share the link via Google Calendar,
and the process has been
seamless. The cell call doesn’t eat
up any bandwidth on my internet
connection and the real- time
feedback is as close to an in-person
session as you can get.
SMART WORKFLOWS
Remote productions can easily
lose steam because there exists
more technical work than we
may be used to. While working in
a studio, a lot of the set-up and
routing is handled by one person
at the desk as clients and collaborators
are standing by. With
most of us at home working solo,
a lot of that mind-numbing setup
and routing lands in our laps.
In order to reduce the amount
of non-creative time, I’ll lay out
a few tips on how to unroll your
productions.
Keeping things in sync: Start with
rhythm tracks and only roll out
new layers once the timing has
been corrected on the current
layer. I can’t stress this enough.
Musicians need to play to really
well-presented material. That
presentation often revolves
around meter and groove. Make
sure there are no timing discrepancies
before moving on to the
next layer. Don’t rush this and
don’t get ahead of yourself.
Making space for others: It’s
okay if your part sounds a little
empty at times. You want
co-creators to be able to quickly
imagine a part and get inspired.
That comes more easily when we
intentionally leave room.
Watch out for redundant layers:
It can be very easy for two collaborators
to be painting the same
colours in the same areas on a
track. If two instrument layers
are in the exact same register,
have a close listen to them and
PHOTO: PAUL ATWOOD
Tools for remote work…
Google Drive. It’s free and is fully integrated with my
main means of communication, Gmail, and my main
means of organization, Google Calendar. I know there
are other sites that can handle bigger file loads, but
Drive just makes it so damn easy.
COLIN BUCHANAN
Colin Buchanan is a producer and mixer based in
Charlottetown, PE. Working primarily out of The Hill
Sound Studio, Colin has collaborated with such East
Coast staples as Paper Lions, Sorrey, Kinley, Coyote,
and Adyn Townes. www.thehillsoundstudio.com.
Tips for remote work…
Organization! It’s so, so important to keep your own
session organized but also make sure the artists or
producers you are receiving files from are labelling,
comping, and generally sending you tidy sessions or
stems.
LIN GARDINER
Lin Gardiner is an engineer, writer, and producer who
works predominantly out of her studio, The Sound
Garden Retreat, on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast. She also
directs music for video games, so she’s no stranger
to working remotely with collaborators from around
the world. www.thesoundgardenretreat.com.
PHOTO: TALLULAH PHOTOGRAPHY
52 CANADIAN MUSICIAN