Virtual recital: Zoom or Videotaped? ?

Question

I'm a piano teacher, planning to host a virtual students' recital.

Although I thought of Zoom, I'm a bit concerned about each other's internet connection or sound quality etc.  Would making a video (after collecting student's videotapes and putting them together) be safer solution?

If there're tips please advise.  Thanks!

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

I wouldn't even CONSIDER doing a zoom recital - the quality is far too low and connection is too unreliable. It's bad enough doing lessons via zoom, let alone a concert-level performance, even for beginners. If you want to have the connection of a live event then do a youtube broadcast or facebook premiere of the final video.

The problem with video is that it needs to be edited, which can be quite labour intensive. You could make life a lot easier for yourself if you set out some filming guidelines for students/parents to follow - mentioning lighting, checking sound levels, as well as performance etiquette etc. Then ask them to send them one final-take video so you don't have to listen to different versions or cut out false starts. A nice touch might be to get them to send another short video when they introduce themselves and their piece(s) - older students might also say something about it...!

If you ask pupils to send good videos to you in the first place (which they should be well aware of - they are the youtube generation after all) then editing a recital shouldn't be too hard. If you don't already have video editing software then search for "open source video editor" (rather than 'free' which gives free versions of paid software - i.e with things missing). I've used lightworks before, which is pretty good - although it isn't the easiest thing to use.