online safeguarding advice.
All students attending online lessons under 18 years old will be required to follow online safeguarding protocol. A parent or responsible adult is required to be present at the beginning of an online lesson and at the end of the online lesson as a duty of care.
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FAQs for all instruments
What internet platform do you use ?
Do I need my own instruments?
Yes, your own voice is easy! Your own guitar is best to be acoustic for beginners and of course an acoustic Ukulele. Drum kits are both acoustic OR electric. Both are fine. Electric kits take up less space, can be played in headphones for quiet practice if you want to keep the volume down but need additional amplification via a speaker to be heard without headphones. This is required for online lessons. In some cases beginners drumming lessons can start with just a practice pad and drum sticks ! With purchase of Drum Kit later on. This may suit very young drummers!
I don't have a drum kit or guitar but I am thinking about getting one to start. What is the best?
Let us know your budget, space and noise limits and we can point you in the best value direction or maybe a good second hand instrument that has just come onto the market.
What do I need to know about the Zoom platform?
We recommend using a laptop or tablet with your audio connections connected to an external speaker for a natural sound during lessons. When required, all students will need to play their backing tracks themselves via a separate audio device such as a phone, mp3 player, ipad or CD player. You need to have your track loud enough to sing or play your instrument to, so your tutor can hear both you and your music.
We recommend using laptops for the best experience both aurally and visually for your lessons as you can adjust your sound settings more easily however, tablets can also be used.
What happens if there is a technical issue or problem during an online lesson?
There are some simple audio and video settings for the best experience which we will guide you through.
It's always best to be close to your wifi router in your home and make sure you are the only person streaming on the internet during lessons, otherwise connections become slow or 'laggy'.
If there is an unresolvable technical issue, we are always happy to postpone the lesson until a later date at no extra cost.
Am I able to assist my young child by playing their music tracks and assisting with the technicalities of the lesson?
Yes! we understand that parents may need to assist young children during early lessons, however we do encourage independent learning as soon as your child can manage the technical stuff themselves!
Where Do I get tracks and teaching material from?
Your tutor will send you tracks and sheet music where relevant and if you are working on Grade exams or GCSEs, you will be required to buy the relevant books and sheet music for your exam pieces.
More questions? email stevetaylormusic@yahoo.com