Saturday, April 18, 2020 by Cortney Baker | Recital

Parents and Performers,

We are 1 week away from our April solo recital!  Since a live stream recital is new for all of us, I wanted to share the ideas below with each of you, so I'm making a mid-month post for everyone to reference as needed. 

Preparing your "Stage":

1. Find a somewhat uncluttered wall to stand in front of.  A musically themed space or fireplace might be a nice touch.  IDEAL: a spot close to your router as this can reduce the lag between sound and audio - feel free to experiment with this.  If you have a strong router or one of those boosters, then this is less necessary. 
2. Check that there are no windows/light sources behind the performer that create a glow or halo and darken the face of the performer.
3. Figure out a way to elevate the camera you will be playing for to the performer's eye level.  If you are using a music stand, it can be off to the left side, out of the camera frame.
4. For best sound and streaming experience for the audience, use a computer or tablet.  I have heard that the sound and streaming abilities of mobile phones is the least conducive to musical streaming.  But obviously, you will need to use what you have access to.
5. Have a way to play your accompaniment track that will not interfere with the audience hearing the performer.
6. Know where your computer mic is. Mine is under the front of my computer, so I feel that elevating the computer actually helps with transmitting my sound.  The best distance for audio quality is roughly 4 feet away. Consider this when setting up your "stage."  Would an external mic help?  Play around with different configurations.  

Preparing your computer:

1. Set your Zoom Audio settings to disable the persistent and intermittent background noise.      To get to this window, click on Advanced in the audio settings.  
       
      This setting can be adjusted while you are in a Zoom meeting.  So, if you would like help during the lesson this week, please plan to bring the computer you will be using for the recital.   
2. Restart your computer close to the recital day as many music teachers have found that this reduces many of the tech problems that arise (I need to remember this one!)

Inviting the audience:

We have a unique opportunity to include relatives and friends who live out of town.  I will be creating a shareable invite for you to send out.  Look for this in your email inbox this week.

Are you ready for this adventure?  It will be different for us all.  Nevertheless, I am excited to be able to share each student's hard work and preparation with everyone next weekend.  Thank you for going the extra mile this week to prepare for our spring solo recital.

My best,

Dr. B