Original Sound Solution
Summary of Request:
I respectfully propose the implementation of a feature within Zoom that allows the host to set "Original Sound for Musicians" to be permanently enabled by default for both the host and all meeting participants, with no need for toggling during each meeting. This should be in the initial setup and emailed as part of the link to our client so that they never have to hunt for or have to change to the "original sound" for this setting.
Current Issue:
Despite enabling “Original Sound for Musicians” in account settings, users must still manually activate it in every single meeting. For music instructors like myself—who teach dozens of students, many of whom are children or elderly—this creates significant inefficiencies:
- Valuable lesson time is lost teaching clients how to locate and enable the setting.
- The option is inconsistently placed across devices and updates, causing confusion.
- This directly impacts the quality of instruction, retention of students, and my business.
Why This Matters:
Original sound is not a convenience—it is essential to hearing musical nuance. Without it, Zoom compresses and distorts tone, dynamics, and articulations, rendering music instruction ineffective.
This feature’s current implementation disproportionately burdens:
- Children, who often cannot follow technical steps.
- Elderly clients, who may struggle with toggling advanced settings.
- Teachers, who lose 5–15 minutes of lesson time per session navigating technical setup instead of teaching.
Proposed Solution:
Please create an advanced host setting or meeting template option that allows:
- “Original Sound for Musicians” to be locked on by default for the host.
- The host to pre-enable this setting for all participants when scheduling or launching a meeting.
- Optional: The ability to apply this globally across recurring meetings or the user’s Zoom account.
Business Impact:
I have used Zoom for several years and have been a paying customer throughout. However, this unresolved issue is now impacting my ability to retain clients. I am currently researching alternative platforms that allow more consistent control of audio settings tailored to musicians. I do not wish to leave Zoom, but unless this functionality is improved, I may have no choice and I am not alone.
Final Note:
This request reflects a growing concern among the music education and performance communities using Zoom. Please prioritize this feature to support the professionals who depend on Zoom for their livelihood.
Thank you for your consideration.