How do you guys collab online?

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How do you guys collab online?

Postby NightmareRare » 03 Nov 2014 04:35

Hey guys!

So I've being wondering, how do you guy go about collaborating over the web to make a full song? Skype, screen share, and write/render/send are some ways I thought might work but I'd really appreciate some insight from some people who have experience working over the net with a partner. Thanks!
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby CitricAcid » 03 Nov 2014 05:45

I've only had one collab work out, but I think this is a good system to follow:

1) You do half the work.
2) Contact the person you want to collab with via PM. If they say no, contact someone else via PM.
3) They do the other half of the work.

Personally I think it's a bad idea to ask someone to collab before completing any work or to ask for a collab via public post. As for communicating, if you can't share project files, I would print stems and send those to your collab partner. And Skype of course for saying howdy and whatnot.
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby NightmareRare » 03 Nov 2014 19:24

Thanks that's a good idea! I'll have to try that out.
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby Callenby » 03 Nov 2014 20:36

Communication is key. I cannot stress this enough. You need to be able to communicate with your partner.

Whenever I do a collab, I try and hash out my ideas and expectations with my partner and adjust accordingly. Set out goals for yourselves. Figure out who's going to work on what beforehand. If you wait to do this, you might end up getting loaded with more work than you ever really agreed to.

If relevant, I'll provide examples of the kind of songs or tones I'm thinking of.

I use Dropbox to send over WIPs or stems. Sometimes I've made close to a dozen WIPs before finally being done.

Collaboration = communication, basically.
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby NightmareRare » 04 Nov 2014 03:18

Yeah I can see communication being real important. Especially online. I guess this is where networking skills really pay there dues, thanks for the pointer Callenby!
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby Mr. Bigglesworth » 04 Nov 2014 04:13

Callenby wrote:Collaboration = communication, basically.

Why I'm bad at collaborations in 3 words
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby phaux » 05 Nov 2014 13:46

If you're both using the same DAW use a file sync program to sync the project file.
I've been using Pulse for this, but I'm going to try Sparkle Share for the next collab.
There's also Bitwig Studio which promised to have collab functionality built-in after version 1.0, but last time I checked, it wasn't there yet.
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby FLAOFEI » 06 Nov 2014 02:02

I've only done one successful colab, so I'm hardly an expert on the topic... But i can say skype is good, and it makesit easier if your already friends and talk/ chat alot anyway.
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby Injustrial » 09 Nov 2014 17:16

I've tried several and I've had about a 50/50 success rate with them. So far, the ones I've started myself have been mostly successful when they're close to halfway done. I let the person know what I was thinking, what I think is missing from the track etc.

The ones I've gotten a request to do have been a mixed bag. I've gotten a few that was very fleshed out and just needed that extra little something to be done with. They've gone very well, for the most part (I'm sorry Freewave. I'll get to it, I swear) Others have been more... varied. And I sometimes just don't have the heart to say outright "This is really bad and unsaveable, and I can't work with this"
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby JSynth » 29 Nov 2014 15:15

When I did a collab with That Music Brony, I basically approached him and said "dude lets collab". Then we added each other on skype and started sending midi files back and fourth. I doubt every collab runs that smoothly, but its the only full on collab that I have done.
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby Freewave » 29 Nov 2014 15:38

It varies drastically I've found and every song may be different. Having skype, forum pm's, or emails you can shoot back and forth is essential. Dropbox (best for sharing and updating the same stems) or mediafire for immediate file sharing. If you're using the same DAw and vsts thats awesome but it can be hard if you're both musicians that does make it difficult. Having a vocalist do the vocal part and a musician the remainder is far easier. Some collabs went on for close to a year (Romantic Tragedy, my collab with Injustrial :???: :lol: ) while others were finished in just a few weeks (Breakfast in Bed, Be Assertive). Each is different from the last in some way.

Communication is extremely important. Funny thing is how many people will do a collab and then never want to again (buck and run i guess) and some you may collab with time and time again. With the Maressey project i gave some of the more well known vocalists extra time as they appeared to need it..... some came through and others have put me off for months and likely won't get me anything in the end (ie we only seem to playing skype tag). Giving them too few reminders can backfire as musicians often just do not juggle time well.

If you have a good rapport that's a much better chance of success but if they love using the "do not disturb buton", beware. But others were much more immediate, went to work immediately, and were willing to redo sections that were off. Try to work with those people as tbh I'd rather work with someone less well known who clearly has the skills and talent and is making the effort then someone who's always unavailable and busy but popular (although EQD may say differently). One last thing is be sure you are both happy before you release the track, you can't undo an unrelease and if the mix or some element of it is underwhelming then the damage is done....
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Re: How do you guys collab online?

Postby JSynth » 01 Dec 2014 17:57

Freewave wrote:One last thing is be sure you are both happy before you release the track, you can't undo an unrelease and if the mix or some element of it is underwhelming then the damage is done....


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