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I've just begun to collaborate with someone who writes lyrics. The issue is we collaborate online in different places.

I sent him the song via email. I play the piano and sing the melody (with nonsense words).

Is there a better way for the lyricist to listen to the melody?

My sincere thanks,

You could upload to soundcloud and make it private, then you just send them the link. If you also enable download, they could download the wav or aiff file or mp3, whatever you upload. I've had trouble in the past of trying to send a wav in email, too large.

https://soundcloud.com/

I think you get an hour for the free account.

Thank you so much. I would appreciate hearing more about the experience of writing with other people, especially when you don't see each other.

lovefilmmusic wrote:I've just begun to collaborate with someone who writes lyrics. The issue is we collaborate online in different places.

I sent him the song via email. I play the piano and sing the melody (with nonsense words).

Is there a better way for the lyricist to listen to the melody?

My sincere thanks,

The nonsense words of do-do-do are a big help to anyone trying to put lyrics to your melody.

I would make 2 recording available to your lyricist: (1) The piano background with no vocal. (2) The piano and nonsense words vocal. You could use Soundcloud as described (or yousendit, WeTransfer, or Dropbox, etc.) to get the files to your co-writer.

When I've done this, having both files makes my life much easier. I load both files into my DAW and can sing a vocal track over both of them, using the one with filler words at very low volume as a reference. Then, of course, I mute out the filler vocal.

Best of luck,
Casey

This is a great idea. Thanks a lot. It gives me more confidence.

Do you think it helps if one can make an instrumental version of the song without singing nonsense words? What kind of instrument would you use for the melody?

lovefilmmusic wrote:This is a great idea. Thanks a lot. It gives me more confidence.

Do you think it helps if one can make an instrumental version of the song without singing nonsense words? What kind of instrument would you use for the melody?

Singing the nonsense words is really all you need for THIS purpose- you don't need a lead instrument.

Also, I hope I was clear in my post above that the 2 tracks come from the same recording session. The one without nonsense words vocal is simply the vocal muted in the mix. That way, both tracks line up perfectly in your co-writer's DAW.

Casey

Thank you for your kind advice. So I'll only need to send these two tracks.

I've collaborated a lot online. I use Hightail (formerly Yousendit) and DropBox for the tracks. Usually if I am the lyricist, the collaborator sends me the draft track with an instrument playing the melody but jibberish would work too.

Dear hummingbird, may I ask in your case, what happens after you or your collaborator finishes the lyrics.

Do you have to hire a demo singer to sing it as well? Have you found a lyricist who can sing, too? I know it is difficult.

Regards,

I'm a singer, but my co-writer and I have hired a demo singer if we needed a certain style or vibe, or a male.

HTH