ZOLAS Live Stream FAQ
Author: Chris Thompson P. Eng.
[email protected]
613-692-5380
Date: October 14, 2020
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Ottawa Jazz Happenings or of JazzWorks Canada.
Note: Since the beginning of April I've acquired a fair depth and breadth of practical knowledge regarding live streaming musical performances, due to a) my two week technical investigation of Facebook Live and YouTube Live at the beginning of April (see 'Background' below), and b) my organizing the 'ZOLAS Live Jazz Saturday Nights ONLINE!' live stream performance series including, as required, mentoring series performers using a range of physical setups on doing live streams (see 'Background' below). Please feel free to phone me (613-692-5380) or email me ([email protected]) if you would like any advice on/assistance with live streaming your musical performance(s). My fee is a donation of whatever you feel is appropriate to the GoFundMe campaign for the ZOLAS series, every penny of which (after advertising expenses and GoFundMe's service charge) will go to covering performers' fees.
Introduction
This article provides the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding ZOLAS' 'stay-at-home' live stream jazz performance series accessed on JazzWorks' Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada). The following questions and answers apply to live streams using Facebook Live (what I refer to as 'live live streams') and Facebook Premiere (what I refer to as 'pre-recorded live streams'). My June 17, 2020 article 'Live vs Pre-Recorded Live Streams - Which Viewers Prefer and Why' (https://www.jazzworkscanada.com/17jun2020article.html) discusses how Facebook Live and Facebook Premiere are a) the same, and b) different. The following questions and answers may also apply to other (i.e. not ZOLAS) live streams using Facebook Live and Facebook Premiere on JazzWorks' Facebook page or other Facebook pages (i.e. not JazzWorks').
Note: Since the beginning of April I've acquired a fair depth and breadth of practical knowledge regarding live streaming musical performances, due to a) my two week technical investigation of Facebook Live and YouTube Live at the beginning of April (see 'Background' below), and b) my organizing the 'ZOLAS Live Jazz Saturday Nights ONLINE!' live stream performance series including, as required, mentoring series performers using a range of physical setups on doing live streams (see 'Background' below). Please feel free to phone me (613-692-5380) or email me ([email protected]) if you would like any advice on/assistance with live streaming your musical performance(s). My fee is a donation of whatever you feel is appropriate to the GoFundMe campaign for the ZOLAS series, every penny of which (after advertising expenses and GoFundMe's service charge) will go to covering performers' fees.
Introduction
This article provides the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding ZOLAS' 'stay-at-home' live stream jazz performance series accessed on JazzWorks' Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada). The following questions and answers apply to live streams using Facebook Live (what I refer to as 'live live streams') and Facebook Premiere (what I refer to as 'pre-recorded live streams'). My June 17, 2020 article 'Live vs Pre-Recorded Live Streams - Which Viewers Prefer and Why' (https://www.jazzworkscanada.com/17jun2020article.html) discusses how Facebook Live and Facebook Premiere are a) the same, and b) different. The following questions and answers may also apply to other (i.e. not ZOLAS) live streams using Facebook Live and Facebook Premiere on JazzWorks' Facebook page or other Facebook pages (i.e. not JazzWorks').
Q - How do I access a ZOLAS live stream performance?
A - Go to the JazzWorks Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada). Click on 'Posts' on the left, under 'Ottawa JazzWorks'. The live stream will be the most recent post at the top of the page (pinned to the top of the page). You may have to scroll down the Facebook page a little to find it. If the video freezes or you seem to lose the connection during the live stream, click on 'Posts' again.
Q - When can I access a ZOLAS live stream performance?
A - You can access the live stream fifteen minutes before the actual performance starts - at 6:45 pm. From 6:45 pm until the performance starts at 7 pm there will be a sign indicating 'Show starts at 7 pm' and background music playing. This allows viewers to ensure that their video and audio are working properly before the performance starts.
Q - What if I join the live stream performance late, but while it is still in progress?
A - Access the live stream as discussed above. You will join the live stream at that time. For example, if you join the live stream at 7:05 pm, you will join the performance five minutes into the performance (like arriving at a live performance five minutes late). If you like, you can slide the video cursor to the left to go back to the start of the performance. Except that any comments you make will appear delayed, because they will be 'out of sync' with the actual performance. You can click on the red 'LIVE' button at any time (or slide the video cursor to the extreme right) to join the performance at that time.
Q - Can I still watch the live stream after it is over?
A - Yes. Access the live stream as described above. The recorded live stream will start playing from the beginning. You may wish to slide the video cursor to the right - past the 'pre-roll' with the sign and the background music - to where the actual performance starts.
Q - Can I access the live stream if I'm not a Facebook user? Do I need a Facebook account?
A - You do not need a Facebook account to access the live stream on JazzWorks' Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada). Curiously, however, you do need a Facebook account to access the live stream on ZOLAS' Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ZOLASOttawa). This requirement makes no sense to me, but I have confirmed this.
Q - Can I share the live stream performance with my Facebook and non-Facebook friends?
A - Yes. If you have a Facebook account, you can share the live stream post with your Facebook friends by clicking on 'share'. If you do not have a Facebook account or have friends who are not Facebook 'friends' or who do not use Facebook, you can send the following URL to anyone you like via email, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, text messaging, etc. - https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada - along with the URL for this FAQ - http://www.jazzworkscanada.com/14oct2020articlefaq.html.
A - Go to the JazzWorks Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada). Click on 'Posts' on the left, under 'Ottawa JazzWorks'. The live stream will be the most recent post at the top of the page (pinned to the top of the page). You may have to scroll down the Facebook page a little to find it. If the video freezes or you seem to lose the connection during the live stream, click on 'Posts' again.
Q - When can I access a ZOLAS live stream performance?
A - You can access the live stream fifteen minutes before the actual performance starts - at 6:45 pm. From 6:45 pm until the performance starts at 7 pm there will be a sign indicating 'Show starts at 7 pm' and background music playing. This allows viewers to ensure that their video and audio are working properly before the performance starts.
Q - What if I join the live stream performance late, but while it is still in progress?
A - Access the live stream as discussed above. You will join the live stream at that time. For example, if you join the live stream at 7:05 pm, you will join the performance five minutes into the performance (like arriving at a live performance five minutes late). If you like, you can slide the video cursor to the left to go back to the start of the performance. Except that any comments you make will appear delayed, because they will be 'out of sync' with the actual performance. You can click on the red 'LIVE' button at any time (or slide the video cursor to the extreme right) to join the performance at that time.
Q - Can I still watch the live stream after it is over?
A - Yes. Access the live stream as described above. The recorded live stream will start playing from the beginning. You may wish to slide the video cursor to the right - past the 'pre-roll' with the sign and the background music - to where the actual performance starts.
Q - Can I access the live stream if I'm not a Facebook user? Do I need a Facebook account?
A - You do not need a Facebook account to access the live stream on JazzWorks' Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada). Curiously, however, you do need a Facebook account to access the live stream on ZOLAS' Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ZOLASOttawa). This requirement makes no sense to me, but I have confirmed this.
Q - Can I share the live stream performance with my Facebook and non-Facebook friends?
A - Yes. If you have a Facebook account, you can share the live stream post with your Facebook friends by clicking on 'share'. If you do not have a Facebook account or have friends who are not Facebook 'friends' or who do not use Facebook, you can send the following URL to anyone you like via email, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, text messaging, etc. - https://www.facebook.com/JazzWorksCanada - along with the URL for this FAQ - http://www.jazzworkscanada.com/14oct2020articlefaq.html.
Background
I got involved with live streaming at the end of March 2020 when ZOLAS restaurant and pasta shop in Ottawa’s West End asked me to help them with live streaming performances by their jazz performers in order to help support their takeout and delivery business during this very difficult time for restaurants. I had been booking the performers for their ‘Live Jazz Saturday Nights’ program for the previous two years. Being an engineer (and borderline OCD – not a job requirement, but definitely an asset), I spent a couple of weeks investigating Facebook Live and YouTube Live from a technical perspective. I set up numerous end-to-end test live streams in order to understand how the two services work, understand the differences, and identify serious and less serious issues. These tests included (successfully) using as the audio source a USB microphone, a sound system (USB and non-USB mixers), and a high quality digital audio recorder.
I’m a retired Professional Engineer (degree in Electrical Engineering). I worked for 23 years at Bell-Northern Research/Nortel in Ottawa, Canada, designing telecommunications services. I’ve been playing drums and electric bass in gigging big bands and small jazz ensembles since 1970 (fifty years!). Playing in bands kept me sane when I was in school and working, and is now (or at least it has been until this year) my major retirement activity. I’m currently the drummer in the big band Standing Room Only and was the bass player in the bossa nova trio Wave until it disbanded (pun intended) in December 2019. Having a technical background and being a gigging musician is proving very valuable for my involvement with live streaming musical performances, since I can bridge the two areas.
I’m currently organizing the ZOLAS 'stay-at-home' live stream jazz performance series. There have been fifteen successful live stream performances so far:
I got involved with live streaming at the end of March 2020 when ZOLAS restaurant and pasta shop in Ottawa’s West End asked me to help them with live streaming performances by their jazz performers in order to help support their takeout and delivery business during this very difficult time for restaurants. I had been booking the performers for their ‘Live Jazz Saturday Nights’ program for the previous two years. Being an engineer (and borderline OCD – not a job requirement, but definitely an asset), I spent a couple of weeks investigating Facebook Live and YouTube Live from a technical perspective. I set up numerous end-to-end test live streams in order to understand how the two services work, understand the differences, and identify serious and less serious issues. These tests included (successfully) using as the audio source a USB microphone, a sound system (USB and non-USB mixers), and a high quality digital audio recorder.
I’m a retired Professional Engineer (degree in Electrical Engineering). I worked for 23 years at Bell-Northern Research/Nortel in Ottawa, Canada, designing telecommunications services. I’ve been playing drums and electric bass in gigging big bands and small jazz ensembles since 1970 (fifty years!). Playing in bands kept me sane when I was in school and working, and is now (or at least it has been until this year) my major retirement activity. I’m currently the drummer in the big band Standing Room Only and was the bass player in the bossa nova trio Wave until it disbanded (pun intended) in December 2019. Having a technical background and being a gigging musician is proving very valuable for my involvement with live streaming musical performances, since I can bridge the two areas.
I’m currently organizing the ZOLAS 'stay-at-home' live stream jazz performance series. There have been fifteen successful live stream performances so far:
- Lucas Haneman and Megan Laurence on May 9th, 2020
- Laura Anglade on May 16th, 2020
- Roddy Ellias on May 23rd, 2020
- Elise Letourneau and Tim Bedner on May 30th, 2020
- Mark Ferguson on June 6th, 2020 (see Image 1 below)
- Diane Nalini and Adrian Cho on June 13th, 2020
- Suzie Q and Sean Duhaime on June 20th, 2020
- Spencer Scharf on June 27th, 2020
- Kate Wyatt and Adrian Vedady on July 4th, 2020
- David Renaud on July 11th, 2020
- Roddy Ellias on September 15th, 2020
- Lucas Haneman and Megan Laurence on September 22nd, 2020
- Diane Nalini and Adrian Cho on September 29th, 2020
- David Renaud and Justin Duhaime on October 6th, 2020
- Suzie Q and Sean Duhaime on October 13th, 2020
Image 1
Organizing the series includes having Zoom meetings with the performers in the series as required (some of them are self-admitted ‘luddites’, so our Zoom meetings are looong and painful, although by the end I get them ‘from zero to sixty’) to a) determine the best technical setup for their live stream performance, b) do a step-by-step walk-through of how to set up and initiate a live stream, and c) do a test end-to-end live stream. I’ve authored a detailed technical user guide ‘Live Streaming Stay-at-Home Musical Performances – Technical User Guide’ for the performers to use as a reference document after our Zoom meeting, and which you can access (read only) at this URL.
Comments
Bob Nesbitt, 4-November-2020 - "Wow, what a resource Chris Thompson is for technical matters! I read a number of his articles and they were truly excellent."
Davina Pearl, 16-August-2020 - "I very much appreciate all the careful thought that you put into your articles. It’s an amazing way of supporting our little community during these times. It’s heartening to read them, and to build hope that we will find some excellent ways to overcome the challenges of our new reality.”
Devon Woods, 17-June-2020 - "Very interesting and relevant series of articles by Chris Thompson."
Bob Nesbitt, 4-November-2020 - "Wow, what a resource Chris Thompson is for technical matters! I read a number of his articles and they were truly excellent."
Davina Pearl, 16-August-2020 - "I very much appreciate all the careful thought that you put into your articles. It’s an amazing way of supporting our little community during these times. It’s heartening to read them, and to build hope that we will find some excellent ways to overcome the challenges of our new reality.”
Devon Woods, 17-June-2020 - "Very interesting and relevant series of articles by Chris Thompson."