We’re probably never going all the way back to the pre-Covid era. That blissful time when the politics around mask usage didn’t exist, and throwing a party was even an option. So welcome to the era of online options. DJs perform remotely. For now. Here are a couple quick easy tips to keep you on the task of professional DJing.
Use Restream.io
People behave similarly online to how they do in real life. Only difference here is that instead of getting 50 hardcore fans out to your party, you’re able to reach thousands with a similar amount of effort. Use a platform called Restream.io to broadcast your show to multiple social platforms at once. That way you’re not entirely reliant on the Twitch crowd alone to big up your show. Restream.io forwards comments between Twitch, YouTube and Facebook. Go bigger.
Picture beats audio
Live shows are meant to be visual When you’ve reached a suitable audio quality (with as few audio dropouts and CPU crunches as possible), start putting the attention on how it looks. Let’s face it, people kinda listen with their eyes. Lighting is important. It doesn’t have to be bright, but it should resemble the experience that your selected audience is there for. Use custom overlays. If it’s late night, make it dark and neon. The angle of the camera(s) should expose your face and hands. They’re there to scope out your gear and watch you enjoy yourself.
Keep it simple
No sense having a hardware-software hybrid rig that collapses with CPU strain on the night. If it’s two decks and a soundcard, great. Throw a mic in so you can respond to incoming chats. Whatever the case, it’s better to invest in gear that makes your look good (lighting, cameras) than gear which does a fantastic job until you factor in the complexities of broadcasting.
It makes sense to embrace live streaming right about now. In the unlikely event that society returns back to normal, the online whale has been harpooned and we’re in for a ride in the direction it chooses. You better, uh, learn how to waterski...? Check out how to level up with DJ Courses Online today.
John Bartmann is a creative audio producer and DJ.