio interface

Here’s the set-up of a client of mine which works great. Feel free to use it as a guide!

  • Audio interface:
    I use Universal Audio Arrow, the Thunderbolt version. Nowadays it is called Universal Audio Solo. The advantage of this interface is that it has direct monitoring. This means that you can plug in your headphones directly in the sound card, without the signal having to pass through your computer. However, there are many other interfaces that have that. This is usually described as ‘zero latency monitoring’ or ‘direct monitoring’. Your current audio interface may already be able to do that.

  • Headphones:
    I prefer open back headphones, so I also hear my voice acoustically.

  • Microphone:
    I use a condenser microphone, as I want to be free to move around during the lesson. If you want to use a dynamic microphone, make sure you always sing & speak straight into the microphone.

  • Software:
    I use Logic. I make a new project for every song. Then you can simply drag the backing track wav/mp3 to a separate track in Logic. And then you can very easily use the cycle function to have one piece, for example, always replayed, which is useful during the lesson. If you don’t have Logic, I think Garageband should work as well. Or maybe Ableton too, but I have no experience with that.

  • During the lesson:
    I place Logic & Zoom in full-screen next to each other on 1 screen. You can do this by setting zoom to full screen after the call has started (green + button at the top left). Then set Logic to full screen (green + button at the top left). And then press the F3 button. You will then see Zoom and Logic’s full-screen windows at the top. And then you can drag the Logic window a bit onto the Zoom window to put them side by side on 1 screen. By dragging the line in the middle you can make Zoom or Logic larger/smaller.

    If you set Zoom to ‘original audio’, it will automatically send the sound from Logic to Zoom. At least, that’s the case on my computer.

That’s how I do it and it seems to work quite OK. I think the essence in terms of sound is that the audio interface has direct monitoring and that Zoom automatically plays the sound of Logic when ‘original audio’ is turned on.

Video settings

  • Set your camera so that I can at least see your upper body, if possible also your entire body. Make sure you can stand up during the lesson and still be visible to me.
  • Position your computer so that the screen is directly in front of your eyes. It is not comfortable for you to constantly have to look down. This is possible with an expensive laptop mount, but also with a sturdy cardboard box.

Testing

  • If you have never taken online lessons, test everything beforehand with someone else.
  • Is your internet connection strong enough? Is the balance of your voice and the backing track optimal for the receiver? Does the receiver see you clearly? Can you hear and see the receiver well enough? Etc…

Also...

  • Make sure that housemates / animals cannot disturb you. Well, they can come and say hello once for the atmosphere. But after that they have to go back to their quarters 😺
  • Ask housemates that if they plan to be in the video, to at least put on some pants (I kid you not) And oh! Please do that yourself too. I WILL ask you to stand up 🙂
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