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Music – FAQs

Course Related

How is eAmbalam different from other online sources? Does online education mean Skype education?

Skype is just a conferencing tool. With eAmbalam, you learn through the self-learning methodology using hundreds of videos every semester, slides, pdfs, audio downloads, ‘record yourself widget’ etc, and also enjoy the other features on our state-of-the-art Learning Management System. All this plus ‘Meet your Teacher’ sessions with the expert faculty once a week online for corrections.

I am already learning classical music/dance. How are these courses useful to me?

At eAmbalam, we strongly believe and encourage the students to continue learning with their respective teachers. Our courses will be wonderful and beneficial supplements to your existing on ground performing arts education. By learning with us you can acquire a lot of additional skills and tools to strengthen the artist in you.

I am a teacher of classical music/dance. Can I recommend these courses to my students?

We recommend our Certificate courses segment for your students as a value add to the on ground quality education in Karnatic vocal/Bharathanatyam that they are receiving from you.

Though they have started their training and are in various stages of learning, they will immensely benefit from the structure of the short-term certificate courses as they have been collated with the student in mind.

Call us for unique ways we could partner together in this venture…

When could I start taking courses?

You are free to take up courses anytime in the year.

How are the e-learning courses priced?

Our courses are priced competitively & match the fee you would pay to a local teacher & in some cases lesser than that.

What forms of payments do you accept?

Our secured payment gateway allows you to make payments in multiple currencies using credit cards, debit cards and net banking facilities.

Will I get a discount if I enroll for more than one course?

Yes, you will get a discount upon enrolling for more than one course. The portion of the same is case specific.

What is my next step after I register for the course?

  • On successful completion of the registration process on the www.eambalam.com portal you will become a registered student.
  • Intimation to this effect specifying your registration details and username and password will be sent to you via email.
  • Our technical team will then help you to set up your system for the E-learning course and use of the LMS ( Learning management system).
  • On successful completion of technical orientation you can start your course as per the schedule agreed upon.

How much time will I spend on this course?

Our courses require students to set aside time for a) Self study b) One to one interaction with the teacher.

For diploma &short term certificate courses: Consider setting aside about one hour per day over the entire course period for active participation; & a little more for an in-depth exploration of the course topics you are most passionate about.

For Grade system of learning: You need to invest a total of 2hours per week over each level for understanding the syllabus & moving ahead to the next.

As in any educational environment & learning processes, the rewards for your participation in any course will be commensurate with your personal involvement.

What is the nature of the course work?

As mentioned above the student will be required by the course to involve in strong self study one to one interaction with the teacher.

Self study here denotes a variety of activities: learning from online videos, reading text assignments, practice & sharing your ideas or doubts in the course forums etc.

The privacy of several course forums helps you to interact with others effectively, be it with fellow participants or any one of your tutors.

Tests & quizzes for self-evaluation are made available whenever required for a particular course.

Again you may be required to record yourself & submit the same to your instructor, to facilitate evaluation of progress.

As a result, the course revolves around your personal involvement in a particular subject in a gradual manner.

Is it compulsory to submit assignments?

Assignments are of two types:

  • That in which the student records oneself after doing self study & submits it to the teacher before the next Meet Your Teacher Session. This is critical & compulsory for course completion & certification.
  • That in which additional work is allotted by the faculty at their discretion to the student in relation with their course. This may be optional, but extra credits are accrued to the student by completing this & are definitely beneficial.

Can I skip any module e.g. the fitness for artists in the diploma course?

Yes, you can do that with prior discussion between you & the faculty.

If I miss a Meet Your Teacher Session, will I get a substitute class?

The rules of attendance are as follows:

  • If the student misses the Meet Your Teacher Session, to the extent of 2 classes in a period of 3 months, substitute sessions will be arranged for.
  • If the faculty misses the Meet Your Teacher Sessions, a substitute one will be surely arranged for in the nearest time period.

How much prior knowledge or musical or dance experience is required in order to participate?

If you are –

  • A young student who has had no prior training in Indian music &dance would like start from the very beginning,
  • An adult who has had no prior training in Indian music early in life & would like to nevertheless start taking courses with a credible certification,
  • An adult who has had prior training in music & dance, but would like to solidify the learning by taking up a systematic and thorough course without a credible certification,
  • A student taking courses from a local teacher, but would like to solidify the leaning by taking up a systematic & thorough course with credible certification.
  • A student studying or pursuing western or non- western streams of music & would like to have a deeper understanding of Indian classical music & dance,

then these courses are for you.

I do not understand Indian music and dance. Can these courses help?

If you are an Indian or foreigner, who has no exposure to Indian Classical Music and Dance, but would like to understand the intricacies of a recital in order to appreciate the art better – then the Appreciation course in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam are best suited for you. You may begin with that and proceed as your interest develops.

I want to take classes in Instrumental music but do not possess an instrument. What do I do?

If you would like to pursue a One to One course in instrumental music, you should be in possession of an instrument before commencement of course sessions. For guidance as to how to procure the instruments contact our helpline @ info@eambalam.org or call +91-44-4301 6555

Can I take up courses in Yoga and fitness only?

As a student/practitioner of music and dance you can take up exclusive fitness courses and this is specifically designed for you.

Is reading from a computer screen convenient enough for effective learning and full comprehension?

This course is not only about reading long texts.

All the essential concepts of Carnatic music are explained with the help of multimedia contents like video from instructors, word documents, and Power-point presentations. Online interactions with fellow students, teachers are available through chat/ blogs and online discussion forums etc.

The courses have been split into semesters and each semester into modules. The modules are presented as per international standards of Instructional design and the template used for learning is very user friendly.

Students can view videos, read content, take tests and record themselves, before submitting the same for review to the instructors, all out of one template. Videos can be viewed as many times for the purpose of learning. Students have value added products like the audio downloads for practice, downloads of learning material, glossary etc.

These templates are places inside a very user-friendly Learning Management System which enables students to see their weekly schedule, class schedule, interact in forums, post blogs, receive and send messages through a private message centre.

The one to one sessions can be scheduled and held from your login home page ( is the first page after you login) and advanced conferencing tools like whiteboard, session recording facility, screen sharing, etc. are available.

From where can I access these courses?

Virtually anywhere – at home or on the move, school, in a park, university, internet cafe or public library, during your lunch break, at work: all you need is access to audio and video files via the internet.

All said, you still require a quiet surrounding to perceive the audio and anti-glare conditions to perceive video. It will be most ideal if you have space around you to instantly practice and reproduce lessons.

What if I'm not tech-savvy but interested in the benefits of distance education?

Don’t worry if you are not “tech-savvy”: the eAmbalam courses are very user-friendly and basic knowledge of use of computer, like checking mails is sufficient to be able to figure out navigation in our courses

Throughout the course, in the event of you facing any technical or course related difficulties, our technical team will resolve any issues and help you to focus on contents rather than technology.

How is privacy safeguarded without compromising smooth interaction?

The Learning management system (LMS) used for e Ambalam courses enable participants and tutors to interact with one another without having to disclose their email addresses. Student’s personal information is safeguarded at all times.

I have registered as participant but lost my password.

In case you do not remember your password, then select “Please resend my password”. Your enrollment details will be resent to you to the registered email id.

Can I pay the fee now and start the course after few weeks or few months?

Yes; In case there is difference in the old fee (the time you had enrolled) and new fee (the time of beginning the course), you need to pay the balance and start the course. However, students are advised to start within 2 weeks of enrolling.

I have paid the course fee when the discount offer is on. Could I still start the course after few weeks or few months?

No. You cannot start the course at a later date. The course begins the moment you enroll. You could start at a later date but you would lose that much number of days in the course and corresponding ‘Meet Your Teacher’ sessions.

I have taken 6 month course. Can I take 1 month break in between?

You can but only if there is medical emergency. You need to provide a medical certificate. In other cases, you can take a break. But you would lose out on 1 month ‘Meet Your Teacher’ sessions.

I have taken 6 month course. I am unable to finish it due to other commitments. Can I extend the course by a month or two?

Yes. You can. But you need to pay a fee for the additional months separately as it also involves additional sessions of ‘ Meet Your Teacher’. For additional fee details write to admin@eambalam.com.

Can I get a refund of fees?

Fees once paid will not be refundable for any reason.

What is the attendance policy for courses in eAmbalam?

Students should attend the class regularly to get maximum benefit from the course. Rules regarding “Meet your teacher sessions-MYTS” are clearly explained in the “Attendance Policy” section in our academic policies. Please refer the following link for the same:-

Academic Policies

If you are going to be unavailable for any class, you have to inform the same to the concerned faculty by mail at least 48 hours in advance and mark a ‘CC’ of the same mail to admin@eambalam.com.

Last minute cancellations will be considered as one class and no compensation class will be conducted for the same.

In case of emergencies, please contact:

Landline: +91-44-4301 6555 / +91-44-2446 1690 (India) & 716-AMBALAM (USA)

Mobile: +91 80562 94952

Technical

What are the technical requirements for participation?

Technical Requirements

To run the e-learning content following are the minimum system requirements:

Hardware/CPU:

Intel Core to Duo processor with dedicated VRAM of min 512 MB for Desktop recommended.

Core i3 and above with dedicated VRAM of min 512 MB for laptop is recommended.

Platform:

Windows/Apple Mac

Memory:

4GB RAM minimum

Available disk space in HDD:

5 – 10 GB minimum

Display:

1,024 x 768 screen resolution or higher recommended)

Multimedia:

Sound card, external speakers, microphone and webcam (for recording video/narration)

External speakers are strongly recommended for laptops too for optimum experience of the multimedia classes

Software

Operating System:

Microsoft Windows 7 (32 or 64 bit)/Mac OS

Adobe Acrobat Reader:

Ver 10.0 and above( http://get.adobe.com/reader/ )

Internet Browser:

Internet Explorer 9.0 and later, Firefox 13.0 and later, Safari 5 and later, Google Chrome 20.0.1132.57 and above

Internet Connectivity:

Dedicated Min 512 KBPS. Recommended 1MBPS and above

Adobe Flash Player:

Adobe Flash Player 6.0.79 or later ( http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ )

Java Version 7

Team Viewer Version 8 ( http://www.teamviewer.com/hi/index.aspx )

Which web browser is best for online courses?

Our courses are designed to work on Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher. We STRONGLY SUGGEST, however, that you use the latest version of Firefox.

What are the ideal internet broadband speeds to have a optimum experience of these courses?

512 kpbs is the minimum broadband speed required to have a good user experience, however 1 mbps and above is considered very good for experiencing seamless streaming.

Do I have to be concerned about pop-up blockers?

Yes. You will need to disable pop-up blockers or adjust the filter level of your pop-up blocker settings. Any resets incurred as a result of disruption caused by pop-up blockers will be counted as one of your resets for the semester.

It is also a very good idea to take the practice test prior to logging into the actual exam. The media files found on the practice test are of the same format as the actual exam. This will allow you the opportunity to adjust your settings accordingly.

Can I take the course from my home computer?

Yes, however please note that users who experience the most problems are those who take the courses from their home computers, usually when using a computer, software, or internet connection that doesn’t meet the minimum technical requirements.

Why can't I get the media files to play?

Our courses use Apple Quicktime and Adobe Flash media. Please install both.

– Quicktime (install the free version)
– Flash

You may need to restart your computer and clear your browser cache as well. If you still have trouble, contact our help desk.

How can I ensure smooth recording of my assignments?

You may do that by ensuring that the following points are observed:  

  1. Setting of   the webcam for video frames needs to be checked while recording. (it should be 25 or 30 frames)
  2. The VRAM (virtual memory) of the machine has to be minimum 2GB while recording.
  3. Keep the C:// (C Drive) i.e the temporary storage for the video recording relatively free, atleast 1GB or more free.
  4. The machine has to be reasonable powerful. Check whether it adheres to eAmbalam’s minimum system requirements.
  5. If your webcam is external and not in built then connect it to a high-speed, or 2.0, USB port for the best video quality. Find out if your computer uses USB 2.0 by clicking "Start," then right-clicking "Computer." Click "Manage" and "Device Manager." Double-click "Universal Serial Bus controllers." Look for USB ports labeled "High Speed" or "Enhanced."
  6. Select a lower resolution for the webcam. If the resolution is too high, you may experience lagging video. Access the webcam software on your computer and open the settings menu to change the resolution.
  7. Reduce the computer’s graphics hardware acceleration. Click "Start," then type "display" into the search box. Click "Change display settings" and "Advanced settings." Click the "Troubleshoot" tab, then click "Change settings." Move the slider to the left to reduce hardware acceleration. Alternatively if you have any smart phone with good camera resolution, record it and upload it.