Maximizing Your Virtual Class Experience

Louisville Folk School is now offering online lessons and classes through Zoom! We put together this guide to help students get the most out of their online lesson experience. We are happy to assist you with any tech issues, as well as problems you may be having with your instrument!

EQUIPMENT/CONNECTION
In order to connect to Zoom.us, you will need one of the following devices:

• Smartphone
• Tablet
• Mac or PC with Camera and Microphone (recommended)

You’ll also need an internet connection that can handle the call:

• WIFI Internet with speeds of at least 5mbps download and upload.
• Zoom calls work over strong 4G LTE connections and use approx 500mb per hour.
• Your WIFI may not work as well in every room of your house - choose a comfy spot in a room where you have a good connection to the WIFI, most likely in close proximity to the router. We have also found that the best connection is not on WIFI, but rather with your computer plugged in to your router with an ethernet cable. To really get the most out of your internet service, you may want to connect your router with an ethernet cable and turn off WIFI on your computer.

  Other optional equipment:

• Headphones or speakers for playback of your teachers audio
• Stand for phone or tablet

GETTING SETUP

Download and install the Zoom.us App:

iOS

Android

Mac/PC

To join the meeting:

• Follow the link to the Zoom class meeting in the email your instructor will send (you may also be asked to type in a password that your instructor will give you)
• Enter your Full Name for Screen Name
• click “Join”
• Please join the meeting at least 5 minutes early to make sure we can start on time.
• Follow on screen prompts to allow Zoom to use your camera and microphone.

Other tips and tricks:

HEADPHONES / MICROPHONE
Since music is the name of the game, wearing headphones can improve the overall experience. Headphones with a microphone (such as apple air buds or a gaming headset) are even better. Also, if you have an audio interface at home, try setting up headphones and a microphone through your computer for the best possible audio! Let us know if you have any questions as far as equipment and best practices go, we’d be happy to help.

IMPROVE AUDIO BY TURNING OFF NOISE SUPPRESSION

Zoom has an automatic feature called noise suppression that can cause loud instruments to cut out during calls.

ON MAC OR PC
In the Zoom App, navigate to:

• Preferences>Audio>Advanced>
• Click the box for "Show in meeting option to "Enable Original Sound" from microphone"
• In the meeting, click Turn on Original Sound at the top of the screen.

ON iOS

• Go to the Settings Gear > Meetings > check Use Original Sound
• In the meeting, click More > Enable Original Sound

LESSON MATERIALS
Your instructor may share lesson materials with you during your call. They will be put up on the screen and If you’d like to save them for later, take a screenshot: 

• IOS:     HOME + POWER buttons
• Android:      Press the Power button for a few seconds. Then tap Screenshot.
• Mac:       COMMAND + SHIFT + 4 then drag and click
• PC:       PrtScn button

Your instructor may also email lesson materials after the lesson to the email address on your account, share a Google Drive link, or invite you to join a Google Classroom.

RECORD YOUR LESSON
You can record part or all of your lessons to review later while practicing!

On Mac/PC - Click Record along the bottom, then select Record to Computer
IOS - Instructions here