Virtual Jamming
A new music making experience: my personal journey into collaborating on the web.
By Freddy Villano
Earlier this year I found myself in need of a new computer, so I bought an iMac and finally broke down and invested in some home audio recording gear. I had denied the impulse for years—my experience of making music was communal, not solitary. To me, music was as much about the camaraderie of being in a band as it was about being a creative individual. I started playing music in the early ’80s, before this type of technology was available. I was into bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple. My formative years were spent in dingy rehearsal studios fleshing out tunes with fellow musicians. Nowadays everyone is making music at home—alone. I was intimidated. Nobody jammed together anymore. Or so I thought.
In attempting to navigate my new recording gear, which consisted of GarageBand, Pro Tools 9, and Logic Express (yes, I went a little overboard!), I perused YouTube, Avid, and many other industry-related websites in search of tutorials and how-to links. Many of them were useful in helping me understand the ins and outs of my new gear, but I still felt horribly isolated. Then one day a friend recommended a website called MacJams. I had heard of collaborative Internet sites before, but ignorantly dismissed them as poor substitutes for what I’d grown accustomed to over the years. Boy, was I wrong!
I was immediately struck by the interactive aspect of the MacJams website. This isn’t strictly a tutorial-based website, but rather a community where ideas are exchanged, insight is offered, and music is created. I had spent months alone sifting through YouTube tutorials trying to find solutions to the software and hardware related issues I’d been encountering. MacJams immediately offered a community, which appealed to my sense of sharing.
Feeling encouraged, I delved further, and discovered their article and forum pages—both excellent components to the website. I’m not the most tech savvy person in the world, so topics like “GarageBand Recording Tips” really empowered me, rather than making me feel like I was behind the eight ball with regard to recording technology. The forum allows you to pose questions and seek advice. There’s even a thread where you can discuss the “virtues, needs, wants, and hardships of a virtual band.” MacJams also offers purchasing tips like the “MIDI Keyboard Buyer’s Guide.”
Joining came with the caveat that I needed to explain my reasons for signing up. I submitted the form, but the confirmation, along with a registration link, took a little longer than advertised or anticipated—about five days. Chatting requires one to be an established member. Submitting songs is easy and you can disable the ratings and comments links if you don’t feel ready for that type of criticism. If you have broad enough shoulders, you can have your music critiqued by fellow members.
Right now the World Wide Web is rife with music making communities. Perhaps the most important thing that struck me about these sites is the quality of music being shared. The first few tracks I checked out on MacJams far exceeded my expectations. One of the things I’ve always loved about the collaborative process is that, hopefully, it raises the metaphorical bar of one’s own musical standards. Even virtually, when someone else interprets, embellishes, or improves upon an idea, it becomes an invaluable learning tool. It alters your thinking the next time you pick up an instrument. Many of these sites also offer free samples or exclusive loops that you won’t find anywhere else.
So, if you’re looking to collaborate and find it hard to get out of the house to do so, any of the online music communities listed to the right are worth checking out. The great thing about these sites is that getting started is simply a matter of signing up, creating a profile, and connecting with people. Oh, and having a tune to work on.
Turn On, Tune In & Turn Up!
Five Music Making Websites Worth Checking Out
-
MacJams is the mother of all Internet-based music making communities. Their motto pretty much says it all: “MacJams is an online studio where musicians congregate, collaborate, and critique each other for the betterment of their music and skills as musicians.”
-
What’s cool about Indaba is that they have remixing and songwriting contests with popular artists and an online mixing console called Mantis, which allows members to collaboratively record, edit, and mix tracks online. Membership on Indaba Music is free, however, Pro and Platinum levels that give the site a little more of a professional-level slant are available for a fee. Along with those upgraded memberships come increased storage and enhanced functionality, including a place to market your music to film studios, video game makers, and of course, other musicians.
-
www.futureproducers.com/forums
Future Producers Forum is basically a forum-oriented site geared towards producers and production. Your first stop should be the FAQ page where you’ll get the lowdown on everything you need to know about registering and navigating Future Producers. The site offers excellent tips on everything from EQing bass drums to fixing timing issues on your recordings. All of the articles are submitted and edited by knowledgeable forum members. If you want a really concise explanation of the mastering process, for example, Future Producers is the place to find that. Not only will you understand the importance of mastering your work, you’ll also find an excellent tutorial on how to do it.
-
MakeTunes is similar to MacJams in that it’s a community of mainly home-based musicians and producers. Some have released albums and toured, while others are just starting out. From acoustic to hardcore, the home studio musician remains the focal point of MakeTunes. With your free MakeTunes account you can upload original music, and get feedback on it, or use it to store your demo tracks for promotion. You can also ask questions, give advice, and shoot the breeze in the forums, create your own MakeTunes blog, and even upload photos of your home studio.
-
At Cocompose you can collaborate online and make music with musicians, songwriters, and other creative talents on open or private music projects. Like Indaba, you can also market your tracks. Cocompose differs slightly in that it has more multimedia functionality, so your music project can consist of more than just audio tracks. You can also add video to a music project, for example, or publish your lyrics. Cocompose calls this “multimedia-composing” and makes it available worldwide for download. You need your own software for Cocompose. They do not offer online recording.
