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Live Streaming Tips for Musicians
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Live Streaming Tips for Musicians
Times of crisis are challenging. They upend our normal way of life. For musicians, that can mean no gigging, touring, cowriting, book signing, etc. But these same times can be transformative, offering options and opportunities that we might never have considered before. Necessity requires us to reinvent ourselves. During recent weeks, we see that all around us. We are being forced to rethink what we’ve done in the past and, more significantly, figure out new ways to do things in the future, including how to get our music out there and how to make money doing it.To get more news about 39bet-đua chó-game giải trí -đá gà-đá gà trực tuyến-đánh bài, you can visit official website.
FACT: Music doesn’t stop in times of crisis. If anything, it becomes even more necessary, both as distraction and as inspiration. Every musician knows that they don’t stop playing when they don’t have a gig. As musicians, we make music because we can’t not make music. And we need to share it. We will find a way to get our music out there, even if stuck at home. At times like these, we will rally and make musical lemonade from medical lemons.
Stores and restaurants may be closed, but the audience is still there. And they are bored. They still need music — now more than ever. They need to feel a sense of connection — to their favorite artists and to new artists that can inspire them. We just have to be more creative about finding them. (Being creative? That’s what we do every day.) Live streaming is the option right now when people can’t assemble. Whether you’re a songwriter, singer, player, orchestra, or band, you can still reach your audience and your fanbase even if you can’t play public concerts. And it’s important to keep your fans engaged, not just the ones who had tickets to that show that was canceled, but even future fans that don’t know your music yet.
1. Pick a Quiet Space
There are all sorts of sounds that our minds filter out, but microphones are not so forgiving. Extraneous noises from pets, traffic, kids, telephones, refrigerators, heaters/air conditioners, and the like can be very distracting to a listener. Find a place where those noises are minimized. Don’t pick a big reverberant space that might distract from your message. It may look cool, but sometimes it makes it hard to hear the vocal or the instruments clearly.
2. Make It Sound Good
Here are some tips that are easy to implement that will help make your live stream sound its best.
3. Make It Look Good
Have you ever seen a video where the background was so messy that it was distracting from the content? Think about what your audience will see before you start. Tidy up the on-camera space — it may make a great song, but nobody wants to see your dirty laundry. Some apps, such as Zoom, even offer virtual backgrounds, so you can appear to be anywhere, not just sitting in your bedroom. You can tape up some light-green poster board on the wall behind you and make your own green screen; and at under $1 per board, it’s very economical. Also, don’t just lean your phone against a Kleenex box or prop it up on the table under your face. Get a stand for your smartphone or tablet — some even connect to mic stands for lots of flexibility with angles.4. Lighting Is Important
Make sure that people can see your face — that’s how they connect with you. Pull out those Christmas lights and string them around. Turn down the background lights. Put a soft light in front of you and maybe a halo light above and behind you.
5. Check Your Internet Connection
If you are wired, then you should be fine. If wireless (either Wi-Fi or cell service), double-check your connection speed before you start. Find the place that offers the most robust connection (the most bars). I just live streamed a wedding from a field last weekend, and the 4G connection was weak. Fortunately, I had a mobile hot spot that I was able to connect to, and we made it work. If the internet connection is too slow or inadequate for streaming, then it will frustrate you and annoy your viewers.6. Choose a Streaming Platform
There are lots of platforms for live streaming (more than I was aware of) with advantages to each. Review these before committing: Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Periscope, Twitch, Instagram Stories, YouNow, IRIS, Ustream (now IBM Cloud Video), Dacast, Livestream, Brightcove.7. Test It Before You Start
Have a friend watch and listen to a test stream before you go live. Don’t be the artist who goes live and says, “I don’t know if you guys can see me or hear me yet…” Think of the test run like you would a recorded rehearsal. Look at it objectively and make sure you are represented the way you want to appear — look, sound, demeanor, banter, background. Review it yourself and fix anything you don’t like about it before you go live.
8. Promote It Ahead of Time
Let people know what time you’ll be doing it. Determine when your viewers will be available and pick a time during that window. On the weekends, people flip through their feeds most hours of the day. During the week, however, most people will check their socials around lunch between 1–3PM ET and after dinner around 7:30PM ET to bedtime. Give them enough time to put it on their calendars and reserve the time. Even the best stream will underperform if people don’t know about it.
9. Take Requests from the Audience
Interact with your viewers. Treat your live stream like an actual gig. You can’t see them, but they’ll be right there with you. Talk to your audience and acknowledge the people you see watching/commenting. If your performance is top-notch and you engage your audience, you’ll keep them on your stream longer. With Facebook Live, you can see comments right on the screen, but that may be distracting while you are performing. If you want, you can ask viewers to send in requests before you start.