Smartphone and internet are all it takes to get streaming
Musicians who earn a living by performing live music in the Spokane area have found themselves stuck at home just like waiters, store clerks and bartenders. One outlet for musical extroverts is performing live on Youtube or Facebook. Instagram Live is becoming popular, as well.
Hundreds of YouTube tutorials can walk the aspiring internet broadcaster through the livestreaming process.
A smartphone is the easiest way to start broadcasting live. The selfie camera and built-in microphone record the action.
Post Falls musician J.J. Dion, who plays at many assisted-living and retirement centers, said, “I’m fairly low-tech. I upgraded to an iPhone 10 last year, which has very high-quality camera and audio capabilities. I mount it on a stand and start playing/singing.”
To augment that, he plugs his microphone and guitar into a small amplifier to boost the sound picked up by the phone.
On every user’s Facebook news feed and on the front page of the YouTube website and app are buttons to start a live session. Various types of tripod mounts and clamps can hold a phone during the performance.
Facebook user Fiddlin’ Sarah Jean plays fiddle with several local bands and says, “It’s pretty simple to use (Facebook Live), and its accessibility makes it the perfect platform.”
Performers can see the comments of people watching in real time, greet viewers by name, answer questions and take song requests. Loyal viewers often invite others to watch.
Streamers also can use a laptop with a built-in web camera. Audio from professional microphones, through a sound mixer, can usually be piped in through a USB port. Good audio adds professionalism and viewer enjoyment.
Computer broadcasters can upgrade their built-in camera to a premium quality USB webcam with good microphones, like the popular Logitech C920 series. They’re so popular that they’re sold out at Best Buy, but a few can be found on other websites.
Broadcasting software, such as the freeware OBS, can send a program over several streaming platforms at once. Business and marketing live streamers often pay a fee for a content delivery network to ensure smooth and reliable video feeds.
Another level of sophistication is using a better camera, such as a digital SLR or video camera, and feeding that signal into a computer capture card or web casting encoder box.
With a budget of $2,000, streamers could purchase a multiple camera set-up with a TV switcher and produce a network TV-like variety show. Such a set-up requires two or more people to operate behind the scenes.
Veteran livestreamers stress that lighting is important. Something as simple as placing a lamp nearby can make the video sharper and easier to watch.
Now that retirement centers are closed to visitors, Dion has used Skype to give 30-minute virtual concerts to clients at a South Hill care center. “My Skype call goes into their laptop. Then they ‘HDMI cable’ it into the TV… genius!”
The Spokesman-Review photographer Jesse Tinsley is a longtime musician and has livestreamed performances from his living room in Spokane.