Optimising Zoom for the Music Lesson

Optimizing Zoom for Music Lessons: 2024 Update

For musicians and music teachers, audio quality is everything when it comes to online lessons. Fortunately, Zoom has introduced and refined several features to help musicians experience high-fidelity sound, preserving the nuances of live music. This updated guide walks you through how to optimize Zoom for the best audio experience, including activating the “High Fidelity Music Mode” to ensure you hear every note as clearly as possible.

High Fidelity Music Mode in Zoom

“High Fidelity Music Mode” is designed specifically for audio clarity in music sessions. By disabling some of Zoom’s automatic audio adjustments, this mode allows for a purer, more accurate sound—essential for music lessons.

How to Enable High Fidelity Music Mode

  1. Update Zoom: Make sure you’re using the latest version of Zoom to access all the latest audio features.
  2. Open Zoom Settings:
    • Desktop: Open Zoom, click your profile picture, and go to “Settings.”
    • During a Call: Click the up-arrow next to the microphone icon, then select “Audio Settings.”
  3. Enable Original Sound:
    • Go to “Audio” > “Advanced.”
    • Check “Show in-meeting option to enable ‘Original Sound’ from microphone.”
  4. Activate High Fidelity Music Mode:
    • In the “Audio” tab, check “High fidelity music mode.”
    • If using headphones, uncheck “Echo cancellation” to improve clarity.
    • Turn off “Suppress Background Noise” or set it to “Low” if noise suppression is needed.

By enabling High Fidelity Mode and Original Sound, Zoom will disable compression and automatic level adjustments, allowing the sound quality to be as close to live as possible.

Setting Up Zoom on a PC or Laptop

To further optimize Zoom for music lessons on a computer, follow these tips:

  1. Download the Zoom App: The desktop app offers more functionality than the browser version.
  2. Adjust Audio Settings:
    • In “Settings” > “Audio,” uncheck “Automatically adjust microphone volume” to set a stable volume level manually.
    • Position yourself 1 to 2 meters from your microphone and adjust the Input Level so that it stays around 80-90%.
  3. Fine-tune Audio in “Advanced”:
    • Go to “Settings” > “Audio” > “Advanced” and enable “Show in-meeting option to ‘Enable Original Sound.’”
    • Set “Suppress Persistent Background Noise” and “Suppress Intermittent Background Noise” to “Disable.”
  4. Enable Original Sound During Lessons:
    • Before starting the lesson, enable “Original Sound” at the top-left of your meeting screen. This button should display “Turn off Original Sound” when active, confirming it’s enabled.

Optimizing Zoom on a Phone or Tablet

While Zoom’s mobile app has fewer audio settings, you can still enable some key features for improved sound quality:

  1. Enable Original Sound:
    • Open the Zoom app, tap “Settings” in the bottom-right, go to “Meeting,” and toggle “Use Original Sound” on.
  2. During the Lesson:
    • Tap “More” in the bottom-right, then select “Enable Original Sound.” This ensures that the audio retains its full fidelity.

Benefits of High Fidelity Music Mode

With Zoom’s continued enhancements, High Fidelity Music Mode has become essential for music education, minimizing aggressive compression and enabling higher-quality audio data transfer. This feature is especially beneficial for intricate music passages, helping both students and teachers hear subtle musical details.

Final Tips

  1. Use a High-Quality Microphone: Built-in mics can work, but consider a USB condenser microphone or a dedicated audio interface for optimal sound.
  2. Use Headphones: Encourage students to use wired headphones to avoid echo and improve audio clarity.
  3. Test Settings Before Lessons: Spend a few minutes before each lesson testing your setup, as audio issues are best resolved ahead of time.

By following these updated tips, you can make the most of Zoom’s advanced features and ensure that both you and your students enjoy the best audio quality in your online music lessons.