Collaborating remotely is a great option for musicians to work on music together.
Once a song has been selected for the remote collaboration, then a basic recording will need to be created and shared between the two musicians using online file storage. There are two important recording properties that should be decided on at the beginning.
If I have already written the song and it needs to be listened to then I render a stereo mix as a .mp3 to keep the file size small for sharing, and I name the song with the following information.
(Artist initials)-(Tempo)BPM-(Note)-(Key)
AA-120BPM-C-Major
Screen shots can be included in the email/message that show the details of the arrangement within the sequencer.
Before importing anything make sure to set the songs tempo and key within the project settings so they match the imported audio and midi. Midi files typically include this information so import them first then import any audio. Record to a metronome/click track so any additional rhythmic instruments like drums can be in sync with the tempo of the song. Be aware that a very small silence is added to the beginning of the file when exporting a session to a mp3 which cause an imported file to be out of sync with the metronome. This can be fixed by trimming the beginning of the file or exporting the project as a .wav file before converting it to a mp3 file.
Metronome - Click Track in REAPER
The song key can help the collaborator add any additional melodies and chords to the song. This can be figured out by using https://chord.rocks/. If you select the instrument such as guitar of piano under view instrument you can simply add the notes used in the song to figure out the key.
If possible the collaborators should decide on using a single DAW and only use the stock plugins in the initial recording process. This will prevent any compatibility issues between the two systems and it will be easy to share a single project file.
If one of the collaborators is just starting out and needs a DAW then I recommend the following:
BandLab is a social music platform that enables creators to make music and share the creative process with musicians and fans. BandLab combines music making and collaboration tools like the cross-platform DAW, with social features like video sharing, messaging and discovery. BandLab’s mission is to break down the technical, geographic and creative barriers between creators, collaborators and community by providing a completely free and unlimited service.
GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Mac — with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and a selection of session drummers and percussionists.
How to Use GarageBand: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners
Reaper is cross compatible, has a small file size, and has a 60 day full feature trial. (It only costs $60 to purchase a personal license)
Why REAPER?
Once the DAW has been decided on then a basic recording of the song needs to created and shared as a project if the DAW is the same, master mix to share just the mix down, or individual stems if the DAW's are different. Make sure to setup the project tempo before importing the audio into a DAW to avoid any time stretching.
Recording Your First Vocal Track in REAPER
Recording Audio
Configuring Reaper Project Folders
Starting a New Project
Creating a Master Mix
Creating Stems
Consolidate & Export Tracks in REAPER
Send a Project to a Mixing Engineer in REAPER