Hey everyone,
  As I've been getting ready to make the upgrade from x1 E to x2 P I decieded to take a look around.  Mostly out of just killing time.  I have come across a few things. First one that caught my attention was s1v2's project thing.  Seems like a nice convienient way to go about the final process. Next was cu7.  I seen they had a new chst. which reminded me of something similar I seen before(and not as good looking either) Thing I liked about 7  was their vst connect plugin for recording someone, somewhere else.
 
With just using sonar can I do something similar to pre1v2 project page for doing an entire album at once?
 
Are there any programs that my buddy and I can use to record even though hes in AL and im in NJ?
 
If there are no ways to actually connect and work together at the same time whats the best way to send files back and forth? I read a little about omf and broadcast wave. but if we both have sonar what should we do.
 
Thanks for any input. 

Ship WAV files. Get either dropbox.com or box.net (both free).

Export full length WAV files. Share it/them on one of those sites. The other person records a track and exports a full length WAV and shares it back.

Trust me on this: DO NOT share mp3's no matter what anyone tells you.

Trust me on this: make sure both of you have the same length project with the same tempo map.

Trust me on this: 24/44.1 is perfectly adequate export of a WAV even if either of you typicall record in other modes (24/48, 32/44.1 or any other combination) unless you just want to be safe and both record and export at the same rates (which is also fine). It has been proven over and over that no timing issues appear if you export FULL LENTH WAV files. IOW, never never never export just a few measures unless it is a broadcast WAV and finally.....

Trust me on this (unless you both have T1 or T3 speed lines): zip up your WAV files especially is they have a lot of dead space (i.e. a guitar solo track). Zipping them up will save upload and download time. Now for the fun/best part. The current level of Winzip (actually version 12 and up) has a new compression type with the extension of .zipx that typically compresses 20-30% more than traditional .zip. None of the free zip programs support the .zipx AFAIK (as of my last search in December of 2011). So, it will cost both of you $30 or so to get on board but it will save even more upload/download times than traditional zip files. However, traditional zip is still a lot better than uploading a full length WAV file. 

 

If you choose the right export options, you can provide your collaborator with per-track audio files or stems that will line up perfectly in any other DAW.

If you both use SONAR, you can both sign up for Dropbox, or better yet, Gobbler.  Save the projects in a shared folder.

I just recently in the last couple of days tried the free compression utility called PeaZip. Use this link, it looks like there's a couple of 'questionable' sites claiming to be them but they aren't. This is the actual SourceForge site and is legit.

It will open .zipx files, but it will not create them.

I tried all the compression options it has available and I found that .arc worked the best on the file I tested.

I took a 32 Bit .wav file that was 46MB. The .arc format compressed it to 40MB. Everything else only took it down to 44/45MB.

I use the Peazip 64 Bit Portable version. It runs from it's folder, you don't even have to install it.

Hey thanks guys I didn't know there were  file sharing options like that.  Defenitiley gonna check them out.

Bub


I just recently in the last couple of days tried the free compression utility called PeaZip. Use this link, it looks like there's a couple of 'questionable' sites claiming to be them but they aren't. This is the actual SourceForge site and is legit.

It will open .zipx files, but it will not create them. Very cool to know Bub, thanks.

I tried all the compression options it has available and I found that .arc worked the best on the file I tested.

I took a 32 Bit .wav file that was 46MB. The .arc format compressed it to 40MB. Everything else only took it down to 44/45MB. See note below

I use the Peazip 64 Bit Portable version. It runs from it's folder, you don't even have to install it.

It's also important to note that final zip compression is based on the content of the WAV file. 

Let's take an example of a four minute song. Let's say that 24/48 the size of an exported mono WAV is ~25mb. 

A full length export of the song verses a full length export of guitar part that is only played in choruses will yield very different end results as "white space" compresses a lot more even though the size of both files are the same.

Here is a real world example in 24/48. I have 5 live drum tracks. 4 in mono (Kick, snare, rack tom, floor tom) and one in stereo (overheads).

The overheads file size is 55,178 KB. Using Winzip .zip it compresses to 48,737 KB. Not very impressive but remember this is a track that is dense (the drums play thru the entire song). .zipx compressed to 35,810 KB.


But what about the toms tracks Bapu? I hear you. The toms have about 8 times where they play. Now, the drummer did me a favor and slip edited the toms tracks so that they are essentially less than a minute of material and over three minutes of white space. All other mono tracks are 27,591 KB. Tom1 compresses to 19,013 KB under .zip, but compresses to 13,897 KB under .zipx. See the difference?


The kick and snare files have also been slip edited to contain appropriate silence around the drums (essentially eliminating a lot of bleed, i.e. when toms are hit the kick track is not picking them up). This of them as a exported EZDrummer tracks where all bleeds are turned off. 

So for these 5 tracks I have a total "file size" of 165,542 KB. Which as a .zip compresses to 128,766 KB, but as a .zipx compresses to 92,828 KB. 

I'm not saying that Bub's example is better or worse but that one must put it in the context of the material being compressed to determine if there is file transfer time is to be saved by the use of .zip vs.zipx. 

I'll have to get the product that Bub is referring to to try the .arc option because if it eeks out another 5% or more over .zipx in this exact example, I'll be all over that product.

Thanks for the tip Bub. I'll be back with my results.

I just installed PeaZip and did .arc compression on all five files. The .arc file size was 93,820 KB vs. .zipx 92,828 KB.

Not bad for free. Nearly as good as .zipx but missed it by 


That Much!!!!

Both types present the same situation however, which I failed to mention earlier. You must always remember when dealing with new collaborators to insure you are both using the same compression/uncompression product/method.

bapu

I'm not saying that Bub's example is better or worse but that one must put it in the context of the material being compressed to determine if there is file transfer time is to be saved by the use of .zip vs.zipx.

The file I used was a 2:27 Stereo 32Bit file with no breaks. It was a string section that I had frozen. I just randomly went in to a project folder and grabbed it for testing.

I'll have to get the product that Bub is referring to to try the .arc option because if it eeks out another 5% or more over .zipx in this exact example, I'll be all over that product.

Thanks for the tip Bub. I'll be back with my results.

I hope it works out good. I haven't tried it on tracks like you described. I thought I'd mention it since it was a free alternative and I had just been tinkering with it.

I think .arc has been around for quite a while. Kind of like an Open Source type of deal IIRC.

EDIT: We were typing at the same time ... just saw your reply. That's not bad considering it's a freeby! :)

It is nice to know that PeaZip will decompress .zipx. Funny (to me) that it does not create them.

I have never and will never trust ZIPping audio files. Even the PhD's of compression will never convince me that compressing file-size equals equal quality when expanded again.  

Someone needs to develop a site like GitHub for Audio projects where only changes/updates will be uploaded/downloaded between projects.