What Is Live Streaming? Is it Viable for Music?
The health crisis and confinement led to the explosion of live streaming music and concerts. You could watch your favorite acts perform or stream their music, for example, the straight outta oz todrick hall studio album. Multiple online platforms made this possible. Initially, the vast majority of the performances were free, but soon initiatives began to emerge in which money was raised for charitable purposes.
And now, ways are being explored to monetize concerts under different formulas: Instagram or Facebook announce that they will implement functionalities so that artists can charge a ticket, donations through YouTube, the launch of special platforms to organize concerts, sponsorship models, interaction with the users. Livestreaming is an ideal form of entertainment in this digital age. Many have access to the internet, and streaming devices are becoming more affordable each day.
Live Streaming
Live Streaming means live broadcast over the Internet. It had been used in the field of training, corporate events, conferences, sports, … But the closure of concert halls and the postponement of tours and festivals has forced this formula to be tested in music and is making it one of the great trends in the industry for 2020.
At the beginning of the confinement due to the health crisis, we witnessed an explosion of concerts through Instagram Live and other similar channels. The first performances were spontaneous, organized in record time, and with few pretensions. But now we see striking cases. Perhaps it is too early to conclude these figures, which in any case are very far from the reality of most musicians and music professionals. But it is true that in the short term, there are not many other alternatives than to schedule monetized events.
Advantages
- The costs and logistical needs are lower if we compare them with a face-to-face event or a broadcast of audiovisual media;
- There are no geographical limitations;
- Synergies with virtual reality, augmented reality, gaming, …
- Potential to gather a larger number of people.
- It would make it possible to complete the capacity limitation when reduced face-to-face events begin to be held.
Disadvantages
The technical quality of the sound is low, and it is impossible to convey the true energy of live music;
- Difficulty in making the public aware of the payment for the concert;
- Leave out the human team of a concert or a tour: technicians, roadies, riggers, road managers, runners, and other live music workers.
- Individual format. It does not support the band format due to the delay in the sound (unless it is emitted from the rehearsal room);
- It is a totally new terrain with many legal questions.