# Need Some Tips On Performing In a Live Zoom Concert



## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I will be playing a song in a live zoom concert and wondering how to make it look and sound good.

Here's what I have:
Desktop PC with wired internet, a crappy webcam, a USB audio interface, Reaper and a non USB studio condenser mic.
Work laptop with wired internet

Generally when I practice at home, I use my condenser mic and Reaper to produce some reverb coming out of my studio monitors as my room is dead sounding. So my thought was my desktop PC would basically be producing reverb and my work laptop would be picking up the sound and video. Is that a bad idea to be using the laptop microphone when I do have a condenser mic? The problem is I think the camera would be better on my laptop and I have never hooked up a microphone to my laptop.


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## JCJ (Jan 3, 2008)

Interested in seeing/hearing your results and/or approach... I'm a Macbook guy so not able to contribute much.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

There is some zoom audio config you need to perform in order to prevent it's auto-everything from stepping on yer audio. Zoom's audio quality is actually really bad. Lemme see if I can dig up the info on that, but otherwise google is your friend.

The laptop mic will make this worse; will be too roomy and not in a good way. Experiment with your micing to make the best of it (in addition to the LDC you have at least like a 57/58 right? Does the condenser do any other patterns besides cardioid?). I've seen pics of you in your room; I doubt it's really that dead, more like it is live in a not pleasing way.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

Use a pedal into your interface. In Zoom turn on original sound. Perform.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Found it; see PDF attached to this post.


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## GuitarPix (Jan 11, 2007)

If at all possible use an Ethernet cable to your modem instead of wifi


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

GuitarPix said:


> If at all possible use an Ethernet cable to your modem instead of wifi


Absolutely. That is possible whether I use my desktop PC or laptop.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Granny Gremlin said:


> There is some zoom audio config you need to perform in order to prevent it's auto-everything from stepping on yer audio. Zoom's audio quality is actually really bad. Lemme see if I can dig up the info on that, but otherwise google is your friend.
> 
> The laptop mic will make this worse; will be too roomy and not in a good way. Experiment with your micing to make the best of it (in addition to the LDC you have at least like a 57/58 right? Does the condenser do any other patterns besides cardioid?). I've seen pics of you in your room; I doubt it's really that dead, more like it is live in a not pleasing way.


I've got a few mics: MXL V67G, SM57, SM58, MXL604 but I only have one audio interface. I would really like to hear some reverb while I'm singing but would sacrifice that for better audio going to zoom.

So what would you suggest I do?

Right now I have my audio interface connected to my desktop but the desktop has a shitty webcam.

My laptop probably has a better camera but I have never hooked up the audio interface to it.

Hook the interface up to my laptop, install reaper, wear headphones so I can hear some reverb while singing?


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

You would need a good camera otherwise it will look crappy. A webcam like a Logitech c920 will be much better. Although I'm not sure if you would be able to get one since it went the way of the toilet paper. People have been buying all these good webcams coz everyone wants to do a live stream. 
Try video recording yourself with your setup prior to going to Zoom. Also why not plug in the condenser mic into your USB interface and connect it to the desktop/laptop. 

I've also seen people use their phones to play live. I've watched a few artists do it with their phones.

I've been planning on doing a live stream which will happen soon once my singer/sax player can come over. But I am going with Facebook Live instead of Zoom. For my setup, I have a video cam (Canon hf r800) with an external stereo microphone (AudioTechnica AT836) connected to a laptop that could handle streaming. I also have a capture device (Elgato Cam Link) from the video cam to the USB port on the laptop. I've used this too for zoom conferencing and it works perfect. I use the OBS software for streaming and even recording. My setup is probably one of the best value for money. The video cam is about $300 and the capture device is about $120. I also use a lot of lighting to make it look good.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I can run mics into my desktop computer no problem but all I have is a shitty webcam. I could hook up the interface to my laptop but I have never done that before. Will have to experiment. The camera on my laptop is probably much better. I have a Sony NEX-F3 with a micro USB port but I'm not sure it can be used as a capture device.

I just tried recording audio and video with just the laptop after adjusting the audio settings. The video was fine but the audio was awful. Will have to try zoom on my desktop and the audio interface on my laptop.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Ok so I managed to get my laptop working with my audio interface and the condenser mic sounds much better.

Is it possible to use Reaper with Zoom? It would be nice to add some eq, compression and a touch of reverb to the audio.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

Guncho said:


> Ok so I managed to get my laptop working with my audio interface and the condenser mic sounds much better.
> 
> Is it possible to use Reaper with Zoom? It would be nice to add some eq, compression and a touch of reverb to the audio.


You cannot. At least in my experience, on macOS, there was no way to route the computer sound through zoom in order to play live. I wanted to use GarageBand -> Zoom alongside my mic to zoom. 

This is why I suggest you use a pedal for effects.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Guncho said:


> I've got a few mics: MXL V67G, SM57, SM58, MXL604 but I only have one audio interface. I would really like to hear some reverb while I'm singing but would sacrifice that for better audio going to zoom.
> 
> So what would you suggest I do?
> 
> ...


Specifically it depends on yer room. But yeah you can add reverb in the computer.

Only one interface, fine, how many inputs/what kind. I am assuming two (worst case one mic and one DI/Line, prob 2 mic). You can use both the interface and the USB mic simultaneously with Reaper, but not with Zoom. Not sure if you can go through Reaper into Zoom (doubt it) but if you need to screw Zoom and get the Ninjam plugin for Reaper. You just wanna jam/rec collaboratively online right? VS an online show with spectators? If so, dump Zoom.

Assuming 2 mic inputs on the interface, and you playing and singing, figure out what sounds best

First get yourself sounding good to yourself in the room. No mics, no cans. Do you sound best in a corner or middle of the room for example.

Then try micing things up, stick the pencil condensor on guitar (assuming acoustic) and whatever you like for vox (personally I'd go with the 57, but maybe the LDC is your preference). Move things around; pencil can be at soundhole, or at 12th fret, or whatever. Try the omni capsule (this could be good or bad - the good is no proximity effect vs cardioid, the bad is more ambience in a maybe bad sounding room).

You could even mic up everything with just the pencil (omni capsule) start with it halfway between yer mouth and the guitar/strings, about an elbows reach straight out from yer chest. Adjust balance of vox to guitar by moving it closer to the one that needs to be louder.

If you've dumped Zoom, you can then add the USB mic to the mix - have your wife strum the guitar and walk around the room - sound cool anywhere? Stick the USB mic right there as a room mic... this could be out in the hall , or an overhead, or boundary mic at the floor, or backed up in to the closet. Don't be too proud to get down on yer knees; things don't always sound best at standing ear level.

Nobody can tell you what's gonna work best here; you have to do the work and try things. 

If the room is sounding bad, put some plush furniture in there (lazy boy or a love seat if ya got; at least an ottoman; steal the couch cushions). Rug if none in there already; cover the walls with things as much as possible (not just soft things but even hard things that aren't monolithic, but have irregular surfaces, like a bookshelf with all diff size books pushed in as far as they go though obviously that's a pain to move in there, but as an illustrative example). If there's a closet full of shit, open it up, try it with room door open vs closed as well. You get the idea. Tell yer wife it's temporary/for science. If that doesn't work cry about your mental health in isolation.

Last resort; you're on a laptop - try another room.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

GG

Thanks for your help man!

I don't have a USB mic. Standard XLR. Interface is a cheap old M-Audio Fast Track Pro with two inputs. I'm playing one song with my daughter on keyboards in a live zoom concert featuring multiple performers.

Here is a test video with the laptop camera and the large condenser mic. I think it sounds doable. Way better than the laptop mic. I just think it would sound better with some eq and reverb. But that's not possible? I think that's the best position in the room. Behind the camera is a bathroom and if leave the door open a bit I get some natural slapback at least.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Guncho said:


> GG
> 
> Thanks for your help man!
> 
> ...


Ah, misread ya re the USB mic.

You can add eq and verb depending on the software mixer functions that come with the MAudio - I haven't used them since I was 20something so I don't recall. My old Roland had a tonne of effects I could apply at the device level; my current RME has no FX but sweet a routing mixer. Or by using an external mixer in front of the interface.

See there ya go with the bathroom!

Sounds alright for sure; keep trying shit. If you're micing just you with the single mic you can use the other input for DI keys for your daughter. You can get more bathroom by switching out that LDC for the pencil w omni capsule.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

It's been said, but it bears repeating, that you really want to have the right audio settings within Zoom to get useable sound. This video outlines what those settings should be. (The video is for music lessons, but the same principles apply. You can also ignore the last minute of the video):


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Yeah I have those settings in place. The organizers of the concert sent out a how to guide.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Granny Gremlin said:


> Ah, misread ya re the USB mic.
> 
> You can add eq and verb depending on the software mixer functions that come with the MAudio - I haven't used them since I was 20something so I don't recall. My old Roland had a tonne of effects I could apply at the device level; my current RME has no FX but sweet a routing mixer. Or by using an external mixer in front of the interface.
> 
> ...


My interface has no software to speak of and I have no external reverb unit so if Reaper won't work I guess what I've got is what I'll go with. It's only one song. Some people will probably be using their phones.


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