The complete guide to live streaming for musicians
Just a couple months ago, it would have seemed impossible to imagine a world in which everything from local dive bar gigs to massive festivals would disappear. Yet here we are, smack in the middle of a pandemic that’s more or less canceled the rest of 2020.To get more news about 39bet-kết quả bóng đá-kết quả xổ số miền bắc-kèo bóng đá -soi cầu bóng đá-đặt cược, you can visit official website.
Between social distancing requirements, stay-at-home orders, and no real idea of when live performances will become a viable source of income again, it’s never been more important to turn to online solutions for fan engagement and revenue.
Yes, these are scary and utterly unpredictable times we’re living in right now. But you’re a musician; you have creativity and resiliency in your blood, and you will come out okay on the other side of this.
As you’ve probably noticed, tons of artists have flocked to live streaming in the last few weeks, and for good reason. It’s one of the most effective and reliable ways to maintain a sense of community with your fans and give them the opportunity to support you.
What should musicians stream?
Live performances are the most obvious and are usually a safe bet for a stream, but this is a great time to get creative and experiment with different formats or topics. There are so many interesting and fun ways to engage with your fans and make them excited to tune in.
“We’re living in a day and age where people want to know artists for who they are, not just what they do,” says Kendall Creedon, music & live manager at Scale Management. “Live streaming is a great way for your audience to really interact with you as a person and start seeing parts of your personality that they may not have known about before. Once they start following you for you, they’ll become those diehard fans every artist dreams of having.”
Songwriting sessions, home studio tours, masterclasses, Q&As — if you’re comfortable sharing it, give it a shot! You never know what might resonate with someone watching. You can even mix and match — maybe play a couple songs, and then pause to have a casual chat with the audience for a few minutes as you read through the comments section to shout people out and answer questions.
Whatever you decide on, try to emphasize the live interaction aspect as much as you can. It’ll feel more intimate and personal, and less like a random YouTube video of a performance that they could watch anytime. Give people a reason to watch you live and feel like they’re a real part of the experience.
What kind of setup is best for live streaming?
Before you dive into any hardware or software decisions, think about the physical space you plan to stream from, and what your needs might be. If the acoustics in your room are good and you want to try a basic live stream where you’re just talking, all you’ll really need is your smartphone and a strong, stable internet connection.
Regardless of the actual content of your live stream, it’s always a good idea to put some effort into the background and lighting. This could be as simple as a floor lamp next to you and a non-distracting wall or curtain behind you.
If you’re streaming a performance and you want it to look and sound more professional, it’s worthwhile to invest in an audio interface, a decent microphone, and a high-definition external webcam.
Even if your laptop has a solid built-in camera, a separate webcam will give you more flexibility to try out different angles. And if an ethernet connection is a possibility for you, always go with that over relying on WiFi — you’ll get a faster and more stable stream that way.
Don’t worry if you need to rely on your phone or tablet — there are still ways to make your live stream sound great. An audio adapter that allows you to use an external mic with your device is one of the best accessories to have on hand, and will make a world of difference.