How to import outside vocal takes into DAW project?

  • Hey Guys! I know this isn't directly related to the KPA per se, but I know a lot of you will have some good insight/experience.


    I'm looking to collaborate on future projects with other musicians, primarily vocalists, outside my city/state and I was curious to know how I go about importing their performances into my DAW (cubase). Is this as simple as everyone mixing down their performances into WAV files then I import everything into one DAW project and go from there? Or is there a different, more optimal/preferred way to import the raw audio into my DAW project? I heard somewhere that I could just "import everyone's project sessions" into one project however I wasnt sure what this means or if identical DAWs were required to do this.


    My intention is to mix other people's vocal tracks into my mixes with my own guitar/bass/drum tracks.


    Thanks again!:)

  • My intention is to mix other people's vocal tracks into my mixes with my own guitar/bass/drum tracks.

    Nice! I think there are lots of good ways to do what you intend. Whereby your questions would probably fit a bit better into a Cubase forum than here.


    But I am doing similar things from time to time (joining external tracks into my Cubase projects). Usually I open up my project and simply drag and drop the WAV tracks coming from others into my project on a fresh track. For best results WAVs should have the same characteristics (I work on 24bit/44.1khz all the time - good enough for me) and should as you already say be raw, i.e. no dithering etc. - make sure your partners in crime know exactly what you need :)


    Depending on your version of Cubase it offers several options how to export these tracks as a mix or one by one or as stems. So there is no one size fits all approach.


    As long as you're working with WAVs for the exchange your DAWs do not need to be same version.


    To get the discussion here back to Kemper-land.... I even use my Kemper as an external effects unit with my Cubase. I am reamping a lot of stuff and even vocal tracks which benefit from the great effects and some rigs which recreate classy channel strips.

  • As deadman42 mentioned, by far the easiest thing to do is just import uncompressed wav files into your project, requesting that they provide the same format that you're using, e.g. his 24/44.1. Cubase will convert imported files to the current project's settings, but of course every conversion you do can have an impact on audio quality.


    That said, here are a few tips to make things go as smoothly as possible.


    Make sure that everyone's working at the same tempo. If they're singing to 128 bpm and your project is at 120, things won't line up and will gradually get out of sync. An easy way to accomplish this is to save your entire mix as an mp3 (since it's just for reference, the smaller file size is quicker to upload / download) and send it to them. It will import into any software they use, and then they sing to that.


    I also recommend two bars of click track, and you'd include that in the mp3. When they record their vocals, tell them to press record at the very beginning, i.e. where the drum clicks start. That way the vocal tracks can be dropped into your project at 0:00:00 and everything will line up perfectly.


    You can also do something similar with DI tracks. If someone wants to do a guest guitar track for you but you'd like the option to reamp, give them your mp3 mix and have them start recording at 0:00:00. Then they can send you the DI track as well as whatever amp they recorded for reference. Drop the DI into your Cubase project, point it at your Kemper, and you have unlimited reamping options.


    It's really not any more complicated than that.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

    Edited once, last by Chris Duncan ().

  • That said, here are a few tips to make things go as smoothly as possible.


    I also recommend two bars of click track, and you'd include that in the mp3. When they record their vocals, tell them to press record at the very beginning, i.e. where the drum clicks start. That way the vocal tracks can be dropped into your project at 0:00:00 and everything will line up perfectly.

    Awesome, thanks so much for the tips.


    I've always wondered about this... How exactly do I mixdown a project and include the metronome click track in the final mp3? This is what you're referring to correct? Send the vocalist an mp3 of my rough mix at the intended BPM but include two bars of click track (ie 8 clicks) before my actual audio starts, then my audio (mp3) would start playing without the click and the vocalist would do their thing over it.

  • How exactly do I mixdown a project and include the metronome click track in the final mp3?

    Actually I do this all the time in my projects. Even as a count for the drummer before he puts in the actual drum recordings. I do it with the help of a separate midi track which goes out to one of the drum machines in Cubase. Typically I use 2 bars as well, 8 clicks as you say. And I use a hi hat or cowbell sound for it. Just make sure that the project has the right tempo in it and all the bars are perfectly aligned.


    For your mp3 you can then easily include it in the mix and drop it for the final one.

  • Actually I do this all the time in my projects. Even as a count for the drummer before he puts in the actual drum recordings. I do it with the help of a separate midi track which goes out to one of the drum machines in Cubase. Typically I use 2 bars as well, 8 clicks as you say. And I use a hi hat or cowbell sound for it. Just make sure that the project has the right tempo in it and all the bars are perfectly aligned.


    For your mp3 you can then easily include it in the mix and drop it for the final one.

    +1


    That's exactly how I do it as well.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • When we first did cyberjamming collabs we'd each play our bit against the backing, then send back a stereo track starting just before your part, with the backing panned L and the part panned R.

    We quickly moved to the technique described above. Just send back the 2 bar intro, then silence to the part. They snap into the mix nicely.

    Try to gently suggest that they don't put any effects or EQ or compression on, so you have something consistent to work with and it sounds like part of the same song once you apply your own effects in the DAW.

  • I have only tried mp3 a couple of times but in each case the tempo changed slightly from the full wav file.

    Alan, I have to admit that I never checked that so far as I am not using mp3s during the production process but only afterwards to distribute final stuff. But interesting observation. Will try to make a test in the next days.

  • Interesting guys. I have only tried mp3 a couple of times but in each case the tempo changed slightly from the full wav file. I always put this down to the mp3 compression algorithms. Do you find the mp3 always plays at exactly the same tempo as the project?

    I've never done a test on that either but it's not something I would have expected. What DAW do you use? I know Cubase converts to the format of the project but I don't know how other software handles it, or how well.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10