At Home

Virtual Lessons are taught through Zoom.
Please make sure your harp is well-tuned and that all strings are in place in advance of your lesson.
Have a metronome & pencil handy.
Have your device ready: a phone, tablet or computer will work. Computer is preferred. Apple products have excellent built-in microphones and video cameras.
When you are playing, position the video camera so that I can see your hands. You may need a second music stand, a table or chair to position your screen. Place your screen to your left.
To avoid backlighting, please make sure that there is not a direct light source in front of the camera, such as a window, lamp, or overhead light. The backlighting will make the strings and levers difficult to see.
Use Earbuds for improved sound quality when your teacher plays a demonstration for you. This will also prevent feedback allow yourself to hear your own instrument. Wireless earbuds work best as the chord can be somewhat cumbersome and tap the harp. Please be aware that headphones that cover your ears will muffle the sound of your harp.
Younger students may prefer to have a parent nearby to help out as they become comfortable using this method of learning.

Zoom Settings

Please download Zoom to adjust the audio settings in before your lesson begins.
From your Zoom application on your computer go to Settings, then Audio Settings.
From Audio Settings:
1. Uncheck “Automatically adjust microphone volume.”
2. Check “Join Audio by computer when joining a meeting.”

From Audio Settings, Click “Advanced.”
1. Check option to: “Show in-meeting option to Enable Original Sound” from microphone.
  1. Once setting is turned on, in meeting a gray box will read in the upper RH window of the meeting will read: “Turn Off Original Sound” or “Turn On Original Sound.” Be sure it reads: “Turn Off Original Sound.”
2. Disable “Suppress Persistent Background Noise.”
3. Disable “Suppress Intermittent Background Noise.”

Using an external microphone will greatly enhance the audio quality your teacher hears. The more nuanced the sound, the better I can guide you.
Using a high fidelity web cam makes it much easier to see the strings. Without a high resolution, the strings can appear fuzzy.
Instead of relying on WIFI connect directly to your router or modem using an Ethernet Cable.
Encourage your family members not to stream video during your lesson.

You will receive an invitation to join the lesson in your emailed lesson reminders. Click the link to "Zoom Lesson." to join. I can send reminders directly to the email address of school-aged students as well. Please send their email addresses to enable.
Or, you can use the "Student Portal" feature of My Music Staff. You will each receive an invitation to join. To enter the lesson, go to the calendar and click "Zoom Lesson."
I have enabled the feature "waiting room." This way, you can sign on to your lesson and I can "admit" each student so as not to disturb a previous lesson.

Annotate music. Your music is uploaded digitally into an App called ForScore. We can look at the same piece of music through Screen Mirroring and can write on it too. You will need to copy over any notes to your music.
Lesson Notes will be managed by My Music Staff and you will receive your lesson notes via email at the end of your lesson.