Ableton Forum

So the idea is Remote collaboration, two people working on the same project in different locations at the same time. One person opens a track for edit, that track locks for the other user. the edit user can make FX, midi and audio adjustments, they then hit commit and both computers synchronize. one user can be working on one track while the other user works on another. the only problem is plugins, say if one user has plugins the other doesn't. There are two work arounds to this problem, One "Temporary Collaboration VST licensing" Where the user hindered by lack of a certain vst can install a collaboration version of the plug in and use it only when the computers are linked, as soon as the collaboration is disconnected the vst is deactivated. The other workaround is "flatten track synchronization". When the commit is hit the track flattens and syncs, the vst user will still have access to the channel with the vst but both will now have the flattened channel. This will leave the hindered user unable to make FX adjustments but they will still get the content addition.

This idea could also allow for onsite Live link collaboration.

The collaboration VST is great for dev's and users, Dev's get demos to collaborators, collaborators get a full experience from a vst, thus grow attached to the ones they like the most, thus buying the vst for complete licensing.

Good theory but in practice there are many issues to overcome

Where the user hindered by lack of a certain vst can install a collaboration version of the plug in and use it only when the computers are linked, as soon as the collaboration is disconnected the vst is deactivated.

The VST vendors would have to allow this, licensing would also have to allow this which none currently do. Then technically how would that even work? Lets say one user is using Omnisphere and a 3rd party library. The other would have to have all 260GB of Omnisphere download then somehow have the 3rd party lib download but only "temporarily" while you work with your colaborator?

What if someone wishes to then collaborate with 20 people. Do they all get access to the plugins too?

What would stop a group of people just purchasing a single plugin each and then connecting as a session and all having access to use it at the same time?

I don't see (currently) how it could be technically possible using plugins. It could be possible using just native instruments/fx and samples maybe.

I imagine concerts of the future will just have 5 video screens on stage with all members sitting on the end of their beds in their apartments jamming over Skype for Business.

Anyone remember "Ableton Share" introduced for Live 8 and then yanked before release!

An issue with copyright was my assumption. DJs sharing mixes of copyright tracks and samples on an Ableton platform. Could have crushed the company. I think that disaster bruised them and they instead directed their energies toward Link.

There is a DAW that can do exactly that, it’s called Ohm Studio. I never tested it but I assume the DAW itself is not that professional to consider switching. But here comes the good part:

They offer their technology to other developers. If I get it right Ableton could implement this into their DAW and have a new feature called „Remote Collaboration“. I would love Ableton so much for doing that!

Link to the technology:
https://www.ohmstudio.com/flip#ohmVideo/0/

Regarding the copyright issues of VSTs: if your collaborator does not have a certain plugin you use, you just click „Quick Bounce“ and he will have the missing signal as a rendered audio on the track. Same as freeze and flatten and sending over the project. No issue here.

I hope I understand this right and this is not some kind of daydream. But to me it looks like it’s doable, fairly easy.