Looking for Skype ukulele lessons?
I’ve been teaching music students online since 2009. Using Skype, a free program which allows us to see and hear each other, live, in real time, we can meet online, from any location in the world, using a webcam.
If you’re interested, please give me a call at (603) 762-9378 or email me through the Contact page.
How Skype Lessons Work
It’s just like an in-person lesson. I’m sitting in front of you, you’re sitting in front of me. You ask me questions, I answer. I play something for you on the ukulele, you listen, then play it on your uke. I give you feedback. There’s a slight time delay, which prevents us from playing simultaneously, but call-and-response works fine. You may want to have some scratch paper available to take notes by hand, and I’ll email you PDFs or text documents for songs and exercises, which you can either view on-screen during the lesson, or print out. I also have begun creating my own MP3 jam tracks for students, which allow you to practice playing songs and jamming with accompaniment, just like we would in person.
Time Zone & Schedule
I’m in New Hampshire, on the east coast of the USA, so my time zone is the same as New York City (Eastern Standard Time). For folks outside the US, my time zone is GMT -4, -5, or -6, depending on Daylight Savings. Please be sure to let me know your region and time zone when scheduling Skype ukulele lessons.
I mostly teach Monday -Friday from 5:30 to 10:00pm EST. If your time zone makes those hours inconvenient, let me know and we’ll find a time that will work for both of us.
Payment
My rates for Skype ukulele lessons are $60 for hour lessons, $40 for half-hours, payable monthly.
What You’ll Need
Computer + High-Speed Internet Access
I’m told that Skype works over dial-up, but it’s not great. You’ll get a smoother picture, better audio, and fewer dropped calls if your home Internet connection is high-speed.
Webcam
Most laptops and netbooks come equipped with webcams now, but if you don’t have one, they’re available at Staples, Wal-Mart, or online, starting around $30. Click here to browse some webcams.
Skype
Skype is free to download, install, and use. Just head over to the Skype website, click on “Get Skype,” choose your operating system (PC, Mac, or Linux), download and install it.
Once it’s installed, you’ll start it up, create an online login using your email account, test your webcam out, and you’re ready to go.
My Skype ID, by the way, is taddreis.
Headphones
Your webcam will pick up your voice, and you’ll be able to hear me through your computer speakers, but it can be helpful to wear headphones to hear more clearly. Earbuds or headphones used for normal music listening will work fine.
Ukulele
Oh yeah, having an instrument would be helpful, wouldn’t it? I recommend using a tenor ukulele, but soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone ukes are all fine.
Speaker Dock or Boombox
To use jam tracks in a lesson, you’ll need a speaker dock or portable boombox, along with an MP3 player or CD with our jam tracks.
Printer
It’s handy to have a printer available, so that if I send you a worksheet or song during your Skype ukulele lesson, you can easily print it. It’s also possible to view worksheets onscreen during lessons, but I recommend printing worksheets out and keeping them in a lesson folder or binder. Call me old-fashioned 🙂
Contact Me
(603) 762-9378
Send me an email.