by Author Charlie UVG

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The Singers Guide to going Live on Facebook

As a gigging musician, session singer, vocal coach, and lecturer, UVG co-founder Amba Tremain woke up on the morning of 23rd March to find that her world of work had changed beyond recognition overnight. Like so many others in an industry that relies heavily on physical audiences and face to face contact, it was a bit of a shock to say the least and the immediacy of the situation meant that there was little time to adapt. How do you quickly develop a way of working in which the online world becomes your primary source of income? (for those of you who dabble you will know just how little the returns can be!) Over the past 4 months, Amba has worked hard to build her online audience and has shown that with time, patience, dedication, and creative thinking, it is possible to earn a living through 'live' performance. This is her simple, no-nonsense (yet comprehensive) ‘tips and tricks’ guide for the singer/musician wanting to get back out there again! 

I, like many others in the creative arts industry this year, have sat in despair watching the gig calendar disappear before my very eyes. But here’s the truth people… We either evolve and move with the times or we evaporate quicker than you can say ‘Corona’. I chose to stay present and ride it out but honestly, I wasn’t sure how to at first. I did what every performer, musician, busker, karaoke singer did. I jumped online within the first week of lockdown, feet first with my eyes wide open. Yes it was a knee-jerk reaction to suddenly finding myself with lots of free time on my hands but the truth is I HAD TO DO SOMETHING. Life as a busy entertainer wasn’t just paying my bills… it was feeding my soul. And I wasn’t about to lose my livelihood or my mind just because the world had come to a standstill. I had to switch it up and make it work.

For the first 14 weeks, it’s safe to say I went through a process of metamorphosis. I’m not ashamed to admit I was exhausted with working and gigging, barely finding enough time for myself and for any creative projects I wanted to do. Basically, I was plodding along. Hey, I’m just a singer, I’m not famous. I’m speaking from the viewpoint of someone who earns a modest living doing something they love. But if I’m honest, also as someone who perhaps had found themselves in a bit of a rut. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy being a busy music teacher working with lots of lovely students and singing in my local bars and restaurants at weekends, but I found myself asking ‘could there be more out there for me?’ Now I was alone, away from the work environment, this was the question going around and around my brain daily. Was there still more for me to learn, was there even enough left in me to evolve, grow and eventually become the butterfly? Ok, that sounds kind of strange but it’ll make sense in approximately 5 seconds' time.

I came across this brilliant quote by John Rohn which summed up perfectly what I needed to hear at exactly the right time…

One day the caterpillar says, “I think I was made for more than this crawling on the ground.” So the caterpillar climbs the tree, attaches himself to a leaf and spins the cocoon. Who knows what disciplined effort it takes to spin a cocoon. But something inside the caterpillar says, “I was designed for something more than being just a caterpillar.”

For the last 15 years I have been spinning that cocoon and then back in March I, along with every other musician, singer and performer was faced with two options.

1) To break out of the cocoon, spread my wings and embrace a new life. (Perhaps a little dramatic but you get the picture)

Or…

2) Stay safe and snug within the cocoon and let opportunity pass me by.

That opportunity in question was the chance to use this time away from the norm, try to shift my music career solely to an online platform and ask the rest of the world to now help me out a little by listening and encouraging me to grow.

The local music scene… is it a (wonderful) trap?

There is often a temptation to stay within your local music scene, for that is where we feel the most loved right? It is our safety net and somewhere we don’t have to take too many risks. But over time, you can become quite a big fish in a relatively small pond and eventually you just don’t feel the need to swim that far anymore. Ok we’ve gone from butterflies to fish but I promise there’s good stuff coming up.

But not everyone feels ‘trapped’, in fact some like the security and that may be down to a combination of reasons. Perhaps they already have financial security, perhaps this is just a hobby or perhaps they love that feeling of being adored by the locals in the same place, at the same time, every Friday night. Everyone has their own reasons for staying put. But some might just want to venture out past the cocoon… or pond and search for more.

I decided to attempt to leave my safety net and see what else was out there. I started small and focussed on just one thing and that was utilising a social media platform to see if it was possible to grow organically, reach new audiences, increase my online profile and successfully continue with my music career online, now that we were confined to staying put in our homes. FYI – Isolation doesn’t have to be isolating. Get ready to invite the world in…

(Flash forward – Although I was now on my musical journey alone, away from the others I was used to working with, I have honestly never felt more connected to my friends, family… in fact the whole world, as I have done since the start of lockdown)

I decided it was time to put on my big girl pants, see what else I could achieve during this time and put myself out there.

I began by documenting my online journey, making notes and eventually giving lots of tips out to friends. I decided it would be a wise decision based on the questions I was being asked and the things I was learning, to put my findings out there for all other singers, musicians to read. So this article is for those wanting to take the next steps, go live and increase their online profile. What do you have to lose?

Here comes the good stuff…

During my transition process from ‘live to online’, I learned some really valuable lessons both physically and mentally and I’m going to start here with my personal ‘dos and donts’. This is after all what you’re here for right? And just so you know going live and embracing the online life has so far been a huge success for me. So if I can do it… so can you. What will follow is a basic plan to just getting yourself up and running. This is a combination of first and experience, honest opinions and witty humour. (Again, may be just my opinion) Here we go…

What platform is right for you? – ‘Identify what platform will suit you best. Where is the majority of your audience? You can obviously take on a multitude of social media platforms eventually, but start small and get big. That’s my motto. Taking on too much all at once can get overwhelming and where you think you might be offering more to a variety of viewers/listeners, you may actually be losing some.’

For me Facebook was the one. I’m not necessarily a ‘young’ performer. Not too old though either, ok. Someone might even say I’m ‘just right’ (and basically that ‘someone’ is me) Jokes aside… I’ve spent a good few years building up my facebook page already, connecting with friends and it became clear that most of my contact is generated through that medium. I knew where the majority of my audience was housed. I had also used Facebooks live function before so was familiar with how it all worked. (If you are unsure, be sure to look up facebooks tips for going live here –

https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/blog/tips-for-using-live)

Once I knew where I wanted to focus my energy, I began telling facebook about it.

Spreading the word – ‘Advertising is the same across any industry. You want people to ‘invest’ time in you. Possibly even their money (a subject for a bit further down the line) Putting together some great promo and inviting the world to join you is absolutely fundamental to getting this transition right. You are effectively becoming a business (they don’t call this ‘show business’ for nothing kids) so you will need a quality product to promote. Once you have it, promotion is everything.’

Speak to your audience from day one, experiment with going live even if its just to tell people you’ll be putting on a little show in a few days time. Create an event, but don’t go mad, only send out invites to those who you think may genuinely be interested in watching. That may be just a handful of people at first but it will grow. It’s usually just friends and family but they are your first loyal fans and should not be dismissed as unimportant. But once people ‘know, like and trust’ you, they’ll carry your name for you. Create some eye catching artwork and treat it like a real gig. After all, providing entertainment to someone who can’t get out may be a lifeline to them. You could be the answer to their ‘lockdown prayers’. (You’ll notice I like to be slightly dramatic… but just go with it) But seriously, create a buzz. That will include posters, event links, invites, teasers and personal messages to people who may be interested in seeing you. You may have your own editing software but if you’re new to all of this, try Canva. It’s free but you do have a paid for option which is just brilliant for anyone in charge of their own marketing. (Trust me you can’t go wrong – https://www.canva.com/)

Heads up… This will also make you feel great and is contagious. Guarantee, you’ll love that pre-gig feeling once more.

‘Testing, Testing, one two three’ – ‘Getting your audio right is paramount to whether people stay tuned in or not. Decide what your ‘thing’ is and adjust accordingly. Are you a singer who loves to perform with natural acoustics, in the bathroom with minimal music? Cool, then you’re ready to go. Or are you someone who’s used to getting the party started on a Friday night with big floor fillers? Whoever you are… your audio is everything so it’s worth getting it right.’

Ok, so from my experience, I had one terrible live stream, a few ‘ok’ ones (that I thought were spot on but looking back they really weren’t) and then the rest of my live events have been of a good enough quality for me to actually use the audio for promo and recordings. Getting your live stream audio right doesn’t mean you need to invest in the latest equipment. You may already have what you need.

For those using a speaker/PA system – If you have a small PA set up, get that speaker close to your mobile device, use a microphone and LINE CHECK FIRST. This needs to be treated like a ‘real time’ gig, so set up a test page that only you or a friend can view. Or better still, just select to live stream to ‘YOU ONLY’. This is an option when going live on Facebook. When listening back you’ll know if your levels are ok, if you need to adjust your mic and so on. Most phones have a pretty good pick up. Streaming from a laptop however though is more tricky. Most laptops will compress what sound is coming through, so consider a good webcam with mic if this is your preferred option.

For those wanting that quality sound experience – Now if you want to take it to the next level, it is absolutely worth investing in an audio interface and camera connection kit. Both are a real investment if you want to continue utilising an online platform once lockdown is over. And it won’t break the bank either. I use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface and an iphone lightning to USB conversion kit. Other options are available so it’s worth doing your research (Links for what I use are here – https://focusrite.com/en/news/introducing-scarlett-3rd-gen / https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MK0W2ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camer.... This has absolutely been a deal clincher for me when going live. People like to plug in my live streams to their speakers, feel like they’re actually there sound wise and that has in turn encouraged people to tune in for the next one. Trust me, no one wants to hear terrible audio quality coming out of their phones. It’s gotta be good guys, so worth getting right.

Heads up (again)... I learnt a lot from this fella. Check out how he sets up his sound for live streaming – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQMouXOlXpo&t=271s

Your audience – ‘Your audience are everything. They’ll be the ones starting ‘Watch Parties’, tagging their mates in your live streams, leaving you great comments and potentially even ‘tipping you’ (we’re getting there with that one I promise) Acknowledging them ALL whilst live streaming is virtually impossible, especially if you’re singing, but a shout out goes a long way. Ask your audience prior to the event if they’d like a shout out, if they have any special requests, or maybe even a song they’d like to hear. If you can talk, say hi to whoever is watching. It could really brighten someone’s day.’

People love to feel a part of a journey, especially someone they admire, follow and support, such as yourself. After all, these could be punters who used to love seeing you live on a Friday night, ones you’ll need on your side again once lockdown is over. Or ideally, they could be new fans you’ve picked up from all your fabulous live streams. We all like to feel valued don’t we? Plus, let’s not gloss over the fact that people just love to hear their name mentioned on’t telly! It’s pretty cool when that happens right? Asking prior to the event for shout outs and dedications challenges you as an artist to try new things but also brings them closer to you personally. This will in turn help you to grow your audience and keep those who really care about you by your side.

Tipping – ‘Yes you can still earn money whilst performing online. It may not amount to the same figures you got when you played out live, but it may also be more. It is totally worth creating an online ‘tip jar’ or donation link and placing value on yourself as an artist. But, if that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable, you don’t have to ask for money at all. (FYI – Most people who ask to donate to you are doing it because they want to, not because they are forced to or out of pity. This is always worth remembering.’

Tipping online is absolutely a thing. I watched and observed a couple of singer friends and decided to try this out for myself. I was blown away by the support I received after my first live streamed event and I’ll let you into a secret now, I earned the same, if not more money singing online as I would have out live. It can absolutely happen if you apply the right wording to your live stream. I always put a welcome note and a link attached to my live stream title and then talk people through it a couple of times during the event. However, no one likes to have it shoved down their throats and no one wants to be forced into paying for something. Personally, I’ve found it’s best just to invite people to tip, but with no obligation. I’m speaking purely from the angle of a ‘humble weekend singer’. Bigger acts can get away with charging fees and online ticket prices but in all honesty… I can’t. Being honest with people as to why you have a tip/donation link up is really important too. Tell them how grateful you are for any donations because if we’re all being honest (again) none of us are making any money through our creative career choices right now, so something is better than nothing. I’ve had other singer friends tell me they didn’t think it was worth it for all the effort they were putting in. Well that just defines what kind of artist they are and they are entitled to their opinion. Some haven’t been able to see the bigger picture, the same way I do. For me personally, inviting people to help me out if they wanted to, and making sure I put on a damn good show for them in return, has absolutely made it worth it. This could become the only way you make a living through singing. This could be your future for a while. So you need to know if it could be financially viable for you and if you can make it work. You may find you only make half the amount you would normally… but thats still half. You may need to find a new side hustle or part time job to subsidise your living… but you know what, thats ok too. The bottom line is, you’re still singing and still able to earn from it in some way. You can conduct your live streaming experience however you want to, but always remember your talent, craft and effort is still valuable even on an online platform. However you choose to value yourself is completely up to you. This may be through ‘likes’, it may be through ‘shares’ and it even may be through tips. It’s your gig, you can do what you like. But don’t feel embarrassed to let people know there is a tipping option available.

Another heads up – ‘A simple way for people to tip you is ultimately the best way. Too many links and procedures will make people not want to bother. It can be quite overwhelming and a lot of people will give up trying. Most online performers will include a PayPal link or if they have a website, maybe a link to that. But it’s worth remembering that not everyone has PayPal and some people are put off by donating and using bank details online. It isn’t a personal thing. But it is worth setting up so you can start to earn money too. (Here’s how to set up a PayPal account – https://www.paypal.com/welcome/signup/#/email_password)’

What’s in your set list? – ‘Everyone has their own style, genre, songs they perform so ‘be free little butterfly’ and make sure that you do you. BUT BE PREPARED. Preparation, organisation, checking through your tracks, music, instrument prep is essential to keeping your live stream engaging and flowing nicely. Using tracks straight from YouTube is terrible, not having an order and leaving big gaps of silence is unprofessional. It’s awful to sit through live and even worse online. You’re already playing to a flat environment in your lounge/kitchen/bathroom… wherever it may be. Don’t let there be extended silences where you don’t know what you’re doing.’

Preparation is everything. It’s the difference in ‘real life’ with getting booked again or not bothered with. People don’t like silence, and if you do find yourself with gaps in your set, be ready to fill it and make it seem like it was planned. No one likes to hear ‘Right, dunno what to do next’… Just NO. Get your set list in order before you perform, your lyrics ready if you need them, your shout outs marked in the right place and your timings right. These are the things, as well as having talent, that you are remembered for in a professional environment. Online is no different. If you want people to tip you they wont if theres awkward gaps and if you have YouTube ads playing in the background.

Whats that behind you? – ‘Ok, so we’ve all done it. Been on a video call and had to excuse the mess/decorating/pile of washing behind us. Don’t let that be what the world see’s behind you when you’re trying to show them how talented you are. Thats all they’ll remember. Unless living like a swamp monster is your USP try to make sure your surroundings are as professional as can be.’

Let’s face it, we’re all working from home now and that goes for us singers too. If you’re online, you’re still working. I don’t have a stage set up in my kitchen, but I do have a consistent backdrop that people recognise week in, week out. Think about lighting, where you’re positioning yourself, what you’ve got in the frame, what angle you want to live stream from. As well as sounding great you want it to look great too. We can’t all afford a separate studio space in our house but I’m just trying to keep it real right now. Just be conscious is all I’m saying. Take a photo or video before you go live. Watch it back. Do you have enough light, are you being masked by window light, could you find a better spot in the house? Give it some thought and get creative. A good visual will provide great promo footage after the event too. (Here’s what I now use for my live streams as well as video recordings – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B075Q5P6FD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_titl...)

What to do post live stream – ‘So you’ve finished a blinding set, you’ve said your thank yous (always say thank you) for tuning in and you may have told your audience when they can next catch you live. You’ve uploaded your live stream (don’t forget, with facebook live your online ‘gift’ is the gift that just keeps on giving) and you’ve sat down for a moment’s rest. If this is a one off, you can ignore what I say next…. But let’s be honest, you’ll be absolutely buzzing and already planning the next one. If you want this to be a regular occurrence, you’ll need to get straight back on it as soon as you can.’

If like me you enjoyed yourself so much after your first live stream, felt beyond thankful that you could still actually perform for your friends and family and felt utterly brilliant and buzzing (just like you do when playing out live) you’ll already be planning the next one. But hold on, before you do anything sit down, rest and watch your performance back. Could anything be improved? What songs worked or didn’t work? How was the sound? Have you responded to any comments, shares and likes? You must do this at some point before the next show. Remember, it’s all about bringing people with you on your journey, feeling connected to you and wanting to help you build that online fan base. You are after all a human and real-life human interaction is great, even in an online setting. After a gig you may have stopped to have a chat and a beer with someone at the bar, treat this as the same. Now’s your chance to say thanks, have a chat and find out more about your new friends and followers. Once you’ve done that, save your video. I like to screen record sections of my live stream on my phone as the sound quality, for me, actually comes out better than downloading my video straight from Facebook to my laptop. But you should experiment with what’s best for you. Everyone has different software and ways of doing things. The tip is to then edit some of your footage and share what you’re happy with on your page. I have found that to build up a consistent following, giving them a video a day is a great way to advertise you and your next show. Facebook algorithms pick up on your consistent activity and if people like what they see, they’ll help spread your music far and wide. If you’re a member of any community groups online, share in there too. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. The power of community and sharing is a very strong force. THIS is where and how you begin to build your following. Live streamed content actually generates far more views than you think. This is straight from the horse’s mouth – ‘The social network has chalked up more than 3.5 billion broadcasts since 2016, with the daily average continuing to double year over year. And crucially, a large chunk of the human population has seen them — the site claims that nearly 2 billion people have watched Facebook Live broadcasts’… So let’s make you and your live streams one of the ones worth watching!

To wrap up, yes you can still perform, there is still the potential to earn money, you need to treat live streaming like a live gig and be well prepared and remember to value yourself and your audience. Kindness goes a long way and so does real talent. If you can balance both and let your personality come through, people will want join you on your journey. This is when you’ll start to see your online profile and audience engagement grow, which in turn may help you to ‘spread your wings’ or ‘leave the pond’ every now and then.

The world is waiting for you.

Amba’s Top 10 Quick Tips

  • When editing your videos, make sure you consider them to be ‘YouTube ready’. If you wouldn’t want them to represent you on your YouTube channel, then maybe you shouldn’t stick them up just yet. You don’t need to have expensive videos made if you just want to promote what you can do. But it’s always worth getting right.
  • Don’t swear on your live streams… UNLESS that’s what you’re known for and part of a gimmick. Think about who you’re trying to appeal to.
  • Once it’s out there, it’s OUT THERE PEOPLE. Take from that what you will…
  • Live streaming is effectively live TV. Be over prepared and try not to leave long silences. People will turn ‘over’ otherwise.
  • Don’t forget to let people know where else they can find and support you. Mention your pages, but not too many times. Keep it a healthy mix of show and sharing with a bit of self promotion. Do it right and the live stream will be enough to keep them coming back.
  • Tech Tip – If your songs are a bit low in places, your mic volume may need to come up a touch to cut across your live stream, so turn yourself up a touch for that one, just as a sound engineer would do. But don’t forget to reset your levels back to how you had them after.
  • If you write any signs for behind you or to be viewed by your camera, remember it is likely to come out back to front so you may want to practice writing backwards!!!
  • When people comment, it can be distracting, be prepared to be ‘put off’ in the middle of a song because your Auntie Julie has just logged in and said your hair looks nice. Honestly… this ones tricky.
  • Be humble. Welcome people, acknowledge their presence as best you can, thank people for watching. Kindness goes a long way.
  • Enjoy yourself. Your personality is your greatest weapon. If you’re having fun, so will your followers. Fun is infectious and will keep those viewers coming back for more.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope this guide helps you if you are now considering moving your vocal career to an online platform, or going live for the first time.

Happy live streaming everyone.