Musical instruments online lessons: new paradigm in pandemic times

Abstract

This paper sheds some light on the scenario brought by the Covid-19 pandemic in the beginning of 2020, a period that led to deep transformations in society and reconfigurations in the music education field. The article states a differentiation between actions of distance teaching that were took as emergency solutions and distance education, when applied with actual planning, specific pedagogies, and favorable technological conditions. At the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), the institution that grounds the thoughts presented herein, there is a well-structured process taking place within the Music Education program offered completely in distance education mode, in a partnership with the project Brazilian Open University (UAB). On the other hand, several discussions were held in order to deal with the need for social distance, having the support of technological means. With the pandemic, debates emerged also throughout the internet, promoting the exchange of ideas to improve online lessons of musical instruments. This context results in a new paradigm, in which synchronous communication, through videoconferencing software, might have a stronger role than before, considering settings such as the UAB course previously mentioned. This article offers specific elements for online drum set lessons, in a search to overcome adversities not only of the Covid-19 period, but also challenges that may remain after the pandemic.