v007.2.4
modified 2023 August 07 12:55 Prevailing Eastern Time (to use an old version, go to the version history)
from address bar
You can use the URL Customizer (or menu at right) to switch among instructions for FarPlay, Jamulus, SonoBus, Soundjack, and Zoom. This website is NOT an official document for any of these applications. Documents that are official and/or more original are listed in the table below. Dr. Howell's Embodied Music Lab is an ideal place to pay for consulting for online musical collaboration.
Please generate encoded Zoom URL by pasting your Zoom URL into the following text field and pressing the "⟲ RELOAD this page using URL parameters selected in the above tables" button below.
Default: ExampleZoomURL
Default: sheetmusicURL
FMB Pro placeholder content was added to this page 2022 January 30. I don't have an FMB Pro and haven't had a chance to make sure that the FMB Pro instructions are correct.
I started adding information relating to using Zoom's Live Performance Audio mode Thursday, 2023 March 30. This content is alpha/beta.
Shopping list: Total > $0.00
Connectivity
Computer and USB Audio Interface
Microphone, headphones, & audio cables
Broadband, low-jitter internet connection
You have fiber-optic internet.You have cable internet.Note: DSL might also work, but will likely require contacting the phone company to disable interleaving; a technician might be dispatched to move copper wiring around to reduce line noise.
Home networking
(A) Main router that can be reached by Ethernet cable from computer without repeater/extender
The processor need not carry the i7 moniker. For example a desktop quad-core Core i3-8100 @ 3.60 GHz and a laptop quad-core Core i7-8650U @ 1.90 GHz have comparable benchmarks. If a CPU has at least 4 cores and a benchmark at least in the 6200ish range, I think the CPU is in most cases fast enough.
If your computer does not have an Ethernet port, use an Ethernet-to-USB adapter . Please pay attention to which type of connector, USB-C or USB-A, you'd like to use, and please check that you are happy with the number of USB expansion ports provided by the Ethernet-to-USB adapter you select. uni USB-C to Ethernet & 3 USB-A ($20) uni USB-A to Ethernet & 3 USB-A ($20)
A separate USB audio interface need not be purchased to use your audio equipment with the FMB Pro. However, you might still wish to buy a USB audio interface so you can use your audio equipment with your computer (e.g. work from home) at other times.
The following adapters have about 9 ms of round-trip latency. Choose the Sabrent if you would like a single unit without a cord. Choose the UGREEN 30724 if you would like the USB-A plug to be as small as possible (to avoid crowding out nearby USB ports on a hub).
The following adapters have about 9 ms of round-trip latency. Choose the Sabrent if you would like a single unit without a cord. Choose the UGREEN 30724 if you would like the USB-A plug to be as small as possible (to avoid crowding out nearby USB ports on a hub).
The following adapters have about 9 ms of round-trip latency. Choose the Sabrent if you would like a single unit without a cord. Choose the UGREEN 30724 if you would like the USB-A plug to be as small as possible (to avoid crowding out nearby USB ports on a hub).
You don't need to buy a USB-to-3.5 mm adapter if you are using a Mac. You can plug a 3.5 mm TRRS plug directly into the 3.5-mm headset jack on your Mac. (Trying something similar on a Windows PC is not as straightforward and can result in frustration).
Connect digital piano's L(MONO) output using a 1/4" (male)-to-1/4" (male) instrument cable 10' ($22)
Connect digital piano's R output using a 1/4" (male)-to-1/4" (male) instrument cable 10' ($22)
To see the screen while seated at a piano at the side of the desk, use a Bathroom mirror ($20)
(N) Open-back headphones
See Dr. Howell's Soundjack guide pp. 60-62.
⚠ Do NOT check the checkbox immediately below if the checkbox for the same cheap headset is already checked in the microphone section of this shopping list.
Please deliberately look for a headset with chintzy thin foam "pads" rather than the "nicer" leather-style pads. The flimsiness of the pads and the lack of sound isolation provided by the thin plastic backs of crummy headphones actually provides a benefit: users can hear themselves as though they were wearing open-back headphones (useful for acoustic singers).
Setup steps
(including first time steps)
Part Bookmark this page (one-time/occasional)
If you are looking at a version of this page customized for you by your ensemble's low-latency chief, save a Vivaldi/Chrome bookmark for this page by clicking the bookmark icon (Vivaldi: bookmark, Chrome: star) in the URL/location bar.
⚠ Please do NOT share the customized link for this page with people outside your musical group. The shortcuts can contain information that allows access to your group's meetings.
Part Equipment connections
CONNECT: Computer → Power Adapter → Power Outlet.
CONNECT: Computer → Ethernet/USB Hub/Adapter(if needed) → Ethernet Cable(OK to use switch & 2nd cable) → Main Router.
On your Computer, turn WiFi OFF.
Make sure that NO VPN is being used (including through computer settings as well as through the router).
on.COMP
CONNECT: → USB Cable → Computer(by way of Ethernet/USB Hub/Adapter is OK).
on.FMB (for FMB users)
CONNECT: FMB → Ethernet Cable(OK to use switch & 2nd cable) → Main Router.
CONNECT: → USB Cable → FMB.
CONNECT: USB-to-3.5 mm adapter → FMB.
Is your FMB's power adapter already connected to Wall Power ?
Yes:If your FMB is not yet ON,click your FMB 's Power Button to turn your FMB ON.
No: CONNECT: FMB → FMB's Power Adapter → Power Outlet.
Some FMBs are configured to power on upon connecting to wall power. If your FMB does not automatically power on upon connecting to wall power, click your FMB 's Power Button to turn your FMB ON.
Check that your FMB's Red LED is lit.
on.JB (for Jambox users)
CONNECT: Jambox → Ethernet Cable(OK to use switch & 2nd cable) → Main Router.
CONNECT: → USB Cable → Jambox.
CONNECT: USB-to-3.5 mm adapter → Jambox.
Is your Jambox's power adapter already connected to Wall Power ?
Yes:If your Jambox is not yet ON,click your Jambox 's Power Button to turn your Jambox ON.
No: CONNECT: Jambox → Jambox's Power Adapter → Power Outlet.
Some Jamboxes are configured to power on upon connecting to wall power. If your Jambox does not automatically power on upon connecting to wall power, click your Jambox 's Power Button to turn your Jambox ON.
Check that your Jambox's Red LED is lit.
on.FMBPro (for FMB Pro users)
CONNECT: FMB Pro → Ethernet Cable(OK to use switch & 2nd cable) → Main Router.
Is your FMB Pro's power adapter already connected to Wall Power ?
Yes:If your FMB Pro is not yet ON,click your FMB Pro 's Power Button to turn your FMB Pro ON.
No: CONNECT: FMB Pro → FMB Pro's Power Adapter → Power Outlet.
Some FMBs are configured to power on upon connecting to wall power. If your FMB Pro does not automatically power on upon connecting to wall power, click your FMB Pro 's Power Button to turn your FMB Pro ON.
Space for STAGE
Check that your FMB Pro's Red LED is lit.
After about 30 seconds, the touchscreen will display the Soundjack STAGE and FMB Pro navigation buttons.
CONNECT: iOS device → Ethernet adapter → Ethernet cable(OK to use switch & 2nd cable) → main router.
On your iOS device, turn WiFi OFF.
Make a small swipe on your iOS device to bring up the control center.
Marker
Type of iOS device
Swipe
Ⓐ
iPhone/iPad that has no home button
Swipe from top-right corner slightly toward the bottom-left.
Ⓑ
iPhone/iPad that has a home button
Swipe from bottom-center slightly toward top-center.
If the airplane icon is gray, tap the airplane icon to turn ON Airplane Mode ✈.
The airplane icon should be orange.
CONNECT: → USB cable → Ethernet adapter → iOS device.
CONNECT: USB-to-3.5 mm adapter → Ethernet adapter → iOS device.
On the FMB Pro , ensure that 48-V PHANTOM POWER is OFF.
on.COMP > Windows > One-time/occasional
These instructions are for changing a Windows registry entry so that Soundjack can use Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interfaces with lower buffer settings (otherwise rhythmic interaction is not possible). The instructions are lightly adapted from Jörg Spix's post at Soundjack Support Form Post # 4780.
Right-click on the SetAltStreamingMode.bat file and select "Run as admin".
Disconnect your Focusrite Scarlett from your computer.
Wait five (5) seconds.
ReCONNECT:Focusrite Scarlett → computer.
3.5-mm plug mic
For each microphone, CONNECT: FMB Pro → XLR-to-3.5 mm Adaptor → (possibly using a 3.5 mm Splitter) → 3.5-mm plug Mic / .
On the FMB Pro , turn 48-V PHANTOM POWERON.
MIC.1 (for headworn condenser mic users)
For each microphone, CONNECT: FMB Pro → XLR Cable → In-line Preamp → Headworn Condenser Mic.
On the FMB Pro , turn 48-V PHANTOM POWERON.
MIC.2 (for side-address condenser mic users)
For each microphone, Check STABILITY: Side-Address Condenser Mic securely mounted on Stand.
For each microphone, CONNECT: FMB Pro → XLR Cable → Side-Address Condenser Mic.
On the FMB Pro , turn 48-V PHANTOM POWERON.
MIC.3 (for dynamic mic users)
For each microphone, Check STABILITY: Dynamic Mic securely mounted on Stand.
For each microphone, CONNECT: FMB Pro → XLR Cable(possibly using an XLR Splitter) → Dynamic Mic.
MIC.4 (for omnidirectional condenser mic users)
Check STABILITY: Omnidirectional Condenser Mic securely mounted on Stand.
CONNECT: FMB Pro → XLR Cable → Omnidirectional Condenser Mic.
On the FMB Pro , turn 48-V PHANTOM POWERON.
On the FMB Pro , check that the input gain for the XLR jack is set to a reasonable level (if possible, use a level that was successfully used in a previous rehearsal).
For each pair of headphones, CONNECT: Headphones → (1/4"-to-3.5 mm Adaptor, if needed) → Headphones Splitter → FMB Pro .
On the FMB Pro , check that the headphones monitoring level is set to a reasonable level (if possible, use a level that was successfully used in a previous rehearsal).
When using a cheap headset
on.iOS
CONNECT: Eachcheap headset → (might need TRRS-to-dual-TRS-green/red adapters, possibly provided) → 3.5 mm TRS-to-TRS splitters → USB-to-3.5 mm adapter.
on.FMB
CONNECT: Eachcheap headset → (might need TRRS-to-dual-TRS-green/red adapters, possibly provided) → 3.5 mm TRS-to-TRS splitters → USB-to-3.5 mm adapter.
on.JB
CONNECT: Eachcheap headset → (might need TRRS-to-dual-TRS-green/red adapters, possibly provided) → 3.5 mm TRS-to-TRS splitters → USB-to-3.5 mm adapter.
On a Mac
CONNECT: Eachcheap headset → 3.5 mm TRRS-to-TRRS splitters → computer.
🎹 Connecting a digital piano
CONNECT: digital piano 🎹 L(MONO) output → 1/4"-to-1/4"XLR (male) cable → FMB Pro .
For stereo, separately CONNECT: digital piano 🎹 R output → 1/4"-to-1/4"XLR (male) cable → FMB Pro .
It's relatively easy to use a digital piano connected in stereo in addition to a microphone on something like a Yamaha AG-03/06, which can downmix all input audio into a stereo audio stream sent to the computer. Please beware that this setup page does not include all audio routing/mixing-related settings that might be relevant when connecting a digital piano in stereo in addition to a microphone. Human guidance with routing/mixing is recommended.
If your has a LINE/INST button, make sure that the LINE/INST setting is LINE for the inputs used for connecting the digital piano.
If you would like to listen to your digital piano through your headphones, on the , you should ensure that direct monitoring is ON.
On some audio interfaces, direct monitoring is enabled by pushing a button or toggling a switch. On an audio interface with a "Mix" knob with extreme settings labeled "Inputs" and "Playback", the relative balance of your local audio, "Inputs", and audio from the computer, "Playback", can be adjusted to taste. For some audio interfaces, direct monitoring settings can be accessed through a software utility provided by the audio interface manufacturer.
If you would like to listen to your digital piano through your headphones, on the FMB Pro, you should ensure that the local audio level is not zero.
If you would like to mute built-in digital piano speakers, an easy way is to insert a 1/4"-to-1/8" adapter into the headphones jack of the digital piano 🎹.
Part Account settings for classic stage users (one-time/occasional)
Register for a Soundjack account (already done if you purchased a prebuilt FMB/FMB Pro from Symonics GmbH)
Click the link below to open the Soundjack website in a new Vivaldi/Chrome tab.
In masthead (banner at top of webpage), click "REGISTER".
Follow the instructions to set up an account. Soundjack emails sometimes get sent to the Spam folder for me in gmail. Please check your spam folder.
Join Soundjack group
Once you are logged into the Soundjack website, go to the navigation banner at the top of the page, and hover over "GROUPS".
Click "GROUPS PANEL".
Find in the list of groups.
Click "Request Membership".
Thank you. A moment. I will approve your request.
Part Router settings (one-time/occasional)
Home users will often be able to skip this section of settings, at least for their first test connection. Using the button below to reveal instructions for router settings can be useful if you are told to set up port-forwarding and/or quality of service (QoS).
It's not always necessary to explore the router settings, but optimizing settings now can help us to avoid headaches that can potentially occur when trying to troubleshoot issues when attempting to connect with multiple people later. Video-walkthroughs of router settings for Soundjack are available at Dr. Ian Howell and Kayla Gautereaux's video bootcamp archive, and these videos are useful for getting an idea of how router settings can be adjusted when using other low-latency applications as well.
Router settings instructions are basically the same for SonoBus. You can use UDP port 50050 even though the port number mentioned in the SonoBus user guide is 12000.
Dear Router,
Router settings
➀
Permanently assign my
computer an only-within home network IP address of 192.168.1.12iOS device an only-within home network IP address of 192.168.1.7FMB an only-within home network IP address of 192.168.1.23Jambox an only-within home network IP address of 192.168.1.23FMB Pro an only-within home network IP address of 192.168.1.23
. Don't let any other household device use that only-within home network IP address.
⚠ You don't have to carry out this step, but if you don't then you might have to repeat step ➁, possibly as frequently as, in principle, every single time your
computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro
reconnects to the router.
Home network
> Create DHCP reservation
> Assign your computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro(possibly identified in router settings using a nickname or MAC address) a static private IP address of 192.168.1.12192.168.1.7192.168.1.23192.168.1.23192.168.1.23.
⚠ Setting up a static private IP for your
computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro
is different from getting a static public IP for your router.
➁
Whenever you receive a packet via UDP for port 50050, send that packet onward to within-home network IP address
192.168.1.12 (my computer)192.168.1.7 (my iOS device)192.168.1.23 (my FMB)192.168.1.23 (my Jambox)192.168.1.23 (my FMB Pro)(even if the inbound packet is not preceded by an outbound packet to make it obvious that the inbound packet really is intended for
192.168.1.12 (my computer)192.168.1.7 (my iOS device)192.168.1.23 (my FMB)192.168.1.23 (my Jambox)192.168.1.23 (my FMB Pro)
).
Home network
> Set up a port-forwarding rule to forward all packets received via UDP at port 50050 to 192.168.1.12 (my computer)192.168.1.7 (my iOS device)192.168.1.23 (my FMB)192.168.1.23 (my Jambox)192.168.1.23 (my FMB Pro)
port 50050.
➂
When any other device on the home network competes with my
computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro
to send/receive packets of information to/from the outside world, put an emergency-vehicle light on each packet to/from my
computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro
that lets packets to/from my
computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro
"cut the line" and be transmitted while packets to/from other devices on the home network wait.
Home network
> QoS (Quality of Service)
> Assign your computeriOS deviceFMBJamboxFMB Pro(possibly identified according to Ethernet port number)Highest priority.
Part Preparing the computer
Avoid sample-rate conflicts
This step is no longer required as of FarPlay version 1.0.5, but I still prefer to carry out this step.
⚠ Quit any applications that might be using an audio sample rate other than 48 kSamples/s.
An audio application using a different sample rate (e.g. 44.1 kSamples/sec) might lock the soundcard into using that sample rate. In such a case, when FarPlay is opened, the soundcard's sample rate will not match FarPlay's native sample rate of 48 kSamples/sec, and interpolation will be needed.
May be using audio sample rate of 44.1 kSamples/sec
Voice Over IP (VOIP)
Skype, FaceTime
May be using audio sample rate of 16 kSamples/sec (I'm not sure this is a problem; I was able to hear audio that didn't have the robot voice effect when I tested audio on FarPlay while running Skype).
Reduce competition for computer resources
Quit any applications that might hog CPU and/or bandwidth (including while carrying out uncommanded background tasks). The table below lists some examples of potential CPU/bandwidth hogss:
Type of application
Example
Comment
File system indexer
macOS: Spotlight indexing (look for mds in Activity Monitor)Windows: Windows Search Indexer
macOS: You can wait until an index being built is built. Another option is to disable indexing.Windows: Kill search indexer (you can also permanently disable indexing).
Cloud file storage synchronization
DropBox background synchronization and software updates
Quit DropBox
Productivity/creativity suite maintenance
Adobe Creative Cloud background software updates
Quit Adobe Creative Cloud (might need to force quit)
Malicious software scanner/remover
Malware Bytes
Quit Malware Bytes for duration of rehearsal
Anti-virus package
Real-time scanning macOS 11 Big Sur: Bug related to camera/microphone monitoring in Sophos Anti-Virus package that causes excessive CPU usage
Disable real-time scanning for duration of rehearsal macOS 11 Big Sur: (I think the Sophos bug is resolved now).
Clear your Vivaldi/Chrome browser cache by using a key combination (macOS: ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + Del)(Windows:Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + Del) and then pressing "Clear data".
Part
Prepare the Soundjack core application for iOS and go to the stage
Launch the SonoBus applicationLaunch the Jamulus application
Download, install, & launch the SonoBus applicationLaunch the SonoBus applicationDownload, install, & launch the Jamulus applicationLaunch the Jamulus application
Download, install, & launch the FarPlay applicationLaunch the FarPlay applicationDownload, install, & launch ZoomLaunch Zoom
on.COMP
macOS: Click the dock icon for soundjack.
macOS: (The soundjack application runs quietly in the background).
Windows: Double-click the desktop shortcut icon labeled, "soundjack.exe - Shortcut".
Windows: (A system tray icon appears. A terminal window also appears. You can minimize and ignore the terminal window).
macOS: Click the dock icon for SonoBus.
Windows:
Press the START button.
Go to the Start menu folder for SonoBus.
Click the shortcut for SonoBus.
macOS: Click the dock icon for FarPlay.
Windows: Click the taskbar icon for FarPlay.
macOS: Click the dock icon for Jamulus.
Windows:Double-click the desktop shortcut for Jamulus.
macOS: Click the dock icon for Zoom.
Windows:
Press the START button.
Go to the Start menu folder for Zoom.
Click the shortcut for Zoom.
on.COMP > Classic stage users
If the Soundjack website is not already open in a Vivaldi/Chrome tab, click the link below to open the Soundjack website in a Vivaldi/Chrome tab.
Download the latest installer of FarPlay for your operating system (use the "Previous FarPlay releases can be downloaded here" link at the bottom of the page if you would like to look for an older version or a pre-release version).
macOS:
Open the disk image you just downloaded.
Follow the instruction to drag the FarPlay application to the shortcut for your Applications Folder.
Launch the installer you just downloaded and follow the instructions that appear.
You should end up with a desktop shortcut for Jamulus.
macOS:
Go to Applications Folder.
Double-click the icon for soundjack.
When a dialog box warns that soundjack "is an app downloaded from the internet" and asks whether you are "sure you want to open it", click Open.
(The soundjack application runs quietly in the background).
Now with the soundjack application running,
Ctrl+click the soundjack icon in the dock.
Choose Options
Choose Keep in Dock.
Go to Applications Folder.
Double-click the icon for SonoBus.
Now with the SonoBus application running,
Ctrl+click the SonoBus icon in the dock.
Choose Options
Choose Keep in Dock.
Go to Applications Folder.
Double-click the icon for Zoom.
Now with the Zoom application running,
Ctrl+click the Zoom icon in the dock.
Choose Options
Choose Keep in Dock.
Go to Applications Folder.
Double-click the icon for FarPlay.
Now with the FarPlay application running,
Ctrl+click the FarPlay icon in the dock.
Choose Options
Choose Keep in Dock.
Go to Applications Folder.
Double-click the icon for Jamulus.
Now with the Jamulus application running,
Ctrl+click the Jamulus icon in the dock.
Choose Options
Choose Keep in Dock.
Windows:
Go to the folder where you extracted the SJC.
Double-click soundjack.exe.
You might be prompted to grant soundjack permission to pass through the firewall. If so, please grant the requested permission.
(A system tray icon appears. A terminal window also appears. You can minimize and ignore the terminal window).
Create a desktop shortcut for the soundjack application:
Hold the right mouse button while dragging the soundjack.exe file to the desktop.
In the context menu that appears when you let go, choose "Create shortcuts here".
There should now be a desktop shortcut icon labeled, "soundjack.exe - Shortcut".
Press the START button.
Go to the Start menu folder for SonoBus.
Click the shortcut for SonoBus.
You might be prompted to grant SonoBus permission to pass through the firewall. If so, please grant the requested permission.
Press the START button.
Go to the Start menu folder for Zoom.
Click the shortcut for Zoom.
You might be prompted to grant Zoom permission to pass through the firewall. If so, please grant the requested permission.
Run the installer you just downloaded.
Follow the instructions in the dialog boxes that appear.
On the last dialog box that the installer displays, check the checkbox to " Launch FarPlay".
If you forget to launch FarPlay at the end of the installation process, you can go into the Start Menu, open the FarPlay Folder, and then open the FarPlay application.
You might be prompted to grant FarPlay permission to pass through the firewall. If so, please grant the requested permission.
Create a taskbar icon for the FarPlay application:
Right-click the FarPlay icon in the taskbar.
In the context menu that appears, choose "📌 Pin to taskbar".
The FarPlay icon should remain in the taskbar even after you close the FarPlay application.
Double-click the desktop shortcut for Jamulus.
You might be prompted to grant Jamulus permission to pass through the firewall. If so, please grant the requested permission.
Go to your iOS device's home screen and open Soundjack for iOS by tapping the SJ.iOS.v1 icon.
When Soundjack requests access to the microphone, please grant Soundjack permission to use the microphone.
The Soundjack application for iOS eventually brings up the Soundjack website. Please be aware that the appearance of the navigation menu at the top of the webpage varies depending on screen size (e.g. small iPhone screen vs. large iPad screen).
In Soundjack for iOS, look near the top-right corner of the Soundjack webpage. If you see either a dark gray button containing just a padlock, as shown below
or a dark gray button containing both a padlock and the label "LOGIN", as shown below
you are not logged into your Soundjack account. In this case, tap the padlock/"LOGIN" button and log into the Soundjack website.
In Soundjack for iOS, look near the top-right corner of the Soundjack webpage. If you see either a red button containing just a power symbol, as shown below
or a red button containing the label "LOGOUT", as shown below
you are logged into your Soundjack account.
In Soundjack for iOS, go to the STAGE. If you are using a small screen (e.g. iPhone), there might not be a button labeled "STAGE" in the Soundjack navigation menu. In this case, you can find a hidden menu containing a link to the STAGE by tapping the ≡ triple bar near the top-left corner of the webpage.
Go to your iOS device's home screen and open SonoBus for iOS by tapping the SonoBus icon.
When SonoBus requests access to the microphone, please grant SonoBus permission to use the microphone.
on.FMB (for FMB users)
Upon power up, you want to allow the FMB time to download available updates. Typically, three (3) minutes is enough for start-up processes. On occasion, a major update is distributed. In those cases, which I will try to notify you of, the FMB should be given ten (10) minutes to boot up and update itself upon powering up.
If something gets messed up with the update process, you might be asked to leave the FMB on overnight (time zones of the Americas) so that an update can be attempted during the morning in Germany. In some situations, Christian Hoene at Symonics GmbH may try to arrange a time with you to work on your FMB remotely.
Once the FMB has had enough time to take care of start-up tasks, click the link below to open the fmb local website in a new Vivaldi/Chrome tab.
Please do not proceed until the webpage loads, and the column of status indicators at the right shows green checkmarks for "⚙ System Status" and "☁ Networking Status" (preferably also for "🎤 Audio Interface Status"). You might need to press reload in Vivaldi/Chrome if the page does not initially load.
I prefer to verify in the ⚙ System Status that os.update.running equals no.
on.FMB (for FMB users) > One-time/occasional
⚠ If the previous step failed owing to a DNS resolution error (for example, the browser brings up DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN), the low-latency technology assistant for the musical ensemble should help you try a strategy like one of the following.
Try opening http://soundjack0.local on an alternative device. In Network Settings, note the private IP of the fastmusic box. If the private IP is known to be static, create a Vivaldi/Chrome bookmark labeled "fmb menu" for that private IP. In the future, the user should use this Vivaldi/Chrome bookmark when instructions refer to fmb menu.
If nothing in the house will resolve http://soundjack0.local, use the router webpage to look for the fmb (device named soundjackLONGSERIALNUMBER). Note the private IP. If the private IP is known to be static, create a Vivaldi/Chrome bookmark labeled "fmb menu" for that private IP. In the future, the user should use this Vivaldi/Chrome bookmark when instructions refer to fmb menu.
macOS: Look on stackexchange for advice for changing the way an Apple computer handles the .local domain (issue may exist involving Bonjour/Rendezvous).
Copying your fmb-id to your Soundjack account (already done if you purchased your FMB from Symonics GmbH)
Near the top of the fmb menu, click the 📋 clipboard icon next to your FMB ID to copy your FMB ID to the clipboard.
If the Soundjack website is not already open in a Vivaldi/Chrome tab, click the link below to open the Soundjack website in a new Vivaldi/Chrome tab.
In the page that appears, click the "Connect" button under the "noVNC" logo.
In the view of the jambox desktop that appears, double-click the "SonoBus Start" icon.
Please wait a moment for the shell script to get everything ready for SonoBus to run.
In the view of the jambox desktop that appears, double-click the "Jamulus Start" icon.
Please wait a moment for the shell script to get everything ready for Jamulus to run.
on.FMBPro (for FMB Pro users)
Upon power up, you want to allow FMB Pro time to download available updates. Typically, three (3) minutes is enough for start-up processes. On occasion, a major update is distributed. In those cases, which I will try to notify you of, the FMB Pro should be given ten (10) minutes to boot up and update itself upon powering up.
Once the FMB Pro has had enough time to take care of start-up tasks, click the button on your FMB Pro's touchscreen.
Please do not proceed until the webpage loads and shows three green checkmarks.
I prefer to verify in the ⚙ System Status that os.update.running equals no.
On the FMB Pro touchscreen, touch .
Log into your Soundjack account.
In the navigation bar, click on "STAGE".
Part
Navigating the stageNavigating Soundjack Lite
Navigating the SonoBus application
Navigating the FarPlay application
Navigating the Jamulus application
Navigating Zoom
Wait for a numerical IP address to appear next to the local network interface icon.
Check that the profile setting is "extended".
Check that the groups pull-down menu is set to "".
clicking the SJ-LITE button in the navigation bar.
When soundjack.eu pops up a dialog box that says, "Enter your username", choose a username by which you would like to be identified for the current session. The username is non-persistent.
One-time/occasional
If you prefer to have Soundjack automatically answer each incoming call (rather than requiring you to explicitly press "Accept" for each incoming call you'd like to answer), click the reaction to incoming call pulldown menu and select "accept any call".
Set the audio input to your HiFi Berry.
Set the audio output to your HiFi Berry.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 2 (stereo)""capture/send channels: 2 (mono mix)".
Set the audio input to your External Microphone.
Set the audio output to your External Headphones.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 1".
Set the audio input to your USB-to-3.5 mm adapter(device name varies).
Set the audio output to your USB-to-3.5 mm adapter(device name varies).
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 1".
Set the audio input to Default.
Set the audio output to Default.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "1".
Set playback channels to "playback channels: 2".
There aren't really "first-time" settings. There is no account with which persistent settings could be associated.
When soundjack.eu pops up a dialog box that says, "Enter your username", choose a username by which you would like to be identified.
Audio settings
ClickYou can click
the ⚙ settings gear near the top-left corner of the SonoBus window to reveal the AUDIO settings panel.
⚠ Please be wary of the Test button!
Pressing the Test button plays a tone that could be very loud.
If you would like to test audio playback, it is safest to reduce your headphone level all the way down and then gradually raise your headphone level back up while pressing (repeatedly, if needed) the Test button.
Jambox:The default settings used by the shell script that just ran are probably fine if you are using an ordinary
stereo USB audio interface.USB-to-3.5 mm adapter. You can probably leave the audio settings alone.
Set the Input to your .
Set the Output to your .
⚠ Set the Audio device type to ASIO.
Set the Device to your .
Set the Input to your External Microphone.
Set the Output to your External Headphones.
Set the Device to iOS Audio.
In the Active Input Channels: section,
check all available input channelstap the Select All button(⚠ Selecting all available input channels is an easy choice that is likely to work for most basic equipment used by choral ensembles just getting started with SonoBus, but users of advanced audio interfaces with a loopback functionality will need to be careful not to select Loopback channels as inputs in a way that would cause other session participants to hear echoes of themselves).
In the Active Output Channels: section,
check all available output channelstap the Select All button(easy choice that is likely to work for most choral ensembles just getting started with SonoBus).
Leave the Sample Rate: at 48000 Hz.
Set the Audio Buffer Size to 128 samples (2.7 ms)(even lower is better, if you might be using PCM instead of Opus and if your processor can handle smaller audio buffer sizes).
Network settings
Click the OPTIONS tab.
Set the Default Send Quality(which might initially be 96 kbps/ch, as shown) to 256 kbps/ch.
Set the Default Jitter Buffer type to Manual.
Click on the size of the jitter buffer and type 11(for 11 ms) and press ENTER.
If you would like SonoBus to use a port for which port-forwarding to your computer has been enabled, check ☑ Use Specific UDP Port and enter the desired port number(50050 in the example discussion in the one-time/occasional instructions for router settings above).
Click the ⚙ settings gear near the top-left corner of the SonoBus window to conceal the settings panel.
Create FarPlay account
In the main FarPlay window, click the "Log in/Subscribe" button.
A web browser window should pop up and bring you to the "Please log in" page. Click the Sign-up link under the Log in button.
In the "Sign up" page that appears, enter your information Email, desired Password, and Name. Then press the Continue button.
The FarPlay website should now indicate that an email is on its way. Check your email for a message from FarPlay with subject line "Confirm your email". Open this email and click the enclosed link.
Your web browser should now display a message confirming that your FarPlay account was activated. Click the "Log In" link on this page.
Add time to FarPlay subscription
In the "Please log in" page that appears, make sure that credentials are filled in. Click the "Log in" button.
In the "My Account" page that appears, click the "Subscribe to FarPlay Standard" button or the "Subscribe to FarPlay Standard+" button.
In the payment page that appears, fill in your payment information and then click the "Start trial" button.
A message should appear that confirms that you've created your FarPlay subscription.
For an existing FarPlay account, you can use the "Account" button on the main FarPlay window to access the account management page where you can then click the "Manage your subscription" (for managing subscription tier, payment information, etc.).
Authorize computer
In the main FarPlay window, click the "Log in/Subscribe" button.
In the "My Account" page that appears, click the "Authorize this device" button.
A message should appear that confirms that you authorized your computer to use your FarPlay subscription.
Create a Personal Meeting Room (Session) ID
If you're not already looking at the "My Account" page, go to the main FarPlay window and click the "Account" button to bring up your account information.
In your "My Account" page, click the "Account Preferences" button.
In the "Account Preferences" page that appears, find the section called "Personal Meeting Room" (5th item down the page or thereabouts). Click the "Create my Personal Meeting Room" button.
A confirmation message reading, "Personal Meeting Room successfully created" should appear.
You can share the alphanumeric Personal Meeting Room (persistent Session ID) with other musicians.
If your code gets compromised, you can come back to the "Personal Meeting Room" section of your "Account Preferences" page and click the "Delete room" button and then generate another Personal Meeting Room ID.
Audio settings
macOS: In the FarPlay menu bar, click FarPlay and choose Preferences to bring up the Preferences control panel. Check that you are looking at the "General Options" tab.Windows: In the main FarPlay window, click Menu and choose Preferences to bring up the Preferences control panel. Check that you are looking at the "General Options" tab.
Set the Microphone to your .
For the microphone channel mixing setting, use "Stereo""Mono Mix".
Set the Headphones to your .
For the headphones channel mixing setting, use "Stereo".
Set the Audio Buffer Size to 128 (2.7 ms).
You can use a smaller audio buffer size to decrease latency if your computer and outbound internet connection handle frequent transmission of outbound packets well. A larger audio buffer size incurs more latency, but might be better if there is a limitation in your ability to transmit outbound packets frequently (examples: slow computer and congested outbound internet connection).
In the Microphone pull-down menu, ⚠ go down to the category of ASIO devices and select your .
For the microphone channel mixing setting, use "Stereo""Mono Mix".
In the Headphones pull-down menu, ⚠ go down to the category of ASIO devices and select your .
For the headphones channel mixing setting, use "Stereo".
Set the Audio Buffer Size by doing the following:
Click the ASIO Buffer Settings button to bring up your 's manufacturer-provided ASIO driver dialog box.
Set the sample buffer size to 64 (1.3 ms)(or lower, if your computer can handle it).
Close your 's manufacturer-provided ASIO driver dialog box.
Set the Microphone to your External Microphone.
For the microphone channel mixing setting, use "Mono".
Set the Headphones to your External Headphones.
For the headphones channel mixing setting, use "Stereo".
Set the Audio Buffer Size to 128 (2.7 ms)
You can use a smaller audio buffer size to decrease latency if your computer and outbound internet connection handle frequent transmission of outbound packets well. A larger audio buffer size incurs more latency, but might be better if there is a limitation in your ability to transmit outbound packets frequently (examples: slow computer and congested outbound internet connection).
Click the OK button.
Specify UDP port range (Not commonly needed in homes)
If you were guided to set up port-forwarding (common scenarios: you have a restrictive router in your home and/or remote site has a restrictive network, like a university campus), tell FarPlay to use a range of ports that you forwarded for FarPlay:
macOS: In the FarPlay menu bar, click FarPlay and choose Preferences to bring up the Preferences control panel. Navigate to the "Advanced" tab.Windows: In the main FarPlay window, click Menu and choose Preferences to bring up the Preferences control panel. Navigate to the "Advanced" tab.
Checkmark "Use specific UDP port range for P2P connections".
Enter the lowest port you forwarded for FarPlay into the entry labeled "Min" (left box), and enter the highest port you forwarded for FarPlay into the entry labeled "Max" (right box).
Click the OK button.
Note that settings and actions can be accessed clicking the three light-up buttons ("Mute myself", "Settings", and "Chat") and the "Connect" button near the bottom-left corner of the main Jamulus window.
If the status of a light-up button seems to be inconsistent with displayed screen(s), try clicking the light-up button of interest a couple more times. Settings and actions can also be accessed using menu bar items.
Click the "Settings" light-up button.
My Profile
In the window that appears, check that the "My Profile" tab is displayed.
Fill in information according to how you would like to be identified to other musicians.
Go to the "Audio/Network Setup" tab.
Audio/Network Setup
Jambox:Most of the default settings probably do not need intervention if you are using an ordinary
stereo USB audio interface.USB-to-3.5 mm adapter.
There are two possible exceptions.
Check that "Audio Channels" is set to
"Stereo""Mono-in/Stereo-out".
Especially if you are running another network application alongside Jamulus (e.g. video), I would prefer to keep unchecked "Enable Small Network Buffers".
Set the "Audio Device" to "in: / out: ". (device model names might vary slightly).
Set the "Device" to "". (device model names might vary slightly).
Check that "Audio Channels" is set to "Stereo""Mono-in/Stereo-out".
Set your "Audio Device" to "in: External Microphone / out: External Headphones" (device model names might vary slightly).
Check that "Audio Channels" is set to "Mono-in/Stereo-out".
Set the "Buffer Delay" to "5.33 ms (128)" or, if your computer is fast enough, "2.67 ms (64)".
Especially if you are running another network application alongside Jamulus (e.g. video), I would prefer to keep unchecked "Enable Small Network Buffers".
Click the "Settings" light-up button to hide the Settings panel.
Zoom settings are likely to be changed from session to session (user uses dedicated audio interface and "Live Performance Audio" one day, then switches to highly processed laggy audio with built-in mic on another day while passing through an airport, etc.), so this website treats the verification/adjustment of audio settings in Zoom as a routine, rather than a one-time/occasional, process.
Check that Send Mono is selected.Check that Send Stereo is selected.
Check that Send Mono is selected.
Connecting to your private group
There are two ways to get connected to a SonoBus call. The more tedious (but also more reliable) way is to manually enter call information, as indicated below. Some installations of SonoBus allow for a more convenient method of launching a call by simply visiting a link. This alternative method is mentioned later (soon after reminders about headphone/microphone alignment).
Press the blue Connect... button.
Make sure you are using the PRIVATE GROUP tab.
Click the clipboard in this sentence to copy your group name:
.
Paste your group name into the Group Name text field in SonoBus.
Click the clipboard in this sentence to copy your group password:
.
Paste your group password into the Password text field in SonoBus.
Type into the Your Displayed Name text field in SonoBus the name you'd like to appear under for others.
Adapted from SJTG Preview image from Dr. Alex Carôt (permalink)
Set the audio input to your HiFi Berry.
Set the audio output to your HiFi Berry.
Set the audio input to your HiFi Berry.
Set the audio output to your HiFi Berry.
Check that the buffer is set to "moderate delay: 256".
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 2 (stereo)""capture/send channels: 2 (mono mix)".
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 2 (stereo)""capture/send channels: 2 (mono mix)".
Set the audio input to your External Microphone.
Set the audio output to your External Headphones.
Set the audio input to your External Microphone.
Set the audio output to your External Headphones.
Check that the buffer is set to "moderate delay: 256".
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 1".
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 1".
Set the audio input to your USB-to-3.5 mm adapter(device name varies).
Set the audio output to your USB-to-3.5 mm adapter(device name varies).
Check that the buffer is set to "moderate delay: 256".
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "capture/send channels: 1".
Set the audio input to Default.
Set the audio output to Default.
Check that the buffer is set to "moderate delay: 256".
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
For the capture/send channels setting, use "1".
Check that the sample buffer is set to "sample buffer: 64".
If Soundjack gives an "Audio not ready" error, you might try setting the sample buffer to "sample buffer: 256" and then back again to "sample buffer: 64".
Fiber internet user: Check that the network buffer is set to "network buffer: 128".Cable internet user: Check that the network buffer is set to "network buffer: 256."
The rehearsal manager might request changes to this setting during rehearsal.
One-time/occasional: Check that the audio codec (which might initially be set to "codec: OPUS 96 kbps", as shown) is set to "codec: OPUS 192 kbps".
macOS: To access Broadcast Output settings, go to the FarPlay menu bar, click FarPlay and choose Preferences to bring up the Preferences control panel.
In the Preferences window, choose the "Broadcast Output" tab.
Make sure " Use Broadcast Output" is checked.
For the "Output Device", select an audio device other than your
.
External Headphones.
(Don't try to simultaneously play back low-latency FarPlay audio AND high-latency Broadcast Output audio to the same device).
The "Channel Layout" pulldown menu selection affects the choices available for channels to send to the device receiving Broadcast Output.
When satisfied with Broadcast Output settings, click the OK button.
Windows: To access Broadcast Output settings, go to the main FarPlay window, click Menu and choose Preferences to bring up the Preferences control panel.
In the Preferences window, choose the "Broadcast Output" tab.
Make sure " Use Broadcast Output" is checked.
For the "Output Device", select an audio device other than your . (Don't try to simultaneously play back low-latency FarPlay audio AND high-latency Broadcast Output audio to the same device).
The "Channel Layout" pulldown menu selection affects the choices available for channels to send to the device receiving Broadcast Output.
When satisfied with Broadcast Output settings, click the OK button.
⚠ If you are routing Broadcast Output to a virtual soundcard (e.g. Blackhole or Rogue Amoeba Loopback), do NOT disable the virtual soundcard while FarPlay is sending Broadcast Output to the virtual soundcard.
(FarPlay Broadcast Output is not available without a subscription).
Audio settings
In the Zoom control center, click the ⚙ gear icon near the top-right corner (just underneath your user avatar).
In the Settings window that appears, browse the list of categories of settings at the left and select 🎧 Audio.
Set the Speaker to your .
Set the Microphone to your .
Set the Speaker to your .
Set the Microphone to your .
Set the Speaker to your External Headphones.
Set the Microphone to your External Microphone.
Close the Settings window.
Aligning headphones and mic
Make sure headphones are worn.
ALIGN: Make sure
your microphone is placed near your mouth.
each microphone is placed near its intended mouth.
For a mic on the boom arm of a headset , the mic should be near the corner of the intended mouth, NOT smushed against the side of a face.
For a desktop mic from the 1990s , the mic should be a couple inches from and pointing in toward the intended mouth. "Eat the mic."
You might encounter unwanted volume during a call. Make note now of where
your headphones, hands, and in-line volume adjustment wheel (if available) areeach headphone, hand, and in-line volume adjustment wheel (if available) is
so you will be able to take one of the actions below if needed.
If the volume turns out to be way too high, dislodge your headphones from your ears. Say into
your microphonea microphone
that you need a moment to adjust the volume. Adjust the volume, then put your headphones back on your ears.
If the volume turns out to be too low (or you can't hear anything), play with volume settings. Remember that one of the volume settings might be an in-line volume adjustment wheel for
a headset.a headset.
Say into
your microphonea microphone
that you would like to hear ongoing blabbering while you experiment with volume settings.
MIC.1 (for headworn condenser mic users)
Make sure each microphone is worn.
ALIGN: each microphone points at corner of intended mouth, NOT smushed against side of face.
MIC.2 (for side-address condenser mic users)
ALIGN: each microphone is vertically oriented.
ALIGN: each mouth is at same height as intended microphone grill.
ALIGN: each mouth points at intended microphone grill, and each microphone grill (logo side) points at intended mouth.
ALIGN: each mouth is 6"-12" away from intended microphone grill.
MIC.3 (for dynamic mic users)
ALIGN: each mouth points at intended microphone grill, and each microphone grill points at intended mouth.
ALIGN: each microphone is about 1 inch away from intended mouth.
MIC.4 (for omnidirectional condenser mic users)
ALIGN: Aim each mouth at the omnidirectional condenser microphone.
ALIGN: Try keeping each mouth two (2) feet from microphone. You can adjust placement later to adjust mix of singer and room sound in captured audio.
ALIGN:
Your microphone has a flat frequency response in the
Recommended orientation of microphone barrel
Free field (0°)
Aim microphone at mouths.
Diffuse field (90°)
Orient microphone's barrel perpendicular to line segment connecting mouths and aperture of microphone.
Make sure headphones are worn.
Aligning cheap headset
Make sure
headset isheadsets areworn.
ALIGN: Make sure
your microphone is placed near the corner of your mouth,
each microphone is placed near the corner of its intended mouth,
NOT smushed against the side of a face.
You might encounter unwanted volume during a call. Make note now of where
your headset, hands, and in-line volume adjustment wheel (if available) areeach headphone, hand, and in-line volume adjustment wheel (if available) is
so you will be able to take one of the actions below if needed.
If the volume turns out to be way too high, dislodge
your headset from yourheadsets from
ears. Say into
your mica microphone
that you need a moment to adjust the volume. Adjust the volume, then put
your headsetyour headsets
back on your ears.
If the volume turns out to be too low (or you can't hear anything), play with volume settings. Remember that one of the volume settings might be an in-line volume adjustment wheel for
a headset.a headset.
Say into
your mica microphone
that you would like to hear ongoing blabbering while you experiment with volume settings.
Joining a call and enabling Live Performance Audio
Click the shortcut below to join your Zoom session.
Zoom
In the Zoom session window that appears (there might be other participants already there),
Referring to the top-left corner of the session window (near the green 🛡 shield), make sure that "Live Performance Audio" is "On". (Clicking "Live Performance Audio" toggles between "On" and "Off").
Referring to the bottom-left corner of the session window, make sure that your microphone icon indicates that your microphone is unmuted(there should be no red slash through your microphone icon, and the text under the icon should read "Mute").
Joining an existing or new session
Join a session from the main FarPlay window using one of the following methods:
As a guest
If you have been given a session ID (e.g. you are a student whose instructor has provided a code),
Click the clipboard in this sentence to copy the session ID provided by your guide:
.
In the main FarPlay window, click the "Join Session" button.
In the "Join Session" dialog box that appears,
Click the Paste button to paste the Session ID you were given.
Click the "Join Session" button.
As a host
If you are creating a new session (e.g. you are a teacher preparing a session for a student), click the "New Session" button.
If you created a Personal Meeting Room earlier, a menu will appear.
If you'd like to create a session with a new random Session ID, click "Create a one-time session".
In the "Session Started" dialog box that appears, click the "Enter Session" button.
In the session control panel that appears, click the Copy button to copy your Session ID.
Paste your Session ID into a text message/email for each person you want to invite to your session.
If you'd like to create a session using your previously-generated Personal Meeting Room session ID, click "Enter my personal meeting room (...)".
A session window should appear. If a participant hasn't yet received your Personal Meeting Room Session ID, click the "Copy" button to copy your Session ID to your clipboard and then paste your Session ID into a text message/email for each participant yet to receive the Session ID.
If you didn't create a Personal Meeting Room earlier,
In the "Session Started" dialog box that appears, click the "Enter Session" button.
In the session control panel that appears, click the Copy button to copy your Session ID.
Paste your Session ID into a text message/email for each person you want to invite to your session.
Wait for the person/people you invited to join your session.
Controls available in session
Under "Remote Sound" (or the name of the remote user, if there is only one), the disk-shaped clickiness-lagginess trade-off slider adjusts the trade-off between audio responsiveness and audio quality.
Sliding the slider left sacrifices audio quality (makes clicks more frequent) in return for less lag.
Sliding the slider right sacrifices responsiveness (increases lag) in return for improved audio quality (fewer clicks).
The green interval indicates an interval of trade-off slider settings FarPlay currently recommends. In Auto latency mode (Auto button is blue), on by default, the green interval is zoomed in to fill the slider, guaranteeing that any slider position you choose gives a recommended balance of latency and static.
Sliding the slider to a particular portion of the green interval (e.g. 75% of the way to the right)slides each slider for each remote site to the same fractional position in its corresponding green interval.
In Auto latency mode (Auto button is blue), FarPlay continually adjusts buffering latency on-the-fly to try to maintain the amount of static you choose. If network conditions deteriorate too quickly, automatic adjustments might not occur quickly enough to prevent audible packet-loss artifacts. In such situations, you might temporarily hear clicks.
In manual latency mode (Auto button is dark gray), FarPlay maintains the buffering latency you choose.
To open built-in illustrated instructions for the latency slider, click the latency slider information button ⓘ.
In a multi-user session, each remote site has its own slider and Auto button in the side panel at the right. Interacting with these controls allows the clickiness-lagginess trade-off to be adjusted for each site individually.
To open a text chat window, click the "Chat" button.
If you need to (re-)copy the Session ID to the clipboard, go to the Session panel and click the Copy button.
To leave a session, click the "Leave" button.
The stage displays all the people you can call right now. In the row with my name,
make a note of and remember the following.
The small square in the middle, which might have the label "auto" nearby, is used to turn on or off the automatic jitter buffer.
The pulldown menu to the right of the automatic jitter buffer checkbox is the size of the jitter buffer (expressed as a number of buffered packets).
If you would like to request to call someone individually, click on their play/connect button.
If a mass server is available for a session, the mass server will appear in the stage as SERVER. To connect to the server, click the play/connect button just for the server.
SERVER
For each site to which you are connected, you can use any of the following strategies to choose an initial configuration for the jitter buffer. If you hear a lot of garbled audio, you can experiment further.
Jitter buffer strategy A (not necessarily optimal, but easy)
Leave the automatic jitter buffer box for audio from the site of interest unchecked.
Use the table below to choose the size of the jitter buffer for audio received from the remote site of interest.
Remote user's network buffer (displayed in the "canister" in their row on the stage)
Suggested number of buffered packets for audio received from remote user
128 samples
4 buffered packets
256 samples
2 buffered packets
512 samples
1 buffered packets
This strategy is easy to use and prevents a runaway ratchet-like increase of the jitter buffer size, but this strategy will not automatically adjust the jitter buffer to accommodate mid-session variation in jitter.
Jitter buffer strategy B (also not necessarily optimal, but easy)
Click to put a ☑ checkmark in the automatic jitter buffer box for audio from the site of interest.
The automatic jitter buffer size will dynamically adjust based on network conditions.
Even while the jitter buffer size is automatically adjusting, you can still use the pulldown menu to change the number of buffered packets.
As of 2022 January, the automatic jitter buffer adjustment can be tricked in certain situations into a runaway condition in which the jitter buffer size increases in a somewhat ratchet-like fashion leading to lower performance than achieved by the other options.
Jitter buffer strategy C (possibly best, but requires supervision)
Leave the automatic jitter buffer box for audio from the site of interest unchecked.
Use the table below to choose the size of the jitter buffer for audio received from the remote site of interest.
Remote user's network buffer (displayed in the "canister" in their row on the stage)
Suggested number of buffered packets for audio received from remote user
128 samples
4 buffered packets
256 samples
2 buffered packets
512 samples
1 buffered packets
Increase and/or decrease the number of buffered packets until the minimum number of buffered packets that achieves an acceptably stable (does not need to be perfectly free of garbling) audio stream is selected.
Variations in network performance might occasionally require adjusting jitter buffer size in the midst of a session.
To disconnect from a site, go to that site's row and click the green button.
Starting up a mass server
Checking with other ensembles who might like to use the server
⚠ In periods when the bookable servers are not frequently used (2022 May onward), the servers are kept shut off. Alex can restart individual servers so that they become bookable again.
Please leave a message in the Soundjack facebook group to check whether there is any schedule conflict with the time you'd like to book the server.
"Hello, would like to book the Virginia(replace location as needed) server at Date Time Timezone. Is there any conflict?"
After you are logged into Soundjack, go to the navigation bar at the top of the page and click on Groups. Right-click on "Create Mass Server," and choose "Open link in new tab".
Go to the "Create mass server" tab that has just appeared.
Select the Duration in hours.
It is a good idea to pad a reservation with an extra hour. For example, for a rehearsal running from 7:30p-8:30p, open the server for two hours from 7:00p until 9:00p. This way, musicians can make sure that their equipment is successfully connected before rehearsal and the server doesn't abruptly shut down in the midst of conversation at the end of the rehearsal.
Select the Server location (choose a location with fastest routing to musicians in the rehearsal).
Make sure the Group listed is .
Click "Book Now".
A message should appear indicating that the mass server will be ready in about 90 seconds.
Mass server booting up . . .
You successfully booked your mass server. In about 90 seconds it should show up in your group. Make sure to re-enter the stage after bootup completion. For further information please check the server tab under info.
Refresh the stage and connect to mass server
After about 90 seconds, reload the Stage to get a fresh view of your group, .
The mass server should appear as a user with name SERVER.
After someone clicks the play/connect button for SERVER, green highlighting on their username indicates that they have connected to the mass server.
Adjusting server settings: Auto jitter buffer
In the navigation bar at the top of the page, click Groups. Right-click "Server Panel", and choose "Open link in new tab".
Go to the "Server Panel" tab that has just appeared.
You will initially see settings for the server as a whole. After a while, settings for individual users will appear underneath.
For day-to-day work, click the auto jitter buffer checkbox for each user once they connect.
If it seems that the automatic adjustment of the jitter buffer is not working, change the jitter buffer setting for the whole server to something else (you can then switch the overall server jitter buffer setting back if you like).
If the automatic jitter buffer setting seems to want to choose a high (4 buffered packets is not really "high", but 16 buffered packets, for example, is definitely "high") number of buffered packets for a particular user, ask that user to increase their network buffer. After the server's automatic jitter buffer setting is allowed some time to adjust in response, see whether the latency reported on the server panel for the user of interest has improved.
If the size of the jitter buffer (as a number of buffered packets) for audio from a particular user keeps trying to hover around, say, 16, ask the user whether they have connected the device running Soundjack directly using an Ethernet cable to their main router (only an Ethernet switch can intervene--there should be no Google Home or other extender/repeated), whether they have turned off WiFi, and whether they have turned off an VPN.
If you have time, you could instead manually adjust the jitter buffer setting for each individual user.
Adjusting server settings: Adjusting levels to avoid clipping
It would be ideal to have each individual singer check in and say something to make sure they are at least audible.
The steps below do not necessarily ensure that every singer is audible. The steps below are meant merely to prevent really annoying clipping.
Have the chorus perform warm ups that explore the highest volumes that are likely to be sung later during rehearsal.
This step can be done casually as part of a routine warm up. It is not necessary to have the chorus constantly sing loudly.
In the server panel, look for clipping by looking for any individual user level meters that at least sometimes turn pink.
Write down a list of users with pink level meters.
For each user just listed,
Check microphone placement:
Type of microphone
Placement
Headworn condenser
No less than an inch from corner of mouth, aimed at mouth
Side-address condenser
6-12 inches from mouth, with logo facing user, and with major axis of microphone perpendicular to the line connecting mouth to the grill
Dynamic
In front of mouth, 1 inch from mouth, facing in toward mouth
Omnidirectional condenser
Orientation of microphone is not that crucial, start with mouth aimed at microphone and with mouth and microphone separated by 5 feet
If needed, decrease mic gain on the singer's FMB Pro(or external mixer) so that the musician's audio does not clip.
Have the chorus continue performing warm ups that explore the highest volumes that are likely to be sung later during rehearsal.
In the server panel, check that there no longer any pink seen in level meters.
Ask the chorus whether anyone notices any distortion.
Instructions for shutting down the server are located near the end of this page.
The right-hand panel of Soundjack Lite displays everyone you are connected to right now.
To add a player,
Click "⊕ Add player".
Type the player's username.
Press ENTER.
To disconnect from a player, go to that player's row and click their button (far right).
Click the blue Connect to Group button.
Note: Depending on your SonoBus installation, you might be able to skip manually copying the private group name and password into SonoBus and separately clicking the Connect to Group button. You might be able to connect to your group simply by pointing the device on which you are running SonoBus to the following link.
Connect in SonoBus
Once you are connected to your private group
Audio from each other user in the room (who hasn't muted their own audio) should play automatically.
You can make changes specific to a particular remote user using the settings in that user's row. For example,
You can mute the remote user.
You can change the jitter buffer setting for audio received from a remote user by clicking the bar display for the remote user's Recv Jitter Buffer.
You can mute yourself by clicking the microphone icon at the bottom-left corner of the SonoBus window.
If you would like to leave the private group without quitting SonoBus, click the purple Disconnect button.
Connecting to a server
In the main Jamulus window, click the "Connect" button.
The "Connect" window (shows a list of servers) should appear.
Click the clipboard in this sentence to copy your Jamulus server address:
.
Your ensemble's Jamulus server address should have been obtained by the rehearsal technology leader and incorporated into this page of instructions ahead of time. You might not need to re-paste your ensemble's Jamulus server address if you've connected to your ensemble's Jamulus server in the past.
Paste your ensemble's Jamulus server address into the text field labeled "Server Address".
You might be able to find your ensemble's Jamulus server address by looking through the pulldown menu for "Server Address" if you've connected to your ensemble's Jamulus server in the past.
Click the "Connect" button under the "Server Address" text field.
Using the personal mixer
The main Jamulus window should now show your personal mixer.
Each audio track corresponds to a participant connected to your ensemble's Jamulus server. Most of the mixer controls (e.g. gain sliders and stereo panning knobs) are intuitive and similar to controls you might have encountered on physical audio system controls.
In particular, one of the tracks represents a copy of your audio, delayed by virtue of having passed to and back from the server. Human beings find it disturbing to hear delayed copies of their voices. To mute the delayed copy of your audio in your personal mix, enable the "MUTE" light-up button for your audio track. A red slashed speaker should appear at the top of your audio track display in the personal mixer.
The gain sliders and panning knobs on your personal mixer affect the audio you hear, but not the audio other session participants hear.
Your input signal levels are shown near the left.
The "Mute Myself" light-up button near the bottom-left corner of the window can be turned ON to prevent others from hearing your audio. Using the "Mute Myself" light-up button is courteous when changing audio equipment connections, coughing, taking a phone call, practicing accompanying a piece of music with which you are unfamiliar, etc. When you are muted, a red banner that reads "MUTED (Other people won't hear you)" appears at the top of your personal mixer window.
Sometimes, it's convenient to be able to use a single gain slider to adjust the gain for a subset of ensemble members (e.g. raise the volume on the second tenors for a few measures). You can use the "GRP" light-up button for a user's individual audio track to assign that user to a group. When a gain slider for one member of a group is adjusted, the gain sliders for the rest of the members of that same group are adjusted in the same way.
To leave a Jamulus session, click the "Disconnect" button near the bottom-left corner of the Jamulus window.
Starting up a Jamulus server
Choosing a server
In addition to setting up a Jamulus server you yourself install on a cloud-computing platform, you can rent Jamulus servers that are already set up. Examples of rental services include
It's best to choose a server that is as geographically close as possible to session participants. To get an idea of what kind of one-way transit delays can exist between locations, see the latency map.
It's preferable to reserve a server with a "pretty" and fixed address.
If you can reserve a fixed server address, you can use the URL customizer on this setup page to generate permanent customized versions of this page containing your ensemble's Jamulus server address.
A pretty address might be less stressful to share with someone who is freaking out trying to connect to a rehearsal.
Advice for server time booked in advance
If you're not leaving your ensemble's Jamulus server "just running all the time," it's preferable to book the server to be open at least 30 minutes before a scheduled rehearsal.
Ensemble members are strongly encouraged to begin setup no later than 15 minutes before baton down. Ensemble members with more hardware setup steps (e.g. must reconnect cables and devices for each session because pets roaming in home make leaving devices connected unsafe) should begin setup at least 30 minutes before baton down, at least for the first three rehearsals they join.
It is preferable to extend bookings to run for at least 15 minutes past the scheduled ends of your rehearsals.
You don't want the audio for a session that attempted to continue a minute longer than scheduled to be abruptly cut off.
Day-of-rehearsal routine tasks
If your ensemble's Jamulus server rental is activated on an on-demand basis, the low-latency rehearsal technology leader should log into the server rental service website and turn on the Jamulus server at least 30 minutes ahead of baton down.
A reminder to shut down the Jamulus server is located near the end of this page.
Part Starting Soundjack video
Check the checkbox marked Send video.
Use the video input pulldown menu to select the camera you'd like to use to send video.
In the Camera window that shows your local video, you can adjust the resolution and color mode(160x120 B/W is fine for gestures, and 640x480 color is nice for a screencapture recording for a keepsake video clip and/or livestreaming).
To stop sending video, switch the video input pulldown menu setting back to "no video".
Part Starting VDO.Ninja lowish-latency video
On the computer being used for video, in Vivaldi/Chrome, click an icon below corresponding to a video format with which you'd like to join the VDO.Ninja video call. Instructions for the screensharing options are not included on this page.
A
🎤 Singer
🐌 Low bandwidth
VDO.Ninja
B
👋 Conductor
🐌 Low-bandwidth
VDO.Ninja
C
👋 Conductor
🐇 High-bandwidth
VDO.Ninja
D
🗖 Screensharing
🐇 High-bandwidth
VDO.Ninja
E
🗖 Screensharing
🐇 Very high bandwidth
VDO.Ninja
One-time/occasional: You might be asked to give VDO.Ninja permission to access your camera and microphone.
Only give VDO.Ninja permission to access your camera.
Do NOT give VDO.Ninja permission to access your microphone.
Use the pulldown menu for "Video Source" to choose your preferred camera.
Once the green START button appears, verify that your video preview appears as desired.
Press START.
Part Using SonoBus's Link Generator to start VDO.Ninja video
With a running SonoBus session, click the group information button in SonoBus (directly under the purple "Disconnect" button). From the pull-down menu that appears, choose "VDO.Ninja Video Link Generator".
Choose "Mode: Room".
As long as you are running SonoBus on a computer with enough spare processing power to run video, click the Open button.
Otherwise, use the Copy button to copy the VDO.Ninja link to the clipboard for later transfer to a device powerful enough to run VDO.Ninja.
One-time/occasional: If you are asked to give VDO.Ninja permission to access your camera, grant VDO.Ninja permission to access your camera.
In the VDO.Ninja browser tab that has appeared, check that the camera you want to use is selected as the "Video Source".
Verify that your video preview appears as desired.
Press START.
Part Starting other web-based video
On the computer being used for video, in Vivaldi/Chrome, click the shortcut below to open the 📷 link.
With a FarPlay session currently running, go to the "Tools" section and click the "Video" button.
The "Choose your camera" button lets you select the local camera you use to transmit outbound video.
The "Cycle layouts" button switches to the next style for how individual site video panels are arranged on screen.
The "Inset your video" button places local video in a small picture-in-picture inset in the corner of the video so that more of the screen can be used for remote video.
The "Maximize videos" button enlarges and crops video feeds to eliminate screen space wasted on the black background.
The "Open chat" button opens the text chat window.
macOS: To adjust video settings, go to the "Video" menu and choose "Video Preferences".
macOS:To shutdown video, click the red close window ball 🔴 at the top-left corner of the video window.
Windows: To adjust video settings, go to the FarPlay Video - FarPlay window, click the "Options" menu, and choose "Video Preferences".
Windows:To shutdown video, click the close window X at the top-right corner of the FarPlay Video - FarPlay window.
To learn more about FarPlay video (including multitrack video recording, available in beta to Standard+ subscribers), go to FarPlay's video instructions.
Part Using Zoom high-latency video
On the computer being used for video, click the shortcut below to open Zoom.
Zoom
Near the bottom-left corner, make sure the camera icon is not slashed. If needed, press "Start video".
Near the bottom-corner, click the caret on the microphone button, then choose "Leave Computer Audio".
In the Zoom session window, look at the bottom-left corner and make sure that your Camera is started (not slashed). If needed, press "Start video".
Part Folder of sheet music/tabs
Open the sheet music/guitar tabs link using one of the following options:
To open the sheet music/guitar tabs link in a new Vivaldi/Chrome tab, click the shortcut below.
To open the sheet music/guitar tabs link on a mobile device, scan the QR code.
🎼
Sheet music/Chords
Part Shutting down
Close the browser tab used for VDO.Ninja.
Close the browser tab used for VDO.Ninja.
Close the browser tab used for 📷.
Close Zoom:
Click the " Leave " button.
Click the " Leave meeting " button that then appears.
Shutting down the server
The server will shut itself down at the end of the booked duration. If you are done using the server before the reservation is scheduled to end, please, as a courtesy to other potential users, go to the Server Panel and click the big red disk with a white diagonal cross to shut down the server.
Leave the Soundjack STAGE.
Close the Soundjack Lite tab.
Shutting down the Jamulus server
Once the session has concluded, shut down the Jamulus server.
Even if the billing for your Jamulus server rental is not directly affected whether you leave the server running, it is courteous to shut the Jamulus server down as soon as it is no longer in use. Keeping the server running consumes cloud computing resources.
on.COMP
Windows:Right-click the soundjack system tray icon. Select Shut down Soundjack. macOS:Ctrl-click the Soundjack icon
on the dock. Choose Quit.Quit SonoBus.
Quit Jamulus.
Windows:X out of the FarPlay application window. macOS:Ctrl-click the FarPlay icon
on the dock. Choose Quit.
on.COMP
Close Zoom:
Click the " Leave " button.
Click the " Leave meeting " button that then appears.
On the FMB Pro , check that 48-V PHANTOM POWER is OFF.
on.FMB (for FMB users)
Turn your FMB OFF:
Hold-press the power button on the FMB for three (3) seconds. (This will work if your FMB is housed in an Argon ONE case, which has a power button).
The green LED on the front of the FMB will flicker, and then the Red LED on the front of the FMB (and the FMB itself) will turn off.
on.FMBPro (for FMB Pro users)
Turn your FMB Pro OFF:
Hold-press the power button on the FMB Pro for three seconds. (This is a placeholder instruction. I don't have an FMB Pro to test).
The Red LED on the front of the FMB Pro will eventually turn off.
on.JB (for Jambox users)
Quit SonoBus.
Quit Jamulus.
In the Jambox desktop screen, double-click the ⏼ Shutdown icon.
A terminal window will appear announcing that the Jambox will shut down in 5 seconds.
The Jambox should stop screensharing the Jambox desktop with you, and you should be sent back to the noVNC connection screen.
IF your Jambox has NOT yet powered OFF (varies with Raspberry Pi form factor), turn your Jambox OFF:
Hold-press the power button on the Jambox for a few seconds.
After a few more seconds, the Jambox finally powers off (as indicated by the extinction of the Red LED on the front of the Jambox).
You can close the tab showing 🎼 sheet music/chords if you wish.
Choose equipment to use with Jamulus 
Choose equipment to use with SonoBus 
Choose equipment to use with Soundjack 
Setup instructions
Setup instructions for
1-page general reference
Troubleshooting
Legacy documentation
fiber
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& 3.5-mm plug mic 
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that connects switch → router:
. Please pay attention to which type of connector, USB-C or USB-A, you'd like to use, and please check that you are happy with the number of USB expansion ports provided by the Ethernet-to-USB adapter you select.
https://github.com/kdoren/jambox-pi-gen
instrument cable
($4)
→ Power Outlet 
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→ Computer 
already connected to Wall Power 
→ Power outlet 
→ Headworn Condenser Mic 
→ 
into the headphones jack of the digital piano 🎹.
appears. A terminal window also appears. You can minimize and ignore the terminal window).
or a dark gray button containing both a padlock and the label "LOGIN", as shown below
or a red button containing the label "LOGOUT", as shown below
icon.
setting is "extended".
pull-down menu is set to "".
pulldown menu and select "accept any call".
to your 
to your 
setting, use 
is set to "moderate delay: 256".
is set to "network buffer: 128".
button.
button (far right).
pulldown menu to select the camera you'd like to use to send video. 
button lets you select the local camera you use to transmit outbound video.
button switches to the next style for how individual site video panels are arranged on screen.
button places local video in a small picture-in-picture inset in the corner of the video so that more of the screen can be used for remote video.
button enlarges and crops video feeds to eliminate screen space wasted on the black background.
button opens the text chat window.
