Collaboration Questions?? Any Thoughts?

[Tunefarmer]

I wanted to pose a question the to group:
I have been working with a friend that has Live 6 and I have live 7
He has a full version of Reason and I have Pro Tools with Reason Adapted.

We are looking to get a workflow down and transfer files back and forth to work on a few projects. We are both new to this type of process and it would be great if we could avoid some of the pain that I know others have already experienced.

I am new to the Forum
Tx,

[Khazul]

Helps if you have the same tools - in the case of myself and my co-writer - both use Live 7, bought the same main plugins and both have a virus ti.

Im on a PC and he uses a mac.

Otherwise you really have to stick with just sending stems back and forth - helps if you stick a single sample glitch at the start of each stem to give you sync point unless you are absolutely sure of the start point of the resulting audio files - I prefer to stick a glitch on them anyway as a positive sync marker.

[Tunefarmer]

I was was what I was expecting, but I was still hopeful.

I'm not sure about using stems. is that the same as tracks?
I'll look it up and hit the books.

Thanks again and still learning.

[Homebelly]

I was was what I was expecting, but I was still hopeful.

I'm not sure about using stems. is that the same as tracks?
I'll look it up and hit the books.

Thanks again and still learning.

lots of people have different ideas about what stems are.
for the most part a stem is a mixed group.
so for example your partner might build up a drum/rhythm groove made up with a bunch of different loops and hits on several tracks all with discrete FX and mix levels. he might then group those tracks, (This is some times called a sub) and send them to a stereo bus so that he might then be able to have a better control over the over all level of the mixed sub. when you both decide you want to work on this track seperatly he might then bounce this sub-group to a stereo audio file, this is then some times called a drum stem.
This is only one very arbitrary idea of how you might use a stem..
if you get into recording orchestras or large choirs for film, TV or video games then you might mix a low, mid and high stem, or all the woman in one mix, all the men in another, or all the strings in one mix, all the percussion in another and so on.
I've read about and seen as many different versions of this idea as i've met engineers and producers,,,

Wow!!.That was a lot of information,,,
Mental note to self,,
I must not post while jacked up on coffee and taking a break from mixing.

[Tunefarmer]

I have a coffee in hand and will attempt to go easy on the caffeine!

Now I just have to start creating a few stems.

Thanks again