Skype Lessons

[roncesvalles]

I'm an adult who has been playing regularly for about three years, and I would like to take a step forward in my playing.  I live in a lightly populated area, and the piano teachers (three in total) here are more of the casual type, perfectly suitable for children but maybe not the best fit for someone as analytically oriented as me, with a fascination of mechanics and a severe need to learn how to play with relaxation.   My ideal teacher would be someone really attuned to the mechanics of playing and knowledgeable of a wide repertoire.   The basics of playing and theory I have learned or can assimilate on my own, but I need fine tuning and the structure that lessons give.   Recently I've spoken with a reputable teacher about conducting lessons over Skype, but I am not sure of how these lessons would work or of their efficacy.

Does anyone here have any experience with distance lessons?   What are their limitations?  Do you feel that these lessons were successful?   Do you have any tips on how to get the maximum out of lessons of this medium?   

[keypeg]

Roncesvalles, have a look at Jaak Sikk's site.  I am familiar with what he does.  Jaak's focus is on building a technical foundation as a first thing, and he starts with a kind of detail as it is rarely done. He gives feedback on video recordings, and encourages these.  Even if you have played for three years, and especially if you were self taught, I would encourage paying close attention to the very things he teaches - going back to the very beginning - to check everything.

https://playingpianoblog.com/learn-to-play-the-piano/

[keypeg]

That is, when I read your posts, you seem to be playing rather advanced and sophisticated music.  There is no way of knowing where you are for the physical / technique part of it.  Sometimes these kinds of things, as "simple" as they may appear, may have a remediating effect that ultimately brings everything you do quite a ways forward.

[roncesvalles]

Thanks, keypeg.  I'll check that out.  That is exactly what I'm doing.  I've made a lot of progress, but I have a feeling that, moving forward, I would be building on a bad foundation if I just continue on, on my own.   So I need to revisit everything as if I was just starting out, in order to do it the correct way (relaxation, economy of motion, a quiet hand, better posture, sight reading, polishing pieces, etc.).   I'm starting to work on these things on my own, but I need someone with expertise to guide me.

[leemond2008]

I have Skype lessons along with face to face ones.
I normally have a 1 hour face to face lesson every two weeks with a ''refresher'' in between them.

The Skype lessons last anything between 15 minutes to half an hour.

My teacher has asked me for feedback on them before (she doesn't charge for the online lessons) I said that I think they probably benefit the student from a motivational point of view, it gives me the incentive to practice consistantly inbetween lessons.

I said that whilst I think they are really handy I wouldn't pay for them on a weekly basis but if I was struggling to pay for my face to face lessons then Skype lesson at a lower price would be great.

All in all good for motivational purposes and little tips but to use them as a point of consistent learning I'm not so sure.