A couple of months ago I was approached by Mike Gellar, a fine Maryland guitarist/computer whiz, about teaching online masterclasses. I had been thinking that it was only a matter of time before someone got this type of project in action. Kudos to Mike for following through! He enlisted some of the best jazz guitarist/educators such as Jack Wilkins, Sid Jacobs, Tony DeCaprio and Sheryl Bailey with more to follow.

The technology is now to the point where it’s possible to participate in the masterclass with no special software, only a web browser and a high-speed connection. The participant will be able to see and hear the instructor but the best part is that it’s completely interactive. On the question portion of the 90-minute masterclass the participant can either type in their question/comment or use chat- headphones/mic to be heard. It is also possible for those with a web cam to be seen and heard by the instructor. Tony DeCaprio and I got together online to test the equipment today with Mike’s assistance and were impressed with the quality of the video and sound as well as the tracking. Much more in sync than many other online performance videos I’ve seen. Mike is committed to the project making sure that the quality of the images and sound is as good as can be offered in this format.

Some of the instructors plan on sending printed material to the participant either before or directly following the masterclass. I feel that it is important for the participant to have the written material in order to work through the examples more carefully at a later time. What a great convenience to be able to sit at home and study with these folks! And the price is reasonable starting at $40 for a 90-minute session.

With all of the distance learning programs gaining momentum it was inevitable that it would resonate with musicians. I know I’m looking forward to working online with musicians from around the world. All of the info including class schedule, topic descriptions, and instructor bios are available at www.mikesmasterclasses.com. The first masterclass with Tony DeCaprio was just held this week and was a great success. I hope to see you online at a future masterclass!