Optimal Zoom Settings and Camera Angles

Are you having issues with sound cutting out, difficulty hearing, feedback, etc? Here are pictures of the audio settings you and your student should be using for best music experience:

1) In settings/audio ensure that “automatically adjust microphone volume” is unchecked. You don’t want Zoom adjusting the volume of instruments and dynamics.

2) From that same window, click on the “Advanced” button.  In Advanced settings, ensure that the “Show In-meeting option to enable original sound from microphone” is checked. If this box remains unchecked, Zoom compresses audio for optimal conversation settings; not great for hearing instruments. 

3) During your actual Zoom meeting you should now see “Turn on original sound” in the top left corner of the screen.  Click this to get uncompressed original sound from microphone.

In addition, some teachers have told me that muting yourself while a student is playing helps for better sound.

Multiple Camera Angles:

Another thing useful for piano teachers in particular is to log on to the meeting with two devices.  Download Zoom for your phone, start a meeting on your computer and text/email yourself the meeting link; then click the link on your phone to join the meeting from a second device.  You can position your laptop in front of your face and position your phone over the keys of the keyboard.  That way, your student sees both your face and a closeup view of the keyboard so you can easily demonstrate where you want fingers to go, etc.