I often get asked about sharing files for recording so I would like to share some of my experience with regard to sending audio files to other studios for use in a recording session and offer some simple tips.

I was recently involved in a project bringing three musicians together from around the country who had never met and their goal was to compose/create and record a song.

Here is the song.

The project was coordinated by NBN Australia to demonstrate how we are better connected and these type of sharing projects are possible.

Studios have been doing it for years, helps if you have a good internet connection.... If!

So I would like to share how I share files.

I am specifically talking about audio files that will be used in another session in another studio or

vice versa sent to me.

I use Pro Tools and that program has its own way of exporting or importing files but not everyone uses the same recording software.

So say I have a song and I want some wonderful violin player anywhere in the world to add their magic.

I will first create a stereo/bounced mix of my song, either .wav or mp3

That file will have a definite start point, either at zero or if necessary a point on the timeline that has been edited to an exact grid or time point.

I prefer and find it much easier starting my file from zero. That usually may have an audible count or click in it as well to help the artist.

The other studio receives the file, brings it into their session, locates it at zero and records the violin.

But before importing the file they need to make sure their session has the same bit depth and sample rate as the file they received.

Most studios work at 24bit and more now at 32bit but the clocking can vary.

Standard sample rate is at 44.1khz but it can be 48k, 96k, 192k.

Other recording studios might convert your file to suit there recording specs but you will have to change it back to your session's bit depth and sample rate for it to play in time.

So the violin file is now exported as one consolidated file starting from zero, if there are several takes same thing, consolidated files from zero, that's what I ask for, "Can you send me your recorded files starting from zero please" because that's where I know it starts from.

I also politely ask could you please name the file appropriately

e.g Violin Take 1, Violin Solo........not Audio 1_5

Sometimes I receive files which have been bounced as a stereo file, you don't need to do this unless it needed to be recorded in stereo, eg piano, keys etc.

Without the need to bounce down you will find the files, mono or stereo in the audio file folder in the session folder.

Just drag and drop this to your preferred file sender.

I use We Transfer, I did have a paid account with Hightail but We Transfer allows up to 2Gbit of files free.

Of course many use Dropbox.

And that's about it, you receive your violin file, import it into your session, you can drag and drop but with Pro Tools its good practice and easy to use the import audio function. It will identify, convert single and batch files easily.

Things to remember :Name your files clearly.

Start your stereo demo or recorded files

from zero.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Lindsay Martin