| DJs, karaoke track artists, singer/songwriters, and | | | | Each additional listener consumes more bandwidth. |
| bands can all find a ready-made, world-wide, | | | | A typical home internet connection can |
| paying audience in Second Life. What all is involved | | | | accommodate only a few such listeners before all |
| in getting your music streamed into Second Life? | | | | the available or upload/download capacity is |
| Music in Second Life operates on a technology | | | | exhausted. |
| known as Shoutcast. Shoutcast, along with its | | | | As such, a Shoutcast/Icecast server is most |
| open source compatible follow-on Icecast, is the | | | | typically rented -- as one would rent space on a |
| same technology that underpins all of internet | | | | web host. There are numerous companies that |
| radio. When you stream your music into Second | | | | rent streaming servers for a few dollars per |
| Life, you are essentially operating your own | | | | month. Further, most Second Life venues have |
| internet radio station! | | | | already rented such servers. If you are slated to |
| Overview | | | | perform at a given venue, they will most often |
| There are several links in the chain between you | | | | have you employ their existing streaming server. |
| creating your music and the listener hearing your | | | | Second Life viewer |
| music. | | | | The last link in the chain is up to the Second Life |
| | | | viewer. Each parcel of land in Second Life is |
| 1. - you create your music on a computer | | | | associated with a Music URL. When an avatar |
| 2. - a program known as a source client encodes | | | | steps onto a given parcel, the Second Life sim |
| your music for the server | | | | sends the Second Life viewer this Music URL. This |
| 3. - a Shoutcast/Icecast streaming server | | | | URL should be the location of your Shoutcast |
| broadcasts the music to multiple Second Life | | | | Icecast streaming server. The Second Life viewer |
| viewers | | | | then sets up a connection to the streaming |
| 4. - the listeners' Second Life viewer plays your | | | | server. It accepts the stream of your music from |
| music for their enjoyment | | | | the server, decodes it, and outputs it through the |
| Let's look a little deeper at each stage of this | | | | audio system of the computer upon which the |
| process. | | | | Second Life viewer is running. In this manner, each |
| Music Creation | | | | listener is able to hear the music you are making. |
| Again the first step in the chain is that your music | | | | Your listeners may even be on the opposite side |
| must be input to a computer. If you are DJing | | | | of the Earth! |
| from WinAmp, iTunes or other music player, this | | | | What do I need to get started? |
| is already taken care of by the music player | | | | While all the pieces described above are needed |
| program. If you are performing in real-time -- | | | | to stream your music into Second Life, only a |
| such as playing a guitar and singing -- you will need | | | | minimum set is required to get up and running. |
| to input your performance into the computer's | | | | The absolute minimum is that you will need a |
| sound card through the use of a microphone and | | | | Music Creation program and a Source Client. |
| or a mixer. Many computers have microphones | | | | There are many options available in these |
| built right into them that would be suitable, though | | | | categories, both free and commercial. They are |
| you may notice an increase in sound quality with a | | | | available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and other |
| more sophisticated microphone. | | | | platforms. |
| Source Client | | | | As mentioned above, there are many venues |
| The Source Client is the link between your | | | | that supply Shoutcast/Icecast streaming servers |
| computer and the internet. This is a program or | | | | for your use. I spent about a year as a Second |
| utility that runs on your computer. It has | | | | Life musician before I decided to rent a stream |
| essentially two responsibilities. It creates and | | | | of my own. |
| maintains a connection to the Shoutcast/Icecast | | | | The last item is the Second Life viewer. While you |
| server, and it encodes your music into the data | | | | do not technically need this to stream into Second |
| stream that the server needs. Source Clients are | | | | Life, you will want it anyhow. Otherwise, you will |
| available both as standalone programs, and as | | | | find it difficult to connect with venues and fans. |
| plugins that operate with your Music Creation | | | | There really isn't any downside, as it is free. Plus, |
| program. | | | | Second Life is just a lot of fun! |
| Shoutcast/Icecast streaming server | | | | Is it for you? |
| The Shoutcast or Icecast streaming server is a | | | | After reading the above, you may be eager to |
| 'virtual machine' that runs on a computer. While | | | | delve into Second Life as another marketplace for |
| you can technically install the server on your own | | | | your musical endeavors. As you can see, the |
| computer -- even the one you are using as the | | | | opportunities are nearly endless. Further, it costs |
| Music Creation computer -- it is generally | | | | nothing to try your hand at it -- plus, it's just a |
| inadvisable to do so. The reason for this is that | | | | whole lot of fun. No matter what sort of musician |
| the primary function of the Shoutcast/Icecast | | | | you may be, there is another market waiting for |
| server is to take as an input the single stream | | | | you in Second Life. |
| from your Source Client, and redistribute it as any | | | | I hope you join us in this journey to a strange |
| number of of streams -- one for each listener. | | | | and wonderful new world. |