How to take part in 'CBG Cyber Jamming'

An Explanation Of The Cyberjam Process - Recording Your Solo & Mixing Down Your L/R

This is the beginning of what I hope will be a very good set of instructions for doing cyberjams with CBG musicians. I want input from guys who are good with "Cubase", Sonar/CakeWalk", "Cool Edit Pro", and any other popular PC based recording software. I will outline the details of the procedures for using a dedicated multi-track recording device and explain basic file transfer procedures.

The Producer. (Musician #1)

The "producer" will record a "framework". The framework usually consists of drums, bass, and perhaps a rhythm guitar part.

The framework is uploaded as an MP3 file to one of my servers (to be arranged). You can upload your mp3 as an attachment or by using the links that I will create if this project goes ahead "Upload To CBGCyberJam1" or "Download To CBGCyberJam1". It's pretty easy to figure out the upload process. Just follow the directions.

The producer then posts the cyberjam offering to the CBGCyberJam forum with a link to the framework that we can all download.

After Downloading

There are several things you can do at this point.

Import the MP3 file into a software based mulit-track audio recording system on your PC. I'll list options with links below.

Send the output from your soundcard to a 4 or 8 track analog tape recorder.

Send the output from your soundcard to a Digital multi-track audio recorder.

The bottom line is you need a way to be able to add your part to the existing framework.

While you're recording.

Be sure that you record your part loud enough to sound good in the producers mix. Also, it's ok to add extra highs to your mix because they will get squashed a bit when you convert your part to MP3.

Depending on your recording gear, you'll have to find the correct method of mixing down your part with the framework and converting it to an MP3 file so you can upload it for the producer. I'll detail my way below.

So you're ready to do a stereo mixdown.

Different producers call for different things.

Some want just the track of your solo or rhythm part in a stereo MP3 file.

Some will also ask for a stereo mix of your part and the framework for reference.

I believe it's best to do a discrete stereo left right mix.

The reasoning behind the discrete stereo left right mix.

The producer starts off with the original tracks that he mixed down that became the framework. They are the best tracks to use for his final mix. Look at it this way. If the producer ripped his original framework at 128k, when you download it, you're more than likely going to convert it to a wav format before you add your parts. So the framework has already been converted from wav to mp3 and then back to wav, once.

Now if you send a stereo mix of your part and the framework back to the producer, he can paste it into his file, but he'll have no control over the volume difference between your track and the framework you recorded over. Also if he uses that type of stereo mix, the final product will have been converted from wav to MP3 and back too many times to save any hope for a high quality final production.

If you send a stereo MP3 of just your solo or rhythm track, the producer may not be able to get your part pasted into his framework in the right place. It's very hard to get tracks in perfect sync without a reference track.

So this is where the left right discrete mix comes in. You must realize that the producer really only needs your part for his final mix, but he also needs to see the solo waveform with the framework waveform in order to sync it correctly. So you should mix the framework on the left channel and your track on the right channel of your final mix. Then rip it to an MP3 in stereo at 128k minimum to preserve quality.

If everyone submits their parts in a DISCRETE L-R mix, then the producer can have total freedom to mix the song and get good levels that match because each track is independent from the framework.