Need home video advice?
Before you pull out your phone and start filming, we’ve teamed up with Ted’s Cameras to compile a handy guide to familiarize you with all the best cameras, microphones and lights for streaming, plus some nifty tricks to help you wrap your find out how to live stream a concert from home.
1. Use the right camera
You are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing the best camera for streaming these days, with almost every modern device giving you high resolution video capture.
DSLR and mirrorless cameras are the best choices, with their combination of excellent capture quality and compatibility with a host of accessory options making them the best cameras for YouTube live streaming .
While good streaming cameras can be found in abundance today, there are a few key things you need to check when considering a camera for streaming to ensure it captures your live performance in all its glory. Your live gig camera should include the following:
- Tripod mountable – keeps your camera still and solid
- Tilting LCD – ideal for framing your shots in front of the camera
- Hotshoe/accessory shoe – easily mount additional accessories
- External mic input – frees you from relying on inferior built-in mics
If your performance is to be streamed live rather than uploaded at a later date, you will need to ensure your camera is capable. Some camera manufacturers, including Canon, now offer additional software options and accessories that allow you to configure your digital camera as a webcam, making it capable of video calls and meetings, and of course live concerts !
2. Mount your camera on a tripod
It’s a tried and true solution, but a tripod is still the easiest way to get the best possible view of your gig and ensure your camera stays steady in that spot. On a tripod, your camera will be stable and secure, and unlike if your camera is hand-held by a friend or family member, your images will always be still and shake-free.
Phone users aren’t ignored in this department, with plenty of grips and mounts available that allow you to attach your phone to a multitude of places, including a standard or mini tripod, or a Gorillapod, so it can wrapped around a microphone stand or similar. object – let’s talk about the front row seats!
3. Use external microphones
In most cases, your camera’s built-in microphone is suitable for capturing home movies and family moments. However, when capturing high-quality audio for musical performances, you need to ensure that you have the best microphone for streaming, which often requires the purchase of an external microphone.
Depending on how many performers and instruments you are recording simultaneously, your microphone needs will be different. A stereo microphone is a good option for capturing full sound if there are multiple instruments or performers, while a more directional type of microphone is better if you are capturing only one instrument or performer – this option will reduce noise background and focus. its focus solely on the sounds coming from the instrument, as well as making an excellent microphone for vocals.
If you really want to capture the best possible audio quality from your performance, you might consider using multiple microphones to capture separate instruments and performers. This option will require you to purchase a separate audio mixer, which you can then connect to your camera.
4. Use an external lighting kit
Setting up your live gig in your dark, dreary bedroom will automatically reduce the impact of your home gig. This will quickly remind your viewers how far they are from seeing real concerts in person, and to avoid this you’ll want to invest in the best video lights for YouTube performance.
By using a portable LED light kit, you can ensure that you are well exposed and everything is clearly visible, these kits being the best affordable lights for video streaming.
Whether you’re adopting the home feeling of your stream or setting up a fictional scene of a certain description, you still need to pay close attention to what’s in your frame. Some general tidying up is needed, and while you’re at it, try to keep dirty laundry and dishes out of reach!
Made in partnership with Ted’s Cameras.
