Asking for experiences and tips: working on the same project on two or more computers - cloud storage, source control?

[Inversion Of Control]

I am not sure this is good subforum for that, but I don't have better idea where to put it.

Here is my case:
Right now for doing music I am using one laptop. Since it's geting older I am thinking to buy some new, better PC. However I am traveling a lot, so I would like to take my current laptop with me and still be able to work on my music.
Do you have any experiences on working with the same project on two or more computers? And I mean some more sophisticated solution than just copying project files between each computer after every travel. I am thinking about some cloud storage like OneDrive with automatic synchronization on both computers. Of course I know I would have to have installed same DAW and plugins on both computers, and I am pretty sure there would be some problems with sample locations. What other problems I will encounter?
Keeping projects in OneDrive would also have another advantage - automatic backups in case of system crash (right now I am keeping backups on external HD, so every few months I have to manually copy the files, it's far from perfect).
So - do you have any experiences and tips with working like that? Thanks in advance.

Hope I described my dilemma clearly, since I am not native English speaker

[donkey tugger]

Communicated it well!

I used to travel a fair bit so did this. As you say, same plug-ins etc on both. Rather than use cloud storage though, I store the song files locally on each machine and use;

https://freefilesync.org

to ensure everything is the same. I've also got a backup and archival to a 4tb external drive for each machine.

The other thing which makes it a bit easier is to use a remote access application - even when you're in the house it makes it easier than physically going from one PC to the other. I like https://anydesk.com/en as it's free and lightweight, but there are loads more, including using Windows own facility.

[middle_color]

I do.

I use incremental versioning of file: proj, proj 2, proj 3 etc.

I save directly on Google Disk. It is advised that cloud sync should be turned off while working on project. But i do not follow this recommendation, because i will forget to turn on sync. So far no problem in 2 years.

Regarding source control: i read in internet that Git will have problems versioning media such as samples. So i did not bother to try this. Google if it is a good solution.

Regarding samples: it is more reliable to use only internal DAW's sampler. Then each DAW have some command that stores (copies) samples within project's folder. Learn how to do it in your DAW.
If you would like to use third party sampler or synth that can import samples. Then it is up to you to keep track samples. You will need to save sampler/synth patch within project folder or in other common folder on cloud. It is 50% that on other computer you will get "Files missing" dialog and will need to select location when samples are stored. Some samplers keep absolute path rather than relative...

There is also Splice service for project backup, several DAWs are supported: https://splice.com/features/studio. But i did not try this service yet.

[SneakyBeats]

I do. Just install the same DAW and same plugins and always remember to save and collect, so that that sample data is in the project file/folder. I use google drive as a cloud.

[Inversion Of Control]

I do.

I use incremental versioning of file: proj, proj 2, proj 3 etc.

I save directly on Google Disk. It is advised that cloud sync should be turned off while working on project. But i do not follow this recommendation, because i will forget to turn on sync. So far no problem in 2 years.

Regarding source control: i read in internet that Git will have problems versioning media such as samples. So i did not bother to try this. Google if it is a good solution.

Regarding samples: it is more reliable to use only internal DAW's sampler. Then each DAW have some command that stores (copies) samples within project's folder. Learn how to do it in your DAW.
If you would like to use third party sampler or synth that can import samples. Then it is up to you to keep track samples. You will need to save sampler/synth patch within project folder or in other common folder on cloud. It is 50% that on other computer you will get "Files missing" dialog and will need to select location when samples are stored. Some samplers keep absolute path rather than relative...

There is also Splice service for project backup, several DAWs are supported: https://splice.com/features/studio. But i did not try this service yet.

Ok, so I use FL Studio, and mainly internal samplers - there isn't any option that would automatically copy dragged sample to project file, I have to export it manually (however path in sampler will still direct to original direction). Little bit tedious but manageable.
Now I have to figure out whether Konktakt libraries wont be a problem.

[middle_color]

Ok, so I use FL Studio, and mainly internal samplers - there isn't any option that would automatically copy dragged sample to project file, I have to export it manually (however path in sampler will still direct to original direction). Little bit tedious but manageable.
Now I have to figure out whether Konktakt libraries wont be a problem.

Actually there is an option! FL Studio is very convenient in that regard: if you save a project as a zipped loop package it will incorporate all samples together with FLP in single zip file and rewrite paths to those copied samples. There is someone else's tutorial: https://howtomakeelectronicmusic.com/fl ... ct-to-zip/
Every time you want to make sure samples are included - do the export as zip.

I am not confident to say the same will be with DirectWave: it's up to you to test if it will work the same way. To be perfectly safe i would recommend you to also check FPC, Slicex and whatever you use in FL. Load different samples in those, export as zip, and then check on another laptop if nothing missing.

Regarding Kontakt:
If it's a library it doesn't matter. You can install the same library into different folders on both machines. Kontakt library root folder is configurable in settings: https://support.native-instruments.com/ ... KT-Library
If you are using libraries installed through Native Access you are good to go.
If you are using third party library you will need to install particular library on both computers.

If you are using your own samples in Kontakt, that is tricky. You will need to handle samples on your own. You will need to save patches with samples in common folder (on cloud!) OR in your project folder. And every time you open project on next machine it will loose reference to samples (because Kontakt writes an absolute path, starting from disk name etc...) so that you will need to use dialog box to choose a folder where to search those samples. The process is tedious, for me it's total turn of... i just render track to long wave sample after i got what i need from my sampling in Kontakt.

[Inversion Of Control]

Ok, so I use FL Studio, and mainly internal samplers - there isn't any option that would automatically copy dragged sample to project file, I have to export it manually (however path in sampler will still direct to original direction). Little bit tedious but manageable.
Now I have to figure out whether Konktakt libraries wont be a problem.

Actually there is an option! FL Studio is very convenient in that regard: if you save a project as a zipped loop package it will incorporate all samples together with FLP in single zip file and rewrite paths to those copied samples. There is someone else's tutorial: https://howtomakeelectronicmusic.com/fl ... ct-to-zip/
Every time you want to make sure samples are included - do the export as zip.

I am not confident to say the same will be with DirectWave: it's up to you to test if it will work the same way. To be perfectly safe i would recommend you to also check FPC, Slicex and whatever you use in FL. Load different samples in those, export as zip, and then check on another laptop if nothing missing.

Regarding Kontakt:
If it's a library it doesn't matter. You can install the same library into different folders on both machines. Kontakt library root folder is configurable in settings: https://support.native-instruments.com/ ... KT-Library
If you are using libraries installed through Native Access you are good to go.
If you are using third party library you will need to install particular library on both computers.

If you are using your own samples in Kontakt, that is tricky. You will need to handle samples on your own. You will need to save patches with samples in common folder (on cloud!) OR in your project folder. And every time you open project on next machine it will loose reference to samples (because Kontakt writes an absolute path, starting from disk name etc...) so that you will need to use dialog box to choose a folder where to search those samples. The process is tedious, for me it's total turn of... i just render track to long wave sample after i got what i need from my sampling in Kontakt.

Great, thanks for all the info. I didn't know that you can setup Kontakt root library. And I am using Kontakt as normal synthesizer, I am not using my own samples inside it, so it won't be a problem for me. Thanks again!

[jonljacobi]

If they’re on the same local network, you can use a NAS box. Different DAWs react differently to this. I use Live 10, and it works well.