{"id":8748,"date":"2026-02-12T16:14:50","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/online-rehearsals-are-changing-the-way-musicians-work\/"},"modified":"2026-02-12T16:14:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T16:14:50","slug":"online-rehearsals-are-changing-the-way-musicians-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/online-rehearsals-are-changing-the-way-musicians-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Rehearsals Are Changing the Way Musicians Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/carter.jpg\" width=\"1430\" height=\"956\" alt=\"\"><figcaption>Photo Courtesy of Lutefish<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Real-time online music sessions are here, and they\u2019re starting to have an impact. Musicians of all levels are flocking towards the efficient proposition of doing much of their work online.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Music lessons, group rehearsals, onboarding new band members, and even entire band reunions are taking place entirely online using technology that makes it feel like you\u2019re playing with other musicians in the same room, even if you\u2019re hundreds of miles apart. While we are still learning the full scope of its uses, one thing is crystal clear about the new online music collaboration platform, Lutefish, and it\u2019s that it definitely works. Check out this SPIN-facilitated demo video for some hard proof.<\/p>\n<p>More from Spin:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2026\/02\/eaux-claires-lineup\/\">Dijon, Lil Yachty, Aimee Mann Emerge For Eaux Claires<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2026\/02\/tame-impala-djo-tour\/\">Tame Impala Touring With Djo, Dominic Fike<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2026\/02\/spin-and-tipify-team-up-to-send-emerging-artists-on-the-road-to-austin-2\/\">SPIN and Tipify Team Up to Send Emerging Artists on the \u201cRoad to Austin\u201d<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"TargetVideo_70667028\" style=\"width:705; height:397;\"> <\/div>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ \"div\": \"TargetVideo_70667028\", \"obj\": {\"video\":\"2500100\",\"width\":\"705\",\"height\":\"397\",\"id\":\"30727\"} }); <\/script> <script type=\"text\/javascript\" async src=\"https:\/\/player.target-video.com\/player\/build\/targetvideo.min.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-authentic-online-lessons\">More Authentic Online Lessons<\/h2>\n<p>Music education has been taking advantage of the internet for decades, but only now is that partnership reaching its full potential. Current music educator and former <em>Sugar Ray<\/em> bassist and songwriter, Murphy Karges, has had a thorough music career. And now, after decades of touring, releasing albums, and working on megahits like \u201c<em>Fly<\/em>,\u201d Murphy now runs an elite bass education program, one that\u2019s mostly online.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"468\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-653738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-1.png 468w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-1-340x227.png 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-1-240x160.png 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Murphy Karges (Photo courtesy of Lutefish)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Despite being primarily remote, Murphy\u2019s program isn\u2019t your typical stack of prerecorded video content. Rather, it\u2019s designed as a personable teaching experience, where he\u2019s there to provide direct instruction and feedback to his students. But that kind of real-time interaction is difficult to pull off using typical video call apps.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can show somebody something over Zoom and it\u2019s a bit detached,\u201d explains Murphy, \u201cbut for some things it will work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Desiring better results, Murphy searched for something meant for music, not business meetings or video calls. For musicians to play together online, you need a connection that is much faster and more responsive than an app like Zoom. Those platforms are fine for chatting because you don\u2019t need a super-fast connection to keep a conversation flowing, but real-time musical collaboration is different. Even slight delays can result in disastrous sync issues with musicians becoming completely disoriented.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Murphy chose Lutefish, a made-for-music remote platform that achieves faster speeds by using a hardware device that acts as a bridge between a musician\u2019s instrument and the internet.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"468\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/device.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-653739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/device.png 468w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/device-340x260.png 340w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Murphy Karges (Photo courtesy of Lutefish)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI chose it (Lutefish) because it\u2019s a simpler model than the others. Some of the other ones don\u2019t even have a physical device. I looked at them all. And some look sketchy, like a hacker\u2019s website. Lutefish is a tangible physical device you use, and you plug in, it sits on your desk, and it\u2019s fairly simple to operate.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"468\" height=\"312\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-653740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-2.png 468w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-2-340x227.png 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Murphy-2-240x160.png 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Murphy Karges (Photo courtesy of Lutefish)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lutefish\u2019s responsive connection keeps up with a group of musicians playing in real-time. It also delivers better audio quality with two high-quality inputs for instruments and mics. The clear audio and fast connection create a convincing experience, according to Murphy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy students and members feel like I\u2019m sitting right next to them, in the room, going over the exact thing they need\u2026 either right or wrong, in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-busy-band-s-dream\">A Busy Band\u2019s Dream<\/h2>\n<p>Working bands are also benefiting from real-time remote sessions. Up-and-coming SoCal thrashers Trip To The Morgue have been experiencing challenging, but welcome, growing pains over the last year, with a new record deal and a rigorous touring schedule. When the band needed to add a new guitarist in the middle of the chaos, remote rehearsals saved the day.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"862\" src=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue-1290x862.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-653741\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue-1290x862.jpg 1290w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue-340x227.jpg 340w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue-498x333.jpg 498w, https:\/\/static.spin.com\/files\/2026\/02\/Trip-To-The-Morgue.jpg 1430w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trip To The Morgue (Photo courtesy of Lutefish)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When describing the onboarding of new band member, Jamison \u201cJJ\u201d Jackson, who lived hundreds of miles away, Trip To The Morgue guitarist, James Patrick McCosar, explains that they were actually able to practice as a band via Lutefish. Three weeks later, Jackson actually played a live gig with them in Las Vegas. Via remote rehearsals with Lutefish, Jamison was ready for the stage in less than a month.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s be honest, making it in the music business nowadays requires bands to be tight, sound cohesive, and play like you\u2019ve been together for years,\u201d asserts McCosar. \u201cLutefish is like a shortcut. You skip travel time, random practice room challenges, and scheduling nightmares. With Lutefish, the only limitation is your time and dedication.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-getting-the-band-back-together\">Getting the Band Back Together<\/h2>\n<p>Lutefish\u2019s online music rehearsals and lessons are making it easier for music educators and bands to squeeze in sessions. In fact, some projects on Lutefish would not even be possible without it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Scott Walker wanted to reunite his college band for a show to celebrate his retirement, but Scott knew they would need more than a few rehearsals after nearly four decades of not playing together. With the group now separated by hundreds of miles across Florida and the Carolinas, in-person rehearsals were not feasible, so Scott turned to Lutefish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWithout Lutefish, we couldn\u2019t have pulled this off,\u201d he recalls. \u201cWe only had time for a few in-person practices, but we could rehearse weekly online. We\u2019d jump on between the end of the workday and supper with short, focused sessions. Those weekly jam sessions were the difference between being ready and not. The show went off without a hitch, and the group sounded good. And not just \u201cgood for garage band,\u201d but more like, \u201cwhy did these guys ever stop\u201d good.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing able to actually play music together in real time was the game-changer,\u201d Scott adds. \u201cThe Lutefish network makes latency tolerable, and the experience forces you to simulate a real performance by standing, playing, singing, and managing sounds. It\u2019s the next best thing to being in the same room.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-challenges-of-remote-music-platforms\">The Challenges of Remote Music Platforms<\/h2>\n<p>With such obvious benefits, why is remote music collaboration just starting to catch on, when we\u2019ve had Zoom and FaceTime for ages? Why did it take so long for music to hop on the remote collab bandwagon? The answer is internet latency.<\/p>\n<p>Based on prior research, it\u2019s generally accepted that for a functional and enjoyable online music session, musicians need to hear each other\u2019s notes and rhythms within about 40 milliseconds of their occurrence. That means from the time a guitarist plucks a string, you only have 40 one-thousandths of a second to get that sound through an audio input, an analog-to-digital audio converter, a home router, miles of networking cable, and then through another router and audio converter on the other end.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Until relatively recently, the average internet connection did not provide a latency level that was consistently low enough for real-time music collaboration. But today, according to the FCC\u2019s most recent available <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/reports-research\/reports\/measuring-broadband-america\/charts-measuring-fixed-broadband-thirteenth#chart6\" target=\"_blank\">data<\/a>, the average latency of a fiber internet ISP sits somewhere around 10 milliseconds, and a cable\u00a0 ISP is around 18 milliseconds, providing enough headroom for online music rehearsals that feel natural. Keep in mind, an average network latency of, say, 39 milliseconds still would not be fast enough for online music collaboration because network latency is just one part of the process. It also takes a non-negligible amount of time to convert sound to and from the digital realm and to get it through a pair of speakers. That\u2019s why you need an average latency that is well below the 40-millisecond max.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Once low latency became a widespread reality, it took someone with the right resources and motivation to create an online music platform. That\u2019s exactly what happened for music manufacturer, Wenger Corporation, when, during the pandemic, it realized the technology, infrastructure, and market were primed for a remote music collaboration solution, and Lutefish was born.<\/p>\n<p>Being backed by an industry staple like Wenger is a huge security net for a new platform like Lutefish, which debuted in November 2024. With any product that requires consistent updates and support to remain highly functional, it\u2019s important to choose a solution that\u2019s going to stick around. That\u2019s what sets Lutefish above the competition \u2013 it\u2019s built on an 80-year foundation of the heavily trusted music giant Wenger Corporation.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Lutefish may be the edge the music industry has desired for decades. It works well, sounds good, and feels a lot like playing music with someone in the same room, despite working up to 500 miles away. It\u2019s easy to see a future where musicians utilize remote sessions the way that other industries have leveraged remote collaboration for years. It\u2019s simply too efficient, cost-effective, and beneficial to pass up. It\u2019s great to see those advantages finally taking shape for musicians.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spin.com\/2021\/07\/the-greatest-rock-stars-of-all-time\/?utm_source=yahoo&amp;utm_medium=bottomlink&amp;utm_campaign=yahoolink\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photo Courtesy of Lutefish Real-time online music sessions are here, and they\u2019re starting to have an impact. Musicians of all levels are flocking towards the efficient proposition of doing much&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[213],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-partner"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8748\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/musictechohio.online\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}