In 2011, the charts are packed full of songs that are FEATURING someone (like David Guetta feat. Sia, Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris) and it seems that the recipe for success is collaboration! This doesn’t just work for the biggest artists in the world, some up and coming acts are getting on the FEAT. bandwagon and having great success. So how do you know if a collab project will work for you? To find out, we chatted with Aussie songstress Jess Higgs about her experience recording the track ‘Foreign Language’ with Sydney indie DJ duo, Flight Facilities.
Collaborations are so exciting and can be such an evolutionary experience. Each member of the collaboration can bring their unique sound and skills to the project. The most effective approach I’ve found is just to be open to ANYTHING…and really listen to what each member have to bring to the table. You never know where collaboration may stem from organically. You might meet your next musical partner at school? You might meet them by chance through a friend. Regardless of the situation, be willing to put yourself out there. Talk about your love for music and other passionate people seem to emerge from the wallpaper…. It makes sense I suppose. So just get out there and have some fun, get performing and start chin wagging about how much you love guitar riffs and sampling machines or whatever floats your boat?
When it comes to writing collaborations, the Internet is the most useful tool to receive and alter files. You can collaborate with someone in Iceland or Germany, with the exchange of one simple file. Ask the producer/band to send over a base track, loop or sample and then use one of the many recording tools available (garage band, logic, even your iPhone recorder)….to record your ideas and then send it back.
This is a great way of developing the skeleton of a song…. being patient helps too…sometimes songs can take days, or years to finish…so just don’t lose hope. There is so much to be learned from collaborating and by having open and honest ears, maybe you can learn a little more about a new genre, or just have some fun. Either way, just keep experimenting, searching and meeting like-minded people and finally something will click.
