Low Latency Audio and Video Collaboration Technology and Education

The Covid 19 Pandemic knocked the music industry back on its heels. Unable to safely collaborate in person, a patchwork of solutions emerged. Some gave up and decided to wait, boxed in by a lack of either information or technological infrastructure. Others turned to compromised solutions like Zoom that allowed for interaction but imposed delays that made collaborative performance impossible. Now that widespread vaccination and effective medications allow for a safer return to in person collaboration, both of these approaches deserve to be retired. A third solution, online collaboration tools with latency similar to the acoustic delay of an in-person performance, deserves consideration beyond its utility as a pandemic stop-gap. I utilized this third option throughout the pandemic, and I continue to use it on a near daily basis today.

I helped to deploy and manage a system of 100 faculty and student users at the New England Conservatory that facilitated dozens of daily interactions during the pandemic. I designed and taught a graduate-level course in Real Time Online Music Making at the New England Conservatory, and I have taught two professional development courses in this technology since the summer of 2020. I have been engaged to speak on this subject on multiple podcasts and webinars, and stories about this work have appeared in WBUR, Forbes, Choral Journal (ACDA), Broadway World, and Musical America.

Should everyone use low latency audio and video technology? Absolutely not. It is neither indicated for nor possible in all use cases. However, as we emerge from the pandemic and seek to discard poor solutions, we should consider what we have learned from this experience. What new client bases does low latency technology create? How would facility with this technology advantage your graduates in the professional world? How does this technology highlight the logistical, economic, and social challenges of traveling to a specific building at a specific time?

There is no one right answer to these questions. But there is the answer that is right for your community, client base, or collaborators. I can help you think through how to maximize the value this technology can create.