Equipment used by Teachers at Top Score Music Academy:

What equipment does a student need for lessons at Top Score Music Academy?

In order to successfully benefit from online learning, we at Top Score Music Academy recommend that students use a proper computer (laptop/desktop) and that they have Zoom installed on their computer. As a result, tablets and phones may be too limited and cumbersome for screen sharing (so students can clearly see their teacher’s screen).

In addition, students should have a working microphone and webcam (mobile phones also work as excellent webcams when connected to a computer!). For example, our teachers use equipment that is the same or similar to those seen here on the left of the screen. Although students do not need to buy expensive microphones and webcams, it should be noted that bad experiences of online learning have been the result of relying on an old computer’s in-built microphone and webcam. Consequently, this often leads to poor visual and/or audio for the students. It is therefore up to the student/parent to ensure that their webcam/mobile phone and microphone is of sufficient quality for good online learning. Similarly, it is also recommended that students use headphones at all times during their lessons to get the best sound quality.

Above all, good internet access is essential! If the signal is poor, then it’s highly recommend not to use wireless, and instead connect the computer to the home router using a standard ethernet cable. This way, the signal becomes far stronger, uninterrupted, and not weakened by walls, ceilings, floors or distance from the router (obstacles that are often overlooked by students when doing online lessons).