This may be something you've thought about for a while or something you're just now considering. Regardless, the big question is "What do you really want to accomplish?" Various teachers could teach online with different goals in mind. Here are a few possibilities.

• Teach online in same way as I teach in-person students
• Add some enhanced learning through technology to my live, virtual lessons
• Teach online group lessons with great student-to-student interaction
• Teach in a "blended" approach with students using supplementary online material, virtual sessions just to compliment in-person sessions.

As an example, my long-term goal is to establish something similar to an online academy where I offer piano, recorder, and native American flute courses with videos, audio files, printable components, and a messaging forum where they could video their assignments and submit to me for feedback. Students could also schedule regular live, virtual sessions with me or just occasionally when they need help. I'm not there yet but on my way. And, possibly, I could contract with other instrumental teachers to join me.

What tools would help you achieve your teaching goals?
There are several directions to take in achieving the goals you have. They can range from a simple video conferencing tool to a learning management system where you can create self-paced online courses.

The good news is that I don't think one has to be a "techie" nowadays to accomplish these goals. The tools are more intuitive and automated than ever before. Here are some essentials and "nice to have" items you will want to consider.

The Essentials for Online Teaching

• Robust computer: Any computer may do okay since most of the processing comes from the Internet connection, however, the faster processors and larger internal memory (8 gb+) will offer a more stable experience.
• Wired connection: It can be slight but using wireless connections can present issues when trying to maintain continuous connectivity in a video-conferencing situation.
• Camera: At least on your end. I've done some without a camera on their end but the potential issues are obvious.
• Microphone : Essential for all parties participating.

Helpful Items

• Headphones: This is almost essential to hear clearly. I don't use the headphones with a built-in mic, however as they cannot also hear my keyboard.
• Multiple cameras: If you teach guitar or flute, etc you may not need more than one camera. I want two because I have one always pointed to my piano keyboard. The other can be on my face (ugh!) or sharing my screen, etc.
• Separate microphone: Meaning separate from your webcam mic. Usually, microphones built-in to webcams are are very average to below-average quality. I use a Samson USB microphone because audio quality is simply better.

Video Conferencing Tools
Though it's essential, I left it to the last because, well, it's the big one. You can have the best equipment but if you don't have a good software tool to connect - no one cares.

Not sure why but I love researching technology tools in the learning and educational areas. I also enjoy experimenting with various learning management systems software to the point of near confusion. We'll call it "quirky." Video conferencing apps/services, of course, do different things and have various pricing, including free. My current favorite is zoom.us. It offers better audio/video quality than most and is - so far - free. Here are some others.

1. Zoom.us: Download/login required; Free for one-to-one only for up to 45 min; Great quality; Easy to switch multiple cameras.
2. Google hangouts: Free and easy to change cameras during call.
3. WebEx (Cisco): Free for up to 3 people; stable quality.
4. Facetime: Apple users only.
5. Google Duo: Works very well and free.
6. Wiziq: Awesome but more for classes. As of this writing, premium plans only but they negotiate.
7. Teacherzone: Maybe not for smaller studios due to cost, but it does everything and I mean everything; video chat, scheduling, payments, notes, etc.
8. Skype: Download/login required; Fair quality; 1 camera only (my least favorite).

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Other Tools
Tonara: A practice and student management app has really improved over the years. I can do lesson notes, send videos, printed music (of course, it’s studio-licensed), and they can record their assignments.

Manycam: This enables me to overlay two (or more) cameras on the screen. I have two web cams with one pointed to me and one hanging from a mic stand pointed to the keyboard. You can make different configurations.

Things to remember when teaching live online:

• Don't expect things to be the same as your in-person lessons. You will need to talk a little slower, leave more time for student responses/feedback, and you won't be able to hear and see as well as if you're sitting there beside them.
• Activities must go faster and be shorter in length - even with adult students.
• For children students, parents still should be physically close by and be updated so they know what's expected of the student between lessons. I send Lesson Notes out to all students/parents, both in-person and online (I use mymusicstaff.com).

I hope this information helps. Please let me know how your experiences go with online teaching. 

Last year I got a call from a principal at a charter school in Philadelphia, PA. She asked if I could do a pilot program teaching music theory remotely to K-8 at their school (I was already teaching private piano online). I was nervous about it but very intrigued. I did a proposal pushing including some general music topics along with theory and started in their Fall term. Here's how it went.
 
This is a charter school where all students of all levels physically come into the school but have a laptop where they get much of their instruction. A teacher is assigned to every two levels. We worked out the sessions where I would do all classes one day a week with two grade levels per session (6-8 took together). K-1 went for 20 minutes and the other levels would be 45 min each. I used the wiziq.com learning platform to run everything.
 
Though I had a microphone and two webcams (one pointed to me, one pointed to my piano keyboard), they did not have webcams or microphones. Therefore, they could see and hear me but I couldn't see or hear them. We used instant chat for feedback, which was okay except for K-1. Their teacher would chat me for a few things and I "winged" it the rest of the time.
 
I was able to explore a varied menu of musical topics. I found that the Philadelphia Orchestra was doing Beethoven's 9th Symphony soon so we explored the composer's life and background of "Ode to Joy." I made a plug for the upcoming orchestra's performances. Other topics included Native American Music, The Nutcracker Suite, and the Music and Musicians on the Titanic. Here are some typical lessons I used: 
 
Typical lesson , Grade Levels K-1, 20 min

• I would introduce an easy song with a video presentation of it then we would sing it a couple of times. I would display graphics and Images that were relevant to the lyrics.
• I introduced the musical work, "Carnival of the Animals" (Camille Saint-Saens). I displayed group of 14 images of the animals (PowerPoint). I asked that as we listen to the music section, decide what animal you think the music sounds like. Then I would mark that one out and we would go to the next. It took a couple of lessons to finish all 14 sections. It went well.
• I would introduce a kid's video presenting very basic music concepts (loud, soft, high, low) then I would demonstrate them myself on the keyboard.

 
Typical lesson, grade levels 2-8, 45 min

• A 2-part series on the history of American Jazz music. After learning where Jazz came from and why it was so popular, we learned about the life and times of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Wynton Marsalis. We watched them perform using YouTube videos. We explore how their music was similar and how they each had their unique style.
• We went over the music theory games (I could get everyone's scores) and I did reinforcement learning with note and rhythm flashcards in front of my camera.

I think most everything went well. The lack of good feedback was an issue as well as technical issues on their end. I have to say that the older students LOVED the chat. I laid down ground rules that they only chat when I ask for feedback and all messages display to everyone including me and their classroom teacher. It never really got out of control. Once, as my 4-5 level session was getting started and logged-in, nature called so I left the camera for about 30 seconds. When I returned, one of the students chatted, "Where did you go?" Though I wanted to say none of your business, I just ignored the question.
 
 It was a great experience even without a wealth of feedback that we all like in the classroom. I still teach one-on-one piano lessons online with great success. It's a great way for homeschoolers, adults, and those in rural areas to get quality music education into their life.

Music notation programs on the computer have been around for a long time. Finale and Sibelius are two standards in the music industry. As times (and technology) have changed there are some new players in the field and one seems pretty exciting.

Enter Noteflight. Noteflight® is an online music writing application that lets you create, view, print and hear music notation without having to even download a program. It works in your web browser and it's easy enough for younger budding composers. Work on a score from any computer on the Internet or share with other users or your teacher. Like many "webware" sites, it offers a free version or a premium account which adds additional features. I highly recommend adults and child students try out at least the free version and start making your own music.

Singing a song and need some quick accompaniment? Want to spice up your piano playing and have great fun at the same time? I just purchased Chordpulse software and I'm having a blast with it. It can give you the tools to build your own arrangements of songs with a jazz or blues combo, acoustic guitar group, or rock band to play with you.

It doesn't do anything really fancy (less than "Band in a Box" or "Garage Band") but I'm having much fun just creating the arrangements. It's easy to use and has over 100 musical styles to employ at the click of a mouse. Plus, it's slick and just looks great. Chordpulse software could be used by music teachers, church music directors, worship musicians, and others who want/need something more but cannot afford their own band or orchestra. Try a 14-day free trial and have some fun.