Controls during a session
What every button in the call does: mute, camera, audio settings, chat, the music score, alcoves, layouts and leaving.
Your own controls
Some buttons are always there. Others only appear when they can be used, so don't worry if you can't see one: the list under each table says when it shows up.
Web browser
The controls sit along the bottom of the call window. Hover over any of them for a short description.
Always there:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mute / Unmute | Turns your microphone off and on. It's red while you're muted. |
| Hide / Show | Turns your camera off and on. With it off, people see your initials. |
| A/V | Opens Audio & video settings: switch microphone, camera or speaker, test your speaker, and change Music mode and Using headphones. Plugged something in after you joined? Click Rescan. |
| Chat | Opens the chat panel. A dot means there's something you haven't read. |
| Leave | Leaves the call straight away. |
Only sometimes:
- Score appears when the host has added sheet music to the session and the layout is Spotlight. It shows the score beside the video. (While someone is sharing their screen, the score is hidden.)
- Alcove appears when there's someone else in the call to step aside with.
- Share is for the host. Anyone else gets a Share button when the host invites them.
Mac or Windows app
The controls sit along the bottom of the window. Hover over any of them for a short description.
Always there:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mute / Unmute | Turns your microphone off and on. |
| Hide / Show | Turns your camera off and on. |
| A/V | Switch microphone, camera or Speakers, test your speaker, change Music mode and Using headphones, and Mirror my video. |
| Chat | Opens the chat panel. |
| Leave | Leaves the call straight away. |
Only sometimes:
- Score / Hide score appears when the host has added sheet music to the session and the layout is Spotlight. It's hidden while something is being shared, while you're in an alcove, and in piano lessons.
- Alcove appears when there's someone else in the call to step aside with.
- Asset queue and Share screen are for the host, and for anyone the host has invited to share. They're hidden while someone else is sharing and while you're in an alcove. Once the Asset queue is open, its own controls take over (see below); while you're sharing from it, the bar shows Delete queue instead.
Keyboard shortcuts are listed in the Session menu: for example ⌘⇧A to mute and unmute, ⌘⇧V for your camera, ⌘⇧N to switch camera (use Ctrl instead of ⌘ on Windows). Turn on Shortcuts Work in Other Apps to use them while another app is in front. See Keyboard shortcuts for the full list.
iPad or iPhone app
The controls sit along the bottom of the screen. On an iPad each has a label; on an iPhone they're icons only.
Always there:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Muted / Unmuted | Turns your microphone off and on. It's amber while you're muted. |
| Camera on / off | Turns your camera off and on. |
| A/V (on iPhone, Call settings) | Switch between the Front and Back camera, choose Speaker or Earpiece, and change Music mode and Headphones. Swipe down or tap Done to close it. |
| Chat | Opens the chat panel. A number shows unread messages. |
| Leave | Leaves the call. |
Only sometimes:
- Score / Hide score appears when the host has added sheet music to the session and the layout is Spotlight. On an iPhone the score replaces the video, with the featured player in a small corner picture.
- There's no alcove button: press and hold someone's video to start one.
The screen stays awake during a call. If you switch to another app, your camera and microphone pause until you come back.
You can come back in with Enter any time until the session ends.
Tip: In a practice session, stay muted while you play unless you want everyone to hear you. Unmute to talk.
Chat
Choose who to write to under To: Everyone, or one person's name to send a private message. Only the two of you see private messages, not even the host. When someone messages you privately, a note pops up with a button to open the chat.
The score (Music Stand)
If the host added sheet music to the session, a Score button appears while the call is in Spotlight layout. It opens the score just for you. The host, or someone the host picks to turn pages, turns everyone's page together. You can still zoom, and fit the page or the width, on your own screen.
Alcoves: a side conversation
An alcove is a small private room inside the session, for a quick word without interrupting everyone else. Anyone can start one when there are other people in the call.
Web browser
- Click Alcove and choose Private (people knock to get in) or Open (anyone can walk in).
- Others see your alcove and can click Join or Knock to join. When someone knocks you get Admit or Dismiss.
- Click Leave alcove to go back to the main room.
Mac or Windows app
- Click Alcove. Choose Private or Open, tick who steps aside with you, and click Start alcove.
- Others see it in the In an alcove strip and can click Join or Knock. When someone knocks you get Admit or Dismiss.
- Click Leave alcove to go back to the main room. +15 in the alcove's header gives you more time.
iPad or iPhone app
- Press and hold someone's video, then tap Start alcove with…. Choose Private or Open and tap Start alcove.
- Others see it at the top of the call and can tap Join or Knock. When someone knocks you get Admit or Deny.
- Tap Leave alcove to go back to the main room. +15 gives you more time.
If the main session is being recorded, the alcove isn't.
Layouts
The host chooses how the call is arranged, and it's the same for everyone: Grid (everyone the same size), Spotlight (one player large, everyone else in a strip) or 1-on-1 (just the two of you, full size). See Layouts: Grid, Spotlight and 1-on-1.
The window
Web browser
The call opens in its own window on the page. Drag the title bar to move it, or drag an edge or the corner to resize. The expand button in the corner makes it fullscreen. Size and position are remembered on this device.
Mac or Windows app
The call fills the app window. For full screen, choose View → Toggle Full Screen.
iPad or iPhone app
The call is always full screen.
The top of the call shows the time remaining, and a red REC badge while the session is being recorded.
Sharing your screen
Only the host can share whenever they like. Anyone else can share when the host invites them: a message appears with a button to start sharing.
Web browser
To share a video with its sound, use Chrome or Edge, share a browser tab, and tick Also share tab audio. Safari and Firefox share without sound. Wear headphones when you do; on speakers the room hears the sound twice.
Mac or Windows app
Click Share screen and pick a screen or a window. Tick Optimize for video if you're playing a video. On a Mac (macOS 14.4 or later) you can choose under Sound to share sound from the whole Mac or from one app. If you share sound, wear headphones and turn on Using headphones; on speakers the room hears it twice.
iPad or iPhone app
When the host invites you, tap Start sharing. Your whole screen is shared, without sound.
Play a video or show a PDF: the Asset queue
The Asset queue is a player for showing videos and documents to the room, with their sound, without sharing your whole screen.
It's only in the Mac and Windows app. There's no Asset queue on the web or in the iPad/iPhone app, but everyone in the call sees and hears what's played, whatever they're using. To show a video from the web, share a browser tab instead (see Sharing your screen).
The host can use it, and so can anyone the host has invited to share.
Important: For videos, wear headphones and turn on Using headphones under A/V before you share. On speakers the room hears the video twice. See Sharing a video or sound.
- Click Asset queue in the control bar. Play a video or show a PDF opens.
- Add what you want to show, in any mix:
- Paste one or more links, one per line: YouTube videos, a YouTube playlist, or any web address.
- Click Choose files… to add videos (MP4, MOV, M4V, WebM, MKV) or PDFs from your computer.
- Click Open. The player opens for you alone, so you can cue a video up or find the right page first.
- Click Share with room. Everyone now sees and hears it.
Tip: The quickest way to add a YouTube video: open it in your web browser, then drag the little icon at the left of the address bar onto the Piano Gather room. It goes straight into the queue, and the player opens if it isn't open already. A link, or a video or PDF file from your computer, can be dragged in the same way.
While the player is open:
- Previous and Next step through the queue. Nothing ever starts playing by itself: each video loads paused, and you press play.
- For a PDF, use the page arrows and zoom buttons under it.
- Add more at any time: paste a link into Paste a link to add to the queue…, click the folder button, or drag the address-bar icon, a link or a file onto the room. New items go on the end and never interrupt what's showing.
- Stop sharing gives the room your camera back but keeps the queue and your place in it, so you can talk and then carry on.
- Delete queue closes the player and empties the queue.
- Muting the video for yourself doesn't mute it for the room. The room's volume for it is under the Session menu: Shared Sound Louder for Room and Shared Sound Quieter for Room. Turn on Lower Shared Sound While I Talk to have it dip whenever you speak.
Everything the Asset queue does also has a keyboard shortcut. See Keyboard shortcuts.
When the session ends
Two minutes before the end you're warned: on the web a Session ending soon! banner appears; in the apps a bell sounds and the timer changes colour (an iPhone also buzzes). At the scheduled end time the call closes for everyone. The session then appears in History, where you can add notes and, if it was recorded, watch the recording.