At Sweetwater, we’ve seen a significant uptick in online music lessons over the past several months, from both those teaching and those receiving. If you’ve ever dreamt of opening your own online music studio or if you’re a traditional instructor looking for a way to keep your students fresh in the wake of the stay-at-home orders, now is the perfect time to act.
“Great! I’ve got a smartphone and a Zoom account. I’m good to go, right?” Well, perhaps. But if you really want to make the strongest online presentation, you’re going to need the right gear.
The good news is that most of our recommendations for online lesson gear are based around using your existing smartphone or tablet as a streaming device. So, as long as you’ve bought a phone or iPad in the past eight years, you’re probably good to go. Here are Sweetwater’s favorite tools for helping online music instructors get started on the right note.
Streaming Microphones
A good microphone is foundational to getting good sound out of your teaching studio and onto your students’ screens. Here are our top mic picks in terms of both quality of sound and ease of use.
RODE VideoMic NTG
This 30-hour, rechargeable USB shotgun mic from RODE delivers clear voice and instrument pickup, either up close or at a distance. The RODE VideoMic NTG includes a deluxe Rycote Lyre shockmount for sleek camera-top operation. It can also be mounted to an optional desktop stand (not included) and plugged into the USB port of a computer to give lessons over Skype or Zoom.
Shure MVL
For room-defying speech and vocal pickup on a budget, the clip-on Shure MVL lavalier can’t be beat. This simple iOS/Android lav mic with a TRRS connector works with the free MOTIV Video app for seamless integration with your smartphone-streaming setup. Note that an 1/8-inch headphone jack or headphone adapter is required.
Neat Microphones Bumblebee
For sound and sonics, we love this distinctive desktop USB condenser mic and its integrated desk stand. The Bumblebee gives you hands-on “beehive” controls for mic gain and headphone output along with a three-way voice selector that’s pre-sweetened for such sources as backing music and speech.
Portable Mobile Mixers & Audio Interfaces
Your 8-channel rack interface may sound great in your control room. But if it’s not portable, you’re not going to want to move it from room to room — which is essential for catching a quick lesson outside the teaching studio. Here are some portable USB and mobile options that are great for online instructors.
Yamaha AG03
Guitar instructor? Yamaha’s AG03 USB mixer for Mac/PC/iPad wins points for convenience. This full-featured mini mixer, with its ultra-clean D-PRE mic preamp and streamlined onboard compression/reverb/EQ, can serve a multitude of uses in your home music studio. But what makes the AG03 a standout for lessons is its baked-in British amp simulator, accessible through the AG DSP Controller app, which drenches your direct guitar signal in amp-like saturation. So, even without a miked-up amp, you’re set to teach those prog-rock lead lines and hair-metal power chord progressions.
Roland GO:LIVECAST
The Roland GO:LIVECAST is a complete streaming studio for smartphones and tablets. Paired with the iOS/Android companion app, it injects mic/instrument audio, backing tracks, text outlines, and even sound effects into your video stream. There are no faders to get lost in and very few knobs to keep track of. Just connect your gear, connect to your device, and connect with students like never before.
Roland GO:MIXER PRO
“Portable” takes on new meaning in the Roland GO:MIXER PRO. This battery-powered audio interface for iOS/Android gives you nine channels of audio and 4.5 hours of continuous operation anywhere in the world. So, whether you’re teaching from a train, coffee shop, or hotel room, this smartphone audio mixer has you covered. Its lean-back phone tray even eliminates the need for a separate smartphone stand mount — a definite bonus for light travelers.
Smartphone Recording Kits
Already have a smartphone, tablet, or camera you can use for filming but no additional gear to pair it with? Just add one of these kits from Sweetwater, and your teaching channel is ready for prime time.
Saramonic Roadieographer Kit
The Saramonic Roadieographer accessory bundle is a full-fledged pro smartphone recording kit with backpack, shotgun mic, and mini convertible handgrip/tripod stand. And while some may consider it overkill for online lessons, it does open up some incredible doorways for content creation down the road. Just think — so long as you’ve got network coverage, there’s no mountain high or valley low enough to keep you from connecting with your students online.
RODE Wireless GO + Lavalier GO
This matching wireless mic system from RODE supplies primo speech and vocal pickup for lessons without the need for messy cables. The Lavalier GO mic clips right onto a shirt collar or jacket lapel to fight the clouding effects common to distant mics in lively rooms. Audio is fed from the microphone to your smartphone* or camera at an impressive distance — up to 230 feet! — without wires or power connectors. A single charge of the Wireless GO nets you up to seven hours of wireless freedom, which could be enough to get you through a full day of teaching at home.
*Note: Smartphone integration may require additional cables. Contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for more information.
Shure MVi + SM57
Shure’s rugged and rock-solid iOS/USB recording interface, the MVi, pairs great with the SM57 — the studio standard for everything from strings and horns to guitar amps and human voices. The MVi connects to your iOS/Android device or USB-equipped Mac/PC via a single cable. It supplies access to Shure’s MOTIV family of apps, which means seamless audio and video recording with virtually any setup. Plus, the MVi doubles as a capable paperweight to keep your lesson notes intact outdoors, whether at the park or on the beach.
RODE SC6-L Kit
The RODE SC6-L turns your iPhone or iPad into a bona fide mobile interview station, yes. But it also comes highly recommended by our Sales Engineers for online lessons. The clip-on SmartLav mic faithfully captures the human voice for intelligible speech and vocals over stream. This kit includes a bonus lavalier mic so that you and a partner can teach lessons simultaneously or lead vocal warm-ups right from the same room.
Shure MV88+ Video Kit
This kit from Shure’s MOTIV line is a home run for all sorts of mobile recording — online lessons included. The powerful MV88 stereo condenser mic mounts neatly on top of your phone via an included smartphone mount and desktop-sized tripod stand. This system is able to supply pro results, especially when you factor in all that the MOTIV companion apps can deliver. A faux-fur windscreen gives you clean audio in virtually any indoor/outdoor environment; and a set of SE215 in-ear monitors — one of Sweetwater’s best-selling dual-driver IEMs — lets you monitor audio in real time without having to don your bulky studio cans on camera.
Stand-mount Phone/Tablet Holders
Your shot quality is only as good as the location of your camera. These phone/tablet holders mount your device to any standard microphone stand to make the most of your studio real estate.
IK Multimedia iKlip3
If you already own a mic or cymbal stand and plan to use an iPad/tablet as your teaching video device, the iKlip3 is a must-have. It’s built from rugged thermoplastic to ensure your shots stay stable from lesson to lesson. What’s more, the 360-degree mounting bracket gives you a good vantage on your students, even as you rotate about your room.
K&M 19742
For iPads and tablets, we also really like the 19742 universal tablet holder from K&M. It threads right onto the end of any standard mic stand by way of an included 3/8-inch threaded adapter. This makes camera positioning as convenient and secure as a standard microphone. What’s more, the 19742’s clamping-jaw mechanism features five rubber “fingers” to keep your iPad or tablet from slipping, all without obstructing the camera or impacting visibility.
IK Multimedia iKlip Xpand Mini
To get a secure hold on iPhone or iPod Touch, with or without the case, we like shooting with the iKlip Xpand Mini. This clamp-style smartphone holder slips onto any open section of an available mic stand or boom arm to get you up close and personal with your students. It features a spring-loaded holder that’s pre-sized to fit most iPhones and similar devices. And because it’s black, it blends perfectly into your hardware.
A Good Set of Wireless In-ears
Your studio headphones will work just fine for teaching. But for a low-profile wireless option that’s rated for hours of comfort, we like the Shure SE215BT2 Bluetooth in-ear monitors. These single-driver IEMs are perfectly suited to reproduce speech and most instruments (sorry, bassists and drummers, you’ll want to look elsewhere). You get up to 10 hours of operation from a single charge, which should be more than enough to last you through your work and lunch hours. Choose between standard clear or Special Edition White.
Sweetwater: Your One Stop for Audiovisual Gear
Thinking of launching your online music studio? Be sure to reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 and let us know how we can help make your teaching dreams a reality.
