How do you export and share your final projects in your DAW?

Exporting and sharing my music is an essential part of my creative journey. It’s not just about showcasing my work, but also about connecting with others, receiving feedback, and sometimes finding new collaborative opportunities. It also helps me safeguard my work, keeping track of my progress and improving my workflow. Sharing music allows me to reach a wider audience and keep my creative energy alive.

Sharing is important for client to review, and for yourself to digest and listen it in different time and space. I just put a Mastering chain at the end of the master channel. The next day, with a fresh ear and mind, listen again you know, wow, it was ok but many things that can improve! That is the motivation.

Exporting and sharing your music is crucial for a number of reasons. First, it allows you to distribute your music widely, whether you're aiming for streaming platforms, radio play, or simply sharing with friends and family. Sharing also opens doors for collaboration, enabling others to contribute to your projects or remix your tracks. Furthermore, exporting creates a finalized, archival version of your work, preserving it in its current state. And finally, sharing your music allows you to gather valuable feedback from others, helping you improve and refine your sound.

If someone doesn't specify file type, send them an MP3. Be sure to include as much metadata as possible and to label the file appropriately. Details should include your name, email, BPM, key, social handle, PRO info, etc. I would even go as far as including cover art for branding. You can never provide too much metadata!

In your DAW, select the option to export your project. Choose the audio format, bit depth, and sample rate according to the delivery standards set by the client or by the platform you are sharing to. Specify the export range and any additional settings, such as dithering or normalization. Click export, and your project will be rendered into a standalone audio file. Sometimes, it is required to export the same audio with different settings. Ensure to add a different tag to each audio export to distinguish each export by just reading the title. For Example: "ProjectName 96k 24bit.wav" suggests that it's a WAV export of sample rate 96k and bit depth 24bits.

Exporting your project from your DAW involves a few key steps. You'll first need to choose the right audio format, with popular options including WAV for high-quality, uncompressed audio, and MP3 for smaller file sizes suitable for online sharing. Next, you'll need to select the bit depth and sample rate, which determine the audio resolution. Higher values generally result in better sound quality but also larger file sizes. Finally, you'll use your DAW's "bounce" or "render" function to create the final audio file, consolidating all tracks and effects into a single output.

After exporting, I like to organise the exported files in folders. For example, if it is to be sent to a Mix Engineer the folders will be according to instrument groups - Drums, Brass, Strings, Vocal Leads, Background Vocals, FX, etc. After organizing it's a good practice to compress your files to a zip format to reduce the size of the files to be transmitted. You can share your project through various platforms like Dropbox or Google Drive for easy access and sharing. Alternatively, use file-sharing platforms or email to send the project directly to collaborators or clients.

Once you have your exported audio file, there are numerous ways to share it with the world. Online platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp are popular choices for musicians, offering tools for hosting, promoting, and even selling music. Cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox provide convenient ways to share files with collaborators or anyone with a link. You can also opt for direct transfer methods like email or sharing physical media like CDs or USB drives.

When you work with another producer or want to share your project with a professional, it can be tricky because you might use different software or setups. To make it easier, you can export separate tracks of your project, called stems, and label them clearly with the instrument they belong to, like guitar or piano. It's also helpful to include information about the key and tempo (BPM) so the other person can match their project settings. Nowadays, many DAWs have features like XML and OMF that make it easier to share projects with others.

Collaboration is made easier with modern DAWs, many of which offer features for sharing project files and even working on them simultaneously with others online. If your DAW doesn't have these features, you can export individual instrument tracks, often called "stems," and send them to collaborators to work with. Cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox are invaluable for exchanging project files and keeping everyone on the same page.

Talk to the people you're looking to share with! How do they prefer to receive the files? What is the best way to send them? What are the limitations of your preferred/chosen method (i.e. size restrictions on Drive or WeTransfer, quality loss due to file compression, etc.)? Starting from here will give you a solid direction and answer many of the questions regarding the "how".

Every DAW has its own unique workflow for exporting and sharing, so your DAW's user manual is the best place to find specific instructions. Online tutorials on platforms like YouTube offer a wealth of information and visual guides on various exporting and sharing techniques. Community forums dedicated to your DAW or music production in general are also excellent resources for getting help and advice from experienced users.

DISCO is your friend. It is the premiere way to share music files and stems with metadata and paperwork. Every music professional should have a DISCO account!

Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to share and distribute your music, especially if collaborating with others. Protect your intellectual property by using contracts or agreements when working with clients or collaborators. Additionally, consider mastering your final projects according to set requirements for optimal sound quality before exporting and sharing.

Before you share your final track, consider mastering it to optimize the loudness and overall sound quality for different playback systems. Don't forget to add important metadata to your exported files, including the track title, artist name, and album information. And finally, maintain good file organization practices to keep your projects and exported files easily accessible and avoid confusion.