Guidance

Copyright, licensing and permissions - Part 6: Live music online

When your group decides to perform a piece of music, there will be copyright laws, permissions and licences to be aware of. Part 6 of our guidance looks at how this applies to live or ‘as live’ online performances. For more information on what copyright is, see Part one: What is Copyright?

Webinar recording: What does the latest Covid medical evidence mean for music groups?

In this recording of our guest speaker webinar (original event 18 June 2021), we look at the latest medical evidence around Covid-19 and what it means for music groups.

We welcome Professor Jackie Cassell (back by popular demand), public health specialist and amateur musician.

Topics covered include: 

  • how and why the pandemic might end
  • the science on new variants
  • vaccines

Webinar recording: Applying for funding

In this recording of our guest speaker webinar (original event 23 April 2021), we explore the ins and outs of writing a funding application.

We welcome John Rostron (Making Music's Manager in Wales and fundraising consultant), Kim Macari (Arts Council England) and Abby Charles (Tŷ Cerdd).

Topics covered include: 

Applying for grant funding

Covid-19 has caused financial difficulties across the board, but the good news is that different types of financial support are now becoming available.

For leisure-time music groups, new or repurposed pots of grant funding are the most viable. There are a whole range of funds to apply for and different amounts available, and a little money can go a long way to making a difference.

Webinar recording: Online rehearsals and getting the most out of technology

In this recording of our guest speaker webinar (original event 19 March 2021), we explored how to make sure you're getting the most out of technology during online rehearsals.

We welcomed David Lake (member of a Making Music group, researcher at the University of Surrey, an Engineering Technologist in the CTO group at Dell Technologies and a contributor to the Internet Engineering Task Force, the standards body of the internet), Robin Simpson (member of the Northampton Symphony Orchestra) and Leon Gower (digital producer for Making Music).

Online rehearsal platforms: Jamulus

Online platforms are websites or software that allow musicians to meet up in a virtual music room to play together using their internet connection. Jamulus uses specialist techniques to minimise 'latency' which is the delay heard on online video conference platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc).

Download the platform

Versions for Mac, Windows and Linux can be found on the official website: www.jamulus.io
Prepare your device:
For best results, before launching the software:

Online rehearsal platforms: JamKazam

Online platforms are websites or software that allow musicians to meet up in a virtual music room to play together using their internet connection. Jamkazam uses specialist techniques to minimise 'latency' which is the delay heard on online video conference platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc).

Online rehearsal platforms: SonoBus

Online platforms are websites or software that allow musicians to meet up in a virtual music room to play together using their internet connection. SonoBus uses specialist techniques to minimise 'latency' which is the delay heard on online video conference platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc).

Download SonoBus

Versions for Mac, Windows and Linux can be found on the official website: www.sonobus.net alongside information about the Apple and Android apps which are currently available as test platforms.

Introduction to online rehearsal platforms

An introduction to online platforms for virtual music rehearsals, including SonoBus, JamKazam and Jamulus

What is a rehearsal platform?

These are websites or software that allow musicians to meet up in a virtual music room to play together using their internet connection. All of the platforms listed in this resource use specialist techniques to minimise 'latency' which is the delay heard on online video conference platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc), making it impossible to keep in time when playing music.

Zoom: Troubleshooting audio issues

Many leisure-time music groups are now using Zoom for their rehearsals, performances and other activities, and are finding that some of their members are having issues with the audio – either they can’t hear, or they can’t be heard, or both!

These issues are down to a mixture of reasons. Zoom works by picking up sounds at certain frequencies, and cuts out when the frequencies go outside of these limits. As we all continue to work and socialise even more online, our internet connections and devices struggle with the demands being placed on them.