Collaborating: Tracks and Protocol
I’ve written plenty about collaborations but never really got into the nuts and bolts. From how to send a song to a remote collaborator to speaking up on both sides, here we go!
1. The song is well underway and maybe you’ve got vocals and some instruments roughed in enough to send it to another musician to add some of their own magic. But how and what do you send? First, your mix needs to start from the start. As in, don’t merely grab a portion and send it. You want to be able to take that new track in without having to line it up.
2. Send it a couple ways at least: one without vocals or melody line and one whole for example. I’ve also been asked to remove other lines that could be distracting (sometimes arps or ornaments).
3. Make sure that what you are to receive (or send to another to mix) are either standard format or you understand the format (44.1 and 16 bit for example). Explain if anything is roughed in or final. In a word... COMMUNICATE
4. If you are recording for another project, be prepared to record and send multiple takes, especially for leads, solos, and vocals. And SEND IT RAW!!!! Do NOT add compressors or filters or effects unless you have agreement
5. Speak up and be open to feedback. From either end. Don’t like how you are being mixed in? Let them know! A take not good enough? Speak up! Whether it’s on the recording you sent or how it gets mixed in, communicate. My guitarist that I often pull in has far more experience in mixing guitar than I do so I’m going to consider his suggestions. If I send vocals or piano, I have experience in mixing that. Being open to feedback doesn’t mean taking orders of course, but it means setting your ego aside to process what you are hearing in a healthy and constructive manner.
6. Last... negotiate at the beginning. Will your name be on it? Do you expect a flat fee, free, or royalties? Don’t wait on that. And if your name appears you should negotiate refusal rights if the production overall isn’t something you can get behind.
Okay so that was short. If you have more to add I’d love to hear those suggestions too!
With Love,
The Lyrical Physicist
1. The song is well underway and maybe you’ve got vocals and some instruments roughed in enough to send it to another musician to add some of their own magic. But how and what do you send? First, your mix needs to start from the start. As in, don’t merely grab a portion and send it. You want to be able to take that new track in without having to line it up.
2. Send it a couple ways at least: one without vocals or melody line and one whole for example. I’ve also been asked to remove other lines that could be distracting (sometimes arps or ornaments).
3. Make sure that what you are to receive (or send to another to mix) are either standard format or you understand the format (44.1 and 16 bit for example). Explain if anything is roughed in or final. In a word... COMMUNICATE
4. If you are recording for another project, be prepared to record and send multiple takes, especially for leads, solos, and vocals. And SEND IT RAW!!!! Do NOT add compressors or filters or effects unless you have agreement
5. Speak up and be open to feedback. From either end. Don’t like how you are being mixed in? Let them know! A take not good enough? Speak up! Whether it’s on the recording you sent or how it gets mixed in, communicate. My guitarist that I often pull in has far more experience in mixing guitar than I do so I’m going to consider his suggestions. If I send vocals or piano, I have experience in mixing that. Being open to feedback doesn’t mean taking orders of course, but it means setting your ego aside to process what you are hearing in a healthy and constructive manner.
6. Last... negotiate at the beginning. Will your name be on it? Do you expect a flat fee, free, or royalties? Don’t wait on that. And if your name appears you should negotiate refusal rights if the production overall isn’t something you can get behind.
Okay so that was short. If you have more to add I’d love to hear those suggestions too!
With Love,
The Lyrical Physicist
Comments
Post a Comment