Scottsdale Piano Academy offers online lessons via Skype! Students may take lessons only online or as a supplement to their in-person lessons.

Please read through the following links and then refer to the FAQ below:

Below are many Frequently Asked Questions – and many you didn’t even know you had!

  1. Why would I want to take online lessons or choose a studio with an online option?
    • You are looking for an experienced, effective teacher but haven’t found anyone in your area or they are too far to travel to on a weekly basis. A great teacher online is better than whomever lives closest to you.
    • Makeup lessons are incredibly easy online!
    • You or your child is symptomatic but feeling well enough to have a lesson.
    • You are running late from work and getting to the studio on time will most likely not happen.
    • There is an appointment before or after a scheduled lesson that would normally cause a student to miss or be late to a lesson.
  2. What platform do you use for online lessons? I use Skype for online lessons. It is easy to download and is very consistent. I will not use multiple platforms as I need something streamlined from one lesson to the next. Student are required to download Skype and you can find more detailed information HERE.
  3. What do online lessons look like? Check out the studio gallery HERE to see how the studio is set up for online lessons!
  4. What makes an ideal camera angle and does it really matter? My ability to teach is only as good as my ability to see and hear! The angle is extremely important for any long duration of online lessons. Click HERE for more information.
  5. What device works best for online lessons?
    • Phones: Newer models of phones work better than older models. The images are sharper and the audio is clearer the newer the phone. The downside to a phone is how small the screen is for the student. Demonstrating is a little trickier as they have to move the phone back and forth to see what I’m showing/playing.
    • Ipad/Tablet: Similar to a phone but larger. Often times the image on a phone is better than a tablet depending on which has a better camera.
    • Laptop: Newer models are better. Often times the built in camera is not very good and an external one will produce far superior images – and again, the better and clearer I can see, the more effective the lessons will be. Take a close look at the comparison image on Page 4 (and yes, I am a big fan of the logitech external cameras!).
  6. What about my internet connection? This is extremely important. The better and faster the connection, the better the quality. This is much more important for students taking lessons only/mostly online.
  7. What else should I be aware of when taking an online lesson?
    • Charge the phone if you use it as your metronome.
    • Charge the iPad, Tablet, Phone or Laptop if you are using it for lessons.
    • Have a charger nearby.
    • Get erasable colored pens – highly recommended for everyone but for students enrolled in the Arizona Study Program this is essential. We keep these songs for months and do a lot of writing. Writing all of the notes in pencil means everything starts to look the same and details are missed. We also want to be able to modify or update the markings as the pieces progress.