If you cannot resolve your issues using this guide, please read our Troubleshooting guide and the Online Classroom user guide. Alternatively, email the Customer Support Team at info@musicteachers.co.uk.
What is the Online Classroom?
The Online Classroom is a video conferencing system specially designed for music lessons.
Features include:
high-quality audio and video streaming
the compatibility with a broad range of devices through a browser-based interface
helpful tools* including:
a metronome
audio and video input device selection
audio processing options
on-screen piano keyboard
on-screen whiteboard
screen sharing
text chat
*Please note these tools will not work on every device and browser combination - we strongly recommend Google Chrome browser for best results. Many mobile devices do not make the full set of tools listed above available
How should I prepare for my first Online Classroom lesson?
The devices used by the teacher and the student and how they are set up are critical to the success of Online Classroom lessons.
To use the Online Classroom, you will need:
a device (desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone**) with a stable internet connection. It must have at least 2.5 Mbps upload and 2.5 Mbps download bandwidth.
a microphone, either internal to your device or external via USB or an audio interface. BlueTooth-connected microphones are not recommended because the connection can be unstable with low-quality audio.
a video camera, either internal to your device or external via USB.
a means of listening to the sound coming to you from the other end of the Online Classroom session - the built-in loudspeakers on your device will usually be acceptable. For the best quality results, we recommend using headphones and turning off your loudspeakers. BlueTooth-connected headphones are not recommended because the connection can be unstable with low-quality audio.
Our recommendations for best results are:
Use Google Chrome browser for the best results - other browsers may work, or appear to work, but can cause issues when the other user also uses something other than Chrome.
Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) may prevent the Online Classroom from connecting successfully. If you use a VPN and you find you cannot connect to an Online Classroom session, please try disabling your VPN.
Ensure that noise suppression is disabled on your device. This feature can also be called noise cancellation, ambient noise reduction, and enhancements. If such features are not disabled, only spoken human dialogue will be transmitted and all musical sounds distorted. How to do this varies greatly between devices - if you are unsure about this or would like to check that you have disabled it, please contact the Customer Support Team.
**Please note: not all devices will work well in the Online Classroom. We will allow teachers and students to use third-party platforms such as Zoom, Teams, Skype etc. We will provide technical support to users of third-party video conferencing systems, provided they are being used for lessons booked through the platform.
How do I access the Online Classroom?
Once the student has paid for and confirmed the lesson, a link to the Online Classroom session is generated.
Links are displayed on the dashboard both in the “Future Lessons” (students) or “Lessons this week” (teachers) boxes and in the calendar.
Students also receive email reminders about their upcoming lessons with a link to the lesson.
These links work from 2 hours before the lesson start time.
If this is the first time you have used the Online Classroom, your browser will ask permission to use your microphone and camera on your device. You will need to “allow” this.
If you see the option to “allow every time” or similar, and you accept this, your browser should remember your choice for all future Online Classroom sessions.