Asynchronous Piano Lessons - Piano Coaching
I understand that some students may find committing to a fixed weekly lesson time difficult, that’s why I offer personalised piano coaching, also known as asynchronous piano lessons. These pre-recorded piano lessons are tailored to suit individual needs and are perfect for those preparing for ABRSM practical or performance grades exams, diplomas, or those who want a more relaxed approach. What’s more, this mode of learning is suitable for adults and children of all ages and skill levels.
Asynchronous piano lessons are a straightforward and efficient mode of distance learning that allows you to learn at your own pace. This format eliminates concerns about internet connection reliability or nervousness when performing in a live piano lesson. Students don’t even need to speak if they don’t want to. I hope to alleviate student anxiety allowing them to relax and play at their best.
How do Asynchronous Piano Lessons work?
During my piano coaching sessions, I offer asynchronous piano lessons where students can submit recordings of themselves completing the weekly assignment. I then provide personalised feedback in the form of a video and accompanying lesson notes. During these pre-recorded piano lessons, I can also edit a copy of your sheet music and provide demonstrations, tips, and further tasks to help you improve your skills. For complete beginners and certain scenarios, I may initiate the video exchange.
To create these videos, I use OBS (video recording software), 3 HD cameras, and a professional microphone, ensuring every aspect of the lesson is of high quality. I also use a stream deck, allowing me to quickly switch between camera angles to demonstrate techniques like pedalling. Multiple camera angles also make it easier to illustrate efficient gestures, helping eliminate any technique issues. Lastly, by sharing the sheet music from my iPad in real-time, I can provide valuable suggestions regarding fingering, dynamics, and tone balance.
How Long Are the Recorded Piano Lessons?
The lesson length can range between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the student’s age and current level.
Students send a video performance based on the previous week’s assignment.
The tasks may consist of learning a complete piece, a section of a work, some scales, a specific exercise etc.
I reserve a time slot on my calendar and use this time to make the videos. As I consider the amount of time spent watching the videos, annotating scores, writing notes and preparing the response, the length of the video I send will vary.
How Long Should Each Video Be?
As a rough guide, I recommend that students who opt for 30-minute lessons send a video of no more than 5-7 minutes in length.
I write notes, annotate the score and work through individual passages while watching the video, so a shorter video gives me enough time to compose my response in the allocated time slot.
As you can rewind, pause, or slow down parts of the video, the teacher and the student can receive much information in a relatively short video.
Some students feel they have to provide a ‘perfect’ performance of themselves during asynchronous piano lessons. However, this is not the case. I’m not interested in whether there is an odd slip here or there, but rather how to develop your playing musically and help you to achieve your goals.
Where do I Send the Videos?
As the videos for asynchronous piano lessons tend to be large, I recommend sending them via We Transfer. We Transfer is a free service, and as you can download the file, you can watch the class as often as you wish at a time convenient for you.
Please feel free to get in touch using the contact page or by completing the form below for more information.
Qualifications and Experience
My qualifications include an M.Mus in Performance, a B.A. in Music Studies and ABRSM grade 8 piano (distinction). Please view the ‘Qualifications and Piano Teaching Experience’ section for a complete list of my experience, background, and qualifications.
How Much Do They Cost?
Lesson prices are monthly and will vary depending on the lesson length.
Please get in touch with me using the form below, and I will be more than happy to provide a quote and answer any more questions you may have. 🙂
