How to find a long-distance musical partner ?

May 17, 2007 7:05 AM

Singer / songwriter looking for producer / arranger / multi-instrumentalist type for a serious collaboration over the internet. I have given up on the people in my hometown: is there a site that would help me find a musical partner anywhere else on this planet, someone who doesn't mind not being able to meet face-to-face?

I've got the words, I've got the melodies and I've got the voice. What I don't have is a talent for creative arranging or production. It's a bit like U2 without The Edge or Coldplay without Johnny Buckland (not to mention the other guys in those bands). I'm looking for a Daniel Lanois/Mitchell Froom type of person, someone with real creative vision.

posted by dinkyday to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

There was piece about music collaboration sites on All Things Considered two days ago, I don't remember the websites they mentioned, but you may be able to find something on NPR's site.
posted by rabbitsnake at 7:18 AM on May 17, 2007

You can find the piece -- and the web site -- mentioned above (On "Morning Edition") here. It sounds like exactly what you're looking for.
posted by Work to Live at 7:20 AM on May 17, 2007

Disclaimer: I haven't used it. Some time ago I discovered myvirtualband.com, checked it out and it looked like it was working for some people. Then that site apparently got bought by Net Music Makers and the two have been consolidated here.

Just as a side note. My band works exactly like what you are looking for. We are four different people who lived in the same city for about two years, and now each one of us lives in a different country (the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala and Venezuela) and it works wonderfully. Not only that, every time I explain to someone the way we do things, they are always surprised in a good way. Many musicians mention how they'd love to do something like that, so I don't think it would be impossible for you to find people. Don't lose patience.
posted by micayetoca at 7:27 AM on May 17, 2007

You might find this article interesting. They detail a few sites that are trying to help musicians do this type of thing.

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003580730
posted by zackola at 7:37 AM on May 17, 2007

Response by poster: OP here. Thanks for those swift answers! The sites mentioned on NPR look interesting but are all based around the idea of 'real-time collaboration over the internet' or remixing existing tracks which is not really what I'm looking for. I don't need a site to provide me with the tools to collaborate with another musician, I need a site to FIND a musician to collaborate with. I don't want to 'jam'. I want me and my collaborator to work on the music in our own time and send mp3s of the results to eachother. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough on this in my original message...
posted by dinkyday at 7:44 AM on May 17, 2007

I would highly recommend eSession.com. Its still in beta, but it already has more than 600+ pro level musicians available for collaboration. Plus they have a really slick recording dashboard/workspace. Note that I don't work for these guys... am just a fan of what they have going.
posted by tundro at 8:04 AM on May 17, 2007

Why not post something on MeFi Music with a note that says you'd be open to have people remix?
posted by weston at 8:11 AM on May 17, 2007

This doesn't happen much on AskMe - and apologies if it breaks the guidelines, but, Dinkyday, it sounds like you pretty much exactly the sort of skills I lack, and I possess the ones you don't. You don't have an email address in your profile, so check out my site of personal song sketches (linked to my w/s in my profile) and see if there's some overlap in taste/interests and feel free to shoot me an email if so.
posted by psmealey at 8:25 AM on May 17, 2007

Digital Musician is worth checking out.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 10:28 AM on May 17, 2007