Software to make music together

Cobander is free desktop software that lets a band — up to 8 people — make music together on the same songs, whether you are in one room or in different cities. Everyone works on their own computer, and the songs sync through a cloud folder you already share.

Download for WindowsDownload for MacLicenses

Free — the whole app, every song, forever. Intel Mac? Intel Mac download.

Cobander in one minute.

The ways bands make music together

Bands usually end up with one of four setups. Emailing or texting audio files works for a riff or two, then turns into a pile of versions nobody can keep straight. A shared folder full of WAV files keeps everything in one place, but someone still has to line the files up by hand. An online studio in a web browser lines things up, but every member needs an account and the songs live on someone else's server. Cobander is a fourth way: a desktop app that treats the shared folder as the band's studio, so takes line up on their own and the files stay yours.

How it works

  1. Share one folder in Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud Drive or Dropbox with your band.
  2. Each member installs Cobander (Windows or Mac) and points it at that folder.
  3. Make a song. Everyone opens it, records their part, adds lyrics, chords and notes — on their own time.
  4. Locks show who is editing what, changes merge instead of overwriting, and every version can be brought back.

In the same room, too

Making music together isn't only for bands that live apart. At practice, one laptop records the band; at home, everyone adds overdubs, fixes and ideas to the same song. The phone page follows along with lyrics and chords, and can start and stop a recording.

More than recording

Write the structure, put chords on a lane, pin lyrics to the timeline, give each part a stage from idea to approved, and practice the songs with your own part taken out. Every take, lyric and practice minute earns XP, and the band levels up together.

What it is not

It is not live jamming over the internet — the internet is too slow for playing in time with someone across town. Cobander is for writing and recording songs together, each person adding their part when they can.

Questions

What is the best way for a band to make music together remotely?

Agree on one place where the song lives, with the latest takes, lyrics and chords together, and record to the same tempo. Cobander does this through a shared cloud folder, for free.

Is it free?

Yes. Every feature, every song; a one-time $10 Roadie key (or $60 for the band) puts names on the leaderboard.

Do we all need the same computer?

No. Windows and Mac work together in the same band.

Can we play together live over the internet?

No. Cobander is for writing and recording, not real-time jamming.

More about Cobander