Have you been struggling to break into the music industry the traditional way? Open to trying new methods of getting discovered? Perhaps you simply love the live and community aspect of playing music and want that to be a major part of your musical career. To that end, streaming music live on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch might be the path for you. Here, we’re going to look at how you can make yourself stand out.
Choose the right platform
The platform you choose is going to make a major difference in how you stream. It’s doing to dictate the kind of audience you have, the discoverability, and otherwise. At the moment, YouTube and Twitch are the two biggest streaming-dedicated platforms at the moment. Scope out the options and see which seems the most promising to you.
Learn the software
A streamer is usually more than just you, a camera, and the environment around you. Learn about how to use streaming software (OBS is usually the most widely recommended). You want to make sure that not only can you stream live, but you can switch between various screens (such as a “stream starting” screen, or a “BRB” screen), as well as to create gorgeous overlays that help set the brand and vibe of your stream.
Ensure it sounds good
It’s essential that a music stream sounds good. Your choice of microphones or capture devices to transmit the music the way you want to hear it is vital. However, creating a full sound experience can be crucial, too. If you’re just playing piano or guitar, for instance, it’s a good idea to have the best beat machine to provide percussion and rhythm. Take your time finding good backing sounds for your tracks, as well. The more professional your setup sounds, the more impressive to your viewers.
Ensure it looks good
Alas, it’s not all about the music. Creating a good-looking stream environment is an important point, too. Good camera placement, effective lighting to keep you and the instruments visible, and some mood-appropriate backdrop decoration can make a big difference in how your audience sees you.
Find a niche
There are a lot of streamers out there. Some of them are hard to compete with because they have talents such as perfect pitch that can make them technically very impressive. However, you can set yourself apart by finding a decent niche. For instance, you could dedicate your time to play covers of video game music, a very popular online niche, especially on game streaming platforms like Twitch.
Market yourself ferociously
Discoverability is tough, especially in the world of streaming where you have so much competition. Getting yourself on social media, engaging with your audience outside of streams, posting video content on different platforms leading into your streaming channel, and collaborating with other streamers on the platform can all be vital ways of getting the audience you need, so be sure that you’re always working on some marketing efforts.
There’s no one rigid path to success. However, all of the above tips should be considered the essentials for starting a music streaming career.
Image Credits: Pavel Danilyuk
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