Most video conferencing systems are designed so only one person can be talking at once, an approach known as half-duplex. Some programs have ways to shut these features off, but you may have to dig into the settings a bit. In addition, many programs use automatic volume control, echo suppression techniques, and other processing that improves intelligibility for conversation, but wreaks havoc on music.

The frequency response is usually limited. Most video conferencing systems are optimized for voice communications. There are three basic obstacles to using these programs for music: Most of us have discovered ways to connect with friends and family using audio and video conferencing systems like Skype, Facetime, Zoom, and many others, so it’s natural to think that we could use these to play music as well. Let’s look quickly at the main issues, and then explore a few tools that may help you. While this is possible when all conditions are right, real-time collaboration over the internet is still in the early stages and there are significant challenges to making it work. With many musicians sheltering in place, everyone is looking for a way to play music together over the internet, hoping to be able to perform for others or just jam together.