Need some help?
- What's this all about? (Intro)
- Representing Yourself (The Profile)
- My Studio
- Making Music (The Session)
- The Indaba Session Console 2.0
- Community Browsing and Searching
- Account Settings
- Frequently Asked Questions (huh???)
- Contact Us (we really do love to hear from you)
Have you tried the help forum? Go There Now.
h1. 1. Introduction to Indaba Music
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Indaba Music offers collaboration, networking, and other tools for musicians and music professionals using cutting-edge online music software. You can create a free, pro or platinum account to connect with an international community of music-makers. Create online music by recording, editing and mixing tracks from different parts of the world.
Because music software and hardware is now available on almost any budget, it's easier than ever for artists of all levels to produce music. Artists are also harnessing the internet to discover, experience, distribute, and now create more music than ever before. We built Indaba to be a place where artists can create music and fans can interact with that music in ways never before possible.
h2. The Most Powerful Artist-to-Artist Network
*Session* - Indaba's online session platform and music software enables members to create new projects, provide musical information and descriptions of the project objectives, invite others to collaborate with them, and build a meaningful reputation with earned feedback in the form of user testimonials. For those doing professional work, there is a system to formally establish working terms and handle payment. Learn more about "Indaba Music sessions":#5.
*Music Software (Session Console)* - Using Indaba's cutting edge online music software, the Session Console 2.0, session members can record, edit, and mix uploaded tracks together into "single pieces of music"#mixdown, enabling people from all over the world to make music together. "Learn more about the Indaba Music Session Console":#5e.
*Profile* - Members create profiles to represent and promote themselves online, providing musical information, blogging, sharing songs they have recorded as well as unlimited photos. "Learn more about profiles":#3.
*Search* - Members can browse and search the network to find musicians to work with on or offline, hire session players and meet new people, building their list of contacts. Indaba Music is a social-network for anyone who is passionate about music. "Learn more about browsing and searching":#2.
Indaba is a Zulu word that invokes the spirit of collaboration and community. It refers to a gathering or a forum for sharing ideas, and it embodies concepts that are central to the mission of Indaba Music.
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h1. 2. The Profile
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Your profile is your place to represent yourself to the rest of the Indaba Music community; tell people about yourself, show off your music, share photos, and blog about whatever you like. To get to your profile page, select your picture at the top right of any page on Indaba. You'll notice that the profile has two tabs – Network Profile and Collaboration. The Network Profile tab displays all the basic information about you, while the Collaboration tab offers a detailed look at the work you are doing and have done on Indaba. The following sections will tell you more about how to get the most out of each part of your profile.
h2. a. Profile Editing
Editing the information in your profile is easy - just click Edit Your Profile at the top of your profile page. This will open up the fields in your profile to editing. Some fields, like "About Me" are free-form - you can type in anything you'd like. Other fields, like "Instruments" will auto-complete as you begin typing. If you try to type something that we haven't included in the auto-complete list, send us an e-mail at feedback@indabamusic.com if you think it should be included.
When you're done typing information into your profile, just click any of the "save" buttons throughout the page and all the changes you have made will be preserved. Remember to click "save" before going to another page or closing your browser!
Your profile is located on the web at www.indabamusic.com/people/userid#, however you can set a custom web address for your profile (for example, www.indabamusic.com/people/indaba) if you want to make it easier for your friends to reach your page. Go to your Account Settings page and choose a custom URL ("learn more about choosing a custom URL for your profile":#6a).
Tip: If you want to include a link to another website in your profile, there's no need to type out the http://, just type www.yourwebsite.com and we'll automatically convert it to a link.
Tip: If you want people that you work with in sessions on Indaba Music to be able to automatically pay you via PayPal, just enter the e-mail address associated with your PayPal account in the "Working with Others" section of your profile. This address WILL NOT be displayed on your profile, we will simply indicate to others who view your profile that you do indeed accept PayPal session payments. Only members with whom you establish terms in sessions will see your PayPal e-mail address. "Learn more about sessions terms":#faq4.
h2. b. Blogging
Your blog is a free-form area on your profile to express yourself. You can talk about your music, shows you're playing, issues affecting musicians - anything you want!
To add a new blog post, click the Add Post link below the Last Viewed By section on the left side of your profile page.
Once you're on the New Blog Post page, only two things are required - 1) that you give your post a title, and 2) that you put something in the body of the post. You can change fonts, sizes, and other text features using the toolbar at the top of the editing area.
To insert a hyperlink, simply highlight the text that you'd like to be linked, and click the button that looks like a chain, called the Insert/edit link button. Type in the URL of the site you'd like to link to ("http://" first), fill in other options if you'd like, and click Insert. You can always use the button that looks like a broken chain (right next to the Insert/edit link button) to remove a hyperlink.
If you want to insert either a picture or movie into your blog post, use the Insert/Edit Image button that looks like a picture of a tree (for pictures) or the Insert/Edit Embedded Media button that looks like a filmstrip (for movies).
Once you click the Insert/Edit Image button, type in the location of your image in the Image URL box, or click the file button to the right of it to select a file from your hard drive. If you move off the General tab to the Appearance tab, you can also choose an Alignment option to define how text is aligned around the image in your blog post. When you're all done, simply click the Insert button and voila, you now have a picture in your post! Even after you've returned to the New Blog Post page, you can still click on the image, and use the handle bars that appear on it's edges to re-size it in the window.
Once you click the Insert/Edit Embedded Media button, type in the location of your movie in the File/URL box. In most cases, you can leave Type set to Flash (the default choice). When you're done, click the Insert button and voila, you now have a movie in your post. Tip: If you'd like to use an embed code to post media in your blog, copy the embed code, click on the HTML button, and paste the embed code into your post.
Once you're done creating the body of your blog post, you can delay publishing your post to a future time, or alter the time at which an older post was published by clicking the edit option next to the Posting Date below the body of the blog. You can also enter tags to categorize your blog post - separate individual tags with commas. When you're all done, just click Post! Remember, you can always click edit this post from the bottom of any blog post that you've created to return to the editing screen.
h2. c. Testimonials (feedback)
Feedback for work you've done in sessions will appear on the Collaboration tab in your profile - when you first sign on to Indaba this will be blank, but after you've completed work in sessions, testimonials your collaborators leave for you will help represent your reputation in the community.
Testimonials are both free-form and multiple-choice, enabling members to rate their experiences as positive, neutral or negative but and also to describe those experiences as they see fit.
To see the testimonials left for a member, click on the collaboration tab on their profile and testimonials appear on the bottom left of the page.
h2. d. Contacts
Contacts are a way to keep track of people on Indaba Music, whether you want to remember them for a later project, or show the rest of the community that you know them. When you add people to your contacts, they will show up in the Contacts area of your public profile.
You can always add someone to your list of contacts using the "Add to Contacts" option below someone's picture on their profile or to the right of their information in search results.
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h1. 3. My Studio
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My Studio is the central control center for all your work on Indaba Music. In it, you can see "your studio feed":#2a, "my checklist":#2b, "your sessions":#2c, and "messaging":#2d. The toolbar at the top of My Studio allows you to explore different areas of Indaba, with links to create a session, edit your profile, find a friend, and create a blog post.
h2. a. Your Studio Feed
Your Studio Feed is the best way to keep track on the activity of sessions you're involved in! It will display News from Indaba and the history of all the sessions you are currently a part of as well as your ended sessions. The feed lists the person who's been active in the session (and offer a link to their profile page), it will describe the activity, and link you to the session where the activity took place.
h2. b. My Checklist
My Checklist expands upon the Community Page's profile completeness meter by showing what you've done to earn your current percentage, and will show you different ways you can increase your percentage. By clicking on the links under My Checklist, you'll be taken to the exact page where you can perform an action to up your profile completeness percentage.
h2. c. Session Listing
Sessions I Own will list the sessions you've started ("learn more about starting a session":#5a), and Other Sessions will list other sessions you are a part of or watching ("learn more about watching sessions":#5g).
h2. d. Messaging
At the top right any page on Indaba, you will see your pending messages. Click here to view recent messages you've received, who they are from, and when they were received. Simply click on the subject of the message to reveal its full contents. Clicking on the name of the sender will take you to that user's profile - not to the message body.
After you've opened the contents of a message, you can choose an action at the bottom right of the display - replying to the sender or deleting the message from your inbox. Again, you can also click on the sender's name to go to their full profile.
Remember that you can always send someone a message using the Send a Message option below someone's picture on their profile, or to the right of their information in search results.
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h1. 4. The Session
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h2. a. Starting a Session
Starting a session is quick and easy - simply click the Create a Session link at the top of My Studio, or click the new session link to the right of the Sessions I Own header in My Studio. Once you create the session, you'll be taken straight to your new session page. You can name the session by double-clicking the default name at the top of the page ([User Name]'s Session #).
By clicking on the Upload Files button in the session toolbar, you'll see a status bar showing how much storage you're allotted for the session. If you already have a file or two you'd like to build the session around, click the Add Files button and find the file on your computer. Once you select your files, it will begin uploading automatically to your session. If you'd like to upload a session image, you can click the 'change session image' link at the top right of the page.
Once your file is uploaded, it will show up on the session feed. If you'd like to make your upload the reference track ("learn more about reference tracks":#4d), set the permissions of your file, or edit permissions, select the Actions button to the right of file. By clicking the Actions button, you can also set a track to be the session preview track, download or delete the track.
You can post a message to the session page by pressing the Comment button, launch the session console by pressing Record, Edit, Mix ("learn more about the session console":#4), and you can invite people to join your session by selecting invite members. Once your session is completed, you can select the 'publish session' button to Publish it.
Select edit next to the Session Info header to edit the details of the session. You can edit the description, and you'll also be able to choose between public and private - private sessions won't show up in search results or to anyone that you don't personally invite ("learn more about inviting people to sessions":#5b). If you want people to find your session or audition for it, make sure to choose the public option.
In the next fields, you'll have the chance to input important data about your session. Although you can always do this later, the more information you enter here the easier it will be for people to find your session. Also, Indaba Music will recommend your session to other members if the data you enter here matches data that they have entered in their profiles, so be thoughtful about what you choose.
h2. b. Adding People to a Session (session creator only)
To add people to your session, click the invite members button in the session toolbar or click the invite link to the right of the Members header.
Once you reach the Invite People to a Session page, you'll see five categories: frequent collaborators, suggested members, contacts, search Indaba community, and invite a guest. When searching the Indaba community, you'll see an abbreviated version of the Indaba search to find the perfect collaborator. Inviting a guest is a new feature where you can invite a non-Indaban to collaborate on your session. They can't join other sessions, but they will have access to the session you invited them to without becoming an Indaba member.
h2. c. Joining a Session
If you want to join a session that you haven't been invited to, you have two options. You can click the Upload Audition button from the top of the session to upload an audition track, or you can click Ask to Join button. If you choose to audition for the session, you'll probably want to download files (if there are any that are available) from the session to record along with.
If you don't wish to audition for the session, you should select the Ask to Join option. This will send a message to the session owner letting them know you're interested in their session, and will offer a link to your profile to see the kind of work you do. Either way, the session creator will have the option to accept the audition or session membership request in order to make the interested user a full member of the session. The session creator can also deny these requests, but in either case these actions are performed from the session page by the session creator.
h2. d. Setting Reference track, Editing Permissions, Selecting License
Once you've uploaded a file, you can also choose whether or not you want your file to be a reference track (if you are uploading an audition, you can choose whether to grant the session creator permission to make it a reference track should your audition be accepted). A reference track is a file that is central to collaboration in the session; it can therefore be downloaded by anyone, even Indaba users who are not members of the session. If you give the session creator permission to make an audition file a reference track, then whatever download permissions you set here will change in order to enable anyone to download the file when/if the session creator decides to make it a reference file.
You can set the permissions by clicking the Actions button to the right of it and selecting Edit. This will allow you to decide who can download your file from your session. You can choose between all session members or only you.
Double-click on the filename if you'd like to rename it. If you are not yet a member of the session and you are uploading an audition file, only you will be able to download it until it is accepted and you become a full member of the session.
Note: If you choose to make a file a reference track, you will not be able to define any specific download permissions, since reference tracks by definition can be downloaded by anyone.
Before choosing a licensing option, you must verify that you have the legal rights to the composition, recording and lyrics for the file. PLEASE DO NOT UPLOAD OR SELECT LICENSING OPTIONS FOR FILES THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE LEGAL PERMISSION TO WORK WITH IN THIS WAY. Refer to our Terms of Use for more information. If you think that a file has been incorrectly labeled or uploaded illegally to Indaba Music, please email us at copyright@indabamusic.com. It is very important to us that Indaba remain a place of positive collaboration, and we take copyright infringement and the rights of musicians very seriously.
If you decide to display a license for your file, we offer 3 options - 1) All rights reserved (this basically tells the community that you own the file and aren't granting anyone any special permissions, 2) Creative Commons Attribution, and 3) Creative Commons Attribution, Non-Commercial.
h2. e. Tracking Session Events
Every session page has a feed that displays all the events that have happened in that session. Where applicable, you can click [more…] to reveal more information about a specific event.
Click on the orange RSS icon to subscribe to a feed of session events - this is a great way to keep track of what's going on in a session without having to open your web browser and visit the session page. Every time a new event is tracked it will be delivered straight to your RSS reader.
h2. f. Watching a Session
Watching a session is a way to keep track of it without taking any action like auditioning or messaging the session creator.
Click the eyeball button at the top right of the session page to add the session to a list of sessions you're watching in My Studio. This is a private action - no one will know that you are watching the session other than you.
h2. g. Ending a Session
There are two ways to end a session on Indaba – you can simply end it by clicking End this Session from your My Studio page or you can click the Publish Session button in the Session toolbar.
You should publish a session when you have completed your work and would like to display the finished product on your Indaba profile. Use the Published Session wizard to update any information about the song so that others will be able to view it. When you publish a session it will also end, and you will not be able to re-activate it or modify/download the files. Published sessions are a great way to show off work you've completed on Indaba – they feature the music (of course!), credits for participating members, and an interactive timeline of the work that went into the creation of the final song.
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h1. 5. The Indaba Session Console 2.0
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Indaba Music offers the world's most cutting-edge online software to record, edit, and mix your music. All members can use the console online in their browser, and pro and platinum members are able to download the console straight to their computer for offline use. Complete with non-destructive, real-time effects and a royalty-free sample library, the new Indaba Session console is all you need to take your music to the next level!
The Session Console will support WAV, AIFF, and MP3 files. Although you can exchange files of any type using Indaba Music, only these types are supported for in-browser mixing and editing.
The hard-working developers here at Indaba Music have tried to push the envelope of Java audio processing online to create a tool that will be comfortable for users of programs like ProTools, Logic, GarageBand, and Audacity, as well as users who have never used audio production programs.
h2. First, an important message for Mac users
For some reasons on a small portion of Mac computers running OS X 10.5 (Leopard) the computer doesn't realize that a required program, Java Web Start, exists, and will try to open Text Edit instead. If this is happening to you please follow these instructions and this will be fixed.
1. Use Finder to go to Macintosh HD/System/Library/CoreServices. You don't need to do anything here, just open the window.
2. Next, close that window and go to the JNLP file that downloaded when you tried to launch the console, Control+Click on the JNLP file and select 'Get Info'.
3. In 'Get Info' Make sure 'Open With...' is set to 'Java Web Start'.
For more information about the new Indaba Console go to our Indaba Console FAQ.
Finally, double click on the JNLP file and you should be able to launch the console now and in the future. You can now close all of your open windows.
h2. Playback Controls (play/fast forward/rewind)
What: The main controls for starting and stopping audio, as well as fast forwarding and returning to the beginning of the track.
Why: Because in order to collaborate you have to hear the music!
How: At the top of the mixing console Click on the far left button (rewind) to rewind the track, the button second from the left (play/pause) to start/stop audio, and the button furthest to the right (fast forward) to skip forward.
h2. Record
What: The most incredible new feature of the console is the ability to record straight from your home studio set up!
Why: Because you want people to hear the music you make!
How: Select the track you want to record onto by selecting the top of the track. Click on the timeline to move timeline insertion to where you want to start recording.
At the top of the mixing console, click the red circular button to record. First, name the file you are recording in the Recorded Audio File Name field. Then, you can set the Preroll value, meaning the amount of time in seconds you want to hear playback before the console actually begins recording. Then select Mono or Stereo (meaning if you're recording one channel or two, respectively) and press the record button.
h2. Mute
What: The Mute function is used to temporarily silence a particular track.
Why: You might want to remove that pesky cowbell while mixing the rest of the song.
How: In the track controls click the 'M' button to activate the Mute function - it will turn from gray to red when activated.
h2. Solo
What: Solo makes all other track outputs silent and enables you to hear only the selected (soloed) track.
Why: You might want to give a closer listen to the guitar track to hear if an incorrect chord was played, or you might want to solo all the drums together and work on mixing them alone before adding in new instruments.
How: In the track controls click the 'S' button activate the Solo function - it will turn from gray to yellow when activated.
Note: You can Solo multiple tracks at the same time!
h2. Volume
What: Changing a track's volume relative to other tracks in the console.
Why: Changing relative track volume can make a song sound more coherent, especially when different parts were recorded with different gear, at different times, in different places, etc.
How: Use the volume slider (right below the Mute and Solo buttons on a track) to raise or lower individual track volume.
h2. Volume Automation
What: Creating a series of points to outline when you'd like the volume to raise and lower on an audio track.
Why: Sometimes the volume of a recording may fluctuate, or you'd like to bring out certain sections of a track more than others!
How: Click the volume automation button (to the right of the Solo button) on a track to see a line with two points on each end, representing the volume of the track. Click within the line to create a point, and drag the point upwards or downwards to create a gradual increase or decrease of volume to that point.
Note: Click the little 'D' button to the right of the Volume Automation button to delete the volume automation on a track.
h2. Pan
What: Altering a track's output to change the relative balance of how much audio comes out of the left and right speakers.
Why: Panning is a mixing tool that can create a more interesting and dynamic sound by placing audio in different parts of the stereo field (left speaker to right speaker).
How: Click and drag the knob on the Pan fader to the left/right to adjust what percent of the audio comes out of which speaker.
h2. Zoom
What: Zooming in/out on the timeline to see more/less detail on audio regions.
Why: Zoom in to make functions like auto-volume, cropping, and lining up tracks more precise. Zoom out to make looking at the big picture and sliding audio in time significantly easier.
How: Right below the rewind and play buttons, there is a slider – click and drag the slider to the left to zoom out and to the right to zoom in.
h2. Tempo
What: The speed or pace of a piece of music, usually expressed in beats per minute (bpm).
Why: Tempo gives participants an indication of how fast the music is. Telling others know what tempo you have recorded to, as well as if you recorded while listening to a metronome (or "click" ) track will help them record successfully along with your files. Additionally, the tempo sets the frequency of audible clicks produced by the metronome, when enabled.
How: Double click on the BPM to the right of the timer to enter your desired tempo.
h2. Time signature
What: One of the critical time keeping measures in music. The upper number indicates how many beats there are in a bar, the lower number indicates the note value which represents one beat.
Why: Setting and displaying the time signature for the song will give all participants more information about what they are contributing to, and it will ensure that the metronome is working in the same meter as the music.
How: Click on the time signature to the right of the timer and select your desired time signature from the drop down menu. You can also change the time signature by selecting the time signature from the top left of the console above the SNAP button.
h2. Metronome
What: The metronome is a time keeping and synchronization tool. When activated it plays a constant audible click in time with the set tempo. Notes are accented at the beginning of every measure, in accordance with the set meter.
Why: If tracks were recorded to the sound of a metronome then the session metronome can be very helpful in lining up tracks to synch with one another.
How: Turn metronome on by selecting the metronome icon in the top left of the console. Input the correct Meter and Tempo for the song, line up the first beat of an audio region with the first beat of a measure by visually lining up the beat with one of the bar lines and audibly lining it up with the metronome.
Tip: Tracks can look lined up at every zoom level. After getting things generally in place try zooming in to the closest level to line things up more precisely.
h2. Grid
What: Bar lines set to match the tempo and time signature of the song.
Why: To make ensure that audio lines up correctly, with the beats falling on the grid lines.
How: To view/hide the grid click the Grid icon in the top left of the console (above the metronome icon). If the correct tempo is set, audio files should snap into place on the grid and the files should be lined up.
Tip: If you created the song, make sure the tracks uploaded into the mixer start from 0:00 to make it easier for other members of the session to sync their parts up with the files in the mix.
h2. Snap
What: With Snap enabled, when you drag audio regions and let them go the beginning of the dragged region will "snap" to the nearest bar line. This way, you don't have to line it up precisely.
Why: Especially when working with lined up tracks, be they from midi files, or audio files recorded to a click track, Snap makes lining things up easier.
How: To turn Snap on/off click the Snap icon in the top left of the console, directly to the right of the metronome icon.
h2. Select & Cut
What: Select and cut to change how you interact with your audio files on the timeline. Use the select tool when you would like to drag your audio files on the timeline, and use the cut tool when you would like to separate the audio file into two or more separate pieces.
Why: The ability to cut comes in handy when you'd like to create a loop of a portion of an audio file, or when only a certain length of audio is needed in your session.
How: Select the Select button at the top of the console (to the left of the rewind button) to use the Select tool. Just click and drag audio files on the timeline to use it. Select the Cut button at the top of the console (below the select tool) to select the Cut tool. Click on the place in the audio where you'd like to separate the audio. Using the Select tool, you can click and drag your audio in two separate parts if you wish.
Note: Cutting is not destructive – If ever you decide you want to expand your cut audio, you will still be able to by selecting and dragging the gray triangle at the bottom corner of the audio file.
h2. Loop
What: Looping is a tool that enables users to replicate the same audio region multiple times in series within a specific track.
Why: If you want the same pattern or sound to repeat looping is a great way to make that happen easily. For example, many people will loop a drum beat to extend it for several measures and record other parts on top of it.
How: Select an audio region by clicking on it, and then click the loop button in the top right of the audio file. |Click this button, drag the cursor to the right, and release your mouse when you have looped the region the desired number of times.
Tip: Before looping a track, crop its beginning and/or end, if necessary, so that the next time the loop starts it stays on the same beat as the original.
h2. Delete
What: The Delete function in the main console controls enables users to remove audio regions from the timeline. This action does not delete the audio files from the console - they will still be available for use from the files list ("learn more about the files list here":#fileslist).
Why: Remove audio regions from the mix that you don't want!
How: Select the audio region you would like to delete from the timeline by clicking on it and select the audio region and then use the Delete button on your keyboard.
h2. ii. Track Controls and Audio Regions
h2. Naming tracks
What: While each audio region has its own name, you can rename tracks to organize your session and help other members understand what audio is in each track.
Why: To give yourself and others a clearer picture of the elements in the song and to make mixing and editing easier.
How: Double-click on the default track name ("Track 1" for example), type the desired track name, and hit the enter key on your keyboard or click somewhere outside the track name.
h2. Move Tracks Up/Down
What: This tool enables users to easily re-arrange the order of tracks in the console.
Why: Different people working in the same session may like to look at tracks in different ways so having a tool to reprioritize what you are looking at is important.
How: Simply drag and drop a track to move it from one location to another.
h2. Slide
What: Slide specific audio regions in the timeline.
Why: For any reason you might want to offset, align, or generally move audio regions around. For example, to line up audio regions with audio on different tracks or to add multiple audio regions to the same track and ensure they are in time with the beat.
How: Select the audio region (it will turn gray when selected) and then click and drag it to the desired location.
Tip: Zooming in can make lining up audio with other regions more precise, while zooming out can make moving regions over a large time period easier.
h2. Crop
What: Cropping enables you to adjust the beginning and ending of an audio clip by cutting off undesired notes or empty space. Cropping is non-destructive so you can always undo any adjustments you have made.
Why: If you have empty space or notes at the beginning or end of an audio region that you don't want to be audible in the song cropping is a quick and easy way to get rid of them. Additionally, if you are looping a region and want to ensure that the loop plays correctly and in time - having extra space at the beginning or end of the region will disrupt the time and throw it out of sync.
How: Click and drag the shaded lower corners of an audio region to the left or right. Let go to crop the file at the current position.
h2. Sample Library
What: The Indaba Session Library allows you to import royalty-free loops and samples straight into your session to create your own background arrangements for your songs.
How: Select the types of loops you're looking for at the bottom left of the console, and the results will appear below the sample library. Press the play button next to the files to preview them, and drag and drop the loops you'd like to use in your session onto an open track.
h2. iii. FX
You can add effects to your track by clicking the down arrow to the right of FX on your track. Select the effect you want to add under the under the add effect list, and it will appear in the FX area of your track with a green light next to it. Click on the effect in your track to edit the details of the effect, and click the green light to bypass the effect (green is on/gray is off). If you'd like to remove the effect all together, select the effect under the Remove Effect list and it will disappear from your track.
h2. Chorus
What: The chorus effect will take your single track and make it sound bigger. For example, on vocals, it gives the illusion of multiple people singing the same melody line instead of just one recorded voice.
Details: In the details section of the Chorus effect, you can edit the amount of effect you'd like used, the depth, the speed, and the amount you'd like the effect randomized.
Click the reset button to make the details return to their default position, click the bypass button to turn off the effect, and click the remove button to remove the effect.
h2. EZ Compressor
What: The compression effect takes an audio signal and reduces the peaks in volume to make the audio more uniform throughout. Using gain, you can raise the volume of your audio file without having it peak because of your audio is now more uniform
Details: In the details section of the EZ Compressor, you can edit how much compression you'd like to use, and how much gain you'd like to use to up the volume of your audio file. The gain reduction meter will show how much your audio is being compressed.
Click the reset button to make the details return to their default position, click the bypass button to turn off the effect, and click the remove button to remove the effect.
h2. Delay
What: The delay effect will create an echo effect by taking your original effect and replaying it again after a period of time.
Details: In the details section of the Delay effect, you can edit the mix of original vs. delayed signal you'd like to hear. 100 is only delayed signal, and 0 is only original signal.
The four delayed presets determine when the delayed signal will occur. The delayed presets are ¼ (where the delay occurs on the quarter note), Slap, Ring, and Dark.
h2. Stereo Multi-Tap Delay (Pro)
What: The delay effect will create an echo effect by taking your original effect and replaying it again after a period of time.
Details: In the details section of the Stereo Multi-Tap Delay effect, you can edit the mix of original vs. delayed signal you'd like to hear, the timing of the delay in milliseconds, the feedback (the amount of times you'd like the delay to repeat), and damping.
The Stereo section of the details dialog box allows you to create delay in stereo (moving from the left ear to the right ear, or vice versa). Change the amount of delay in the left versus the right with the delay sliders, and the volume of the stereo delays with the Level sliders.
The pre-sets at the top of the details pop up, you'll see different timings where the delay can be played, based on the tempo you've set in your session. You can have your delay come in a whole note later, a half note later, etc. Note: The ,3's indicate triplet counts.
h2. 3 Band EQ
What: The 3 Band EQ will allow you to raise and lower frequencies in your audio files, to give them the sound you're looking for.
Details: In the details section of 3 Band EQ, you can adjust the Hi, Med, and Low frequencies using the sliders. Click the reset button to make the details return to their default position, click the bypass button to turn off the effect, and click the remove button to remove the effect.
h2. 5 Band EQ (Pro)
What: The 5 Band EQ will allow you to raise and lower frequencies in your audio files, to give them the sound you're looking for.
Details: In the details section of 5 Band EQ, you can adjust the exact frequency you want to raise or lower with the Frequency slider. You can change the ranger of frequencies you'd like to be affecting using the Q numbers (1 being the narrowest range, 4 being the widest), and you can adjust the amount you'd want the frequency raised or lowered using the Level slider.
The shelf options will allow all frequencies above (for high shelf) or below (for low shelf) to be boosted or reduced as you so choose. Lo cut will remove all frequency information below the frequency you input in the slider.
You can click bypass beneath any of the separated sections to bypass an EQ effect for that area. Click the reset button to make the details return to their default position, click the bypass button to turn off the effect, and click the remove button to remove the effect.
h2. Flanger
What: The Flanger will copy your signal, and time-delay it by a small and gradually changing amount, usually smaller than 20 milliseconds. The flanger takes this file and mixes it with the original, creating a unique effect.
Details: In the details section of the flanger, you can adjust the feedback, the depth, and the spend of the flanger. Click the reset button to make the details return to their default position, click the bypass button to turn off the effect, and click the remove button to remove the effect.
h2. Reverb
What: The reverb effect emulates the echoes made when a sound is made in an enclosed space producing multiple decaying echoes.
Details: In the details section of reverb, you can choose from the five pre-sets—room and large hall (Pro Reverb also has medium dark, vox plate, and digital presets). You can also manually adjust reverb settings by amount (how much reverb vs. original audio file), length, and high frequency cutoff (cuts off high frequencies to recreate the dulling of the echoes in natural settings).
h2. iv. File and Mix Lists
h2. Open / Save / Save As…
What: Open a session you've begun in the session console, save a mix you've done on the console, or save a new mix with a different name than a previous mix.
Why: The ability to have multiple mixes and multiple ways to save them gives members flexibility to try new things without losing work or having to choose which mix they ultimately want to use.
How: The three buttons are located just under File in the session toolbar.
h2. Session Files
What: The Files list is a list of all audio files that have been uploaded to the session. This list appears on the left hand side of the console.
Why: You may have many auditions and regular files to manage and you may not want all of them in the mixer at the same time. The files list keeps files organized and displays exactly what audio you have available to work with in the mixer.
How: Preview the track by clicking on the play button to the left of the file, and drag and drop files into the mixer to start creating your mix.
h2. File Types and Permissions
What: The console supports 24, 16, and 8 bit files in WAV, AIFF, and MP3 formats.
Why: Because you should have the flexibility to work however you want!
How: You can upload any of the aforementioned files to the session console. Once a file is uploaded Indaba produce a low quality copy on our servers so that it will load faster in the mixer - no one wants to wait for seven 25mb AIFF files to load in their web browsers! These low-quality copies are only used in the console - original files are always available for download in their high quality formats, and any mixdowns you create and save will be produced using the original files that you uploaded.
h2. Export (Mixdown)
What: Combine all audio regions in the session console timeline, including all settings (volume, automation, panning, cropping, looping, etc.) into a single stereo AIFF or WAV file.
Why: Export allows you to take a session and turn it into a song. It is the final step in any recording process and gives you the ability to share your song with the world through your profile, the Indaba Music Player, your website or Myspace page and gives you the ability to take it with you on your iPod or other MP3 player.
How: Select Export (Mixdown) in the File menu to export your mix in a WAV or AIFF format.
Note: Even though the session console works with low-quality copies of uploaded files in order to substantially decrease loading time in your web browser, Mixdown will use the highest quality files available as long as you have permission to download them ("learn more about file permissions here":#filepermissions).
h2. Preview
What: The preview button plays only the selected file.
Why: In sessions where there are many files with potentially similar names, it is helpful to be able to preview a file before adding it to the timeline, downloading it or deleting it.
How: Select a file from the Files list and click the preview button.
h2. Import
What: How you get a file into the session console.
Why: Because you need files to collaborate in the session console, silly.
How: Go to File → Import File to import a file from you computer to the Session Files list.
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h1. 6. Community Browsing and Searching
p(top_link). "Return to Menu":#page_top
h2. a. The Community Page
The Community Page is the gateway to Indaba Music. At the top right of the screen, you'll see your profile completeness meter. Below the meter are links things you can do on Indaba to increase your profile completeness percentage, and initially they'll focus on filling out your profile ("learn more about filling out your profile":#3a). You'll also see Featured Sessions & Featured Artists that we here at Indaba think you should check out!
You'll also notice a large rectangular space with rotating images and overlaid text - we here at Indaba call that the Hero! The Hero will keep you up to date on the latest news on Indaba – you'll see the latest featured programs, blogs, featured sessions and more displayed right here if ever you run out of things to do on Indaba!
One thing you'll see a lot of on the Hero is the Indablog. The Indablog is the Indaba Music editorial area - here you'll see all different kinds of featured editorial material, from discussions about issues affecting musicians to tips for making the most of your Indaba Music experience. Please get involved in the conversation (just click "comment on this post" to speak up), and let us know if there's anything you'd like to see discussed here at feedback@indabamusic.com.
The coolest thing about the new Community Page is everything else on your page is completely up to you! The new gadgets allow you to choose what you want to see and what you don't when you go to your Community page. You can drag & drop whichever gadgets are currently on your page, and if you'd like to remove a gadget, just mouse over its top bar, and select the X at the top right of the gadget. All of the moveable gadgets are stored at the bottom of the community page, so feel free to drag & drop the gadgets until you find a layout that works for you.
h2. b. Searching on Indaba
Using the simple search bar at the top right of any page is the easiest way to search on Indaba. Just click on the icon next to the search bar to change the type of search you want. You can search for people, sessions, groups, or events. Another way to reach the search page is by clicking the 'Find a Friend' button on the My Studio page.
This simple search bar also has the ability to take you to the advanced search page - Just click the Advanced Search link at the bottom of the simple search drop down. Once you reach the Advanced Search page, click the link that corresponds with the type of search you're looking for.
Once you see the the Advanced Search fields, you can enter as much or as little information as you'd like, but if you don't get as many results as you'd like, try broadening your search criteria.
Regardless of whether you're looking for something specific or whether you're just exploring, results will display an image, basic information if the user has provided it, sample audio if the user has provided it, and a set of actions you can take with your search results.
If you'd like to view the profile, session, event or group, you can click on the name or picture, and it'll take to exactly what you're looking for.
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h1. 7. Account Settings
p(top_link). "Return to Menu":#page_top
To edit the link_to("settings of your Indaba Music account", account_url) %>, click the "Settings" option at the top of the site. Here you'll be able to see your "basic settings":#6a, "membership status":#6b, and "privacy settings":#6c.
h2. a. Basic Settings
Basic settings enable you to change your name on Indaba Music (this is what will be displayed anywhere your identity is represented on the site, including on your profile), your email address (make sure to keep this current so that emails from the Indaba Music system can get through to you), and your password. "What do I do if I forget my password":#faq9?
You can also set your permanent Indaba Music URL - this is the web address where your profile will be located once you set it. Choosing a custom URL will make it easier for you to share your Indaba profile with others, but choose carefully since you will not be able to change this address once it is set.
You can also enter a phone number to identify yourself to the IndabaVox service and the default session into which your voice recordings will be saved. IndabaVox is a feature where you can call and record voice messages directly into your session or have conference calls with other members of your session. Just call the number next to Session Phone # on the right hand of your session page to use IndabaVox.
h2. b. Membership
Membership settings enable you to upgrade your account to a Pro or Platinum membership. Your free Indaba Music account enables you to have 100MB of storage per session, 5 public sessions at once, and 1 private session a week (the session is deleted at the end of the week). A Pro account will allow you to own 10 public sessions at once with 500MB of storage in each, 3 private sessions, and the ability to download the brand new session console right onto your computer. You'll also get to use pro audio effects and you'll have access to the pro clips library – and this is all for just $5 a month or $50 a year (click here to upgrade!).
For those Indabans who are ready to take their music to the next level, check out the platinum membership! You'll be able to own unlimited public and private sessions with unlimited storage (!), and access to the complete effects and sample library in the console! It's just $25/month or $250/year for a Pro membership on Indaba (click here to upgrade!).
h2. c. Privacy Settings
Your privacy settings control when Indaba Music can email you, and also how the site can interact with you. Use the checkboxes to turn on or off the different privacy options that are available.
p(next_link). "Next Section »":#8
h1. 8. Frequently Asked Questions
p(top_link). "Return to Menu":#page_top
"Who controls my music on Indaba?":#faq1
"What does "alpha" mean?":faq2
"Why should I work in MP3 until I am ready to transfer the final version of an audio file?":#faq3
"What are Session agreements?":#faq4
"How does feedback on Indaba Music work?":#faq5
"What is the difference between a Session I own and a Session I belong to?":#faq6
"What is a Reference Track?":#faq7
"What happens when a Session is ended?":#faq8
"What do I do if I forget my password?":#faq9
h2. Who controls my music on Indaba?
You do! We do not take any ownership rights to your music. This is very important to us, since empowering artists and giving them more control than they've ever had is one of our most valued goals. If you upload your work to publicly accessible areas of the site (like the sample work in your profile), then you give us permission to display it there and in other publicly accessible areas of the site. Of course, anything you do in private (like in private sessions) remains private, unless you decide to Publish a private session and create a Published Song page. We've also thought a lot about who has permission to do what on the site; for example, although anyone in the community can download tracks you designate as reference tracks in public sessions (so that they can work with them offline and audition for your session!), regular files have their own permissions so you can decide who can download them and who can not. Of course, if your session is private, only members you've invited to the session will even know that it exists while it is active. For more info on the legal jargon that goes along with all this, check out our Terms of Use.
h2. What does "alpha" mean?
The revamped areas of Indaba are just the first phase of our new release. There are still some issues on some areas of the site (specifically, our new Session Console 2.0), so the "alpha" tag is just a reminder you that Indaba 2.0 is still a work in progress, and we're interested in hearing your feedback! If you run into any issues on the site or have any questions, please shoot us an e-mail at feedback@indabamusic.com, and we'll do our best to correct the issue as soon as we can!
h2. Why should I work in MP3 until I am ready to transfer the final version of an audio file?
Converting files to MP3 on your computer before you upload them to Indaba Music benefits you in a number of ways: MP3s are smaller than formats like WAV and AIFF, so they won't take nearly as long to upload. MP3s are smaller, so they won't use up as much of your monthly Session File transfer allowance. MP3s are lower-quality as compared to AIFF or WAV, so you don't have to release high quality files to others until you are ready.
h2. What are Session agreements?
Session agreements can be established in Sessions between the session creator and a session member. They represent an agreement to do work in a certain way, including price, due date, final file type to be delivered, and any other instructions that you'd like to agree to. You do not need to use agreements in your Sessions, but they are a way to settle on payment if you are working for a fee or are working with someone who charges for their work. If you have agreements with a Session member, then when the Session is ended, you will be prompted to settle outstanding payment issues.
h2. How does feedback work?
Feedback on Indaba Music exists to provide you with a reputation on the site, and to allow other members to view a record of the Session work you've done and what others have thought about it. The opportunity to leave Testimonials for other members and give them a rating is granted upon Session close and throughout the collaborative process. Indaba only enables members who have worked with each other in Sessions to write Testimonials for each other, and we strongly suggest that members always do so as it helps to enhance the usefulness of the site and provides members with richer and more detailed information about each other. Session members are rated positive, neutral, or negative, but since musical collaboration can be very subjective and requires explanation to be truly meaningful, you can also leave free-form feedback
h2. What is the difference between a Session I own and a Session I belong to?
Sessions you own are Sessions that you created, whereas Sessions you belong to are simply Sessions that you've been invited to that you did not create. As the creator of a Session, you have the ability to edit Session info, close the Session, and invite others to join the Session. Anyone can belong to as many Sessions as they like, however free members are allowed to own 5 public sessions simultaneously (and one private session that expires weekly), whereas pro members can own 10 public sessions, and platinum members can own as many as they like. We limit the number of Sessions Indaba Music members can own in order to maintain the quality of Public Session search results and limit the number of old or inactive Sessions that are floating around.
h2. What is a Reference Track?
Reference tracks are the main session files that the session creator wants others to work with. In public sessions, reference tracks are available for download so that all Indaba members can use them to audition for your session.
h2. What happens when a Session is ended?
When the creator of a Session confirms that they would like to close it, Indaba Music will prompt all Session members to leave Testimonials for other members, and to resolve any outstanding payments that might have been agreed to in terms between members. The Session will no longer show up in My Studio, but you can always access it by clicking "view all" in the Sessions box in My Studio and selecting the Inactive Sessions tab. Once a Session is closed, all files uploaded to it will will be inaccessible, so make sure you download what you want beforehand.
If the creator of a Session chooses to Publish the Session, then a Published Song page will be created and the Session will become available for other members to view. No one will be able to continue working in the Session, but it will be preserved as a completed work on Indaba.
h2. What do I do if I forget my password?
Not to worry! If you've forgotten your password, simply follow the "Forgot Your Password" link in the top right of the homepage to reset it! We will send you an email with a code to reset your password at the email address with which you signed up for your Indaba account.
h1. E-mail Us!
If you have any feedback or questions about Indaba Music, feel free to shoot us an e-mail at feedback@indabamusic.com.

