Patchby tonal.fm
Get Patch

Guide · Zoom · Fitness · Mac

How to play music in a Zoom fitness class

Put the music in your microphone, under your voice, and turn on Zoom’s Original sound for musicians. Your class hears the beat and every cue. Here’s the setup for a Mac, and the Zoom settings that keep the music from cutting out.

The quick fix

  • Zoom’s Share sound plays your music, but it can’t set it under your voice. Your cues get lost in the chorus.
  • Mix the music into your microphone instead, with its own slider, and the class hears both at the levels you set.
  • Then choose Original sound for musicians in Zoom, so it doesn’t cut the music out as noise.

Why Share sound falls short in class

Zoom can send your music with Share Screen › Share sound, or on its own with Advanced › Computer Audio. Both work, but Zoom says the level is set in the app that’s playing, or with your Mac’s volume. There’s no slider that keeps the music under your voice, so the class hears either quiet music or buried cues.

A share also sends every sound your Mac makes, notifications included, and stops if someone else starts sharing.

Put the music under your voice

Zoom hears one microphone. Mix your playlist into it and the class hears your voice on top and the music underneath, like a studio class.

Patch, which we make, does this on a Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 26 or later. It mixes your mic and up to four apps into one microphone called Patch Mix, with a limiter so a loud drop doesn’t clip.

  1. Add your microphone and your music to Patch. Open Patch, add the microphone you teach with, then add the app your playlist is in: Spotify, Music, or a browser.
  2. Set the music under your voice. Turn on Send for both, and pull the music’s slider down until your voice sits clearly on top. Turn on Hear locally so you hear the music too.
  3. Choose Patch Mix in Zoom. In Zoom, open Settings, then Audio. Choose Patch Mix as the microphone, your headphones as the speaker, and turn off Automatically adjust microphone volume.
  4. Choose Original sound for musicians. Under Microphone modes, choose Original sound for musicians, so Zoom stops treating the music as background noise.
  5. Go live and start class. Click Go live in Patch. The class hears your cues over the music, and your screen stays free for your camera.

Always choose your headphones as Zoom’s speaker, never Patch Pass-Thru. For Zoom’s other options, see play music on Zoom.

Zoom settings for a class

Open Zoom’s Settings and choose Audio, or in a meeting click the arrow next to the Audio button, then Microphone modes.

  • Original sound for musicians: turns Zoom’s noise suppression off, so the music isn’t removed.
  • High-fidelity music mode: under Original sound, for fuller music. Keep it if your internet holds up.
  • Echo cancellation: under Original sound. Turn it off only if you wear headphones.
  • Automatically adjust microphone volume: off, so Zoom doesn’t change the level you set.

Tips for teaching

  • Test with a friend first. Ask them where the music should sit, then leave the slider there.
  • Use earbuds or a headset mic. You can move, and your mic won’t hear the music twice.
  • Turn the music down for long cues. In Patch, the music’s slider works while you’re live.
  • Turn on Do Not Disturb. Only the apps you add to Patch reach the class, but your own ears will thank you.

Questions

How do I play music and talk at the same time on Zoom?

Put the music into your microphone with a virtual mic such as Patch, so your voice and the music reach Zoom together, each at its own level. With Share sound, Zoom says to set the music’s level in the app that plays it, which can’t keep it under your voice as you get louder and quieter.

Why does my music keep cutting out on Zoom?

Zoom’s noise suppression is removing it. In Settings › Audio, under Microphone modes, choose Original sound for musicians. If you’d rather keep some suppression, set Background noise suppression to Low.

Should I turn on High-fidelity music mode?

It sits under Original sound for musicians and is made for music. Try it, and keep it if your connection holds up. Turn Echo cancellation off only if you wear headphones or earbuds.

Do I need headphones to teach?

It helps a lot. If the music plays out of your speakers, your mic picks it up a second time and the class hears an echo. Earbuds or a headset mic keep the mix clean, and let you move around.

Am I allowed to play Spotify in my class?

Spotify’s Terms of Use give you personal, non-commercial use. A paid class is commercial, so check what your music source allows, or use music licensed for fitness classes.