Be aware: Google Docs is free however requires you to have both a gmail e mail deal with or a Google Account. You possibly can simply sign-up for a gmail or Google account and use it just for co-writing if you happen to select.
Now for some tricks to maintain the co-write flowing…
1. It’s essential to designate roles in the beginning of the co-write.
Maybe the lyricist does a lot of the typing into the Google Doc so everybody isn’t tripping over one another’s keyboards. If one of many co-writers is a superb guitar participant or keyboard participant, then maybe they do a lot of the chord enjoying in the course of the session. You get the concept…
2. Going separately.
If you first begin co-writing on Zoom, you’ll discover a little bit of lag-time between the computer systems in several places. It may well make it fairly not possible for everybody to sing and play on the similar time. This may look like a hinderance, however as lots of our SongTown members discovered at a current ST Writing Retreat, it may be an enormous plus. It forces everybody to go one-at-a-time. And everybody else should pay attention to one another earlier than responding. You’ll begin to uncover this makes you a greater listener and higher listeners make higher co-writers. Which normally results in higher songs whereas co-writing on Zoom.!
3. Pay attention to the web ambiance you might be creating.
Your loved one pet Fido barking continuous within the background isn’t going to be as endearing to your co-writers as he’s to you. Likewise, writing in your basement with a loud laundry machine tumbling away might be not clever both. (Except you write to the rhythm of it. Ha!) You get the purpose, all the time keep away from any pointless distractions in your writing atmosphere.
4. File a work-tape.
The wonderful thing about the Google Doc is on the finish of the session, all individuals have a replica of the lyric. And because it’s a shared doc, you too can use it later for any corrections it’s possible you’ll need to make. (Alway focus on adjustments along with your co-writers first!) However, you will have a recording of the music. A tough iPhone recording will typically work if you’re writing on a guitar or keyboard. We name these easy recordings worktapes. In case your co-write features a monitor man on the session, then he/she ought to e mail everybody a replica of the monitor after the session has ended. This fashion everybody has a file of what has been created that day. And an e mail paper path of the Date Of Creation.
5. Get your co-writer’s information!
Google Docs are an ideal place for everybody on the session to enter their author info. Which means, publishing information/splits, PRO information, e mail addresses, IPI#’s, and so forth. In case your music will get launched, it’s a should that you’ve got all of this information. And it’s a lot simpler to get it on the session than making an attempt to trace down of us a 12 months later.
So this concludes my fast begin to get you going as a songwriter on the planet of Zoom collaborations. Might you all be nicely.
Write on! ~CM
