Best single camera angle for online lessons

DrumDoug

Senior Member
I have been hired by a local music store to give drum lessons. Currently most of their lessons are done through Zoom. They said I can do the lessons from home. I setting up my drum room and rearranging things. I pulled my electronic kit out of storage because I think it will work better. I can either use the built in camera from my laptop, Or I could use my older Zoom camera instead. The Zoom doesn’t have good picture quality, but I could move it around easier to get a good angle. Now I have to decide where to put the kit and camera to get the angle I want. Should I put it in the hi hat side or the ride side? How high up and at what angle? How far back? Any advise about this or any advise about giving online lessons would be appreciated.
 
There are so many ways you could go with this. But remember photography is the capture of light. You need a decent video light to give whatever camera you use a good image to capture. As far as the camera angle, look at video lessons on YouTube and find an angle and background you like. Then try and duplicate it.
 
Camera is best when set up to the left of the hi hat, up above the top of a music stand, looking down from the side. I use white painted sticks in lessons, because they show up on camera a bit better.
 
We recently tried to use an old Zoom Q2HD as a webcam, but it wasn‘t compatible with our modern computers - kept dropping out and switching itself off. Test it for several minutes before you commit to using it for paid work.
 
Perhaps also joining the same Zoom meeting with a second device pointing your feet or other details (if the lesson requires it) is an option. If you use a phone, just remember to mute it! ;)
 
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