The Digital Songwriter: Better Music Through Computer Collaboration
Pages: 1, 2, 3

Collaborating the Digital Way

Modern-day collaboration can be done in real time using an audio/video chat application, or each co-writer can work independently by trading files back and forth. I prefer the latter. Many times, my co-writer and I will be working on the same song in separate studios at the same time. Usually we have our chat application open so we can contact one another and exchange files.

Typically, a session starts with a co-writer sending me a batch of files, such as a programmed drum part or drum loop with a bass line, and—depending on the style of music—perhaps a few synth, piano, or guitar tracks. I then tweak the chord progressions and melodic elements and send those edits back to my co-writer. Very often, I'll write a whole new section, like a bridge, and send that as well. Then I create a complete song structure while writing and recording the melody and lyrics.

Once my co-writer and I have decided on the structure and melody, we talk about what instrumentation the song requires. What do we need to replace? Do we like the tempo? Do we need live drums? Should we replace the MIDI bass with a real one? Do we need guitar tracks? If so, which guitarist should I send the song to?

Spectrasonics Trilogy is my go-to bass module for songwriting demos.

When it's time to record the final version, I use the exact same process. I work with musicians and engineers who have home project studios and high-speed internet access. I send them the song in stem files (see sidebar) through my chat app or post the files on my server. The musicians download my tracks and import them into their audio applications. Then they record their parts and upload their final tracks to me in my chat app or to my server. I then import those files into my audio application and edit them as needed.

When I'm writing and arranging, iChat makes collaboration fast and easy.

Sometimes I'll even send one song to two different guitar players so I can edit between two completely different perspectives. The song at the end of this article was written and recorded using this method.

The lack of typical human interaction doesn't work for everyone. I still work in person with people, but I have come to prefer having my own personal creative space when writing and recording. It does take getting used to and you have to be more self-disciplined. But now I maintain a schedule that allows me to work from my own studio, in my own time, and travel less, without having to pack up all my toys. This saves time and money for the musicians too, because, again, they don't have to unhook all of their gear just to come to my studio to overdub a part. They can use the two hours of travel and set-up time to make more money recording someone else's music.

Let's Chat about Chat Apps

At the heart of co-writing in the digital age is a chat application. Besides enabling audio, video, and text discussions, chat applications also let you transfer files back and forth. I've tried most of the chat apps for the Mac and PC, and though admittedly I am biased towards Macs, I've found there is no chat application equal to Apple's built-in iChat. Using iChat requires you to sign up for a .Mac account or use your AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) name.

iChat, in my testing, has the best file transfer speed and best audio quality as well. (Skype's file transfer is the slowest of the chat apps.) When you're dealing with large files, you want the fastest file transfer speed available. To send your co-writer a file, you simply drag the file to his or her name in the buddy list; it works the same in most chat applications. Then you tell your co-writer what tempo you're using. I recommend telling them the sample rate—e.g., 44.1kHz, 96kHz—as well. Next, they import your files into their music software.

You can also collaborate without dragging files around. My company, eSession.com, is developing a plugin that will allow anyone using any software, Mac or PC, to collaborate in real-time within their audio software.

Another approach is to pipe the output of your audio hardware through your chat program. For example, you could plug the headphone output of your audio interface into the audio input of your computer, then set your chat app to play the sound coming in from your computer's audio input. That way, your audio software is sending your music through your chat application.

When you press Play on your audio software, your co-writer will hear your song coming through their chat application. If they connect the output of their chat application (which is probably coming out of the computer's 1/8" audio jack) into the input of their audio hardware as well, then they'll be able to hear your tracks in their main speakers, not just out of the computer's speakers.

Yes, there is a delay due to internet speeds, but that's all going to change in the next year as speeds increase globally. Isn't now the best time to learn, while you're still ahead of the curve?

Ed. Note: Another interesting collaboration system is NINJAM, from Winamp creator Justin Frankel. With this free program (Windows, Mac, Linux), each collaborator's audio input is delayed by a set number of bars, so you're always reacting to something your remote bandmates played in the past. That seems crazy in theory, but it actually encourages listening and is quite fun. The jams can be recorded on each player's hard drive as they happen.

A NINJAM session, showing the integrated chat window.