How to Make Your Own Music and Collaborate Online
In this day and age, ever-advancing technology has changed how musicians create and collaborate with other artists. Face-to-face interaction, in-home, or in professional studios is still the norm. But artists at opposite ends of the globe are working together every day, and the pandemic has only accelerated the growth of remote collaboration. The opportunity to make your own music and find collaborators online is a uniquely 21st-century possibility that we’ll delve into here!
Make Your Music Using Specialized Websites
Developments like Unison Audio and Soundtrap have streamlined online music production for users of any skill level. The subscription-based service offers a DAW for recording Royalty free EDM music, complete with loops, presets, and virtual instruments to aid the creative process. It’s an incredibly powerful tool to make your own music without the fuss and complexity of traditional software like Pro Tools or Logic Pro X.
Most importantly, though, Soundtrap works entirely online, setting it apart from other DAWs. This means that artists can collaborate with each other in real-time from anywhere in the world or share projects quickly and easily with others. Whether your bandmate lives down the street or in another timezone, sites like these connect artists on an entirely different level.
Soundtrap touts Antares Auto-Tune as a key feature, as well as a loop library that’s 4000+ samples strong. This is particularly useful for hip-hop/rap producers who enjoy making beats. The service also offers its own intuitive beat-making instrument, called the Patterns Beatmaker.
While certainly not as high-functioning as full-fledged digital audio workstations (or even some of the FREE Daws available), sites like these are developed to “cut the fat” and allow inexperienced users to jump right in and make music.
Create with Soundation Studio
Much like Soundtrap discussed above, Soundation is an online DAW catering to musicians with little to no prior experience in digital audio. At the bare minimum (that is, $0.00/month), the tiered subscription service provides access to some 700 loops/samples and virtual instruments to create music. A premium subscription gives users the full package to record live audio and make use of an astonishing 12,000 loops/effects. Talk about options paralysis…
Soundation’s DAW also supplies a host of user-friendly effects found in professional audio software, like high- and low-pass filters, a simple 3-band EQ, compression, reverb, and delay. An artist who is unfamiliar with how these work would find Soundation’s effects easily operable.
Again, though, the most important feature with sites like these is becoming part of an online community of creators. Imagine working with someone you share musical sensibilities with but have never actually met in person. Having access to a literal world of potential collaborators can drive your creativity to places you would never have considered before.
Making music online, for beginners or pros, is an amazing concept.
Avid Cloud Collaboration
Pro Tools users have probably noted Avid’s inclusion of cloud collaboration as of version 12. At a glance, Avid’s cloud assures access to the following features:
- The ability to connect with friends, colleagues, and new talent anywhere in the world.
- Work and collaborate remotely together without having to worry about file-swapping, import, or media issues.
- Share audio and MIDI tracks, edits, and mix changes directly from within Pro Tools.
- Built-in text chat allows you to share creative direction and new ideas in real-time.
- Enjoy access to your projects from anywhere, at any time while resting assured your files are secure.
The biggest advantage of using Pro Tools over a service like Soundtrap or Soundation is offline functionality and versatility. Professional software like this simply doesn’t compare to the tailored-down, user-friendly experience found in online music-making services, and it shouldn’t. The two are different entities entirely, and there is a time and place for either.
While the sites mentioned above offer real-time writing/composing collaboration, the Pro Tools cloud is designed with file-sharing and editing in mind. Exchanging multiple sessions back and forth with colleagues can be time-consuming, so Avid’s cloud feature reduces the tedium.
If Pro Tools piques your interest, you can still make your music online with others through the cloud, though the user experience would differ quite drastically from Soundtrap or Soundation. It may be wise to try both, and Pro Tools First is free! It does differ in functionality from the full version of course, but just read up on Pro Tools First limitations if you are concerned about it meeting your needs!
Online Collaboration Has Never Been Easier
Soundtrap and Soundation are but a glimpse into the world of online music production. The extensive loop libraries and user-friendly plugins featured in these subscription services are developed with inclusivity in mind. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a longtime musician or someone with a budding interest in beat-making; sites like these provide the tools to get up and running with ease.
And of course, the online communities built into places like Soundtrap and Soundation can prove to be fantastic sources of education, creativity, and fun. It’s what sets these services apart from, say, Ableton Live or Digital Performer. With “regular,” offline DAWs, you simply don’t get a community that functions like that.
However, if you are after the “traditional” experience, a great place to start is Pro Tools First. You’ll find that the Avid Cloud functions somewhat similarly to an online DAW, and the Pro Tools user experience may be more in-tune with your audio needs.
Whichever route you choose, it’s never been a better time to make music online!
About the Author
Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.
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