Using Zoom to tell your story (Getting the PERFECT Settings!)
One of the most popular ways to share your performance, content and musical stories is through the app, Zoom! One tonebase, we use this app all the time for community concerts, interactive masterclasses, TWI check-ins, and more! So, It is important that we all have refresher course on getting the perfect settings for musicians!
Join us today to ask your questions, and workshop this important topic for the 21st century pianist!
Follow this event link to tune in!
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/pno-zoom-settings-2023
We are going to be using this thread to gather suggestions and questions!
- What questions do you have on this topic?
- Any particular area you would like me to focus on?
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This is probably user-dependent, but could you discuss the use of external microphones? We have a nice USB mic that I use for important recording, but have not yet figured out how to use it for Zoom. If we plug the mic in, then we aren't able to use the computer speakers to hear. I'm sure there's a setting that we aren't using correctly, but up to now we haven't been able to find it. Thanks!
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Michelle R Dominic Cheli I’m interested in the external mic thing too, for recording as well as zoom. My video recordings with my iPad are almost unlistenable, and I would like to incorporate making video recordings into my practice routine. I browsed Amazon and found a huge price range for USB mics, but don’t know how to choose or what kind of investment is needed to make a meaningful difference. Also, how does one place a single mic best to capture accurate piano sound (beneath, inside the piano, on a boom hovering beneath the lid, farther out in the room….)?
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Michael There were some great livestreams on this topic last year. Here is one that was really informative:
https://piano-community.tonebase.co/t/q6hbxc2/recording-yourself-what-do-you-actually-need
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Vidhya Bashyam Thanks! That’s perfect!
I forthwith declare that I am abandoning my subversive attempts at hijacking the Zoom presentation!
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Michael yes, the livestream Vidhya mentioned from last year was quite informative. I learned a lot from it. Prior to that livestream I had contacted https://www.sweetwater.com/, let them know what I needed (price range, purpose, etc), and they gave me a great recommendation.
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Vidhya Bashyam I saw your questions in the livestream you mentioned. Did you end up getting Line Audio Omni1 mics? They look like a bargain if ordered directly. It seems like you could get a pair sent to US for around $150 (unless I’m misunderstanging something).
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Thurmond R which microphones did you get from sweetwater?
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Michael I have to watch the video again to refresh my memory on what I want to buy at some point. I had an apogee hypemic that I haven’t changed yet. It’s very simple and plugs into my ipad or laptop. If I am doing zoom, I plug it into my laptop and plug an external headphone into the hypemic. In zoom I can then set the input (hypemic) and output to the headphone plugged into the hypemic. For regular recordings I plug into my ipad directly. Pretty simple for now.
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Vidhya Bashyam thanks!
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I would like to know the answer to Michelle R’s question as well…about attaching an external mic
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The fabulous topics just keep coming!
You are probably going to address this anyway, but I’m also interested in the details of your amazing set-up that provides great sound, ability to see you, switch between views of you (your posture, hands and feet) and alternate views of your hands (from above sometimes), and of the score on your iPad. It seems like magic. I’d like to be able to make better sounding videos of my playing (the built-in iPad microphone, without gain control, results are not so good), and perhaps to take lessons by Zoom sometime. Equipment (microphones, booms, cameras, software…..) selection and cost; and strategies for microphone placement would be great to learn about.
Nobody plans to edit like Glenn Gould, but it would be helpful to know some basics about how best to prepare a video for submission to a Tonebase event or to a teacher for review.
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Very interesting matter to talk about and learn. My time to share a video hasn't arrived yet, but it's good to have the information. If I was be interested in having a lesson with one of the tonebase teachers, what do I need to do. Right now I'm more concerned about my piano's sound quality. But it is very important to get to know and understand the technical and technological possibilities.
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Hello Dominic.
Sorry I couldn't join the live session last night. I was working with those students who are going to compete in the jugendmusiziert this Saturday and I was so drained out after the classes were over.
Just 1 question: obviously, the external microphone has to be plugged in somewhere in order to work. Can it be plugged into the tablet where I use to teach? I use a Samsung galaxy tab s5e to teach.... for our zoom concerts, I'll use the Samsung galaxy tab s6
Also, original sound has to be enabled EVERY TIME a new meeting starts, right?
Thanks for any tips I could get from you... or anyone else. I'm not so tech savvy like you.... ;-)
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Dominic, this was so helpful! I love the clarity and pragmatism! I did not know that the iphone could act as another camera and/or microphone - remotely! That is powerful! That's a great find! Continuity. A change worth having!
Microphones that you mentioned: Omni, Cardioid. I am grateful for your astute and amazing command of technology to help us all! Wow! Thank you!
Focusrite 2i2
Canare XLR cables
I hope you had a happy birthday, Jenny!
Excellent questions, everyone! Thank you!
Recording historian - TBD - That will be enjoyable!
Thank you so much, Dominic!
