As you might have guessed, this is the most basic and cheap way to live Stream your DJ sets. Chances are you've already live streamed in some capacity before, using just your Phone and any one of the many live streaming platforms including Instagram Live, FB Live, Periscope etc. We've also got to the point where most smartphone cameras are actually better than cheap USB cameras so it's probably a better option, if you're only after one camera angle.
If you're on a serious budget, i.e. none at all, streaming a DJ set won't be too different to going live on any of these platforms, apart from a few key steps to follow.
The one thing you will want to ensure is that you have some kind of stand or tripod for your phone or tablet. Not only does it make it easier to get a good angle for your performance, keeping the iPhone still makes the quality better as the video only compresses what's different from frame to frame, rather than the whole 'shot' itself, if the phone's moving around.
Another thing to bear in mind is lighting — depending on your smartphone, it might perform well in low light, but most start to get pretty grainy quite quickly. While we're not too concerned about quality, it's still a good idea to introduce some lighting props — even a cheap disco light that you can pick up for under £10 would make a difference.
HOW TO GET CLEAN AUDIO ON YOUR PHONE
Finally, and most importantly: sound. While you can go live using your built-in mic — and many artists have and do — it's obviously better to try and get a direct feed from your mixer or controller. This is where you might have to spend some money. Both iOS and Android are compatible with Class Compliant USB soundcards — that means any that don't require their own drivers, which is most modern interfaces, so if you already have one for music-making, you could use that. Alternatively, a very popular solution is Behringer's UCA222, which is around £20 and offers a single RCA input (and output).
If you did want to plug in a soundcard, you'll also need a USB to smartphone adaptor. Depending on whether you're on iOS or Android, they range from about £6 to £35. Some interfaces, such as the Røde SC6L, are built specifically for mobile devices so will plug straight in, but obviously will cost more than the adaptors, so depends on your budget. Evermix's Mixbox 2 is a device made specifically for recording DJ sets on your smartphone, so is perfect for the job, but will set you back around £120. it comes with an app for recording mixes though so can double up as a dictaphone.
Alternatively, if you've got a headphone port on your phone or tablet, you can use a cable like this to 'trick' it into thinking you've plugged in a headset mic. It'll then let you plug in any 3.5mm cable (normal headphone size) from your mixer or controller as an input. This will also work through a Lightening to headphone jack adaptor but bear in mind, microphones are mono so the music will be summed to mono too.
However, if you decide to use this type of cable, you'll need to be careful with your levels, otherwise, the signal will distort as the phone will be expecting a microphone input and will boost the level accordingly. The easiest fix is an attenuator from Fentronix, which you can find on eBay for about £8. So it's a convoluted but affordable way to get direct audio into your phone for about £20.
STREAMING PLATFORM
Once you've got your device mounted, sound running into your phone or tablet either through your mic, soundcard or cable, and you've got your fun lights from Argos spinning around in the background, you're ready to go live. Whichever platform you choose is up to you, and there are many guides out there for which to choose including a recent comprehensive one from Brooklyn-based writer Cherie Hu. Depending on your goal — fan funding, fan building, fan interaction or just a bit of fun — all the info you need can be found there, though it's most likely you'll be streaming to FB Live, YouTube and/or Twitch.
If you're feeling brave and want to stream to multiple places at the same time, Restream.io will let you stream to up 30+ different platforms simultaneously for free. There are also handy features like analytics and streaming views that are amalgamated from all the platforms you choose to stream on.
