To make it easier to work with a music project, producers, musicians, and DJs use a way of organizing tracks called Stems. This is very convenient when you need to remix a song, or use separate parts for playback at a concert, or when you need to use only a single instrument, such as vocals. We’ll tell you more about it below and show you where you can get such files.
What are the stems in music production?
Stems are widely used in the work of producers and musicians. They look like individual tracks or groups of tracks. That is, when you receive the stems files of a song, they contain separate tracks with musical instrument and vocal parts. This approach makes it easy to work on a music project when it is used, for example, for remix contests or collaborations.
Contestants download an archive with tracks and can perform separate manipulations with each individual track (process it with effects, edit it). Stems is also convenient to use when several producers work together on one project, because it is possible to see the entire project at the same time and hear the results of changes made to the entire project, taking into account the work of another producer.
Artists and DJs often use such files to perform at a concert. This is very convenient for a small band or a solo artist, because individual musicians can be replaced with the appropriate track from the stems files and used as a playback.
How to buy music stems
There are several ways to buy stems, but they differ to some extent from the process of buying regular music or samples. There are specialized platforms that, in addition to tracks, samples, and loops, also sell the files of specific songs that we need. You can search for them on sites like Splice, for example. Sometimes, some artists offer to buy their own stems directly from their website or through other platforms. This approach is especially popular among electronic music producers. Usually, they offer to buy these files so that other producers can remix their tracks. This way, they can earn extra money by selling stems, and they will also be credited in the future remix when it is published by the remix author.
Where to download stems for remixing?
Speaking of remix contests, stems files are usually provided free of charge. But the contest rules specify requirements for the use of these files. That is, a person who wants to make a remix has no right to sell it or use it for other commercial purposes. All these details should be read carefully to avoid copyright infringement. But as a rule, such a remix can be published somewhere on a social network to demonstrate your fresh work. Again, you should read the terms of the contest. To get the stems files for a remix, you need to browse the websites and social networks of recording studios, as well as the personal pages of artists. These resources periodically publish information about such contests, so subscribe to updates and you will be notified of a new contest in time.
How to remix a song without stems?
This is a rather difficult task, because you most likely won’t be able to completely separate the instruments from each other. But there are certain techniques that will allow you to analyze a track and still make a remix out of it. Listen to the song and pay attention to where an instrument plays a solo, or if there is a place where only the drums and vocals play. These are potential places to cut to add your own instrument parts without further processing. You can also change the position of a part within an arrangement to create your own version of that part. Some effects, especially equalization, can help you remove certain frequencies and, in certain situations, remove specific sounds. Experiment with it.
Today, new tools that use artificial intelligence signal processing are emerging at a rapid pace. Some services report that their tools can separate vocals from songs, or do the same with any other instrument. Moreover, there are services that can immediately offer different versions of the finished remix based on the track you upload to the service. It’s incredible. Of course, it all depends on the specific track and its richness. Moreover, these technologies are at an early stage of development, so some results may be unsatisfactory. But it’s worth a try. Perhaps in your case, you will get a decent result.
By the way, if you have managed to get some batches of instruments to prepare a remix using various methods, but they are not enough to create a full-fledged composition, then don’t forget that you can create your own batch. A remix doesn’t always mean processing only the current project files, but also adding your own elements. The more harmoniously your own instrument parts are implemented in the project, the more individual the result will be. In this case, listeners will be able to fully appreciate your style.
Trying to make a remix without using stems is also a great opportunity to show your skills and experience to create an interesting remix with limited resources. It’s worth a try because you may learn something new, or you may find out that you lack certain knowledge and realize where your next area of improvement is.
How to get stems of popular songs?
It all depends on the genre of music and the popularity of the song. But first and foremost, use specialized platforms that are constantly hosting new remix contests. These are sites such as the aforementioned Splice; Beatport also sometimes hosts similar contests; pay special attention to Indaba Music.
If you are interested in the files of charts stars, you should go to the artist’s website and find information to contact the manager. Write to him about your desire to make a remix. But you must have serious intentions and you must already have a certain reputation, otherwise you won’t even get a response to your letter.
How to sell music stems
If you are a music producer and want to earn extra income for your music, you can offer customers to purchase stems files. To do this, you can use the same platforms we mentioned above. They allow not only purchasing but also registering producers on the site and selling their own files.
To do this, you first need to read the terms of cooperation and requirements for stems files. Then, register on their website, make a good profile so that visitors understand that you are a serious producer and your music is worthy of attention, let alone purchase. Prepare the files according to the requirements described on the service’s website. This information can be found both in the documentation section and in a separate blog post. By the way, the latter will be more useful because it will give you some valuable tips on how to prepare stems files correctly, as well as advice on how to avoid common problems.
After preparing and exporting the files, upload them to the platform and fill in all the necessary fields. So that the buyer does not have any unnecessary questions. A person should understand whether your product is suitable for them and have an idea of what they will receive after the purchase.
By the way, our ghost production service also offers favorable conditions for cooperation, because we also provide an opportunity to get the project’s stems files along with the finished track. In addition, the buyer receives commercial rights to all files. He can also make a remix, which he can sign with his own name and send to the record label. So if you are a producer, we invite you to cooperate. Learn more about becoming a ghost producer and apply for cooperation!
