Setting up Skype and a Webcam is Very Easy (here's how)

(SKYPE VIDEO CALLS AND THE PROGRAM IS ABSOLUTELY FREE!) (Webcams cost between $20 - $120 and are quick and easy to set up.  Mid priced units are excellent choices and will do all you need for online lessons.  Just follow manufacturers instructions on installation.)

Go to the "SKYPE DOWNLOAD" page, (see links below).  Just make sure you choose your operating system for your computer and start the download.  To instal the latest version of Skype for Windows computers just click on the green button to start downloading Skype.  For other computer operating systems such as a Mac OS, just click on the appropriate link to get to the download link of Skype.

 

Click here to go directly to the SKYPE download page for MS Windows computers:  http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/windows/

 

Click here to go directly to the SKYPE download page for Mac computers:  http://www.skype.com/intl/en/get-skype/on-your-computer/macosx/

 

SKYPE DOWNLOAD WINDOW

Just follow easy download instructions and choose your user name and password.

Once that you have completed downloading SKYPE, now you can open up the program.  Simply type in your user name and password.  Press enter and you will get to SKYPE'S main window which looks like this:

SKYPE MAIN PROGRAM WINDOW

To enter our Skype Contact name in your contact list just click on the "NEW" button, (left center area of screen), and type in John's or Candace's SKYPE user name.

 

John's SKYPE contact/user name is:  john-mccoy1

 

Candace's SKYPE contact/user name is:  candace_mccoy

 

Once you've entered our Skype contact name, you will be asked to send us a comment.  Just type in "Hi" or "I'm set up for lessons" and then press enter.  The next time John or Candace signs into Skype, we will get your message and your Skype contact name saved to our contacts list.  It's that easy!  Once we are both signed onto Skype at the same time, our user names will light up green showing that we are just a click away from a LIVE WEBCAM ONLINE Guitar or Flute lesson.  PLEASE allow us to call you when starting a webcam guitar or flute lesson as we will usually have lessons scheduled back to back and must close out of our previous lesson.  Just be signed in on Skype and waiting for our call.  Once you get our call, a pop up window will come up with 3 button choices on it.  Simply press the larger middle button, (Answer Video Call), and we will be connected for the lesson.

A FEW GUIDELINES ON CONNECTING AND THE TIMING OF LESSONS

  • Let John or Candace call you at the beginning of your lesson as we are usually just finishing out a lesson right before you.  A little pop up window will be shown on the screen with three buttons.  Just push the larger center button "Answer Video Call" and we will see each other within seconds.  If there are any issues with distorted sound or extra choppy video, McCoy's Music can give you some suggestions on your settings for a smooth webcam lesson.
  • McCoy's Music tries to be very prompt about starting and ending lessons with approximately a one minute buffer zone of when we start and end a lesson.  This means on average that a half hour lesson will be about 28 minutes long, and an hour lesson will average 58 minutes long.  This is actually more efficient than the traditional music store or lessons place experience when you consider the teacher coming out to greet the student, getting the instrument out of the case, tuning, having a 25 minute lesson, and putting the instrument away.
  • Take advantage of the Webcam lesson format by already having your instrument tuned up and warm up a few minutes before your lesson.  Having a tuner, metronome, and a writing utensil for making notations on sheet music or for making notes on what you need to practice for the week makes for an efficient use of time during the lesson.
  • Boot up your computer 5-10 minutes before the lesson while you are tuning and warming up, and get SKYPE up and running. 
  • LIFE HAPPENS:  McCoy's Music has a timer function to keep us on time, but if we occasionally don't hear the timer and we are 4 minutes late, (make sure your clock is set correctly), just give us a courtesy call by phone to let us know we are LATE.  Since we at McCoy's Music can see if you are online through SKYPE'S main window, if you are not online we will give you a call after 5 minutes into your lesson time to see if you are there.  Please let us know by e-mail or a phone call that you can't make your lesson.
  • Finally:  As we get to know each of our students, we can let you write down your own assignment pages, or we can scan you our lesson plan that we write down for you, or at the end of our teaching day we can send files to you on our time and not the lesson time.  We are flexible as to your needs.  For McCoy's Music to be most efficient for getting your, (the students), PDF files and MP3 music files for special assignments that you need help on, make sure to e-mail these files the day before the lesson or sooner.

          Thank you very much,

                                            John and Candace McCoy