In Summary

This decade has seen some big changes in how the industry gets things done remotely. With a number of competing platforms letting audio pros do their thing wherever they are, here we round up some of those out there and what they offer.

Going Deeper

With the internet revolution changing the way just about everything is done, our industry is no different. Initially the first thing to go was boxed hard copies of software - surely the ability to download an entire DAW wirelessly is still the stuff of science fiction? That it just happens to be a reality now makes it all the more amazing. It’s true to say that most innovation is born out of dreadful things that need to be fixed, such as war (data networks, and ultimately the internet) or disease (research leading to the odd miracle cure).

Those working today remember how recent world events have led many in our industry to harness internet technology to work collaboratively and remotely. Sometimes this can be using more ‘traditional’ tools such as email, messaging, and file sharing services, but an increasing number of integrated products also claim to streamline the process. Here we round up some of the current tools available that set out to give engineers and talent everything they need to create together without being in the same place as each other.

Here we round up the current offerings in the collaborative workflow category of products and offer an overview of their features and use. Share your thoughts and experience of remote workflows in our poll later in this article.

Mixstage IO

Implementation: Web browser (browsers and engineer DAW transport sync to uploaded video)

Mix review for collaborators: Yes.

Recording for collaborators: No - MixStage IO is a cloud-based virtual screening room service.

Text Messaging: timeline marker comments.

Video Calling: Yes.

Overview

MixStage IO is a cloud-based virtual screening room service. This allows stakeholders to be in control of their project down to a single frame with frame-accurate playback to drop, edit, and export time-stamped markers and comments collaboratively. It works by playing back video that is pre-uploaded by the engineer to the Mixstage server. This then follows local DAW transport for seamless streaming of video and audio to clients. Searchable markers are tied to the project timeline timecode, making them easily exported to a DAW or NLE.

Source Elements - Source-Nexus Suite

Implementation: Gateway web app working with other Source-Nexus Suite tools.

Mix review for collaborators: Yes.

Recording for collaborators: Yes.

Video Calling: Yes.

Overview

Remote veterans Source Elements recently took a more nuanced approach with Source-Nexus Suite. Although the main GUI comes in the form of the Source-Nexus Gateway web app, three other tools fall in behind this to make the system work. Source-Nexus I/O - a collection of virtual devices, Source-Nexus Review - a DAW plugin providing comms, DAW audio, and source/destination mixing, and Source-Nexus Router - an application which allows you to route high-quality sound on a traditional patch inside your machine.

Ginger Audio - Authentic Audio

Implementation: DAW plugin, web browser.

Mix review for collaborators: Yes.

Recording for collaborators: Yes, using virtual driver

Text Messaging: Yes.

Video Calling: Yes.

Overview

With an emphasis on pro use, the usefulness of many tools can come with a lot of complexity that creators would rather avoid. Authentic Audio is Ginger Audio’s take on a simple tool that allows creators to do their thing in real time over the internet. The system uses an audio plugin that sits across the DAW’s outputs to transmit the session. This can then be listened to by others through their web browser. The option to record is also there, and going beyond stereo music projects, Authentic Audio supports 32-bit / 96 kHz quality and multichannel audio as well. Separate video chat with talkback and screen sharing is also provided.

Sessionwire

Implementation: Standalone app, plus in-DAW plugin and/or web browser.

Mix review for collaborators: Yes.

Recording for collaborators: Yes.

Text Messaging: Yes.

Video Calling: Yes.

Overview

One of Sessionwire’s useful features is its file transfer system that allows you to send and receive large files directly between collaborators in an active session. Transfer is encrypted and files travel directly between connected computers - no third party cloud servers are used at any point. Supported assets include audio, PDFs, or entire DAW sessions when zipped up. Another handy feature of the Sessionwire ecosystem is its pre-configured templates; simply enter your OS and chosen DAW on the website to gain access to project files for your studio that are most of the way there.

Waves Stream

Implementation: in-DAW plugin and/or web browser.

Mix review for collaborators: Yes.

Recording for collaborators: Yes at Receive end using Collab stream mode.

Talkback: Yes

Video Calling: With an emphasis on simple audio sharing, video conferencing is currently not supported.

Overview

Waves Stream is the latest plugin and web service designed to make high-quality audio sharing part of a collaborative creative process. It is comprised of the Waves Stream plugins with Send and Receive variants available for DAW use at both ends, as well as a cross-platform web server that allows listeners to hear mixes on anything, including mobile and/or desktop devices. This lets engineers share mixes for instant feedback, or to receive audio for collaboration. Waves Stream sets out to provide industry-leading quality, ultra-low latency, secure link sharing, and complimentary features such as integrated talkback controls.

Audiomovers LISTENTO

Implementation: Standalone app, send and Receive DAW plugins, mobile app (plus Web Transmitter related product).

Mix review for collaborators: Yes.

Recording for collaborators: Yes.

Text Messaging: No.

Video Calling: No.

Overview

Audiomovers are no strangers to the needs of audio pros and those of their clients. Their LISTENTO solution is an ecosystem of tools for remote review and recording, joining their other utilities for the finer points of actually piping audio between studios or between applications and devices.

LISTENTO lets engineers stream up to 32-bit PCM / 192 kHz audio (including multichannel) in real time which Audiomovers say can be done with no dropouts. The platform recently added advanced virtual MIDI streaming as well. The audio does not use variable bitrates, and no signup required to listen to a stream - all that clients need is the link from the engineer. LISTENTO send and receive plugins can also be used to record clients. Audiomovers’ guide on how to do this using their tools is one of the most comprehensive out there. LISTENTO uses four modules (not including the Web Transmitter browser version):

LISTENTO plugin - sends from the DAW.

LISTENTO Receiver plugin - receives into the DAW.

LISTENTO Mobile Receiver - app for IOS and Android.

LISTENTO desktop app

Take Our Poll

Following the development of both faster internet connections and greater computing power, those working remotely have many options to lean on. This has made remote working no longer the preserve of those using more traditional tower or rack studio machines, with laptop and mobile users embracing collaborative work as well. Thanks to tools that have been picked-up and developed by the industry, the remote working landscape looks to be in good shape.

We wanted to know to what extent the community uses this new crop of tools, as well as what those tools might be and how they’re used. What do you use, if anything, to work remotely? What is the nature of what you’re doing using remote tools? Take the poll below to share your usage anonymously - we will publish the results in the near future.