In Praise of FarPlay
I sent out a blog about the Awakened Ear Workshop yesterday. What feedback did I hear?
It seems leveling up to FarPlay is a dealbreaker. Too much trouble. Hence, this blog post will endeavor to inform my readers and prospective students about this exceptional online platform.
We all know the pandemic happened, right? Everyone got used to using a certain platform that I will not name that is crappy for online instruction and interaction. You know this, right? But here we are, frogs in hot water: we’ve gotten used to it and don’t want to be bothered with anything else. I get it. I do. In fact, I think we have PTSD about the whole thing.
Did I mention the most recent prospective trill workshop participant who believed she could take it on her phone and in her car even though it was exceedingly clear the workshop was interactive? Well, that was not going to fly, so I refunded her. Yes, that’s how I roll.
Did I also mention another participant who appeared on the unnamed online platform and refused to interact or even say her name? It seems that she believed she could audit an interactive experience. That didn’t fly either, so I refunded her because that’s how I roll.
I’ve offered workshops to many people numerous times, but this was beyond the pale. Having experienced clients' ease, immediacy, and investment in the process while on FarPlay, I realized I was done, and there was no going back.
I first learned about FarPlay from my friend and colleague Paulo Faustini, the creator and director of Serenades Choral Travel. I wanted to try it out but discovered my Mac had a chip that didn’t interface with the program. I had to wait before I could obtain a new laptop, and by that time, FarPlay had solved my problem. It works with both Macs and Windows. It’s a low-latency platform that enables musicians to jam together even though they are thousands of miles apart. You owe it to yourself and your students to check it out, level up, and get on board. It’s the future, here and now.
I am never, ever going back to that unnamed platform. My clients deserve better. Does it take some thought and planning to level up to FarPlay? Of course. But so does anything worth doing. And I will help you with that.
Here is what you are getting with FarPlay.
There is a near-instantaneous transmission of sound. There is no waiting. It is like being in a room with each other, except you are thousands of miles apart. I am not exaggerating. It’s stunning.
Because sound is transmitted nearly instantaneously, the weird, jittery waiting is gone, as is the anxiety associated with it. Anyone who has taught online for any time knows what I am talking about. You can relax and do what you are there to do. I cannot emphasize how big a deal this is.
Your teacher can play for you, and you can sing together seamlessly with other people. Yes, you need to have wired headphones, a good mic, and an ethernet cable, but that’s small potatoes compared to the benefits.
You don’t need to buy an account at FarPlay. It’s free unless you want to record; otherwise, your host will bear the expense.
The audio signal is fabulous! The excellent sound on FarPlay transmits so much—both ways. It’s incredible to work with everyone.
Why aren’t you on FarPlay as a teacher and student? You are missing amazing lessons, workshops, and masterclasses.
You can check out FarPlay here. No, they aren’t paying me to say this. It’s my job to offer you the highest-quality instruction and service, and FarPlay makes it possible.
Join me.
