The general design of the concert and its participatory category, as well the profile of the target audience and the chosen methods, are factors that will determine which type of infrastructure will be needed for the realisation of the project.
When working with online projects, the first essential elements the artist / leader / facilitator will need are: access to a reliable internet connection, controlling devices (computer, tablet, or smartphone), and an appropriate physical place.
If the project involves participation through online workshops over a period of time, we will need access to video conference platforms. In addition, subscription to paid services of the chosen platform may be needed in order to allow for the capacity of participants, longer meeting durations, and access to paid features such as automatic captions and cloud storage.
Equipment such as external microphones, speakers, headphones, and web-cameras may be desirable in order to ensure good quality sound and image.
In projects that involve sharing of material, it can be helpful to think in advance about the online tools that can be used for storage and exchange, according to the requirements of the work and the possibilities of the participants. Popular cloud services such as Google Drive and Microsoft Onedrive were the music as an invitation project participants’ favourite options to use to exchange files during the creative process. However, the project leader must ascertain whether those services offer the appropriate level of security, depending on the level of confidentiality and/or if the project involves the handling of sensitive material and information.
The development of the project may also require access to programmes such as graphic design, video, and audio editing softwares.
The desirable features of the online concert and the way it will be delivered will also determine the infrastructure that will be needed.
For example, for both pre-recorded and live-streamed performances, popular streaming platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo may be sufficient if the aim is for the concert to be publicly available. But, if the concert is to only be accessed by ticket/subscription holders, there may be a need to look for specific platforms such as Idagio[1], or to instead use paid options on YouTube or Vimeo.
Also, the use of multiple cameras and microphones can enrich the experience of the remote viewer, depending on the aesthetic proposal of the project. In this case, additional technical support such as camera operators, camera editors, and sound technicians will be essential.
If the concert is to be transmitted as an Instagram Live, we must ensure that the conditions for good quality of transmission via smartphone are met. This may include, for example, connecting the smartphone to an appropriate microphone, as well as proper camera framing and lighting.
Additionally, one could want to consider the tools for live interaction, if that is desirable. Live chats are among the most common tool for live interaction. This feature must be activated beforehand in platforms such as YouTube, and we must consider who will be responding to the chat: if it is the artist themself or another designated person.
An aspect to also be considered is regarding which new skills the artist / leader / facilitator may want to acquire in order to help the practical development of the project, as well as which tasks could be handled by other people – whether hired professionals or volunteer helpers.
Case study 2: Hecate writes / rsvp: piano, toy piano, electronics, and actions
Since the development of Hecate writes was part of the second phase of the project music as an invitation, most of the digital infrastructure had already been organised in the previous year. This infrastructure included: a dedicated website, the arrangement for the production of publicity materials, a Zoom subscription, Final Cut Pro, the project’s Youtube channel and Instagram profile, as well as the project’s Microsoft Onedrive and Google Drive folders (for the storage and sharing of files).
For the live-streamed concert rsvp: piano, toy piano, electronics, and actions, extensive infrastructure and technical support was needed.
For a better experience of the remote spectators, it was advisable to use a minimum of three cameras, whereas one camera gave a still overview of the concert, another camera gave a dynamic view spanning from the stage to the audience, and the third camera had a close focus on the details of the pianist’s actions.
The equipment needed for the livestream included:
- 2 cameras: 1 still, 1 moving
- SQ5 sound mixer
- ATEM mini Pro for livestream editing
The technical team included:
- One sound engineer
- One assistant sound technician
- One livestream technician (who was also in charge of monitoring the live chat)
- One camera operator
It is important to verify in advance the requirements of the chosen platform in order to allow livestreaming. For the concert rsvp, to this date, YouTube required phone verification and a waiting time of 24 hours before livestreaming for the first time on a YouTube channel.
Case study 1: music as an invitation (year 1: 2023-2024)
Since the music as an invitation project could benefit from the infrastructure of the University where I was developing my postdoctoral research, the needed purchases mainly concerned digital subscriptions and software.
One of the first actions was to purchase a website hosting and domain plan for the project. The project website was going to work as an online hub, hosting all of the project’s documentation and relevant publicly-shareable information. The aim was for the website to have simple and efficient features, where I, the artist/researcher, could be self-sufficient in terms of managing its content. In that respect, I decided to develop it myself, using the platform Wordpress, which is itself designed for self-publishing.
A friendly collaboration was arranged for the production of publicity material, so there was no need for the purchase of design software nor the hiring of a professional designer for the development of the project's publicity material.
For the online workshops where the online concert would be collaboratively developed, a Zoom subscription was purchased, so as to avoid time constraints for the meetings. Also, the paid subscription was necessary in order to have the option of automatic translation and captions, since the project wanted to include Portuguese speaking participants even if they were not fluent or comfortable with communicating in English. The automatic captions feature then needed to be activated before the meeting, and an explanation of how to use it was given to the participants who wished to use it during the workshops.
As the creative process was taking place, the need arose to also acquire a video editing software, with the chosen one being Final Cut Pro. I had prior knowledge of this programme, and also had a consultancy with the University video technician. I was therefore able to be in charge of the video editing that was needed during the development of the project. Additionally, I had eventual help of some of the participants who were interested in working on this part of the creative process as well.
During the online workshops, I made sure to be in a quiet room with reliable internet connection. Although I used good quality earphones during the meetings, in general there was no need for additional microphones or extra cameras. I also tried to be in a room with access to a musical instrument in case the creative process called for musical interaction, which indeed happened once during the development of small group collaborations.
Initially, Microsoft Onedrive was the cloud storage program used, since this was provided by the University. However, the participants themselves asked to use Google Drive, since they were more used to this application. Also, at times the participants asked that some communications and file exchanges were done through WhatsApp or iMessage. This could have been because those smartphone applications were more practical for them to use, or because they sometimes did not have access to computers.
A dedicated YouTube channel was set up for the project, which worked as a place to publish the works-in-progress and host the premiere of the online concert developed by the participants.
In addition, an Instagram profile was set up for the project, aiming to enhance the experience of the participants through interaction on social media and increase the audience reach of the project.
During the premiere, the audience was encouraged to interact via Live chat, which was activated beforehand. I, as artist/research leader myself, was in charge of monitoring and responding to the Live chat interactions.
Since the gathering of feedback was a crucial element of this project, a questionnaire was created using the platform Microsoft Forms (which was also provided by the University), which the participants could complete anonymously.