From ‘Real Time Musical Ensembles’ to ‘Virtual Musical Projects’

It is not an easy road!

What a change…Having full ensemble rehearsals or just sectional ones was our daily routine in the Music Department. Suddenly, everything changed into the virtual mode!

With most of our orchestral instruments stored and no proper interfaces for our music teaching…we had to carry on because we all love music!

The virtual world however, provides a series of interesting opportunities in music.

Besides gathering and creating musical material prior to the lesson, we use several devices in our zoom lessons, such as phones, tablets, computer, instruments and musical software. Yes! We need all that in order to produce music and sometimes we need all of them at the same time!

Another good news is that students can continue their individual lessons through the online Instrumental Programme, which has already started. Students are welcome to submit audio or video recordings of their performances at home. This will keep them motivated and will allow teachers to keep track of their progress.

Students can also get together in groups and share their musical experiences, knowledge and ideas.

Now, about ensemble situations, there is no point in providing a frustrating delayed virtual experience. Mainly because each person involved in an ensemble or a choir has to be able to listen to their peers (instantly) if the intention is to sound as one. Such outcome is not possible through virtual experience, because each student will listen their peers one or two seconds later and there is a high chance that the audio will be saturated. The only way to achieve this is by asking each student to record themselves on audio using a backing track, and later merge all the audio files using a studio music program such as logic pro. In this way, we offer virtual projects where students can sing and/or play a musical instrument. Such performances can be shared or merged.

And…Individual coaching available at all times!

Students will need to adhere to strict guidelines when recording and submitting their audios and videos. Parents will need to give their consent.

A pack of high quality material is being delivered to students according to their levels of musicianship and areas of interest. This pack considers audio backing tracks with and without metronome. Examples of the tracks are: backing track for studying purposes, backing track for recording purposes, at a slow tempo, at normal speed. With clear indication of entrance. Scores. Full score, the different parts; easy, medium easy, intermediate, advanced, solo parts…Backing tracks with specific instrumental parts. Chord symbols and sometimes a demo video done by the teacher.

Instructions when recording and how to deliver the material... extremely important as well as the correct name for each file.

The audio needs to be recorded with a different device but done at the same time than the video recording (done with a separate device).

Proper silence when recording…

Dress code…

A total new language! But worthy.

Then we will need video editing. Then, the final video is exported and uploaded to a video sharing website.

Many hours of time are needed. A lot!

One of our projects: “You won’t see me”

And why not check out this P6 Lesson on the Orchestra that Carlos has shared.