Collaborating on songs without losing track of contributions

Inviting collaborators

Co-writing starts with inviting the right people to your song.

How to invite

1. Open your song Navigate to the song you want to collaborate on.

2. Click "Invite" Find the invite button in the song header or settings.

3. Enter collaborator info Add email address or Crescender username.

4. Set permissions Choose: View only, Edit, or Co-owner.
5. Send invitation Collaborator receives email notification.

Permission levels

View only:

• Can read song and comments
• Cannot edit lyrics
• Can leave comments
• Good for feedback or review

Edit:

• Can edit lyrics and sections
• Can add voice memos
• Can leave comments
• Cannot change settings or ownership

Co-owner:

• Full editing rights
• Can invite others
• Can change ownership splits
• Can delete song (with confirmation)

Setting ownership splits

Clear ownership prevents disputes and ensures fair credit and royalties.

How ownership works

Percentage splits:

• Total must equal 100%
• Each collaborator gets percentage
• Recorded for publishing/royalty purposes
• Can be adjusted as contributions evolve

Common splits:

• 50/50: Equal contribution
• 33/33/33: Three equal collaborators
• Custom: Based on actual contribution
• Majority/minority: One main writer, others smaller

Setting splits

When creating song:

• Set initial splits when inviting
• Based on expected contribution
• Can adjust later

After collaboration:

• Review contributions
• Adjust splits to reflect actual work
• All co-owners must agree
• Document changes in song notes

Best practices:

• Discuss splits before starting
• Set expectations early
• Adjust fairly as work progresses
• Document agreements

Chat and communication

Clear communication keeps collaboration smooth and productive.

In-song chat

Commenting on sections:

• Click section to add comment
• Comments appear in context
• Tag collaborators to notify
• Threaded conversations

Comment types:

• Questions: "What do you think of this line?"
• Suggestions: "Maybe try 'love' instead of 'like'?"
• Feedback: "This chorus is strong!"
• Clarifications: "I meant this as a bridge"

Notifications:

• Get notified when someone comments
• See who mentioned you
• Reply directly in thread
• Keep conversation contextual

Best communication practices

Be clear:

• Explain your thinking
• Ask specific questions
• Provide context
• Avoid vague feedback

Be respectful:

• Constructive criticism
• Acknowledge good work
• Discuss differences calmly
• Remember: you're on same team

Be timely:

• Respond to comments promptly
• Don't leave collaborators waiting
• Set expectations for response time
• Use notifications effectively

Change tracking

See who changed what and when, preventing confusion and conflicts.

Viewing changes

Change history:

• See all edits chronologically
• Who made each change
• What was changed
• When it happened

Change highlights:

• Added text highlighted in green
• Deleted text shown in red
• Modified sections marked
• Easy to see what changed

Filtering changes:

• View changes by collaborator
• Filter by date range
• See changes to specific sections
• Track evolution of song

Understanding changes

Who changed what:

• Each change shows author
• See contribution patterns
• Identify who wrote which parts
• Track collaboration flow

When changes happened:

• Timestamp on every change
• See editing timeline
• Understand song evolution
• Track collaboration activity

What changed:

• Exact text changes shown
• Compare versions side-by-side
• See before and after
• Understand edits clearly

Resolving conflicts

When multiple people edit simultaneously, conflicts can occur. Clavet handles this gracefully.

How conflicts work

Simultaneous edits:

• Two people edit same section
• Changes might conflict
• Clavet merges when possible
• Flags conflicts for review

Conflict detection:

• System detects overlapping edits
• Highlights potential conflicts
• Shows both versions
• Asks you to choose

Resolving conflicts

Review both versions:

• See what each person changed
• Understand intent
• Compare approaches
• Choose best version

Merge manually:

• Combine elements from both
• Take best parts of each
• Create unified version
• Document decision

Communicate:

• Discuss conflicts with collaborator
• Understand their intent
• Find compromise
• Prevent future conflicts

Best practices:

• Communicate before major edits
• Check if someone else is editing
• Use comments to coordinate
• Review conflicts together

Exporting collaboration records

When song is finished, export records for publishing and legal purposes.

What to export

Song content:

• Final lyrics
• All versions (optional)
• Voice memos
• Notes and comments

Collaboration records:

• Ownership splits
• Contributor list
• Change history
• Communication log

Metadata:

• Creation date
• Completion date
• All contributors
• Ownership percentages

Export formats

PDF:

• Formatted lyric sheet
• Includes contributor credits
• Professional presentation
• Good for publishers

Text:

• Plain text lyrics
• Contributor list
• Simple format
• Easy to share

Collaboration report:

• Detailed change history
• Ownership documentation
• Contribution breakdown
• Legal documentation

Using exports

For publishing:

• Submit to publishers
• Register with PROs (performance rights organisations)
• Document ownership
• Legal protection

For band members:

• Share final version
• Show contribution credits
• Reference for performances
• Historical record

For legal:

• Copyright registration
• Publishing agreements
• Royalty distribution
• Dispute resolution

Collaboration best practices

Following best practices makes collaboration smoother and more productive.

Before starting

Set expectations:

• Discuss ownership splits
• Agree on creative direction
• Set communication preferences
• Define roles and responsibilities

Choose collaborators wisely:

• Work with people you trust
• Similar creative vision
• Complementary skills
• Good communication

During collaboration

Communicate clearly:

• Explain your ideas
• Ask questions
• Provide feedback
• Stay engaged

Respect contributions:

• Value each person's input
• Don't override without discussion
• Compromise when needed
• Remember: it's collaborative

Stay organised:

• Use comments effectively
• Tag collaborators
• Document decisions
• Keep song notes updated

After completion

Finalise ownership:

• Confirm final splits
• Document agreements
• Export records
• Register if publishing

Maintain relationships:

• Credit all contributors
• Share success fairly
• Keep communication open
• Build for future collaboration

Getting started checklist

• [ ] Invite your first collaborator
• [ ] Set initial ownership splits
• [ ] Test in-song chat/commenting
• [ ] Review change tracking
• [ ] Practice resolving conflicts
• [ ] Export collaboration records
• [ ] Set communication expectations
• [ ] Coordinate major edits
• [ ] Document ownership agreements
• [ ] Build collaborative workflow

Collaboration in Clavet makes co-writing seamless. Clear ownership tracking, change history, and communication tools keep everyone aligned. With good practices, collaboration becomes a powerful way to create better songs together.