The Performing Arts - Live DJing & Hosting

Welcome to the Virtual Stage!

Have you ever attended a live music event or a talk show in Alife Virtual and wondered, "How do they do that? Could I do that?" The answer is a resounding yes! This course, "Live DJing & Hosting," is your all-access pass to becoming a performing artist in the virtual world. Whether you dream of spinning tracks for a packed virtual club, hosting an engaging talk show, or sharing your own live music, this is where your journey begins.

We will demystify the technology behind live audio streaming and give you the confidence to not just broadcast, but to perform. You'll learn how to connect your computer's audio to the virtual world, manage your sound, and, most importantly, how to captivate and grow your audience.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental principles of audio streaming (servers, clients, bitrates).
• Set up and configure broadcasting software (like BUTT or OBS) to stream audio from your computer.
• Connect your audio stream to a parcel of land within Alife Virtual.
• Use mixing software to blend music tracks and your own voice for a professional sound.
• Effectively use in-world scripted objects like tip jars, request boards, and "Now Playing" displays.
• Develop essential hosting skills for engaging with a live audience and managing an event.
• Troubleshoot common technical issues that can occur during a live performance.

What You Will Master

By the end of this course, you will have mastered the complete workflow of a virtual world performer. You'll move beyond the technical setup and into the art of the performance itself—learning to create a presence, build a community around your events, and establish yourself as a recognized DJ or host in Alife Virtual.

Prerequisites

This is an intermediate-level course. Students should have:

• Basic competency in navigating the Alife Virtual world using the Firestorm Viewer (walking, flying, teleporting, communicating).
• Familiarity with the Firestorm Viewer interface, including how to access inventory and edit objects.
• A computer with a stable internet connection and a working microphone.
• A passion for music or broadcasting and a desire to perform for a live audience!

About Your Instructor

This course is typically led by Sorin Todys. While DJing involves music, the magic of a great virtual performance comes from interaction. Sorin is an advanced expert in the Linden Scripting Language (LSL), the very code that powers all interactive objects in Alife Virtual. His deep understanding of how scripts work makes him the perfect guide to teach you how to master the scripted tools of the trade—from DJ booths and tip jars to complex event management systems. He'll teach you not just how to use them, but how they work, giving you the power to create a truly dynamic and interactive show.

Theory: How Does Streaming Work?

Before we press any buttons, it's crucial to understand the signal flow. Imagine it as a three-part chain:

1. Your Computer (The Source): This is where your audio originates. Broadcasting software on your PC captures your music, your microphone, or both. It then encodes this audio and sends it out over the internet.
2. The Stream Server (The Relay): You can't send your audio directly to everyone in Alife Virtual. Instead, you send a single, high-quality stream to a special "stream server" (like SHOUTcast or Icecast). This server takes your audio and makes it available at a specific URL, ready to be picked up by many listeners simultaneously.
3. Alife Virtual (The Receiver): Inside Alife Virtual, you tell a parcel of land to listen to your stream server's URL. The Firestorm Viewer of every avatar on that parcel then connects to the stream and plays the audio.

Step-by-Step: Your First Broadcast

For this first lesson, we will use a simple, free setup to get you on the air quickly. We'll use a free stream hosting service and a very easy-to-use broadcaster called BUTT.

Step 1: Create a Free Stream Server Account

There are many services that provide free SHOUTcast or Icecast servers. A popular choice for beginners is Caster.fm.

1. Go to a free stream hosting site (e.g., caster.fm, free-shoutcast.com, etc.).
2. Sign up for a free account. This will usually involve providing an email and creating a password.
3. Once your account is created, navigate to your server "Dashboard" or "Control Panel."
4. Locate your Stream Details. You are looking for four key pieces of information:
   • Server Address (or Hostname): e.g., s1.caster.fm
   • Port: e.g., 12345
   • Password: e.g., yourbroadcastingpassword
   • Mount Point (Icecast only): Often /live or /stream. SHOUTcast v1 doesn't use this.
5. You will also find your public Music URL. It will look something like http://s1.caster.fm:12345/live. Copy this URL! You'll need it for Step 3.

Step 2: Install and Configure Your Broadcasting Software

BUTT ("Broadcast Using This Tool") is a simple, effective, and free tool for streaming.

1. Download and install BUTT from its official source.
2. Open BUTT and click the [Settings] button.
3. Go to the [Main] tab. Under "Server," click [ADD].
4. Fill in the details you got from your stream host in Step 1.
   • Name: Give your server a friendly name, like "My Alife Stream".
   • Type: Choose SHOUTcast or Icecast to match your server.
   • Address: Enter the Server Address.
   • Port: Enter the Port number.
   • Password: Enter your broadcasting password.
   • Mountpoint (Icecast): Enter the mount point if your server is Icecast.
5. Go to the [Audio] tab. Under "Audio Device," select the source you want to broadcast. To start, this might be your "Stereo Mix" or "What U Hear" to capture all computer sounds. If you don't see this, you may need to enable it in your computer's sound control panel or use a virtual audio cable (a more advanced topic).
6. Set your Bitrate. For a virtual world, 128 kbps is a good starting point for music. For a talk show, 96 kbps is often sufficient.
7. Click [Save]. You are now ready to broadcast! Play some music on your computer and click the [▶ play] button in BUTT's main window. If it connects, the "stream time" will start counting up. You are now live on the internet!

Step 3: Set the Music URL in Alife Virtual

1. Log into Alife Virtual using your Firestorm Viewer.
2. Go to a parcel where you have permission to change the land settings (like a sandbox or your own land).
3. Stand on the parcel and go to the top menu: World > About Land.
4. Click on the [SOUND] tab in the "About Land" window.
5. In the "Music URL" field, paste the public Music URL you copied in Step 1.
6. Press Enter. In the top right of your viewer, you should see a music symbol (🎵). Click it to start playing the stream.
7. If you are successfully broadcasting from BUTT, you should now hear your music playing in-world! Congratulations, you are a live DJ!

Building on Lesson 1: From Broadcaster to Performer

You can now get audio into the world, but a performance is more than just a playlist. It's about curation, interaction, and stage presence. This lesson focuses on adding your voice, mixing professionally, and using the scripted tools that make a virtual performance come alive.

Advanced Technique: Mixing Voice and Music

To be a host or DJ, you need to talk to your audience. This requires mixing your microphone input with your music source. While some complex setups use hardware mixers, we'll focus on a software solution using Mixxx, a free, open-source DJ application.

1. Install Mixxx: Download and install Mixxx from mixxx.org.
2. Configure Audio in Mixxx: Go to Options > Preferences > Sound Hardware.
   • Output: Set the "Master" output to your speakers or headphones so you can hear what you're doing.
   • Input: Go to the "Input" tab and configure your microphone.
3. Configure Broadcasting in Mixxx: Go to Options > Preferences > Live Broadcasting. Enter your stream server details here, just as you did for BUTT. Mixxx has a built-in broadcaster!
4. Load Music: Drag music files from your computer into Deck 1 and Deck 2 in Mixxx.
5. Go Live: Press the "On Air" button in Mixxx to start broadcasting. You can now use the crossfader to mix between Deck 1 and Deck 2.
6. Using Your Mic: To talk over the music, press the "TALK" button. Many DJ setups have a feature called "ducking," which automatically lowers the music volume when you speak. You can configure this in the microphone settings.

Practical Examples: Using In-World DJ Tools

A virtual performance is enhanced by interactive objects. Our school provides a "New Performer Starter Pack" with some basic scripted items. Let's learn how to use them. These objects are powered by LSL, Sorin Todys's area of expertise!

The Scripted Tip Jar

A tip jar is a simple object that allows audience members to pay you Linden Dollars (L$). A good tip jar does more than just receive money; it thanks the tipper publicly.

• Setup: Rez the "AVS Starter Tip Jar" from your inventory. Right-click and "Edit" it. Go to the "Content" tab.
• Configuration: You'll see a notecard named "config". Open it. You can customize the "thank you" message, set different messages for different tip amounts, and choose whether to thank the person in local chat or via a private message.
• How it Works (The LSL Magic): The script inside the tip jar uses a `money()` event. When an avatar pays the object, this event triggers. The script can then get the tipper's name and the amount, and use `llSay()` or `llInstantMessage()` to send your customized thank you message. It's a simple but powerful form of interaction!

The "Now Playing" Display

This object, often called a "Stream Ticker" or "DJ Board," shows your audience what song is currently playing. This is a must-have for any serious DJ.

• Setup: Most modern stream servers (especially Icecast) provide a "metadata" page. Your broadcasting software (like Mixxx or OBS) sends the song title to the server, and the server makes it available on a special data URL.
• Configuration: Rez the "AVS Now Playing Display." Edit the object and find its configuration notecard. You will need to provide it with a special URL that points to your stream's metadata, which is different from your main audio URL. A common format is http://your.server.com:port/status-json.xsl.
• How it Works: The LSL script inside the display uses `llHTTPRequest()` to periodically "ping" that data URL. It receives back the current song title as plain text or JSON, and then uses `llSetText()` to display that song title as floating text above the object for everyone to see.

Advanced Applications: Beyond the Club Set

Your streaming skills are not limited to DJing. Consider these advanced event formats:

• The Virtual Talk Show: Instead of music, your primary audio is your voice and the voices of your guests. This requires careful audio management. Using a tool like Discord for your co-hosts and routing its audio into your broadcast software (via a Virtual Audio Cable) is a common professional setup. You become a producer as well as a host.
• Live Music Performance: If you're a musician, you can stream your own performance. This involves miking your instrument and voice, potentially using a hardware audio interface to get multiple channels into your computer, and mixing them for your virtual audience.
• Themed Events & Roleplay: Host a 1920s jazz night, a futuristic cyberpunk rave, or a medieval bard's tale. Your music, hosting style, and avatar's appearance should all match the theme to create an immersive experience.

Real-World Scenarios & Best Practices

Scenario 1: Running a Busy Club Night

• Promotion is Key: Announce your event in advance in relevant Alife Virtual groups and on social media. Create a simple, attractive flyer texture to share.
• Manage Requests: A song request board can be fun, but can also be disruptive. Learn when to take requests and when to stick to your planned set to maintain the energy.
• Audience Interaction: Don't just hide behind the booth. Welcome new arrivals by name. Read the local chat and respond to people. Your personality is a huge part of the show. Use gestures and animations to look alive!
• Lag Happens: If the region gets laggy, advise your audience to derender complex attachments or reduce their draw distance. As the host, keep your own avatar complexity low.

Scenario 2: Hosting a Panel Discussion

• Pre-Show Tech Check: Get your guests on a voice call (e.g., Discord) 30 minutes before the show. Check everyone's microphone levels. Nothing kills a talk show faster than one person being too loud and another being inaudible.
• Structure is Your Friend: Have a clear plan: introductions, topic 1, topic 2, audience Q&A, closing remarks. Share this outline with your guests beforehand.
• Moderate the Audience: Use a scripted system or a helper to manage audience questions. Ask audience members to submit questions via chat to a moderator, who can then pass them to you. This avoids chaotic shouting.

Best Practice: The Legal Side of Music