Online Piano Lessons | Optimizing Audio
The COVID-19 pandemic was a massive blow to humanity. The loss of life, the economic strain, the disturbance of social patterns - all this catalyzed some rather unsettling conversations about the tension between sacrifices for public health and the desire for personal freedom. Out of this chaos, however, emerged an opportunity for musicians to explore the intersection of art and technology through online lessons, and in my case specifically, online piano lessons for adults at the university level. In the scramble to prepare the online course delivery of my keyboard fundamentals class, I learned (with much help from dear colleagues) how to optimize my online piano lesson setup with the right equipment.
Online Piano Lessons with a Digital Instrument
Naturally, as musicians, sound is the priority when setting up for online lessons. The choices you make will vary depending on whether you are working with an acoustic instrument or a digital instrument. In my case, I have mostly conducted virtual lessons with my Yamaha P-125 Digital Keyboard.
Yamaha P-125 Keyboard
an excellent choice for online piano lessons
While I do miss the tonal nuance and key responsiveness of a proper grand piano, digital instruments have a few important advantages: they don’t need to be tuned, they can be very portable, and most importantly they can be plugged into an audio interface for the cleanest possible audio quality when conducting online piano lessons.
At the suggestion of an audio engineer friend, I picked the Scarlett Focusrite 2i2 - a magical little red box that links my Yamaha keyboard, a microphone for my voice, and a pair of headphones to my laptop. Using a 1/4 inch cable, I connect my keyboard to the Focusrite 2i2. (If you want more inputs, consider the Scarlett Focusrite 4i4. With the extra inputs, you can double up on the 1/4 inch cables and get stereo sound).
Scarlett Focusrite 2i2
a reliable audio interface for online piano lessons
For capturing your voice, I picked one of the workhorses of the music industry - the Shure SM58. Friends have told me this dynamic microphone imbues my voice with a radio host quality. Who knows? Perhaps I’ll even dabble in ASMR content.
Shure SM58
a workhorse of the music industry
One thing to be aware of is that the microphone must always be within 6 inches of your lips in order to clearly capture your voice, so it does restrict movement. However, the result of using a dynamic microphone in combination with a digital instrument is that you broadcast your voice and the music, while cutting out extraneous noises. Quite ideal if you want to minimize distraction (though one valid critique might be that it can sound clinical or artificial).
If you feel you’d like more freedom of movement when doing online piano lessons, I’d suggest going with a condenser mic such as the Blue Yeti (a very worthwhile investment piece) or a lapel mic like the Boya BY-M1 (a respectable budget option).
The Blue Yeti
a favorite among youtubers and podcasters
Boya BY-M1
a respectable budget microphone for online piano lessons
A couple of other items I mentioned previously are headphones and 1/4 inch cables. In order to monitor my sound, I selected the Audio-Technica ATH-M20x, a solid budget friendly option that’s served me well for a couple of year. I opted for headphones as opposed to using speakers as the latter would likely create a feedback loop with your microphones. One mild critique I have is that it’s not the most comfortable on-ear experience after more than a couple of hours. Those looking for an upgrade in sound quality, comfort, and compact storing should check out the Audio-Technica ATH-M50X.
Audio-Technica ATH-M20X
a solid, affordable option for online piano lessons
Last but not least, a 1/4 cable or two are essential for connecting your digital instrument to your audio interface. I have had a good experience with these ones from UGREEN.
UGreen 1/4 Inch Cables
a staple for online piano lessons
Online Piano Lessons with an Acoustic Instrument
When teaching online lessons with an acoustic piano, I would skip the 1/4 inch cable, and use a 2nd microphone for your instrument. The Shure SM57 is an excellent choice - the SM58’s sibling optimized for use with instruments.
Shure SM57
optimized for use with instruments
Another, simpler option, would be to skip the audio interface altogether and go with a USB microphone. A top choice for many musicians and podcasters alike is the Blue Yeti. I myself use the Blue Snowball which is a perfectly respectable option for optimizing your online piano lessons at a lower budget. My wife has used the Blue Yeti several times successfully for university level recording projects as well as online piano lessons that she taught during the pandemic lockdowns.
Blue Snowball
a reliable usb mic for online piano lessons
More Equipment for Online Piano Lessons
Rounding up the first part of this series, I’ll just mentioned that you’ll need a microphone stand or two note just for audio, but also your overhead view - but more on that later when I cover recommended video equipment for you setup. This stand has been my very versatile workhorse the last few years - the Onstage MS7701B. If you like to have your desk or a table near the piano, a boom arm might be your preferred choice. This option by Innogear has circular joints allowing for smooth creak-free movement.
On-Stage MS 7701B
The microphone stand I use for online piano lessons
Well that’s all for now folks. Please stay tuned for the next installment where I cover video equipment!