What Do I Need For Skype Guitar Lessons?
Skype Account
We recommend using Skype for online video call guitar lessons. It’s great because it’s free and also has the option of writing messages, which we can use to take some notes if necessary (though most of this is done on a Google Document that we set up for you).
There are some alternatives that can be used, like FaceTime, however we’ve found Skype tends to be more ideal for guitar lessons, especially considering that it’s available on Mac, Windows and Android devices.
Device
Basically any device with internet connection and a camera will do the trick. Students often use smart phones and tablets, however we strongly recommend using an actual computer. They tend to handle the video feed better, which results in less lagging, but more importantly they are capable of keeping the Skype feed open while switching to an internet browser to look at your Google Document. Most tablets and smartphones will put the video feed on hold if you leave the app.
Google Doc
We will set up a Google Document for your lessons. These are great because they have live editing features, meaning that you can see what the teacher writes, highlights and selects as they do it. They also don’t add any extra cost!
Internet Connection
These days, most internet connections are certainly good enough for a video call, but the main aspect here is reliability. Most of our lessons are 30 or 60 minutes, so you don’t really want to waste too much time dealing with your internet dropping out randomly during a call. Again, desktop and laptop computers usually work best for dealing with video calls, but it’s not uncommon for students to use their mobile phone data because it’s actually better than their home internet. It can also be wise to connect to the internet via ethernet rather than wi-fi. Regardless, everything tends to work out quite well and we always accomodate our students wherever possible.
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