In this article
Satellite Plugins provides a workflow for sharing captured audio and MIDI between collaborators. Set up the session, capture the material you want to exchange and check that the receiving producer hears the intended part in the right musical context.
Begin with a small session
Choose a short idea and decide which parts need collaboration. Write down its tempo, time signature and section length. A small first exchange is easier to troubleshoot than a full production. Keep your DAW project saved independently so the original writing session remains available if you later reorganize the shared material.
Use each component for its intended role
The official guide distinguishes Satellite Sessions, Satellite Audio and Satellite MIDI. Sessions provides the shared workspace; the other components capture the relevant material. Follow the current guide for insertion and routing in your DAW, because an instrument track and an audio effect slot are not interchangeable locations.
Capture a defined musical range
Choose a start and end point, play the material and check what was captured. A clean four- or eight-bar phrase is easier for another producer to understand than a fragment starting halfway through a note. Include a short reference mix when the part depends on the surrounding harmony or drum groove.
Distinguish notes from sound
MIDI communicates note events, while an audio capture communicates the instrument and processing you hear. Send both when the collaborator needs to edit the composition but also understand the intended sound. Check that a sustain pedal, pitch bend or unusual instrument behavior is represented adequately in the reference.
Invite the intended people and keep versions clear
Use the session’s invitation workflow and share access only with the collaborators you intend to include. Name parts by role and version. When replacing an idea, explain which earlier part it supersedes so nobody arranges against an obsolete bass line or melody. Keep final approvals in a short shared project note.
Verify the result in the receiving DAW
After importing or downloading a part, listen to its timing, length and sound in the destination project. A successful transfer does not automatically prove that it fits the arrangement. Compare it with the reference and confirm any needed sample-rate or tempo handling before adding new musical work on top.
Try this in your project
Share a four-bar chord part as audio and MIDI. Ask a collaborator to return a bass response, then import it into the original project. Check the first downbeat, the last note and the transition when the loop repeats. Save a reference mix of the combined result.
Quick reference
| Focus | What to try | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Audio | Capture the intended sound | Instrument and processing preserved in the render |
| MIDI | Share editable note information | A phrase that can drive another instrument |
| Review | Compare in the destination session | Correct timing and musical context |
Write the parts before mixing them
Captain Plugins helps you write chords, melody, bass and drum parts. Balance and process those parts with the mixing tools in your DAW; composition tools do not replace a mix or mastering workflow.
Captain Plugins 8 overview
See the update video for the current canvas and editing workflow.
Useful references
Common questions
Does sharing MIDI share my instrument sound?
Not automatically. Include an audio version to show the intended timbre and performance.
Should I assume every DAW uses identical routing?
No. Use the current Satellite guide for the host application and test a small exchange before a large session.