Live Video Concerts! (An alternative to touring?)

These are my notes from the Stream Your Concerts to the World! CDBaby Podcast #065 (http://cdbabypodcast.com/?p=537)

(Interviewing Matthew Ebel about ustream.com)
Matthew Ebel: http://matthewebel.com/ustream
-Since 2006 been promoting himself mostly online.
-Has been using ustream since 2007.

USTREAM - host LIVE video feeds! (like youtube, but live) http://www.ustream.tv/
-Can be password protected! – sell tickets?
-Can record and save, and DOWNLOAD. (then put on youtube? ☺)
-Live chat room for “audience”
-TALK to the audience, interact!
-Audience can interact with you AND each other, can make REQUESTS.
-You can make someone in the chat a “bouncer” or moderator while you’re playing who can ban troublemakers from posting. You can even make registered ustream members permanent bouncers anytime they’re logged into one of your shows.

Tips from Matthew:

-Try to do a show fairly regularly, or even a scheduled regular time.

-Drive up viewers/sell CDs: - get fans to embed the show on THEIR site. Tell them to have an affiliate program to CDBaby/iTunes/Amazon etc. to sell YOUR CDs, then they make a little money selling your music for you!

-There are sliders for audio quality and video quality. If you crank the quality too high, it will lower the ability of some people to view it properly. (He recommends about 75% video, higher % audio…if I understood correctly) The higher the quality, the higher the bandwidth.

-He uses a Sanio Exacti (sp?) Video camera. (need to use Windows)

-Uses Mainstage (part of Logic Studio), MOTO UltraLite interface

-DEFINITELY has seen an increase in sales from shows. Without fail, has sold at least 1 CD per show, join mailing list, coupon codes for subscription service, check out website.

-You can set up OVERLAYS (like streaming words at the bottom of the screen) that you can turn into links! i.e. “Join my email list and get 3 free songs! Click here!”