The pandemic has triggered the need for artists to livestream their work online. During the COVID lockdown, live-streaming has been a way to stay afloat and connected. It has also offered an opportunity for others to express and share their hidden talent.
Deejays have had to find a way to play music to their audience on social platforms using digital applications and devices.
Facebook and Youtube have been the main social sites for live streaming during quarantine—Facebook being the most popular to live-stream and engage. However, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube are not DJ-friendly platforms for broadcasting a live set.
For example, most deejays who play full original versions of a song have their live-feed interrupted or the livestream video muted by Facebook and Youtube's algorithms due to copyright infringement.
A few deejays and promoters have contacted me and expressed their concern about the issue, looking for a solution. Hence, I decided to write this article and shed some light on what I think is a simple and quick way to livestream a DJ set hassle-free. The aim is to provide the best listening and creative experience for the audience and artist respectively.
Mixcloud is the answer and the way forward to proudly live stream your DJ set in a legal way and support the authors and songwriters— an ethical consideration. It is also the suitable platform for the audience to enjoy their favourite live shows without interruption.
On Mixcloud, there is no copyright strike related to the audio and no need to write the copyright disclaimer—(Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.)— which doesn't stop copyright penalties.
Since 2008, Mixcloud has been a DJ hub—where deejays upload and share their mixes with zero copyright infringement or take downs. Mixcloud is the only online platform that supports the live-streaming of musical content and takes care of the royalties and music licensing for the authors and songwriters—who deserve to be rewarded for their creative work.
Guidance for DJs:
° Visit Mixcloud.com and sign up to create an account.
° Once you've signed in, follow the link below to learn everything related to live streaming on Mixcloud.
° For those who wish to livestream on multiple platforms at the same time, I recommend using Restream.io
Restream is an online platform who will allow you to multicast your live stream to more than one social site for free—including Mixcloud, Facebook (personal account), Youtube, and Twitch to mention a few.
° To learn more about Restream follow the link below. https://support.restream.io/en/articles/665628-how-to-use-restream-getting-started-with-restream-io
º I advise DJs who wish to livestream to multiple platforms to only multicast to Mixcloud and their most popular platform (e.g. Facebook) adding their Mixcloud Live's link on the post title to draw the audience or followers to their Mixcloud Live DJ show.
Guidance for the audience and followers:
° To watch and listen to a DJ live stream just click on the link shared by the creator (https://www.mixcloud.com/live/greenpapi) and it will take you directly to the programme without the need to create a Mixcloud account. The limitation is that if you do not have a Mixcloud account you will not be able to comment or engage in the live chat.
° If you wish to comment, engage and follow your favourite shows then you will have to sign up and create a free account.
° Follow the link below to create your Mixcloud free account and learn about other plans https://www.mixcloud.com/plans/
I hope the content helps and saves you time searching online.
Have an awesome time live-streaming your DJ set and engaging with your favourite artists and music shows on Mixcloud—HASSLE FREE!
Follow me on https://www.mixcloud.com/greenpapi/ to be notified when my weekly DJ livestream "LA BASE" goes live and new uploads are added.
