15til.com Welcome

Use this guide if you have completed a test call using Soundjack and LiveLab with David Liao and are using a USB audio interface. If you are using a USB mic, go to 15til.com/Setup.USBmic.php. Start 15 minutes before rehearsal.

This checklist does not replace the highly recommended resources listed on the homepage. The handout Dr. Bonnie Borshay Sneed uses with NAVE provided a lot of inspiration for this guide.

CONTINUE

Hygiene | Top

It is best to eliminate household network traffic other than Soundjack and LiveLab, especially if the FMB/Mac/PC that runs the SJC has not been given highest priority in QoS settings in the home router (not all routers offer such a setting).

You can experiment to see whether Soundjack and LiveLab work without eliminating other household network traffic, but audio issues might arise (experience varies).

If unavoidable competing household network traffic (e.g. family members work/study from home) impacts rehearsal, consider rescheduling rehearsal to a different time.

I UNDERSTAND

Hygiene | Top

If you are running the SJC on a Mac/PC (especially with a slower CPU), it is best to quit all applications that are not needed for rehearsal.

You can experiment with using Soundjack and LiveLab without quitting all unneeded applications, but problems might arise.

Please quit CPU hogs (examples below) for the duration of your rehearsal.

1. Malwarebytes
2. Adobe Creative Cloud
3. DropBox

If you use mac OS 11 Big Sur and Sophos Antivirus, please have Webcam protection and Mic protection turned off.

I UNDERSTAND

Hygiene | Top

You can experiment with browsing the Soundjack stage without first clearing your Chrome/Vivaldi cache, but problems might arise.

It is best to clear your Chrome/Vivaldi cache (keystrokes below) just before each rehearsal.

1. Mac: Cmd + Shift + Del (or you can try Shift + Cmd + Del)
2. Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Del

I UNDERSTAND

Network | Top

Connect the following.

1. Router
2. Ethernet cable
3. Ethernet-to-USB adapter (if needed)
4. FMB/Mac/PC that runs the SJC
5. Wall power (not battery)
6. If you have just now connected an FMB to power, the FMB should power itself on. If the FMB is not on, please click the power button on the FMB to turn the FMB on.

If you are using a HyperDrive as an Ethernet adapter, please guard against bumping your computer/HyperDrive.

OK

Network | Top

Is the device running the SJC different from the Mac/PC running LiveLab?

NO YES

Network | Top

Connect the following.

1. Router
2. Ethernet cable
3. Ethernet-to-USB adapter (if needed)
4. Mac/PC that runs LiveLab
5. Wall power (not battery)

If you are using a HyperDrive as an Ethernet adapter, please guard against bumping your computer/HyperDrive.

OK

Network | Top

While not required, it is helpful to have WiFi shut OFF for each device now connected via Ethernet cable to the router.

OK

Audio | Top

Is your USB audio interface already connected to the FMB/Mac/PC that runs the SJC?

NO YES

Audio | Top

Connect the following.

1. USB audio interface
2. USB cable
3. USB-A to USB-C adapter (if needed)
4. FMB/Mac/PC that runs the SJC

OK

Audio | Top

Is each microphone you want to use already connected to the USB audio interface?

NO YES

Audio | Top

Check that 48 V phantom power is OFF.

OK

Audio | Top

For each microphone you want to use, connect the following.

1. Microphone
2. XLR Mic cable
3. Mic splitter (if needed)
4. USB audio interface

OK

Audio | Top

If you are using a microphone/pre-preamp that needs 48 V phantom power, turn 48 V phantom power ON. Otherwise, keep 48 V phantom power OFF.

Examples of when 48 V phantom power is needed:

• Using condenser mic(s)
• Using Cloudlifter(s)

Example of when 48 V phantom power is not needed:

• Using dynamic mics(s) without using a Cloudlifter

OK

Audio | Top

If you are using a microphone/pre-preamp that needs 48 V phantom power, make sure that 48 V phantom power is ON. Otherwise, make sure that 48 V phantom power is OFF.

Examples of when 48 V phantom power is needed:

• Using condenser mic(s)
• Using Cloudlifter(s)

Example of when 48 V phantom power is not needed:

• Using dynamic mics(s) without using a Cloudlifter

OK

Audio | Top

Please ensure that all microphones to be used are stably mounted on stands, if available.

OK

Audio | Top

Is each pair of headphones you want to use already connected to the USB audio interface?

NO YES

Audio | Top

For each pair of headphones you want to use, connect the following.

1. Headphones (with attached cable)
2. Headphones splitter (if needed)
3. USB audio interface

OK

Audio | Top

In case knobs have been adjusted since the last Soundjack rehearsal, look at all input and output level knobs on the USB audio interface to make sure they are sensible (not too low and not too high).

OK

Audio | Top

Please make sure that at least one of the following conditions is true.

1. Each pair of headphones being used is open-back.
2. Direct monitoring is turned ON.

If you don't hear yourself clearly, you will involuntarily raise your volume.

OK

SJC | Top

What kind of computer are you using to run the SJC today?

PC Mac FMB

SJC | Top

1. Please note that the FMB should be allowed 3 minutes after being powered up to perform updates. (Allow 10 minutes for updates if a major update for FMBs has been announced).

OK

SJC | Top

On the Mac you will use to run the SJC,

1. Go to the Applications Folder (or dock) and open soundjack.
2. A small icon of an XLR jack (disk with three dots) will appear at the top of your screen.

OK

SJC | Top

On the PC you will use to run the SJC,

1. Go to the folder containing the copy of the SJC that you most recently downloaded, and open soundjack.exe.
2. A terminal will appear, but you need not interact with the terminal.

OK

LiveLab | Top

On the Mac/PC you are using to run LiveLab,

1. Open a new Chrome/Vivaldi tab.
2. Go to https://livelab.app/?room=XYZ (XYZ is the room name provided for your rehearsal).

Please do not publicly share room names.

OK

LiveLab | Top

Were you asked to share video today?

NO YES (If unsure, choose "NO").

LiveLab | Top

1. Press the "SETTINGS" button.
2. Underneath the preview of your video, set WIDTH to 160 (pixels) and HEIGHT to 120 (pixels) (unless otherwise instructed).
3. Scroll down and press the "SAVE" button.

Having the conductor share video at 640x480 while everyone else shares video at 160x120 can be helpful because some users have limited upstream bandwidth (Comcast Xfinity has plans that offer 3 Mbit/s or 5 Mbit/s of upstream bandwidth) and because some users run LiveLab on slower computers. If everyone in your group has 35 Mbit/s of upstream bandwidth and spiffy quad-core or faster CPUs, having everyone share 640x480 might work well.

OK

LiveLab | Top

Make sure that next to the camera icon, the selected option is "NO VIDEO".

LiveLab uses p2p connections, so the amount of video traffic increases with the number of connected participants.

OK

LiveLab | Top

Make sure that next to the microphone icon, the selected option is "NO AUDIO".

If you try, instead, to send audio through LiveLab, you could make Soundjack not work or cause other participants to hear an echo.

OK

LiveLab | Top

1. Next to the silhouette, type the name by which you would like to be called.
2. Press START.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Please, can you remind me what computer are you using to run the SJC?

Mac/PC FMB

Soundjack | Top

On whichever computer you would like to use to browse the stage,

1. Open a new Chrome/Vivaldi tab.
2. Go to https://soundjack.eu and log in.
3. Click the STAGE button.

OK

Soundjack | Top

On the Mac/PC you are using to run the SJC,

1. Open a new Chrome/Vivaldi tab.
2. Go to https://soundjack.eu and log in.
3. Click the STAGE button.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Contents like those below will appear.

The entry next to the connection icon () will be an IP address when the system is eventually ready.

Screenshots of and icons from Soundjack website are copyright Soundjack and included here under fair use (it is hard to explain how to use the Soundjack website without using images of portions of that website).

OK

Soundjack | Top

1. Look for the profile setting ().
2. The profile setting could be "auto", "expert", or "extended".
3. Please use either "expert" or "extended" while following these instructions.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Please make sure that the audio input () and audio output () settings list the name of the USB audio interface you want to use.

In Windows, make sure to use the version of the name of your USB audio interface with "ASIO". The other version will not work.

OK

Soundjack | Top

For most use cases, setting the input channels setting () to "capture/send channels: 2 (mono mix)" is fine. If you are accompanying in stereo, use "capture/send channels: 2 (stereo)".

Make sure the output channels setting (also represented by ) is set to "playback channels: 2".

OK

Soundjack | Top

To get a ballpark idea of how large of a sample buffer () to use, please choose the option that best describes the speed of the processor you are using to run the SJC.

≥ 2015 4-Core i7 FMB

Soundjack | Top

A safe setting for the sample buffer () on an FMB is "sample buffer: 64". Using "sample buffer: 32" often will work well too.

You can experiment with this setting during your call.

OK

Soundjack | Top

A safe setting for the sample buffer () on a Mac/PC is "sample buffer: 128". Using "sample buffer: 64" often will also work for a Mac/PC that is fast.

You can experiment with this setting during your call.

OK

Soundjack | Top

To figure out a reasonable size for your network buffer (), please choose the option that best describes your internet connection. Fiber optic to home Cable internet (workday) Cable internet (night)

Soundjack | Top

Try setting the network buffer () to "network buffer: 128".

You can experiment with this setting during your call.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Try setting the network buffer () to "network buffer: 256".

You can experiment with this setting during your call.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Try setting the network buffer () to "network buffer: 128".

You can experiment with this setting during your call.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Please choose () "codec: OPUS 96 kbps".

OK

Soundjack | Top

Use the groups () pulldown menu to select the group you were told to join for your rehearsal.

The group "public p2p" is like a public lobby. If you are using a mass server, you should have been invited to join a private group.

OK

Musicians | Top

1. Check that all headphones to be used are worn.
2. Check that all microphones to be used are near their intended mouths/instruments.

OK

Soundjack | Top

How did you and your fellow musicians plan to connect today?

Peer-to-peer (p2p) Mass server

Soundjack | Top

1. If you are in a private group, you can set your call status (pulldown menu S3 ) to "accept any call".
2. If you are using FaceTime, hang up on FaceTime.

For each musician you want to directly connect to,

1. Find musician's username (U1).
2. Click the musician's "ON" () button (U10).
3. Keep the auto jitter buffer box (U7) checked for audio from musician.

OK

Soundjack | Top

Wait for [GROUP] SERVER to appear in the list of usernames (U1).

1. If you have been using FaceTime to get help up until now, hang up on FaceTime to free up bandwidth.
2. Click the "ON" () button (U10) for the [GROUP] SERVER.
3. Keep the auto jitter buffer box (U7) checked for audio from [GROUP] SERVER.

OK

Congratulations! | Top

You should now be connected, and a Soundjack user you are talking to might be able to provide additional assistance with adjusting settings.

Remember to watch the conductor.

Shutdown

To shutdown | Top

1. Close the browser tab used for LiveLab.
2. Leave the Soundjack stage (log out of Soundjack and/or visit a different part of the Soundjack website).
3. During any microphone dis/connection, keep 48-V phantom power OFF.
4. If you would like to store an FMB:
   • Turn off phantom power.
   • Turn off FMB (hold-press FMB power button).
   • Disconnect FMB from wall power.
5. Users running the SJC on a Mac/PC: Quit the SJC application.

Walk the dog 🐕.