The all about the AGF Open Mic Facebook Group thread!

[Methos1979]

Hi folks. Since this seems to be the place where all AGF Open Mic FB Group events will be posted I thought I'd put up a running standalone thread where people can get tips and instructions on what to expect during an AGF Open Mic on FB as well as information on equipment. Since this is a relatively low traffic subforum (hey, maybe we'll change that!) the thread won't dip below page one so fast!

So here we go! Note that as we learn new things this post will be updated to reflect the latest information so check back often. I'm going to break down this first post into two basic areas - What to expect and do when participating in an AGF Open Mic on the AGF OMG FB page and then tips for best performances like equipment and what not. Please feel free to add your comments below in the things you've learned as well as asking any questions.

First and foremost, what YOU will need to be able to do to perform: Already be familiar with the Facebook Live function. It's fairly simple once you're familiar with it. You should practice on your own to get a good tone and be able to start and stop quickly and on demand. There are a few posts over in the AGF Amplification section and there are many on YouTube. Here's a link to a post that details the testing I did as well as a demo video of my final, simple setup: Facebook Live Streaming - what worked, what didn't UPDATE: iRig2 & iRig Pro results

Guidelines for performing - Here are some updated guidelines for all future performances:

1.) Sign on at the start and let the host know you're there. If you get there late then just announce your arrival in the currently running Live performance comments. If you are scheduled to go on early and are running late you should try to let the host know so he can bump you down the lineup.

2.) Know your place on the list and be ready to go! I plan to post in the Live comments section of the current performer who is next. When one person finishes and you're up next, go Live immediately.

3.) Introduce yourself and include your AGF handle. A brief song introduction or quick summary of your rig is welcome but it should be part of a 10-minute total time. Keep banter short and to-the-point.

4.) Keep performance time to a 10-minute max. A basic rule of thumb would be to shoot for 10 minutes max of playing time (including banter). So three 3-minute songs or two 5-minute songs or one 10-minute song!

5.) Please post encouraging comments and hit the Like/Laugh/Love emojis since that is the only feedback a performer has to go by.

6.) Most of all, be patient, have fun and spread the word!

Here's a couple additional notes on the above:

MAKE SURE YOU ARE LIVE STREAMING TO THE AGF OPEN MIC GROUP! Seriously, it's very easy to accidentally stream to the wrong place! Or if you've been practicing by yourself by selecting 'Only Me' and forget to change that back then no one will see your performance and worse, everyone will be waiting for you to start! The easiest way to ensure you're streaming to the AGF OMG is to make sure you're already in the group when you go Live. You can go live from your own timeline and then select the AGF OMG as the destination of the stream but I recommend just being 'inside' the AGF OMG when you go Live and that way you'll know you're already there. But still check the feed destination just to make sure.

BE READY TO GO, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ON NEXT! Everyone that is performing should be ready to go anyway but we all know we sometimes need to step away from our setups for a bathroom break or to top off that libation you've been sipping. But in the event that someone is struggling to connect due to a technical glitch or oversight, it's helpful if the next person (or anyone) is there and ready to go at a moments notice to prevent long delays between Live sessions. During a recent Open Mic we had a couple such issues and there were people that were watching and ready to go that were able to jump in when the host gave them the go.

PRACTICE GOING LIVE ON FACEBOOK! The best way to get comfortable with going live on Facebook is to practice it ahead of time. You should do this on your own timeline although you can do it on the AGF OMG, just make sure to delete your video after you have reviewed it. You can make sure that you are the only one seeing the video by selecting 'Only Me' from the privacy drop down over in the left side of the Live Producer screen in the Post section. There is a little box that probably says 'Public' or 'Friends' depending on your normal privacy settings. Note that this setting is global and sticks so if you change it to 'Only Me' to do your Live testing you'll need to change it back to 'Public' or 'Friends' or whatever it was before if you want people to go back to seeing your future posts! But don't worry, that practice video you did in your underwear will stay 'Only Me' unless you change it specifically. So, conversely if your practice video came out great and you want to share it with your friends then you would go into video and click on the little paddle lock symbol beneath your name and change it to 'Public' or 'Friends'.

GETTING GOOD AUDIO: One of the biggest challenges with streaming Live music on Facebook is getting good audio. Going straight into a laptop generally gives you a very bad, warbly sound. Recording with a cell/mobile phone or an iPad is better as long as you experiment with positioning. Some people amplify and some just go acoustic. For straight acoustic recording your best bet is to have a decent microphone to record the ambient, unamplified sound of both your guitar and vocals. There are several USB direct mics that work well or if you already have a nice large diaphram mic there are several interfaces for connecting to your preferred recording/streaming device. Many of those devices can also be used to take a signal directly from a mixer or amplifier line out and input it into your streaming recording device. There are several threads here on AGF and many tutorial videos on YouTube with great advice. The key is to find the solution that works for you and then practice with it on Facebook before hand.

BEWARE OF POOR OR LOW BANDWIDTH OR WIFI SIGNALS! We're in a day and age of challenges with our tech. If you have a low wifi signal or poor bandwidth this can affect your ability to stream successfully to Facebook. In the Facebook Live Producer (this is the box that comes up when you select Go Live) there is an option under the Stream settings drop down that says 'End live video if stream stops' with a checkbox. Basically, if Facebook detects your stream has stopped (likely due to a bandwidth or wifi connection issue on your end) it will end your live stream. You can unclick this box if you know in advance that you have poor bandwidth or other connection issues. Unfortunately, for those with these issues, they are often insurmountable since you're at the mercy of tech and equipment that is not yours to upgrade.

That's quite a bit of information for now. I'll be updating and correcting errors as I go. If you have any tips or questions to any of the above, please post them below.