Recording from multiple locations

[brucau]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and looking for some input on being able to make some recordings with tracks produced at different locations on different equipment. A couple of us that had a band back in college live in different locations, and we are trying to figure out the logistics of each of us recording a track, and emailing the file to the other who can then add the next track and so forth up and back until we have a complete song. I already have a Tascam DP-02 that I have been using for a couple years, and have used it for mixes on its own - I have not uploaded anything to a computer and used any mixing software, but I understand it will upload or download tracks as .Wav files. The other guys do not have any recording equipment yet, and are doing some research too to see what they are going to need, and I believe at a minimum they will need an audio interface to hook up to their computer and some mixing software. Any info you all may have is appreciated.

 

[BentRabbit]

You're on the right track
I have friends all over the Northwest and Canada with humble studios in their homes, and we collaborate and record 'together' all the time.

I do the lions-share of the mixing, so they basically all just have standalone recorders or small DAW setups in order capture their respective parts. I'm the drummer so my studio ended up being just slightly more... errr... bulkier than theirs

Biggest challenge is the transferring of files to one another and making sure everyone can sync things up when new tracks arrive... Click tracks are essential in this regard...

Plus, always give a minimum of a 4 beat audible count-in on whatever you're contributing. This could just mean the guitar player lightly tapping a string along with the metronome/click so the others can line it up in their decks/DAWS.

The only person that needs to have the actual collective Wave files is the person doing the mixing... Scratch tracks to record other parts to can just be sent as an mp3... Easier that way.
24 bit wave files can get pretty gi-hugic (you ARE recording 24 bit, right?) so utilizing online services like You-Send-It etc. come in handy here. But again, only one person really needs to have those files so that cuts down a lot on transfer times.

So, that's basically it... Whatever devices your partners end up with should all fall in and play nicely as long as everyone can sync things up on their end... Less frustrations and more time to make music

Oh... And welcome to HR