Zoom Piano Lessons for Adults and Kids

This page lists online piano teachers and music schools that provide private virtual piano lessons on Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, FaceTime, and other platforms.

Many piano instructors today are giving Zoom piano lessons because, since the start of the pandemic, music education has been fast moving online. What’s more, online music lessons are here to stay in a post pandemic world, due to the convenience, flexibility, and effectiveness of this mode of learning both for teachers and students.

While there are plenty of excellent piano-teaching apps and online courses available today, the learning resources in this post focus on private one-on-one instruction.

Besides your instrument – whether an acoustic piano, digital piano, or MIDI keyboard – you’ll need a high-speed Internet connection and a desktop or laptop computer (or tablet, such an an iPad) with a working webcam and microphone to get the most out of your private virtual piano lessons.

In most cases, there’s no need to download additional software to attend your piano lessons on Zoom, as your instructor can send you a link to join the virtual waiting room in just a couple of clicks.

If you’re just getting started with piano, consider supplementing your lessons with one of these best music theory books for beginners.

What are the best Skype and Zoom piano lessons?

My top picks for the best Zoom, Skype, and video exchange piano lessons are:

  • Virtu.Academy. Beginner through advanced piano and keyboard lessons via Zoom taught by accomplished piano teachers from top music schools, orchestras, opera companies, and more. Learn classical, jazz, pop, and other styles.
  • ArtistWorks. Beginner through advanced video-based piano courses combined with video exchange learning. They offer piano instruction for beginners, as well as training in pop, classical, and jazz piano for beginner through advanced students.

Virtu.Academy

Virtu.Academy offers private piano lessons (and other music lessons) over Zoom for beginner to advanced students. Their roster of professional teachers specialize in a variety of genres, including classical, jazz, pop, opera, musical theater, contemporary, R&B, country, bluegrass, folk, and rock.

Virtu.Academy instructors are chosen for their extensive teaching and musicianship experience. For example, their teachers have studied and performed with top music schools like Juilliard or performed with top music companies like the Cleveland Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera.

Highlights

  • Virtu.Academy teachers are highly accomplished musicians and teachers from top music schools and performing groups.
  • The cost of piano lessons with Virtu.Academy is very affordable compared to many other in-person and online music studios.
  • Pay-as-you-go – no commitment or subscription necessary.
  • Discounts are available when you buy lessons in bulk.
  • You can use your piano lesson credits whenever you want, and they don’t expire.
  • Rescheduling and cancellation policies are flexible.
  • Students of all ages welcome, from younger kids to adults.

Pricing

Online private piano lessons with Virtu.Academy range from 30 minutes to 60 minutes and start at just $29 per lesson. The first lesson is half price at $14.50.

Required equipment

To attend piano lessons with Virtu.Academy, you’ll need a computer with a microphone and camera.

How to get started

Start by browsing the available piano teachers on the site – you can easily filter them by your experience level and the type of music you want to play.

When you’ve found a good match, you can book your first lesson for 50% off the regular price. Simply view your instructor’s calendar and choose a time (24 hours’ notice is required). If your first lesson doesn’t work out for any reason, you can get your money back and try a different instructor.

ArtistWorks

ArtistWorks offers video-based online piano lessons coupled with one-on-one video exchange training with your instructor. An archive of previous video interactions between instructors and other students in your class is made available.

ArtistWorks currently offers the following piano courses:

  • Piano: Beginner’s Guide (taught by award-winning performer and educator Zachary Deak)
  • Classical Piano (taught by renowned pianist Christie Peery)
  • Jazz Piano (taught by accomplished accompanist and solo pianist George Whitty)
  • Popular Piano (taught by Grammy-winning jazz pianist Hugh Sung)

Highlights

  • Video courses are taught by world-renowned performers and educators.
  • Correspond with your instructor through video exchanges: When you have a question about the course material or if you want to receive feedback on your playing, send your teacher a video recording and receive a video response from them within a couple of days.
  • Convenient and flexible: Since video exchange lessons happen asynchronously, you don’t have to coordinate lesson times or worry about lesson cancellation fees.
  • Get access to an archive of video exchanges between instructors and other students in your area of study.
  • The annual subscription plan gives you unlimited video exchanges with your instructor.
  • The video exchange method of learning is more affordable than live one-to-one piano lessons.
  • Get full access to all lessons on the site with any membership plan.
  • Suitable for older kids and adults. Due to ArtistWorks’ more independent manner of instruction, younger kids may benefit from having an adult work through the video content with them.

Pricing

ArtistWorks has three subscription options: three months ($35 per month), six months ($30 per month), and 12 months ($23.25 per month).

Required equipment

If you want to take advantage of the one-on-one video exchange feature, you’ll need a computer or mobile device that can capture videos.

How to get started

To start your virtual piano training with ArtistWorks, choose from one of the three subscription plans and sign up.

Teachers that give Zoom or Skype piano lessons

Below is a list of online piano teachers that give private piano lessons via Zoom, Skype, or another video meeting platform:

Leila Viss

Overview: Online piano lessons via Zoom for adults and kids (ages 8+), taught by pianist, organist, composer, and educator Leila Viss. Classical, jazz, and pop styles. Private and group lessons available.

Rates/pricing: Lessons for adult students range from $50-$95 a lesson (lessons can be 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes). You can take lessons weekly or once or twice a month. Payment online via credit card, PayPal, or Venmo.

Required equipment: A Zoom-compatible device with a camera and microphone, such as a desktop or laptop computer or iPad.

Deborah Savage

Overview: Zoom piano lessons for kids and adults, taught by classically trained pianist Deborah Savage.

Rates/pricing: A 30-minute lesson costs $40, a 45-minute lesson costs $50, and a 60-minute lesson costs $70. PayPal and credit cards accepted.

Required equipment: A phone, tablet, desktop, or laptop with working mic and camera and high-speed Internet connection.

Mark Stawman Piano

Overview: Zoom and Skype piano lessons (in English or Spanish) taught by experienced teacher Mark Stawman. Instead of a live meeting, students may also opt for asynchronous piano lessons via video exchange.

Rates/pricing: Rates not listed. Lessons are 30, 45, or 60 minutes, typically weekly. Payments via bank transfer using Transferwise.

Required equipment: A desktop or laptop computer or tablet (like an iPad) with camera and mic, and a high-speed Internet connection. For Zoom lessons, you’ll need to download the free Zoom application.

Benefits of taking music lessons on Zoom or Skype

There are a few notable advantages to taking private online piano lessons:

  • Take lessons when you want. Many online teachers offer students flexible scheduling with a pay-as-you-go option. In some cases – with Virtu.Academy, for instance – you can purchase discounted packages of lesson credits and then schedule the lessons whenever you see fit. Of course, you can also book lessons at regular weekly or biweekly times.
  • Learn from anywhere. Whether you’re traveling, touring, or hanging out at home, you can fire up your video meeting platform and take a lesson.
  • Record your lessons. Using the recording features in Zoom, you can capture video or audio recordings of your lessons to reference them during practice sessions or to track your progress over time.
  • Choose from many different instructors. Online music lessons have taken off like wildfire since the pandemic started, and many piano teachers, realizing this, quickly moved their teaching studios online. This mode of learning is likely to stick around, meaning geographic location is no longer a barrier. Many music teachers offer free consultations and pay-as-you-go lessons, so you can experiment with different instructors until you find the right fit.
  • Get specialized training in your favorite musical styles. It used to be that if you lived in a small town, you’d have only a few local piano teachers to choose from. Thanks to the online medium, now you have access to thousands of teachers, many of whom have trained at top conservatories and specialize in a certain genre of music. Virtu.Academy, for example, has piano teachers who are experts in classical, jazz, or pop playing techniques.
  • Get over your nervousness about taking music lessons. Somehow, taking your very first piano lesson from the comfort of home can seem less intimidating than traveling to a music studio or a stranger’s house.

Virtual private piano lessons: FAQ

Are Skype and Zoom piano lessons effective?

Yes, online piano lessons are effective! The piano is especially well suited to virtual lessons over video meeting platforms like Skype and Zoom. For instance, many teachers use overhead cameras or even multiple cameras (keys, pedals, sheet music, teacher), which makes demonstrations easy to see and follow along with.

In addition, the online medium has advantages that in-person lessons don’t – for example, the ability to record your lessons and rewatch them at your convenience. You can even slow down or loop sections of the video or audio recording using free online tools.

Another benefit of recording your meeting is that you can listen more objectively to an audio track of yourself playing and monitor your progress over time.

Finally, with online lessons, teachers can easily annotate and discuss sheet music using the screen sharing feature in Zoom, as well as share sheet music or action items with students.

To get the most out of your online lessons, you’ll need to do some setup beforehand. Your teacher will tell you what equipment you need, how to set up your piano and computer or mobile device, and how to prepare for each lesson.

Your teacher may also recommend certain apps, like Appcompanist or a metronome app, for an enhanced learning experience.

It’s also a good idea to get familiar with the audio and video features of your video meeting platform. This will ensure that you can quickly troubleshoot any technical issues that arise so you’re not wasting any valuable lesson time.

How do online piano lessons work?

Online piano lessons work similar to in-person lessons. Here are some examples of what you might expect to work on during a typical meeting:

  • Your teacher may offer video demonstrations of proper technique using an overhead camera or multiple camera angles.
  • You may be asked to perform pieces that were assigned to you the previous week, and your instructor will give you feedback on your technique.
  • Using screen-sharing technology, your teacher may discuss, annotate, and share sheet music or music theory worksheets.
  • Your teacher may ask you about your musical goals and encourage you to ask questions, which can help to guide the direction of future lessons and the pieces you work on.
  • Your teacher may give you action items to work on before your next meeting, such as exercises and pieces to practice or music theory worksheets to fill out.

When it comes to online piano lessons, each teacher does things a little differently. Many teachers will have a series of lesson plans or a specific piano method that they prefer to follow with beginner students.

If you’re a more experienced player, your instructor may give you more control over the direction of your meeting, encouraging you to ask questions and choose the pieces that you want to work on.

For most online piano lessons, you’ll need your own instrument, whether a digital piano, MIDI keyboard, or acoustic piano. You’ll also need a computer or mobile device, such as an iPad, with a working webcam and mic and a high-speed Internet connection.

In some cases, you may need to download the free Zoom client to access your online lesson; in other cases, you’ll simply need to click on the link your teacher sends you to join the virtual waiting room.

How much do virtual piano lessons cost?

The cost of virtual private piano lessons varies from teacher to teacher. In general, prices are comparable to in-person private lessons, with typical rates ranging from $30 to $60 per 30-minute to 60-minute lesson. If you factor in the time and expense of commuting to lessons, online lessons usually work out to be cheaper!

Takeaways

Online music lessons are the future of music education, even more so in a post pandemic world, with many excellent piano teachers (as well as singing and guitar teachers) now teaching primarily or entirely online. Available lesson slots fill up quick, so it’s a great time to do your research and choose a teacher that meets your musical goals.

Virtual music lessons aren’t one size fits all, and each teacher has a different approach to online instruction. Some online music teachers offer a free consultation or discounted trial lesson, so be sure to ask about this before committing to a regular time for your Zoom piano lessons.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *