by Les Brockmann
I believe musicians make their best music when they collaborate with each other. The best composers, producers, instrumentalists, singers, and of course mixer/engineers, are specialists who spend their lives perfecting their art and craft. And then, get together as a team, each contributing for the finest results.
Many of us have already been used to working on our own, in personal studios, and now the need for distancing has brought even more into the home recording fold. Still, unless you want to be a one person band, adequate at many things but not perfect, you'll probably want to reach out and include someone else in your music.
So, a-shopping you’ve gone, and now have hardware and software to get started recording. One of the first questions you'll probably have, after you get up to speed on your DAW software, is "How can I share my song, score, or performance with others, or have other share with me?”
It's pretty easy… But first, a simple concept: no matter what the DAW—ProTools, Logic, DP, Cubase, or others—they all use the same kinds of files “under the hood”. The most important are the audio files, which are almost always WAV. Every DAW uses these, placing them in a "folder in a folder”. (Don’t use MP3 or AAC files for any part of this.)
The following is from the point of view of the person preparing a song session file, in order to share it with someone else. For each song or piece of music, it will help you prepare a folder to then share with your collaborator. Or, if you are that person who's been asked to contribute, it will give you an easy checklist of what to expect, and of course what to do when you're ready to pack up your newly added tracks and send them back.
There are two lists here: the “temp mix” method, which is useful for sending tracks to a performer who will then add something and send it all back, and the "separate tracks” method, especially useful for sending files for recording sessions and mixing.
Best delivery to transfer any DAW file to another DAW (temporary mix, for adding parts):
If the goal is for someone to add a vocal or instrumental part, a composer/producer can use a simple process for delivery:
1. Prepare and bounce a demo or temporary mix, from bar 1 beat 1 or any agreed-upon start point. Also, bounce a copy of the click track from the same starting measure. (You won't need count off clicks in audio, the destination computer can generate those. It's just for the recipient to match and verify.) Label the tracks, briefly (see #4 in “separate tracks” below).
2. Then export your tracks into a new folder, in the native file format of the audio such as 24-bit WAV at 48K.
3. Also send a standard MIDI file. Export from bar 1. It can be used to set the tempo/meter map.
4. Include a PDF of the score, reduced score, or individual sheet music.
5. Take the folder of everything and “compress” that using Finder (Mac). Right-click or control click to get the pop-up menu.
6. Then upload to the file transfer website of your choice—Google Drive, WeTransfer, Dropbox—or whatever you prefer. Send the download notification and password if any. (The folder will be too big for email, even if there are just one or two tracks in it.)
When you receive those files:
1. In your DAW software, create a new blank “session” file, at the same sample rate and file bit rate as what you were sent. If you're not sure what that is, take just one of the recieved audio files, highlight it in Finder, and type “command-I” which is get info. Partway down the strip of info it will tell you sample and bit rate (you may have to click on a triangle that says “More Info”).
2. In your DAW, import the Standard MIDI File to bar 1, and enable "conductor track”.
3. Load all the audio files in, to start at bar 1.
And of course when you are ready to send back your added tracks, clean them up and export, as listed above. Don't forget to label them correctly!
Best delivery to transfer any DAW file to another DAW (separate tracks, for mixing):
1. Each track delivered should be “raw”, the original way with no processing or effects. If it was a mono track then send it in mono. If it was a stereo track then send it in stereo. If it is an export from sample software, then bounce it “flat” (no EQ). Some sample sets have optional reverb; mostly switch that off unless you are thrilled with and committed to that sound. (This is not the same as “stems" tracks, a topic for another post.)
2. Before exporting, clean up your edits, if there are any punch-ins or assembly editing. Make a comp track of each performance, especially vocals (don’t send outtakes or snippets).
3. Then “consolidate” or “merge” all the tracks to the exact same starting point, such as bar 0 beat 1.
4. Labeling: each track should have a short label with its title. You do not need to include the song name in the track title. [Example, bad: “Star-Spangled Banner, trumpet three harmony part 2”… Example, good: “Tpt 3”.]
5. If you have a demo mix that you would like your collaborator to hear, please include that as well. If the song or cue will be used in a recording session, please bounce and send a click track.
6. Then export into a folder, in the native file format of the audio. Probably 24-bit WAV at 48K? Or whatever it is. Don’t convert it.
7. Also send a standard MIDI file. Export from bar 1. That way you can talk about bars and beats rather than stopwatch time (and of course refer to the printed music if any — see #8).
8. Optional: send a PDF of the score, reduced score, or individual sheet music.
9. Take the folder of everything and “compress” that using Finder (Mac). Right-click or control-click to get the pop-up menu.
10. Then upload to the file transfer website of your choice, and send the download notification and password.
AAF & OMF files
It can be bit of a hassle to clean up and export a song or score cue, especially if there are a lot of them to plow through, such as a whole score (and it’s late-?). Savvy DAW users may have noticed, many DAWs have the ability to export or import a session file as AAF or OMF, all at once. This looks tempting, because it could potentially save some work.
So I've done some research. I’ve taken a song file, all audio, and exported from ProTools as AAF, and as OMF separately, and then sent them to power users of Digital Performer, Logic X Pro, and Cubase. My song had several edits including cross fades. It also had mix automation, aux sends and returns, one or two plug-ins, and a varying tempo map. My audio included a mix of mono and stereo tracks (not interleaved).
And then each one of my collaborators sent me a song of theirs, exported in those DAWs, in the same way. Here's what I found:
First of all, the more contemporary version seems to be AAF; OMF is an older protocol that does less. So let’s discuss the AAF files.
All of the DAWs would load AAF sessions, with various degrees of success. They all set the audio edits in the right places, but no cross fades at all. In several cases some of the audio files didn't load correctly, leaving empty regions in the destination tracks. They did not do any aux sends, plug-ins, nor tempo map. Only Cubase seemed to import mix automation (and DP did it wrong), although if I was doing a mix I wouldn't want that anyway.
So, much as I could say I would love this to be a fantastic quick shortcut to DAW file sharing, it falls short. AAF and OMF were originally created for the audio tracks of video editing software, and may be useful in importing or transferring dialogue and effects in those cases. But they don't support the complexity of music production for the most part.
Don't let it stop you
It’s worth it to collaborate, so save these steps and you will be well on your way. With a bit of practice you will become swift at exporting or importing files.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.
I am available for online (Zoom) consultation and training on DAW usage, any level. Please ask.
Special thanks to Nelson Kole, Wolf Wien, Shie Rozow, Daniel Raijman, and Brian Kilgore 🤓.