How to set up your own livestream

Looking to join the Twitch party with your own music or DJ sets? Been inspired by a live show on Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram? Getting started is not as hard as you might think. In this piece, we’ll cover what you need to consider technically as you jump into the growing world of livestreaming.

To start, you’ll need:

• Music that you can make at home (that’s pretty essential here)
• A Twitch account (free at Twitch)
• Broadcasting software, which you’ll use to connect to your platform of choice.

For broadcasting, the free app Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) Studio is an industry standard, available for Mac/Windows/Linux, and provides flexible options for incorporating multiple audio and video sources. Twitch also has their own Twitch Studio software, though it’s Windows-only and currently in beta. For a rundown of other broadcasting software, check out this list from Twitch.  Make sure to test out your setup before going live. You’ll want to do a couple dry runs and record them – most broadcasting software can also record – to make sure that you’re getting good levels and avoiding feedback or other issues.

If you want to stream more than just your computer desktop, you’ll need some cameras. OBS can handle multiple video inputs, and a built-in webcam on your laptop or desktop is often a good first (and easy) place to start. As you progress in streaming, you may want to invest in more cameras to get different angles, and in hardware that will let you control live camera swapping.

Watch those levels

Streaming in general requires audio setup preparation – and it’s doubly important when your stream involves music. Whether you’re performing or DJing or even just talking, make sure you check your levels before starting a stream. If you’re using OBS, you can use the built-in digital VU meters to make sure that you’re staying out of the red. Remember that, while analog distortion might sound pleasing, digital clipping doesn’t.

If you’re working with a microphone, you’ll want to take some extra steps to get things set up properly. Look into investing in a wind screen – these are not usually expensive, will help you lower background noise and tame harsh sibilants (“shhh” and “chhh” sounds), and will help you avoid popping your “p” and “b” sounds. Spend some time getting comfortable with your microphone, and consider how far you are from it – the frequency response curve of a microphone can change drastically depending on your position, so try not to move too much when using one.

What Can You Stream?

Lastly, there’s the question on what you’re allowed to stream. While you can DJ with others’ music on most platforms, be aware that some tracks might end up muted in archival videos or worse, demonetized, or removed entirely. Most importantly, only stream video performances to which you have the rights. Go ahead and do a Traktor set, but don’t steal videos. Upon archival on Twitch in particular, videos with copyrighted audio (like DJ sets) will be available, but muted during the sections where Twitch’s algorithm detects copyrighted audio.

Getting an audience

If you want to build a streaming audience, you need to be consistent. Plan to go live regularly at certain times, and stick to it! If you’re just starting out, try to stream at least every two weeks. Decide what you’re going to stream in advance: will it be a performance? A DJ set? What genre? Who else is involved?

Promoting a stream on social media can feel like shouting into the void (especially now, when everyone is getting into streaming), which is where music forums come in handy. In particular, Discord is a good bet – a number of popular Twitch streamers have their own Discord servers, and most music-based Discord servers have dedicated channels for self-promotion. Additionally, check out appropriate places on Reddit, or direct forums like KVR Audio and Gearslutz. Remember to be transparent about what you’re promoting, and consistent in delivering – no one likes a spammer or someone who can’t deliver.

Engage

If you’re stuck on what to stream, two suggestions: 1) look at some of the fantastic streamers who are already sharing their music-making process, and 2) think about what would be most interesting for you to watch. The truth is that a lot of the creative process isn’t all that interesting to outsiders, so consider who you’re streaming for (professionals? People looking to get into music-making? Partiers?) and why they should care.

A few ideas for streams – feel free to snatch these:

• DJ Challenges – all the names start with “D”, all the same tempo, play the artists in alphabetical order.
• Real-time sound design – set out to design some new presets (e.g. “15 new presets for Massive X”), and show the real-time process of how you do it.
• Submissions party – once you’ve got more followers, ask them for music. Or, alternatively, if you’re feeling brave, try asking on Discord and Reddit for submissions. There are loads of musicians out there who want their music played. Whether you’re just DJing or offering feedback on tracks, it’s a great way to share and grow your own channel.

Now let’s take a look at a couple of different setups from  two livestreaming veterans – we’ll let them explain in their own words.

Monetizing your Twitch Stream

One last note, on monetizing your stream. First, to be blunt: don’t expect to make money from streaming on Twitch at the very beginning. You’re going to have to build an audience and build your name before you can expect to see viewers willing to pay to subscribe, or companies offering sponsorships.

Once you’ve built up your Twitch channel with regular streams, you may consider adding a subscription tier to your channel. Twitch makes this easy, but consider carefully what your case is for subscription. Dropping consistent free content and then putting up a subscription paywall is not a good strategy. Look at what you might continue to provide for free, and what you want to keep restricted to your subscribers. For example, you might provide streams of your own music-making techniques for free, while offering subscriber-only streams where you critique submitted music from the audience. You can also look at subscriber perks outside of the stream, such as music downloads, patch/preset/sample collections, or one-on-one sessions.

Keep us in the loop

If you’re streaming with Native Instruments software or hardware, we want to know! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and don’t forget to tag us and use #NIStreams. We’ll be looking to amplify the best streamers out there, so don’t be silent!