Virtual show tip number 1: Less is more.
Think about how to make the best out of what you have instead of thinking of getting new and more stuff, unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Virtual show tip number 2: Use foot pedals to control your compute:
I use foot pedals to switch scenes, to play music and many many more. This allows you to free your hands. With practice, even your gaze is fixed at the camera when you are doing the tech work. People may think you have got a tech guy doing the stuff for you behind the scene.
Bonus: Get a mouse with shortcut buttons on it. This allows you to do a lot more when you get a chance to touch your mouse during the show. It’s all about economy of actions .
Virtual show tip number 3: Turn off Windows Anti-Virus and Auto-updates
I’m using a Windows and it always scans the disks for viruses and download Windows updates at the background. The worst thing it can happen is that they do it during your showtime, causing massive lagginess. Fortunately, you can turn them off and I always do. No more lagginess and your computer will be smooth like butter.
Virtual show tip number 4: Look into the camera, not the screen!
Most performers perform their show by looking at the screen so they can look at the audience’s reactions, thinking that they are maintaining eye contact with the audience. This however is a false sense of connection. In order to truly make the audience feel your eye contact, one has to learn to look into the camera while looking at the audience using peripheral vision.
Virtual show tip number 5: When you use Zoom, turn on “original sound” and turn off “automatically adjust microphone volume”
Virtual show tip number 6: The “HD” option on Zoom isn’t 1080P. To have true 1080P, you need to contact support.
Virtual show tip number. 7：Get a external microphone!
People may forgive you for having poor camera resolution but the audience will never want to stay a second longer if the audio is crappy. A 100 dollar microphone will make one sound so much better than the inbuilt computer mic!
Virtual show tip number 8: Set up an in-ear monitoring system using your Bluetooth ear buds
The best way to eliminate echo is to prevent your audience voice from reaching your microphone. You can easily use your Bluetooth ear buds to set up an in-ear monitoring system. One side would do. This way, you make the best out of what you have and you do not have to wear a big headphone over your head.
For Windows users, check out the software Voicemeter which would help you make the set up seamless. It’s free.