This isn't just another "Zoom choir". With our online rehearsals, it feels much more like the real thing. You can hear other people singing in real-time alongside you.
During the first few months of the COVID pandemic, Richard spent hours researching the use of an open-source application called Jamulus, which seems to break the laws of physics a bit. It allows people to sing simultaneously over the internet, bypassing much of the delay (latency) associated with online performance.
The below video is a LIVE recording, using Zoom and Jamulus, of us singing during an online rehearsal. It's not one of those virtual videos which have done the rounds, which are great, but not live. What you hear is what we heard as we sang.
Don't worry if you're not techy and don't think you'll be able to set up Jamulus - you can still tune in on Zoom and get the benefit of those that are on Jamulus, but you'll have to remain muted while you sing. We teach exactly the same material as at the in-person rehearsals, just from our garden studio.
Our online rehearsals take place on Tuesday evenings at 6:30pm until 8pm.
If you think online rehearsals may be your thing, then we strongly recommend getting on board with Jamulus as it really enhances your singing experience. You’ll need a wired internet connection (not wifi), wired headphones (not Bluetooth) and a good quality microphone. We can advise you on what to get if you don’t have that equipment yet, and we have some very useful videos that show you how to get started.
We usually have about 40 people attending our online practices. Most of those are our Out-Of-Town members, some of whom are as far away from London as Canada! Others, however, are members who can’t get to an in-person rehearsal that week, or just people who’d like a bit more practice.
Tuesday’s rehearsal is always recorded and uploaded to the website, so if you find you have to miss a week or so for whatever reason you can always log in and catch up when it’s convenient.
We also stream the Wednesday in-person rehearsal to Zoom, using a 360-degree camera and high quality microphone. Below is a full rehearsal so you can see what that's like.
Tuesdays (online only) at 6.30pm and Wednesdays (streamed from the live rehearsal) also at 6:30pm
If you're signed up to one of our full membership plans - Monthly, Annual or Out-Of-Town - you'll be able to access the registration links for our online rehearsals from the member dashboard.
If you're planning to be a regular online member, it's definitely worth trying out Jamulus, which is what quite a few of our members use alongside Zoom. Basically, if you don't use Jamulus, you have to remain muted while you're singing. If you use Jamulus, the software routes your audio through to a special server which means that you're able to sing in real-time with the other people who are also on there. It's a bit fiddly to get set-up, but we're happy to help you if you're prepared to do some of the work too. You need a wired ethernet connection (not wifi) and wired headphones. Mac users have an easier time of the installation process.
