10FROM10 | Twitch Music Streamers (Part 3)
Updated: Aug 20, 2021
On this blog post, both Tina and I will continue on with this new regular series where we ask 10 Twitch Music Streamers 10 questions relating to Twitch itself and all about their personal experiences on the platform. I think that with such an amazing Twitch live Music Streaming community, this is continuing to be a really interesting blog series. If you would like to check out any of the featured streamers, click on the links in the bios to go to their Twitch profiles.
In this edition, we discover how great a support network the Music community on Twitch can be, against the backdrop of the instances of negativity and abuse which some streamers may experience.
Andy St-Louis (AndyTheFrenchy) is a singer-songwriter, pianist, and partnered Twitch streamer from Quebec. Andy's refreshing Pop-Cabaret-Sympathique-like songs make the audience smile. A graduate of the École Nationale de la chanson, her experience has taken her to France (Festival des météores, 2012) and British Columbia (Festival de la Francophonie de Victoria, 2013). She has also participated in the documentary 34 Million Lives on Radio-Canada (2011), the Blind Auditions of La Voix (2014), Unis par le chant à Unis TV (2016) as well as Sound Recording on Radio-Canada (2017). Between shows, musicals, her music and her humorous videos, Andy invites you to enter her world and discover her on stage as well as on Twitch.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
I found out about Twitch via a game I played and I saw that one of the actors was playing this game. The thing that made me try it for myself though was a friend telling me that there was indeed music on it and that it could be a good way to expand my horizons!
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
I usually try to get on the computer 30 minutes before the stream to fine-tune some things - either sound check, warming up, adding some alerts/commands. And I always end up starting late anyway, haha.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
Definitely the people. I thrive on the response, the comments, the community we're building on the platform, and the other streamers. It's absolutely awesome.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
I'd say having to deal with not knowing if you are a "fluke". Sometimes you have great streams and things are lit, so when it gets calm... you keep thinking "Welp, this is it, people don't like you anymore" and it's quite challenging.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
Oh definitely. The music community on Twitch is really collaborative - I absolutely love how we help out each other and shout-out and collaborate. This is one of the reasons I love Twitch so much.
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
Twitch basically saved me financially and mentally during Covid. I had nothing to do and it gave me purpose.
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
Don't. Get. Me. Started. With. Tech.
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
Totally changed it. If the people continue to follow me and want to grow with me, I plan to keep streaming in my life for a long time.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
I'd say stay true to who you are, don't compromise on your art to please people because your uniqueness is what's going to draw people to your stream. And the people you connect the most with. And be patient, be open, be curious. Listen to other streamers and interact with them, this is great to learn how to build a community.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
I want to continue doing as much nonsense as I can, learn some more Musical/Disney tunes, silly alerts, weird challenges, and COLLABS. I really want to get to know the streamers and work with them.
Adam (GGPrime) is a 23 year old singer-songwriter based in Belfast. He started playing guitar about 4 years ago and has always loved singing. Also a fan of gaming, you can catch Adam playing and streaming a wide range of games on Twitch. When not streaming Adam dabbles in various hobbies like sculpting and whittling and also speaks French and Spanish.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
I found Twitch through my love of gaming, but I didn't use it much. I never really considered streaming music until a year or so ago and even then it was just a brief idea, but one day in November I decided to bite the bullet and order a webcam and start streaming music and I haven't looked back since!
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
I'll normally eat something to keep me going, strumming away on a guitar takes it out of you, surprisingly! And of course, I'll always start with a coffee, maybe do a couple of vocal and guitar scales just to warm up a little.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
The community, hands down. The fact that I can hit the go live button and within a minute or two I'll have people stopping in to say hello, hang out in chat and just have some fun it's amazing. It's also a great way for me to practise music while having a blast chatting complete nonsense with some friends!
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
I think the most challenging part was the very first few streams. It was just me, my guitar and a mic - I had no mixer or anything, it was such a bare-bones setup, and it was crazy seeing other streamer's setups compared to mine. That, along with the idea of putting myself out there. It was tough for me to go live for the first time, and of course when you're starting out and don't know anyone, it's nerve-wracking. You can be left alone playing guitar with no chatters for a long time, which definitely makes it difficult. But, through sticking it out I've met some truly wonderful people who are so supportive and always keep me talking away!
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
100%, I remember starting out and getting so much support and help from many streamers - Darthripz, DapsterDan, Knumbthegeek to name a few. Hell, I was just on a call with CaoinFitzMusic the other night as he was helping me with my sound! It's so heartwarming to see the community come together to help each other, and I think it's important to pay it forward - help out other new streamers when they're stuck, because we all have been through it!
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
Well, from mid-March all bars were closed, so I was furloughed, which actually gave me the chance to essentially be a full-time music streamer for a while, and I'm so glad I had Twitch to give me something productive to do that also kept me social throughout lockdown. It's been such an amazing experience. Now with bars opening next week and a Masters course beginning in September, I'm probably going to have to stream less. I'm definitely keeping it up, but it'll be interesting to see if I can keep a good balance.
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
As I'm getting into streaming more, I am made aware of different things I can do to improve the stream, for example, I've been looking into getting a new camera rather than my crappy £20 webcam. But the only reason I'm able to even think about getting any new gear is all thanks to the support and generosity of the community. So a big thank you to everyone who's supported the stream!
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
It's made me much more social, it's inspired me to write more music, to play more, it's given me an appreciation for original music. I've made so many friends from my time here on Twitch from all over the world, it's made me want to travel everywhere and visit everyone - think of all the Jam Streams! It's also made me more confident in myself on both an artistic and personal level, and for that, I couldn't be more grateful.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
As the shoe people say, Just Do It! Start with whatever you can, and keep going. It will take time. Some streams will be rough due to not getting people hanging out or maybe you're just having an off-day, but keep going, and just HAVE FUN. Anyone who stops in my stream knows it's just gonna be me having some fun with a guitar, I try not to take things too seriously - unless it's a "Sad Boi Song", of course.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
Well, I'm in the process of getting a new PC and an Audio Interface, so I have plans to record my first original, maybe do some covers, and get a YouTube channel set up. I'd love to look into getting a new Electric guitar and some point too and some more pedals. Big things! I'm really excited for the future. I couldn't have imagined that I'd be doing this a year ago, but I'm over the moon that I am.
Sarah (goodgamekuri) is a singer-songwriter from Toronto, streaming a mix of covers and originals on guitar and sometimes on the piano as well. Sarah's style focuses more on classic rock, but contains lots of other genres as well. Also, every now and then, you can also find Sarah streaming games on Twitch, with RPG games being a favoured genre.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
My journey on Twitch started back in April 2018. I was in a big transitional period leaving my job in radio broadcasting and I had heard about Twitch but did not know anyone who actually streamed. The job I thought I had lined up didn’t pan out, and I was left jobless. I was considering going back to school for Social Media Marketing and Management, so I thought streaming would be a great way to learn in the meantime, or until I figured something else out.
When I first started in May of that year, I had no idea what would happen. I began with games - mostly Dark Souls 3, and with that, I made some of the greatest friends I could have imagined. The love, and community, was real. It was not until September that same year that I was asked to do music once my good friends discovered that I used to play music outside of Twitch. It had been a long time since I had been dedicated to practicing an instrument. But I am beyond grateful that everything has happened the way that it has.
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
I absolutely try to have a routine before I go live! I take my time planning an outfit and putting makeup on. I will also make tea with honey in it to sooth my voice. I’m trying to find a vocal warm up that works best for me.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
There are always good and bad days when it comes to streaming. Once you go live: expect the unexpected. But there is something very therapeutic about playing music, and it feels even better knowing that my community and newcomers like what they hear. I’ve always wanted to perform in front of people and it’s a feeling that comes naturally to me.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
I feel that something I struggle with a lot is trying not to compare myself to others and their growth. I’ve been on the platform for over two years now, and I have to remind myself that success is measured differently for different folks. Now that I’m doing music on Twitch, I really want to make something happen with it. Whatever your definition of success is it usually isn’t won overnight. Hard work, dedication, blood sweat and tears, are all part of your own personal journey. There is something beautiful and humbling in the experience.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
There is a great amount of support from musicians on Twitch. The community is very loving and warm. It’s probably one of the best places to start if you’ve been thinking about trying music!
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
I feel that I am extremely lucky in my situation with the current state of the world. I have a husband who is beyond supportive of what I do, and my job is still there for me whenever I return. As of writing this: I am at home which allows me to work on my music. I thank my lucky stars every day for the opportunity. Unfortunately, I had my very first paid gig get cancelled on me back in March. Not getting that kind of experience and exposure has really set me back. But it will come!
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
Stream tech can be confusing. We all start somewhere, and you shouldn’t be discouraged from creating your own channel if you’re thinking of starting. But there is always the demand for the highest quality you can put out there. In my experience thus far: hardware is expensive but more straight forward. Software, on the other hand, can be VERY budget friendly, but you may find it pretty confusing. For months I tried to get reverb on my stream using software. Eventually I was able to get it working, but holy cow was it frustrating! There is still a growing need for tutorials for specifically music streamers!
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
Streaming has become a huge part of my life. I can’t imagine not doing it. I dedicate 3 days to going live and the rest of my week is working on other projects like original tunes, or practising, and now: making covers for YouTube. It’s a lifestyle commitment. I’m lucky to be where I am with the support I have in my life.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
My advice will be to those who are new musicians: it can get overwhelming but take it one step at a time. You don’t have to be perfect right out of the gate. People love sharing the growing experience with you, and the journey should be enjoyed. Find your style, your voice, and who you are and what you want to stand for. The rest will come when you’re ready.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
A lot of goals that I have for my stream are related to what I’m working on outside of the stream. I would love to create more content for everyone, as well as get my YouTube channel back up and running. I have a new setup in mind and more instruments planned as well. I can’t wait to show you guys!
Jeanette (JeanetteMusic) is an up-and-coming artist born and raised in a small town in Maine. Taking her love of music and turning it into her passion, Jeanette has travelled all over, from New York trying out for The Voice, to Nashville where she recorded her first EP. Jeanette has honed her Pop/Folk sound to bring together a show you won't want to miss!
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
My husband introduced it to me, I thought it would be a great way to meet people from around the world and share some of my favorite music with them!
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
I do a lot of positive self talk, I always say to myself how grateful I am that I get to do this and that it’s going to be a wonderful stream!
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
For me it’s easy. Music is what I love to do and the fact that I get to share it with others is a dream come true.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
The most challenging experience is continuously learning how to deal with the rare but very hurtful negativity that can come from some viewers.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
Absolutely! The music community I feel is a very tight group and we all support each other!
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
I feel my stream has grown even more since Covid as I haven't been playing live shows nearly as much as I used to so I’ve taken that extra time and pout more into my streaming!
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
Definitely! Technology is not my strong suit so I make sure to set aside a lot of time for updates as it takes me a lot longer - luckily I’m married to a techy who helps me out a lot!
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
It has brought so much positivity into my life, it has shown me a whole other world I never realised existed and I’m so very grateful for that!
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
It is a grind! But don’t give up! Stream consistently and as much as you can and over time your stream will grow! Also don’t forget to network! Hop into other streams and chat! It’s a great way to see how other streamers run their stream and to meet potentially new viewers!
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
For my Twitch stream the plan is always the same, keep bringing music to people all over the world, and by doing that I hope I can bring happiness to the people who watch!
Leland is a partnered Twitch streamer from Malaysia. Leland plays the violin during music streams, and engages in songwriting for future originals - their originals are currently available to stream from Spotify. They also do gaming streams, with a main focus in Old School games like RuneScape.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
I first found Twitch via a game I was playing called MapleStory. I created an account back in 2013 and used it exclusively for the game development/event streams. I forgot about it until 3 years later in 2016, where my best friend discovered some music streamers to check out. I was hooked onto one of them while I was in my final year in university. A few months later, I was given a moderator position in that channel. At the same time, I discovered more and more music streamers, like a_couple_streams and Richii and eventually became moderators in other music streamer channels as well. Then in 2017, while I was in a Discord server voice channel with a couple of friends, including music streamers DOaBEARandROLL and Holls, I pulled up my violin and played for a bit. Holls encouraged me to start streaming and I did so in January 2017.
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
As I typically stream in my evenings (NA mornings / EU afternoons), I usually take a shower to freshen myself up and have a cup of coffee if I intend on staying up later than usual. Sometimes I will take the time to tune my violin so that I don't have to do so when I start the stream and in the starting screen.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
I enjoy showing things to people, so that's a major factor to me. I also find it great for my personal practice as I typically will not be playing the violin when I'm not doing a music stream.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
As with many people, I tend to look at the numbers too much. I have since not looked at my average concurrent viewership as I find that quite disheartening at times. Discoverability is a huge issue on Twitch, but it's not something I can personally fix other than doing what I do best.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
Yes, 100% yes. Many music streamers have encouraged me to try out new things. I have never written an original song before August 2019, and that was because one of my good streamer friends, Meri Amber, encouraged me to do so. For support, ThatViolinChick has offered countless help to me, and the music community in general even gave me a surprise by helping me to raise funds back in 2017 for me to attend TwitchCon that year.
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
I ended up streaming a lot more than I used to, with a 100-day streak since the start of the partial lockdown in my country. I have since taken a short break and days off here and there, and realised that streaming every day is just not for me.
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
Yes, there is definitely a challenge. The current music stream setup is thanks to ThatViolinChick who generously helped with upgrading my previous setup (from a laptop cam and mic). However, I do intend on upgrading some of the equipment as I realise my needs.
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
I have found many, many friends in my life, some of them have become my best friends in my life. That's the beauty of live streaming. Also, with live streaming, I have done countless things that I would not have imagined previously, including songwriting, releasing originals (an album coming out later this year), dancing like a fool, and even social eating.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
For new streamers, try and spend some time to watch other streamers and see what they do. I understand the focus and need on monetary support, but there's so much more than just that. Building healthy relationships is one of the best ways to grow as a streamer. Also, seriously, please do not advertise yourself in other streamer's chat. That's not how you get more viewers and more than likely, no one will be clicking on your channel.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
I plan to continue the mix between gaming and music streams as I realize the importance of gaming streams to me. It's one of the ways that I can relax as well. I also plan on doing more songwriting streams as I plan to release more songs and more albums in the future.
Mari (MariGoMusic) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and partnered Twitch streamer from Seattle. The daughter of a musical doctor and a painter, MariGo’s upbringing included taking piano lessons with her sisters, leaving school to catch Chicago Symphony Orchestra rehearsals, and eventually to get a degree in classical voice from the University of Denver. MariGo has recently joined the elite group of Ableton Certified Trainers, making her one of eight women in the United States to hold the certification. She teaches Ableton Live for individuals and also leads group classes for women/trans/nonbinary students to overcome gender inequality and misrepresentation of women and LGBTQ people in the technical aspects of music making.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
My fiance is a game developer and he used to mention it from time to time and one day I finally checked it out and somehow stumbled upon the music streams. When I started, I was really just looking for a way to keep myself accountable while trying to pick up guitar again. I thought it would be a fun way to practice! Never thought it would turn into anything more.
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
There’s so much to set up before my stream, so I usually get all my gear hooked up and then go out for a walk with my dog Odin. Then I do some quick vocal warmups before stream starts.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
I’m almost always motivated to stream! As a musician, almost all other aspects of the business can be really discouraging. Live gigs are even more time consuming, the pay is terrible, you often have no control over the sound quality, and you have to lug all your gear around, although they can be super fun! Streaming platforms like Spotify give you a fraction of a cent for streams. You get the idea… Twitch streams are so gratifying because the community is so supportive and wonderful. Also, I have found that dedicating that time to performing has improved my piano/guitar playing, singing, and looping skills, and instead of practising alone, I get to be with friends and fans and make a living while doing it! It’s just a win-win all around.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
The challenging aspects are definitely the mental struggle that comes with streaming - dealing with the pressure of trying to increase view counts, receiving criticism from viewers, sexism, and comparing myself to other streamers. Sometimes I think, wow...I really must not be that good or I must not have an interesting personality compared to so-and-so because they have so many more viewers, and it can be really hard to get out of that kind of thought cycle.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
Yes! Every now and then I’ll get a competitive vibe from someone, which isn’t always bad, but mostly it is such a friendly and collaborative community. Other music streamers have become some of my closest friends! I love how everyone helps each other by answering questions relating to streaming, gear, etc. I always feel comfortable asking questions and never really worry about feeling criticised for it.
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
Before Covid-19, I had started paring back my streams to one or two a week to focus on some production projects I had going with other artists and teaching. When Covid hit, I definitely ramped up streams again. Honestly, it’s been such a gift to still be able to connect with people during this time and find it helps fulfill the social part of my life that is missing. I’m now streaming 3-4 days a week and it feels like a good balance. Also, there are definitely more people aware of Twitch now and Twitch music, which is awesome!
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
Dear lord yes. There is ALWAYS some new piece of gear that I want/need. Especially if you do music. Cameras, interfaces, keyboards, guitars, controllers, software... the list never ends. It’s just a black hole and so much of the money I make on Twitch goes right back in.
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
Completely. It has allowed me to make my living 100% from music. I’m not a full time streamer, but it’s just one of the few important pieces of the puzzle for me along with teaching music production, writing and releasing my own music, and producing for other artists. It has made this career sustainable for me which I’m so grateful for.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
Watch a lot of other streams first and find what you like or don’t like! Make sure to involve/engage your viewers somehow. Connect with other streamers who are more established, but don’t just go plugging yourself in other channels. Don’t be discouraged if you’re playing for a small crowd at first. Stick with it!
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
One thing I’d like to focus on is improving my stream visually with lights or projections. It’s hard to work with my tiny room, but I’ve got some ideas. I’ve recently started doing some themed streams (i.e. 70s music, opera) and it creates a really nice change of pace, so I’ll definitely be brainstorming more theme ideas! Some day, I’d love to do a weekly interview/podcast type thing with a female or non-binary musician. I’m always looking for ways to elevate womxn in music!
MojoRisenJam are Dominique and Mélissa from Montreal, Canada. They mostly play acoustic rock/grunge/punk covers. From time to time you will also hear an original tune or a cover on electric guitar. As well as the music streams there are also gaming, cooking, just chatting and chilling outside on Sunday streams. They both like to have fun tasting new craft beers and you can catch them doing a beer review stream every Friday.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
We found Twitch via Twitter in 2016. I'm a big fan of Starcraft 2 and I was super hyped for the Nation Wars. Canada was doing well and the French team was carried by their young prodigy MarineLord. I watched lots of matches over the weekend and in between we discovered a few Twitch musicians. We first found a_couple_streams and FrenchStallion if I remember correctly. We had so much fun watching music streamers that we decided one day to give it a try. It's weird because at that point, we were barely playing together except for some campfire jams. Melissa was so eager to play live and I was like, “yeah why not!” At that time we almost had all the gear and we thought it would be way funnier than a kitchen practice. We quickly planned something on the corner of the table and jumped aboard with 25 tunes or so.
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
Since our streams starts around 6pm its mostly the preparation of the meal and trying to do something to relax before going Live. Usually Melissa will take care of the meal and I will set up the streaming room. Since last winter we also included vodka and energy drinks to the routine. Other than that we put beer in the fridge, listen to good music and often discuss about stream stuff while prepping ourselves.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
The fun, the friends, the community and the passion. You want to improve, have a good time and put smiles on folks faces. We love music and we developed a good routine so nowadays it is not energy and time consuming as it was before.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
Honestly the first 6 months were something. Starting from scratch as an acoustic duo and Twitch streamers at the same time was a big challenge. We went through so many audio issues… We spent countless hours on all those software and gear tutorials. We were not happy with our sound, our performance and of course the numbers were not there. It was a big reality check and we started comparing ourselves to other streamers and felt like crap. We were not really talking about quitting Twitch. It was more about the fact that with so many awesome musicians on the platform it would be almost impossible for us to grow. At least the party was always in place and our little community was so supportive. It gave us the energy and the motivation we needed to keep moving forward.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
Yes totally. The Twitch music community is really nice. Other musicians find the time to watch your stream and they also bring their own expertise. There is a lot of collaboration and support between musicians on Twitch. I also remember asking a few technical questions about layout or routing issues and I never felt like I was bothering others. Everyone was happy to help a new music streamer. Raids and shout-outs helped us a lot too. BadToothRecords and CallsignScarecrow are doing an amazing job out there. They showed us the way and we will always be grateful for that.
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
Melissa is an essential worker so not much changed for her. Of course, since she works in one of the biggest hospital of Montreal there was a lot of stress. Around mid May she was always tired and the Wednesday stream was a tough one. We decided to remove it from the schedule in June. Honestly, we should have done this earlier. We take this extra time to learn new tunes, work on originals and drop new content on social media.
For my part, life has changed drastically. I work as a physical therapist and they sent us home in March. I still have my job in theory but for the moment they don’t have enough work for me. The good thing is that I still have my income even if it’s a bit less than usual. I take this extra time to work on my singing and guitar skills. I also spend a lot of time on composing and mixing original tunes. But at some point, when you have too much time ahead of you it is not always a good thing. I’m the kind of guy who needs a deadline and some adrenaline to complete a project.
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
When we started yes, it was a nightmare… Our gear wasn’t really appropriate and our knowledge was not good enough. For example, I was playing my 300$ Takamine with a 30$ karaoke mic and we were using the RC300 loop station as an audio interface. Melissa had a Shure SM58 at that time. I was also new to all the software and man I was struggling hard. We were always looking for something new to improve the stream and overthinking it. We bought so many plugins that we don’t use anymore… This urgency of improving the stream at all cost slowly faded away. We also realized that we didn’t want to go down this rabbit hole.
Now I can say that it is not a challenge anymore to keep it up with the stream tech. Our mindset has changed a lot and we fixed so many issues along the way. We usually find the problem really quick and try not to overthink it.
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
Live streaming is a big part of our lives for sure. Our schedule is built around our jobs and the stream. It also gave us the confidence to play in pubs and bars in the city. The platform gave us the opportunity to play music every week with consistency so we improved a lot as a duo. It gave us some business opportunities and exposure too. We now have a small community who support us and share our tunes on social media. Lately it also helped us to stay in touch with friends and family.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
Start by watching other streamers you like and learn from them. Ask questions, be curious. You need to be patient and build your community with nice people. Surround yourself with good mods that hopefully know how Twitch works. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy your time on Twitch. Also, numbers are fun to watch when you have a good night but it could be discouraging when things go south. Don’t bother too much, it’s a bit like sports. Never too high, never too low.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
We will release another original in September and we are also working on 2 new tunes at the moment. Hopefully if we have enough songs, we will release our first EP album at the beginning of 2021. We still want to do our gig live from the pub - the owners are waiting for the approbation of health in Canada regarding live shows. Other than that, we decided to lean toward something different on Sundays. We will present various content depending on our mood. It could be a cooking stream, a gaming stream or an outdoor stream with a few tunes and a lot of chatting.
Tor (NebulantRecording) is a singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist and producer from Sweden. If you like your music loud and heavy then you can catch him regularly streaming live on Twitch. As well as music streams you can also catch some music production and occasionally even some gaming streams. There is a self-produced album that is in the works and due out soon and original material is already available.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
I think I was looking for a stream of some game I was looking into... but then I browsed around a little and saw the music section of Twitch, checked out some streamers, there wasn't that many at the time but I liked the interaction with people so I decided I was going to try it out.
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
Basically I fix my beard so it doesn't look completely horrible, and brew coffee.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
I had some hard times keeping motivation in the past because I tried to stream things for the viewers more then I wanted to do them myself, like keeping a schedule for playing music covers etc. didn't really fit me. When I let that go and started focusing on what I wanted to do and just share it, it's been a lot easier to just do it, even though the viewer count suffered from it I'm happier with the format.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
Snare crusaders complaining about the snare sound turned out to be very annoying since it's a matter of taste. That almost ended after I made it my business to tackle snare crusaders by timing them out for hours or days if they mentioned the snare sound. I do get this is more of a internet community problem and not really a Twitch problem. The normal trolls I never really cared about, they will always be there, somehow enabling follower-only chat mode almost deleted the trolls completely.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
There has been tonnes of support from other streamers basically from day one of streaming, and somehow getting welcomed into the music streamer community is very easy, there's some friendly people out there!
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
None at all, living in Sweden life has not really changed for me at all.
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
I had some problems with stream setups in the beginning, creating a setup where a whole band can be recorded with raw material and at the same time stream out a separate full mix was not that easy - I started from being totally lost. Nowadays it's pretty easy from experience of doing it a lot.
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
Got me a lot of new internet friends. I guess it also made me less insecure in some ways.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
My advice would probably be, don't look at the numbers.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
I think I'll just do what I love doing: recording music. Maybe in about 10 years someone will have found my stream. I know it's a little bit odd to record music on stream, and people seem to not want to interrupt me by chatting which I've been told a million times, sometime they might realise it's okay to chat and interrupt.
Liam (Rndmzd) AKA Randomized is a 30 year old singer-songwriter from Scotland, live streaming regularly on Twitch with originals and covers on piano and guitar. Having hit some great milestones in his life, Liam has shared a stage with Professor Green, taught samba drumming at a very young age and used music to raise money for the Movember charity.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
I knew of Twitch during its transition from JustinTv but started watching competitive E-sports (Mainly CS:GO) sometime in 2014. I did small amounts of streaming video games during 2015/16 but never found a passion in it. In early 2019, I found a band on twitch called Livi_In_The_Middle and thought how much of a cool concept that playing music live online is. Getting to know the band better by watching more, I noticed TwitchConEU was close to my birthday. I asked in chat “Should I go to TwitchCon for my birthday?”, to which they all said yes. While at TwitchCon, myself and Ant from Livi_In_The_Middle were having a chat and got into the discussion about playing music online to which I said I didn’t feel that my equipment was good enough yet. He explained that getting online and playing for people is more important than having the most impressive equipment and that a setup can be upgraded as you go. The rest is history.
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
I normally run some warmups half an hour beforehand and while running these warm ups, I am turning on and plugging in the excessive amount of instruments and pedals I now use. It normally takes the entire 30 minutes to get everything ready to go live.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
Sharing music is the biggest motivation. If/when I feel like streaming is being a drain on energy or time, I look to increase the production quality, whether that be increasing sound quality, increasing video quality or adding an interactive function for chat to enjoy such as the ability to change my cameras via a command. Seeing people being interested in the stream whether that be the sound or the production of the show keeps it fresh and fun.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
Trying not to get disheartened by numbers. Twitch is an unpredictable place to be. When one stream you can hit an average viewer peak of 30-40 people the next stream can drop down to <10. Its hard to not look at yourself and wonder what you are doing wrong.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
The Twitch music community are insanely supportive. Whether that is by jumping in your stream and saying hello or raiding with their viewers, it all means a lot. One of my favourite things is to help out other streamers in any way I can. That could be with a crash course in looping or even just giving some advice on their setup and sound quality if they need it. A lot of friends have been made on Twitch with viewers and streamers alike!
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
So I was in college when Covid-19 hit so I started to study from home. Where I thought that this would then mean I can stream more I actually ended up stopping my schedule and streaming less. I decided that due to a lower drive to play as much music I would prefer to stream only when I was feeling it. I did not want to force it. I miss travelling!
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
The only challenge really is raising the funds. The more equipment the more money. I am happy with my set up at the moment but I’m always looking at what I could do next! Maybe Lighting!
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
It has made me travel to places I never thought I would go, to meet some of the best people I have ever met, to play some of the best music with said best people and offer some extra pocket money every month.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
Have fun! No matter what background you have in music the only thing that is important is to enjoy what you are doing. Going into anything online with the intention of getting rich and famous is going to be a huge disappointment but take the relationships you make and the opportunities that arise as good steps in life.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
I want to grow the channel and community in a nice steady way as we have been already. I want to look into using this community and channel to promote more local music from my area. Obviously post Covid-19 I’m looking to open the studio to some local acts and do somewhat of a radio style interview with different local bands with music and questions.
Seersha (SeershaMusic) is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. Her name comes from the phonetic spelling of Saoirse, an Irish or Scottish name meaning “freedom.” Writing alone and producing herself in Ableton for complete creative control, Seersha blends retro-future synths, textural vocals, electronic elements, and trap-influenced drums to create a lush bed for her earnest melodies.
Citing influences as broad as Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith to Phil Collins to Grimes, her distinct sound is uncompromising and rebellious. 2019 saw three new singles accompanied by visuals from Seersha. The Metaphors EP was released independently on her Fox Nose Records label April 15 2020. Seersha streams regularly on Twitch and has new original music slated for release late summer/early autumn.
1. How did you find out about Twitch and what made you take that step on to the platform?
My friend Jamie (squirrelfoodtv on Twitch) first told me about musicians on Twitch in 2018. It took me about a year after that to really start looking into it, and I started watching Ariel Petrie, MermaidUnicorn, and many of the other super talented music streamers. It looked really fun, and I wanted more direct engagement with my listeners. It also helped that I already had all the gear I would need to get started. I did my first stream in June 2019 and have not looked back!
2. Do you have any pre-stream routines or rituals to prepare for stream before you go live?
I do a quick hair/makeup check, test my audio and video setups, and make sure I have a big glass of water.
3. With live streaming being very time and energy consuming, what is it that motivates you?
It's really about the people in my community. It's an incredible honour to me that people would want to spend time hanging out with me, and I've met so many awesome friends all over the world. That keeps me coming back. What I've always loved about music is its ability to connect people, and live streaming adds real-time connection to that. It's pretty special.
4. What has been your most challenging experience on Twitch to date?
I find it challenging to deal with trolls who disguise harassment as advice, especially during production streams. I love when chat has ideas or suggests that I try things, but when it devolves into someone criticising what I'm doing with the intent of trying to make me upset, that crosses a line. I try not to let it disrupt my creative flow, but that can be tough.
5. Have you found much support and encouragement from other Twitch music streamers?
I'm happy to say that I feel like I have! A handful of streamers really welcomed me in when I was first getting started. I've done a few fun collaboration streams, both live and digital. Anyone that I have reached out to for help or who has visited or raided my stream has been lovely. A fellow music streamer actually covered one of my original songs; I was so touched by that!
6. What impact has the current situation with Covid-19 had on your streaming / life balance?
Covid-19 has made some things about my setup more challenging, as my husband is now working from home so we had to figure out how to get us both set up without disturbing each other while I'm streaming and he is on calls. I did consider starting to stream more days a week when it became clear that my local live gigging income was no longer, but it's very important to me that I don't burn out on streaming. So, I have stuck to my 3 streams a week goal.
7. Do you find it a challenge keeping up with stream tech and with upgrading your stream?
Yes. It seems like there is always some small glitch that I'm dealing with on the technology side. And there's always more that I want to do, whether it's a new video banner, starting soon screen, alerts, overlay, etc. So I try to give myself grace when things are not working as planned, and make upgrades as I have the time and energy bandwidth to do so.
8. To what extent has live streaming on Twitch changed your life?
I always thought it would be a dream if I could interact with the people who vibe with my music, and that's what my Twitch Freedom Fam community is to me. It's so uplifting, has encouraged me as an artist and creative, helped me to grow, and brought me so much joy.
9. Is there any advice that would you give to anyone who is looking to start live streaming?
Be clear with yourself about what your intentions and goals are for streaming, don't get discouraged, and keep at it. And remember that your intentions and goals are so much more than numbers - in fact, I would encourage streamers to ignore numbers if you can.
10. Looking ahead, what are your future plans for your own Twitch stream?
It's looking like we will be moving to a bigger place soon, which hopefully means a bigger studio that I can stream from! I'd love to have more instruments on stream at once, which is impacted by my limited space at the moment. I'd love to do more collaboration streams, and TwitchCon in the future when it is safe is a goal. I plan to keep streaming as long as I am having fun and growing my skills alongside awesome people.
Tina and I would both like to say a huge thank you to each of the 10 music streamers, Andy, Adam, Sarah, Jeanette, Leland, Mari, Dominique & Melissa, Tor, Liam, and Seersha, for being a part of this blog post and for taking the time to answer our questions and allowing us to share their insights. This series continues to be very insightful and we hope that it helps not only people who are interested in dabbling with streaming, but also music-streamers who are looking for advice or some inspiration. The Music community on Twitch continues to be a fantastic support network of incredibly talented people.
Please click on the image below to check out all the other posts in this amazing blog series...
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