7 Tips For a Quality Livestream Performance

It’s growing more apparent each day, while we stay at home flattening the curve of the worst pandemic of our lifetime musicians all over the world have been hosting online performances. While there are plenty of talented musicians in the world worthy of checking out on Livestream not all of them have the ideal quality sound and look that we crave in a live performance. Here are a few practical tips to improve the quality of your next Livestream performance.

1. Dress to Impress
   • Of course it is easy to look like a caveman while sheltering in place but this should never be the case (unless that’s your thing, you do you) while performing for your audience. Wear something that you would normally wear to one of your gigs that fits the tone of the performance you are giving.
2. Sound Quality
   • Sound quality is paramount to an optimal live performance on the internet. Many laptop or phone microphones do not offer the same quality as an audio interface. Something as simple as a 2 channel audio box is sufficient for singer/songwriters. Be sure to test the levels on the inputs you are using before going live. Nothing is worse than playing a great show only to find out your levels were peaking after the fact. 
3. Lighting 
   • Lighting is crucial to a quality live performance; your viewers should not only be able to hear you clearly but see you clearly as well. Don’t sit in front of windows, instead sit across. Be sure that you are well lit. If you are in a room with no windows or it is dark outside consider using a lamp or two in addition to your overhead lighting. Adjust as needed for the room you are in, 3-point lighting is typically best. 
4. Video quality 
   • In addition to being well lit you will also want to ensure the quality of the video you are streaming is optimized. Purchasing a better camera is always an easy fix to this problem. Something free that will improve the quality of your video is to focus your camera before going live. Turn off autofocus, zoom in as far as you can on yourself and focus as sharply as you can (it helps to have a separate viewing monitor). When you zoom out your picture will be displaying much more clearly. 
5. Internet connection
   • A High-speed internet connection will make your stream more reliable. Using an ethernet cable usually provides the best quality for broadcasting. Stopping all other streaming services on your connection at that time could also improve your broadcast. 
6. Monetize
   • Be sure to have the option to collect payment from your fans. This could happen in many ways, one of the easiest being a PayPal.me link or Venmo option. Providing links for your audience to tip using a fixed sign or an overlay as to not disrupt the performance is the best way to communicate to your fans that you are accepting tips. 
7. Interact
   • People miss going to live shows and part of that is feeling an intimate connection with the artist they came to see. Streaming offers us arguably the most intimate versions of a live performance available. Be sure to engage your audience between songs doing things like answering comments and directing audience members to your website to make merchandise sales.