Can something go wrong during my performance?

​

• Yes. Something can go wrong.

Live Virtual Stage and live Virtual Concert Hall are relatively new inventions of humanity, and Internet TV hadn’t been around the block for much more than a decade. The tech connections/integrations are complex, consist of many elements which must be made to work together in sync in real time. VCHS’ production crews consist of very experienced people who directed over 600 live broadcasts with 1,000s of participants. They’ve been called “Harry Potters of live music on a virtual stage”. You will be served by some on the best professionals in the industry. But still - things CAN go wrong during your performance!

​

What can go wrong? What to expect if something does go wrong?

​

• What?

During your tech check our producers may find that your tech is not able to perform adequately or reliably

Solutions?

We will offer you to reschedule for the next available date/session. We will give you instructions what you need to do to be prepared.

• What?

Tech can fail while you are waiting for your turn in the Green Room, or while you are in the Competition Backstage, or even just before your turn.

Solutions?

We will walk you through the steps you need. Keep a close watch of the internal chat in the Broadcast Studio and follow producers’ instructions. You will not miss performing in your session! We will change the order of performances and you will perform later in the same session

• What?

After our producers fine tune your tech settings and complete your audio/video tech checks you will transition to the Competition Backstage. Your tech can automatically revert to default settings during the transition

Solutions?

Take careful notes during your tech check, double-check to make sure your settings are the same, before entering Competition Backstage.

​

“I did everything right and according to your producer’s recommendations. Can something still go wrong during my performance??”

​

• Unlikely, but something still can go wrong.  

As mentioned above: live virtual performance relies on young and cutting edge technology, and requires for many complex puzzle pieces to perform in sync AND in real time. It is a journey which may not be best suitable for you if you are prone to stage fright, or expect to feel traumatized if you need to deal with a sudden change of how things unfold.

Please be mindful of your own feelings and do not take unnecessary risks. Virtual stage will keep developing and eventually will become as reliable as electricity in a physical concert hall. One can always just wait a bit longer for the tech to reach that stage of perfection! We now take our beautifully illuminated concert venues for granted, don’t we? But 10-20 years after Edison’s invention they didn’t look nearly as glorious as today. Your evening concerts were illuminated by a jumble of wires with weird looking glasses hanging from them, giving out flickering yellowish light, and sometimes turning off altogether

​​

“What will will your tech team do if something happens while I perform??”

​

• We will not let your performance look or sound in subpar quality, get “frozen”, get “muted”, etc.

• Instead we will:

• Interrupt your performance

• Take you off the stage

• Give you access link to our Troubleshoot Tech Room

• Our producers will work with you on solving the problems

• If we can solve the issues within reasonable time - we will bring you back onstage and you will have another opportunity to perform your program within the same session  

• If the issues persist and we can’t resolve them right there and then - we will reschedule your performance for the next available date/session.

​

"I have great and fast WiFi connection, a new generation IPad, and I’ve done 2 years of studying/teaching online. No worries, I am well prepared for your stream, there’s nothing that can go wrong from my side."

​

• Unfortunately things can still wrong:

• IPads are not suitable for Internet TV broadcasting, the technology of an iPad does not support connecting to a Broadcast Studio and streaming live music. Please be prepared to use a laptop or desktop.

• WiFi connection, although often workable, may become unreliable and not sustain the stream throughout the duration of your performance, no matter how fast. Ethernet cable connection is highly recommended as it provides stability of your signal. Both, the speed and stability are essential for quality broadcasting of a live music performance. However, WiFi connection may work fine. Just please be prepared that the transmission made through WiFi connection may lack consistency when compared with the transmission by people who are able to connect to a grounded Router using Ethernet Cable.

​​

Ok, I got the Ethernet cable, now we are all set, right?

​

• Almost. Please make sure that your cable is connected to the grounded Router. Please refer to our recommendation deck on how to identify that you are really connecting to the correct type of Router. 

• If you are connecting to a Wi-Fi-based Router, or to a Wi-Fi-based Booster, or another Internet device which is not connected to your provider via a grounded cable – you are not improving the connection by using Ethernet cable. The logic is simple: Ethernet cable is used with a purpose to eliminate wireless Internet connection at any point in the chain.

​​