Stems and remixing

Stem separation tools split a mixed track into its parts: vocals, drums, bass and the rest. For creators the most common use is practical. You have a song you are licensed to use, and you need an instrumental version to put under speech, or a drums-only section for a transition.

LALAL.AI and Moises are the easiest to start with; both work in the browser, and Moises adds tempo and key changes. AudioShake serves labels, publishers and media companies that need clean stems for sync licensing, dubbing and remixes at scale.

Rights come first here. Separating a song does not change who owns it, and a stem from a commercial track is still that track. Use stems from music you own, music whose license allows editing, or tracks your library provides stems for. Many libraries now include stems, which is often cleaner than separating a full mix yourself. Quality depends on the source; dense mixes leave more bleed between parts, so listen to each stem on headphones before you use it.

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3 AI music tools in stems and remixing

LALAL.AI

by OmniSale

Splits songs into vocals, drums, bass, guitar and other stems, and removes background noise from voice.

  • Works in the browser
  • Desktop app or plugin
  • Developer API

Moises

by Moises Systems

Separates songs into stems and changes tempo and key, useful for making instrumental beds you own the rights to.

  • Free plan or free version
  • Works in the browser
  • Mobile app

AudioShake

Stem separation for labels, publishers and media companies, used for sync, remixes and dubbing.

  • Developer API

Stems are most useful for small, practical edits. Pull the vocals out of a licensed track so a voiceover can sit in the middle of it. Keep only the drums for a transition. Loop the instrumental section of a chorus to stretch a scene. These edits are often allowed by library licenses that permit editing, and they are much quicker than searching for a different track.

Keep the original track with the stems and note which tool and settings made them, so you can redo a separation later if a better tool appears.

Questions about stems and remixing

Can I make an instrumental of any song for my video?

Technically you can separate any recording, but using the result still needs a license from the rights holders. Use songs you own, licensed library tracks or songs whose license allows editing.

Why does the vocal stem have drums in it?

Separation is an estimate, and loud, dense mixes leave bleed between parts. Try another tool on the same song, or ask your library whether it provides official stems.

Do music libraries provide stems?

Several do, either for every track or for part of the catalog. Official stems are usually cleaner than separating a full mix, so check before you run a separator.

Which file format should I export stems in?

WAV at the same sample rate as your project, usually 48 kHz for video, keeps quality highest and avoids sync problems. Compressed formats are fine for previews but can add artifacts once stems are mixed back together.

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