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Lessons Although it is always preferable to have a lesson in person, many people live too far away from expert teachers to have a lesson in person. Now video-calling technology makes it possible to meet for lessons from all over the world! Webcam lessons are available with The Well-Balanced Pianist Director Teresa Dybvig. These are private lessons, with the student and the instructor at their own pianos. Read on for information from Teresa Dybvig about these lessons. Equipment Recording lessons Getting started Fees Lesson policies EQUIPMENT You will need a high-speed Internet connection, use of Skype, and a Skype contact name. Obviously, you will also need a webcam, and it's best if you have a laptop computer. A webcam that you can connect to a USB port is ideal. It allows you to attach your webcam to a tripod that you can move around so I can see your hand and arm from many angles. At the same time, you can position your laptop in front of you, on your music rack on your grand piano, or on the top of your upright piano. With the computer in front of you, you can see my demonstrations easily. You'll probably need to attach your webcam by rubber band to any tripod you use -- as of yet, I know of no webcam that's built to attach to a tripod -- so bear that in mind when choosing your webcam. A webcam with three or four feet is difficult to secure to a tripod. As of this writing, I use a Logitech C910 webcam. When I got it all of my students celebrated, because the sound is good and the zoom is clear. Inexpensive webcams don't have a zoom. Some webcams have a zoom option, but the zoomed image is fuzzy. So while you don't have to get a Logitech C910, please do look for a webcam that zooms, and do check out reviews carefully before buying. Use the tallest tripod you can find. It's important for me to be able to see your hand and arm from above. Another option is a Joby "Gorillapod." It has short, flexible legs that allow people to secure it to many locations. I can see hands and arms adequately from above when students use the Gorillapod. It is also possible to have a lesson with a webcam embedded in your computer, but there are enormous drawbacks. Turning to see my demonstrations can cause you neck pain, and you cannot move the camera around so I can see what I need to see. Get a good webcam and a tripod. They will be your allies. RECORDING YOUR LESSONS My students who record their lessons progress faster than others -- often much faster. Please try to find a way to record your lessons that will be convenient for you to listen to or watch after the lesson. Some of my students use a simple audio device, and others use a separate video camera. There are also a few Skype-call recording programs available. An inexpensive Skype-call recording program which has always worked well is Call Recorder, which is for Macs only. I have Vodburner installed on my PC, which means anyone I speak with can record with Vodburner for free. There is a downside, though: sometimes Vodburner slows down the computer so much that the video image and/or call sound can be useless, and we need to end the call, reboot Skype, and start all over again. Hopefully that problem will disappear with continued Vodburner upgrades. GETTING STARTED Your first half-hour (30-minute) is free of charge. This is to establish that our technology is connected well and that you learn effectively in an on-line lesson (people who need the kinesthetic experience of the teacher moving their hands and arms may not find webcam lessons effective). You can schedule an initial 30-minute lesson just to be sure it works for you, or shedule a longer initial lesson if you prefer. If you schedule a longer lesson, you can deduct the price of the first half hour from your payment. If you would like to schedule a trial lesson, please start by filling out the webcam lesson request form. FEES When you schedule your first lesson, I'll send you a link to a webppage through which you can pay for lessons through PayPal. Fees for webcam lessons: 1½ hours (90 minutes): $140. I prefer this length for the first two lessons -- you will have many questions, but I still want you to understand something well enough to practice it on your own. Some people prefer 1½ hour lessons for the longterm too. 1 hour (60 minutes): $95. The standard length. ½ hour (30 minutes): $55 Useful only for quick checks. WEBCAM LESSON POLICIES
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