In the clouds?

Have you heard the term “Cloud Computing?” More accurately, it is called cloud-based file exchange and storage. Well, it goes back a bit in history, lending its lineage to the point-to-point data circuits to VPN services of the telephony industry. The actual concept has been around since the 1960’s, however it has taken shape in the present to offer a wider variety of benefits to the recording and entertainment industry. Existing today are some sites allowing musicians to collaborate, offering some rudimentary mixers and effects, mostly in real-time. However for professional recording, there is still a large bandwidth issue with this concept. I know my partners and I use Dropbox and Google Docs on occasion to share files, ideas, and mixes because we live 700+ miles apart. I remember the day, and some others of you might also, when you had to physically mail a tape to your friend, maybe to arrive three or more days later, unless you paid the extra for overnight delivery. Nashville producer Robert Venable uses this approach to songwriting, utilizing Google Docs and updating files in Dropbox. This is the new way to collaborate with other professionals, breaking down the mileage barriers once keeping millions from doing business together. Bandwidth can still plague some applications; this is a problem that will soon come to an end. There are a number of producers and engineers using these cloud-based sites like Dropbox, Mozy, YouSendit, and Google Docs to interact with more professionals than ever before. These systems also help streamline a process that needs to be completed as quickly as possible, remember, time is money. As technology increases and bandwidth follows, we will see a tremendous rise in the number of professional applications of these cloud-based services. This only increases and strengthens the industry as it breaches further into the digital age.

References:
Kenny, T. (2011, May 1) Editors’ note: are you in the cloud? Retrieved June 15, 2011 from, http://mixonline.com/recording/tracking/editors_note_cloud/

If you want to read more about being in the cloud, or more about the professional audio industry, go check out mixonline.