If there’s one trend that has had a big impact during the last years, it’s the growth of live streaming.
A huge wave of disc jockeys moved to online platforms like Wavezoo to broadcast their music sets from their homes. The community is growing every day, as more and more DJs make live streaming a part of their routine.
After the initial gold rush, online party sessions are becoming more professional as everyone became more familiar with the tech involved. There is no doubt this type of performances are here to stay, but with so many people doing their own thing, how do you stand out?
Here are a few tips to level up your streaming visuals.
- Get your laptop, DJ gear and OBS set up
- Graphic Overlays in your OBS
- Get props and take care of lighting placement
- What is the best camera angle for Streaming Music
- Use Green Screens wisely
- Presentation is Key
- Get the word out on social media
Get your laptop, DJ gear and OBS set up
To DJ on Wavezoo you just need to hook up your DJ controller to your laptop and fire up OBS. You then make a few settings tweaks in the OBS program to get the best sound and video possible.
If you are new to streaming, we have a specific guide to set up OBS correctly. Read: how to set up OBS to stream Music.
Graphic Overlays in your OBS
A great way to enhance your streaming video, especially if you’re limited to a single camera angle and don’t have access to additional lighting or props, are overlays, graphics and texts.
Even if you’re not a graphic designer, there are hundreds of websites with low-cost animated logos or branded graphics that you can easily overlay on your broadcasts using OBS.
Get props and take care of lighting placement
Are you really broadcasting live if you’re not surrounded by houseplants? Seriously though, using visual details is great way to make your broadcasts stand out, like lights or eye-catching decoration, like a disco ball.
We recomend you add led strips or led panels to bring color back into your space. In any case, make sure that the area where you are going to perform is wellilluminated.
It is also important to minimize shadows. If you have more than one light source, you can place them strategically to create a visually interesting setup. The 3-point lighting technique is widely used for streaming video: it involves placing two cameras at a 45° angle to your frame, and one behind you (also at an angle).
What is the best camera angle for Streaming Music
The three most popular camera angles are:
- A front facing shot: close-up or at a distance.
- Side angle: not as intimate as the front shot, but it will give your crowd the fly on the wall sense.
- Birds eye view: If you want to show off your scratching skills, try placing the webcam above you and at an angle. This will make a larger image and allow your viewers to “see the action”, so to speak.
Use Green Screens wisely
Nobody wants to see inside a messy room. You may need to close some doors behind you, tidy up, or move your gear. But a great option is to use a green screen.
Although green screens may be reminiscent of big budgets, it is actually a fairly simple and inexpensive technology and is available for free within OBS. The reason the specific type of green color was chosen is that it doesn’t occur naturally in skin tone, eyes, most clothing…, and it is an easy color to remove and replace with another backgrounds.
Experiment with what you already have, like a colored sheet and home lighting, it may not give perfect results, but that may not be what you’re looking for. For example, you can use Electric Sheep, a collaborative abstract artwork with screensavers that generates trippy visuals for your background. It’s free and open source!
Presentation is Key
Take a look at some of the most popular DJ streamers and you’ll realize something: they all have screen presence. They are always doing something to engage with their audience and maintain interest.
This can be as simple as dancing while you’re DJing. If the crowd see that you are totally in to what you’re doing, they will too.
Cameras are the eyes of your audience. Don’t be afraid to look directly into the camera and say hi. Greet them, talk to them and engage with them while you’re DJing.
Get the word out on social media
Remember that Wavezoo is a DJ party platform, not a social streaming platform like Twitch, so people won’t get a notification that you’re streaming. That means that you need to invite people to book a party from you.
This is where your social media comes in. Use your socials in order to get more bookings on Wavezoo. Use flyers, share a video of your performance, reviews from your party hosts…
Finally
Remember that it’s not about you, it’s about the people. Remember that a Wavezoo party should be a fun way to connect on livestreaming, playing any song you love without the copyright problem that exists on other platforms.
Now, enjoy yourself and show your DJ skills.
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