When COVID made us all go on-line for lessons, many folks invested in good headphones to make the state of on-line music learning at least bearable. Zoom was pretty terrible for music, and headphones were needed. But in the intervening 6 years, Zoom has made tremendous improvements to their software and now people can use their settings for music and get away without having headphones. 

But we still need to use echo cancellation so that everything I say doesn't happen twice, (or more) and as a result the very good software cuts out the sound from me while you are playing, except for tiny bits in the gaps between notes. 

So I'm suggesting that a summer project is to find a good set of headphones and use them for your on-line music lessons and classes - especially classes where you're often playing along with me. You'll find it so much better to hear what I'm playing or saying. (well, at least I hope so) 

I favour - STRONGLY favour - open back over ear headphones. They are comfortable for long use - and the open back will mean you hear your harp as well as the zoom sound. Nothing else really works as well.

Someone asked this morning about which ones to buy. My beloved Sennheiser HD 499 are no longer available but the closest thing is the new Sennheiser 560S. Sadly, they're not available at Long and McQuade, but they are, for $279, at all the usual on-line purveyors.

The more expensive versions are not so recommended for a few reasons - weight, bass response, etc. - but any open back is better than none.

Happy to hear any other recommendations folks have. And I hear they're an excellent Mother's day gift!