Learn how to enhance the production value of your livestreams, build your audience and deliver your best performances.
Due to recent global events, livestreaming has exploded in popularity over the last few months. Virtual concerts have emerged as a viable way for music fans to experience live performances and for artists to generate revenue and build their audience.
But it can be difficult to make the transition from performing on stage to performing via livestream—especially if you’ve never done it before. In this blog, we’ll share five essential tips for creating professional livestreamed performances.
1. Great Sound Quality is Essential
Just like a traditional concert, one of the most important aspects of a livestream is the sound quality. Nothing turns viewers away faster than poor audio, and that’s why it’s important to make sure you use a high-quality microphone and proper mic technique.
Thankfully, you don't have to break the bank on a vintage recording console to get great sound. For singer-songwriters and other solo performers, the simplest way to capture high-quality audio for livestreams is with a USB microphone like the Blue Yeti. USB microphones plug directly into your computer, delivering studio-quality sound for any application—no additional equipment required.
For multi-instrumentalists and full-band performances, you’ll need XLR microphones to capture each instrument separately and interface with additional pro audio gear like mixers, audio interfaces, effects and audio processors.
Before you go live on YouTube or your streaming platform of choice, perform a quick sound check to make sure the audience will hear every element clearly. We suggest recording a few minutes of your performance and listening back to ensure everything sounds balanced.
2. Use In-Ear Monitors to Deliver Your Best Performance
In order to deliver your best performances, you need to be able to hear yourself clearly. In addition to being too cumbersome for most apartment setups, traditional stage monitors are loud and easily captured by your microphone, which can cause echo, feedback and other problems with the sound quality (not to mention problems with your neighbors).
Studio headphones are big, bulky and can restrict your movement while performing— plus, they don’t look great on camera. And traditional earbuds don’t offer sufficient sound quality for critical listening or proper isolation, which can make it difficult to hear your monitor mix.
To ensure that you can hear your performance clearly, use a high-quality pair of custom in-ear monitors. Each pair of our custom-fitted in-ear monitors combine the audio quality of professional studio monitors and the isolation of closed-back studio headphones to help you perform your best.
- UE 5
A longtime favorite of performers and music lovers alike, our classic dual-driver earphones deliver clear and balanced sound with excellent isolation that’s perfect for live streaming as well as everyday listening. Buy Now
- UE 7
With punchy sound, extra midrange detail and tight bass, UE 7 is ideal for vocalists and guitarists who need to hear themselves clearly in the mix—or anyone who wants to hear all the nuances and detail of their favorite music. Buy Now
- UE 11
If you’re a drummer craving a visceral sound you can really feel—or just love music with heavy bass and big beats—these earphones have you covered. With unparalleled clarity and extra bass impact, you'll feel all of the energy and excitement of your music. Buy Now
- UE 18+
If you like to live life loud, UE 18+ is for you. From the quietest verses to the loudest choruses, these no-nonsense earphones deliver the full dynamic range of your mixes by combining world-class clarity and detail with increased volume and headroom. Buy Now
- UE LIVE
Whether you’re a passionate performer who demands the highest level of quality in your monitors or an audiophile seeking the purest listening experience possible, our flagship UE LIVE model offers the perfect blend of detail and musicality with an extended frequency spectrum. Buy Now
Each model is available in CSX and PRO versions. Both offer the same sound quality and utilize the same incredible technology; the only difference is the fit. UE CSX earphones utilize our universal Fitkit for easy at-home fitting, and are great for casual livestreaming and everyday listening. UE PRO in-ear monitors require a visit to an audiologist and fit more snugly into the ear canal for the most secure fit possible, so you can headbang to your heart’s delight.
3. Up Your Production Value with an HD Webcam
When it comes to production value, it’s not all about sound quality—high-quality video can help your stream stand out from the crowd with professional production value. Thankfully, you don’t have to spring for a top-end DSLR camera or study film production to put on a great stream.
Give your fans the high-quality experience they expect with an HD webcam like the Logitech StreamCam. Featuring pristine image quality, versatile mounting options and USB-C connectivity, StreamCam makes it easy to give your stream a professional polish.
4. Proper Lighting Makes a Big Difference
It can be a little intimidating to step into the world of video lighting, but investing in some basic lighting equipment is a great way to make your stream look more professional.
A simple LED ring light placed behind the camera can greatly improve the look of your stream. For less than $100, you can pick up a full lighting kit online and completely transform the look of your livestream.
Most kits come with three lights, so you can utilize the industry-standard three-point lighting technique. Place the key light off to one side of the camera and use it to light one side of your face, then use a slightly dimmer fill light on the other side to fill in the shadows. You can also place an optional backlight behind you to add depth to the scene.
Even if you don’t have pro lighting equipment, don’t stress. One simple tip to ensure your image is properly lit is to make sure the foreground is brighter than the background.
5. Engage With Your Audience and Create a Memorable Experience
Just because the venue has changed, your performance shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. Just like when you’re performing in a packed venue, crowd banter is an integral part of the show.
It may take some getting used to, but streaming software like Streamlabs OBS makes it easy to interact with your audience using the chat function. Take time between songs to check out the comments and respond to fans. You can even take requests this way!
Being able to communicate directly with your fans also opens up a lot of potential opportunities for generating tips and merch sales. Streamlabs OBS makes it easy to integrate a virtual tip jar and merch store directly into your stream.
Follow these tips when setting up your next virtual music performance and you’ll be well on your way to creating professional livestreams!
