Remote music production collaboration

The phrase "remote collaboration" is well known in the business world where employees in remote locations, often different continents, collaborate and communicate using a variety of technologies.

At the very simplest this might mean using a cloud based document service such as Google docs/drive. If you've never used it you should try it. It's free, and the documents you create, such as spreadsheets can be downloaded for safe archiving and backup. The only downsides are that you can't access and edit documents without an internet connection.

Cloud services are an incredibly useful resource even if you're working alone. We've found it an invaluable tool for project management, lyric writing, and storing information about recording sessions and gear setups. The ability to type into a phone some ideas or lyrics that occur to you whilst on the train, and then have the document update and sync across all your devices ready for when you get back to your studio, or pickup your tablet, is both convenient and empowering.

And then there's music production collaboration. The idea of running recording sessions that involve people in different geographical locations is not new, but as network connection speeds have improved they become increasingly less expensive and more satisfying. Whilst broadcast professional use expensive, old and establishes ISDN protocols, project studio owners can use technologies that exploit cheap and available internet protocols. Recently Avid have integrated music production network collaboration into Pro Tools.

You can choose between several primary working methods for collaboration ..

Offline
A 'master' session is stored in the cloud and various collaborators can edit and contribute to it.

Real-time
This involves running a session in which 2 computers with identical host software (eg DAWs) are synced. Whilst we're used to evaluating broadband service by comparing download speeds, upload speed is equally important for real-time collaboration, and 10Mbps is recommended. Also, wired ethernet connections form DAW computer to router are recommended. Avoid wi-fi.

File-sharing
Send a backing track or session to a collaborator who adds their contribution and sends it back. It is not always necessary to sync two systems. Many of us work alone on projects but need the contributions of others, a soloist perhaps, or a singer. Providing your contributor has a decent mic and A to D convertor, and some basic sound recording ability, it's easy to send them a backing track and have them record the part you need.

Remote producing
But what about actually producing their performance live? In this case, all you really need is a Skye or FaceTime connection. You can give them real-time feedback, guidance and encouragement.

So perhaps now is the time to think about trying remote collaboration. Contact old musician friends or make new ones. Who knows what new musical avenues may open for you.

Thanks for reading
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