ZOOM SOUND TIPS
With so many of us on Zoom, here are a few tips for DJing, playing recorded music and playing live music.
1. Use a computer or laptop. None of the next tips will work on a phone.
2. Use the strongest internet available. If you can connect with an ethernet cable, do it.
Move your computer/laptop closer to the wifi hub. Try to be the only one using the internet, try to avoid other 'high upload' programs like online gaming in the home at the same time.
3. Try making "Automatically adjust microphone volume" unchecked.
Zoom is primarily for speaking. The program thinks anything out of the ordinary is a tech problem or feedback so it will often mute you for a few seconds while it tries to auto-adjust its levels. For example, a song that has high notes in singing and low notes on a keyboard or someone who goes from singing quietly to loudly quickly. By unchecking this box, Zoom is less likely to try and 'fix' your sound for you. However, it also means if you get closer and farther from your mic during a session, it might also not auto-adjust your volume so be careful.
4. Do a sound check.
With someone else, see how you sound and slide the 'Input Volume' to a level they can hear you well.
5. Use headphones or turn down your speaker volume when performing.
If you have your computer speakers loud, then Zoom will be picking up both you making music and the music coming out of your computer, which can create a reverb and also confuse Zoom, causing it to mute you and try to fix the problem itself.
This point might also be true when you are using a phone, but we have not tested it yet.
6. Make sure everyone else is on mute.
Everyone watching should be on mute when someone else is performing or, again, everyone will get looped feedback and Zoom will mute it and try and fix it.
TIPS FOR PLAYING MUSIC - The Basics: Share Screen Sound Only
If you want to play a few songs, the best way to get the cleanest, simplest audio is to do Share Screen Music or Computer Sound Only.
Only the host or people the host has given permission to can screen sharing (the easiest way to do this is by making someone a co-host once they join the meeting).
Click on the green Share Screen button at the bottom middle of the screen. Then click 'Advanced' at the top of the window. Then choose Music or Computer Sound Only
If you want to hear the music yourself, like you want to perform or dance to it, then mute your mic at the same time to avoid your mic picking up the music playing in your speakers, which creates feedback and Zoom will mute you off an on.
If this is a backing track to your singing, then you will probably need to use headphones to avoid feedback and being muted off an on.
TIPS FOR PLAYING MUSIC - LIVE PERFORMANCE
The best way to get the best sound is to stream your performance like you were recording your performance.
On the software you would use to record yourself (GarageBand, Logic, etc), go to the Preferences or Settings and, while you have the Zoom app open, choose ZoomAudioDevice as your output and input.
Here is what it looks like in GarageBand:
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When you are ready to play, then you must also Share Screen Music or Computer Sound Only (see steps above).
It is also crucial to DO A SOUND CHECK. We all know that when playing or recording live music, there are lots of variables and really only a live sound check on Zoom with someone else listening is going to help. Zoom doesn't seem to like high gain levels, so try and keep those down. You might need to also adjust your computer audio settings, or your mic-to-instrument volume ratio, etc.
TIPS FOR PLAYING MUSIC - DJ
This is less straightforward to give advice on because of all the different hardware and software options people might be using, however here are two tips:
1) Chose Share Screen Music or Computer Sound Only (see above)
2) On the application you are using to DJ, make the Output and Input sound preferences ZoomAudioDevice
3) Do a sound check and trouble shoot, using your knowledge of your system, to make sure that you can hear what you need to hear and that everyone else can only hear what you want them to hear
A few other tips for DJs:
A) Some DJs set up their computer/laptop to just play sound (and then turn their Zoom video off) and then also use a phone on mute on a different angle as the video camera so people can watch you spin and you can sometimes check the chat on your phone if you can't see it on your computer
B) If you can, make someone a co-host and give them the power to 'Spotlight' different people at your party to make it more interactive and dynamic
C) Decide whether or not you want to use a mic. Sometimes trying to make a mic work while also playing music has been a point of frustration for DJs on Zoom. Consider asking someone to be an 'MC' if you want some talking before, during or at the end of the event.
D) Definitely mute everyone else!
And here is something waaaaay more in depth for DJs made by Troy Strum, with a focus on Mac and Traktor: click HERE