Four Tips for the Best Online Music Lessons

So, you’re probably either looking into studying music on Lessonface or you’ve already made the excellent decision to take lessons with a LessonFace teacher and hopefully have had several wonderful meetings so far. Here are several comments and questions I’ve heard from students (of all ages) that can stop a lesson in its tracks (yikes!) as well as some solutions to guarantee your continued success. Parents should also take note of these tips, because you can play a big part in helping your child develop a love of music.

1. "I left my instrument [at school], [at so-and-so's house], [at work], [in the car], [somewhere, but I can't remember]!"

This may seem obvious, but make sure you have your instrument available and your music, music stand, tuner, metronome, and pencil easily accessible before your lesson begins so you can jump right in without any hesitation. Lessonface lessons are most effective when you have everything you need in the same location as you and your computer or tablet!

2. "What did I have to practice again?"

Yes, sometimes it's just so difficult to remember what to work on between lessons. Life is crazy! To help alleviate this awkward situation, I provide all of my flute students with a 20-lesson practice sheet that includes space for weekly notes on Scales/Technique, Etude/Lesson Book, Solos, and Duet/Ensemble. After each lesson we write down what to work on for the following week and the student is responsible for that material. If your teacher doesn’t provide a similar sheet, consider creating your own.

3. "I didn't practice at all!"

Just do it. You might schedule 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes a day depending upon your level and weekly goals, but consistency is key. Even achieving 15 minutes of quality daily practice is better than one 60-minute cram session right before your lesson. Check out LessonFace's great blog post "How Much Should You Practice Your Instrument?" to figure out how to meet your goals.

4. "Wait, the lesson is over? I have a ton of questions!"

Lessons go fast, especially 30-minute sessions, so saving your questions for the end of the lesson may not provide enough time for them to be thoroughly answered. Consider writing down any inquiries you have during your week of practice and preparation and don't hesitate to ask right away. Nothing is better than starting off a lesson with a great Q and A session!

Lish Lindsey is a talented flute teacher who plays flute (C, alto and bass) with TwtrSymphony and serves as the piccoloist with the Eastern Wind Symphony, a professional level wind ensemble based in New Jersey. She also maintains the popular YouTube Flute Toot-orial project, which is an excellent resource for flutists (or flautists) of all levels. You can learn more about Lish and how she made it to Carnegie Hall here. To learn more about Lish or to book a lesson with her, visit her teacher profile. You can also click here to learn more about how Lessonface works.

Do you have any good suggestions for making the most of music lessons? Tweet us @lessonface or join in on the discussion below.