Livestreaming can be an efficient way to connect with your audience and share your message globally. However, hosting your first livestream event can also be quite a daunting task. Not only do you need to have the right equipment, but you also need a clear vision of what you want to achieve with that equipment. We also can’t overlook the amount of preparation and setup it takes. However, with the right approach, you can ensure your first livestream event is a huge success.
Recently, the Moogseum, a museum dedicated to the legacy of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog, successfully hosted its first livestream event. Initially, the Moogseum planned an in-person live event to celebrate the instrument and its founder. However, due to demand and limited space, the museum decided to livestream the event instead. This way, more people could tune in, and the museum could host a more interactive experience featuring rare performances and interviews with some of the most influential musicians and innovators in electronic music. The livestream proved to be a fantastic experience for all.
The Moogseum’s successful debut livestream is a testament to the effectiveness of employing the right strategy when hosting your first livestream event. In this article, we will discuss how the Moogseum brought its historical event to a live global audience and what we can learn from its success. We’ll also discuss what strategies it used to make it all possible.
Live from the Moogseum
The Moogseum, located in Asheville, North Carolina, is a museum dedicated to the Moog synthesizers and their creator, Bob Moog. The museum showcases the history of the Moog instrument and the impact it had on music and culture. Fans of electronic music have likely heard of the Moog synthesizer, a revolutionary instrument that altered the sound of music in the 1960s and 1970s. The Moog synthesizer is a modular device comprised of separate modules that create and shape sounds. It can produce diverse soundscapes, from mimicking helicopter noises to generating electronic melodies and atmospheric textures. Over the years, the Moog synthesizer has been featured in various films, notably “Apocalypse Now” (1979), and used in songs by renowned artists such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk.
The Moogseum planned to host a special live event featuring the renowned synthesist and composer Patrick Gleeson, celebrating the instrument and Bob Moog. Gleeson would be reunited with the original Moog modular synthesizer he played with Herbie Hancock and would demonstrate its capabilities to a live, in-person audience. However, demand for the performance exceeded the venue’s capacity. As a result, the Moogseum decided the best way to meet the demand was to livestream the event.
When deciding where to host the livestream, the Moogseum chose Bandzoogle, a music-focused website builder capable of handling tickets, subscriptions and digital music sales. This decision proved to be beneficial, allowing the Moogseum to focus its resources on the livestream itself.
Ultimately, the livestream not only allowed a global audience to participate in the unique event but also significantly enhanced the Moogseum’s reach and visibility. Speaking on the potential of livestreaming the event, Michelle Moog-Koussa, executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation, said, “We realized early on that the potential audience for Dr. Gleeson would be far greater than our space would accommodate and that a great many people couldn’t make it to Asheville for the event, so livestreaming seemed like an ideal solution.”
How it was done
To livestream the event, the Moogseum team used a combination of different cameras, audio and video equipment and streaming software. The team employed two PTZOptics NDI cameras — 12x and 20x versions — to capture subjects, close-ups of the keyboard, the synthesizer control panel and the in-house audience. They also had two mirrorless cameras on hand for wide static shots of the event space. The team used a Roland V-1HD video switcher and an audio mixer to manage the video and audio feeds from two microphones, the Moog input and laptop sound. Additionally, they used a compact monitor and a laptop to control the livestream feed and the PTZ cameras.
The Moogseum’s equipment setup included two PTZOptics NDI cameras — 12x and 20x versions — proficient in capturing subjects, close-ups of the keyboard, the synthesizer control panel and the in-house audience. To capture wide static shots of the event space, the crew employed two mirrorless cameras. They used a Roland V-1HD video switcher and an audio mixer to manage the video and audio feeds from two microphones, the Moog system and a laptop. Additionally, a compact monitor and laptop were used to monitor the livestream feed and control the PTZ cameras. The team controlled the PTZ cameras using the PTZ Control Pro 2 app on an iPad, which offered full control of multiple PTZOptics cameras. The app provides a virtual joystick for remote pan/tilt functionality, presets for easy switching between camera angles, and image adjustment tools for fine-tuning exposure, white balance, focus and zoom.
The livestream was hosted on Boxcast, a cloud-based streaming platform that offers high-quality video and audio, adaptive bitrate streaming and analytics. Boxcast also integrates with Bandzoogle, which facilitated a seamless setup for the Moogseum.
The livestream operation involved two individuals: Foundation board member Daniel Keller and Tim Kennedy from Erin Shore Productions. Keller managed the audio and video feeds and camera switching at the Moogseum. Meanwhile, Kennedy oversaw the streaming platform, hosting website and ticket sales. He also monitored the livestream feed, audience response and comments.
Kennedy said, “The Moogseum’s livestream was a great example of how to use technology to create an engaging global experience for fans of electronic music.”
Reaction, reflection and growth
While hosting your first livestream event is a daunting task, with the right equipment, preparation and communication, you can pull it off successfully.
The Moogseum team showed us exactly how it’s done. From carefully selecting the best cameras for their needs to testing everything ahead of time and communicating throughout the entire process, they delivered a smooth and engaging event for viewers.
Even when they faced some technical difficulties, they kept the stream going without a hitch.
“For a first event of its kind, things went pretty smoothly and viewers were really pleased,” Kennedy says. “We spent a lot of time preparing for the event, selecting the right equipment, testing things out and working with the Foundation’s people on the ground, and that made a tremendous difference.”
The viewers responded positively to the event, which has motivated the Moogseum to plan more special livestream events for the near future.
“We knew our first live stream would have its challenges, and Tim was great in helping us to prepare for it. There were a lot of logistics, a great many moving parts, and a number of technical firsts for us. But overall, the event went off really well, and we’ve had so much wonderful feedback from fans and supporters everywhere,” Michelle Moog-Koussa, executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation, says. “We’re already making plans for our next livestream event, and we’ll definitely be looking to working with the same partners, with the same cameras, and the same peripheral equipment.”
Learn more about PTZOptics
Livestreaming your events can be a great way to reach a wider audience, showcase your expertise and create engaging content. But to ensure your livestream goes smoothly, you must invest in the right equipment. The Moogseum opted for PTZOptics PTZ camera because of features like 4K auto-tracking, wireless cables and support for remote operation through the camera control app. No matter what your production needs may be, PTZOptics has a solution for you. PTZOptics also offers extensive support and resources. If you want to learn more and find the right equipment for your first livestream event, visit ptzoptics.com.
