How to split stems for remixing and sampling

To split stems for a remix, upload the song to an AI stem splitter, download the parts you need, and set your project to the song's tempo and key. From there each stem is a building block: an acapella to put over new drums, a bass line to loop, or a drum break to chop.

This guide walks through the whole process, from choosing the file to bouncing your first loop.

What stems are

A stem is one part of a song on its own track. A typical split gives you:

Two-stem splitters stop at vocals and everything else. A six-stem split like the one the Prodverse stem splitter makes lets you take a single instrument out of the mix.

Step 1: choose the best source

The split can only be as clean as the file you give it. Use a WAV or FLAC when you have one, or the highest-bitrate MP3 you can find. Audio ripped from a video has already lost detail, and the stems will show it.

Only work with music you have the rights to use if you plan to release the result. More on that below.

Step 2: split the song

1. Open the stem splitter and upload the file. MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A and OGG work, up to 200 MB.
2. The song separates into vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano and other. A split costs 3 credits; free accounts get 4 credits a day.
3. Play each stem, then mute and solo them to hear what you have before you download anything.

How long a song can be depends on the plan: 2 minutes on Free, 4 on Lite, 5 on Creator and 10 on Studio. Downloading the six stems needs a paid plan, or $2.99 for that one track.

Step 3: find the tempo and key

Before you build anything, find the song's tempo and key so new parts sit with the stems:

• Drop the song into the BPM and key finder for its tempo, key and Camelot code. The file never leaves your device.
• Or tap along with tap tempo and check the key with the key finder.
• Set your project to that tempo, and write new parts in that key or its relative minor.

Step 4: build the remix

Start from the acapella. Put the vocal stem on a track, line its first beat up with bar one, and build new drums and chords underneath. A different genre at the same tempo is the classic remix move: put a ballad vocal over a house groove, for example.

Keep one element, replace the rest. Keep the original bass line and swap everything around it, or keep the drums and write new chords on top. You can open the stems in the online DAW to mute, cut and rearrange them in the browser, then add synths, drums and effects.

Watch the arrangement. A remix usually needs a longer intro and a clear drop or chorus. Song structure shows the usual sections and their length in bars.

Step 5: chop samples

• Find a clean bar. Look for a moment where the part plays alone or with little bleed, often in an intro or a breakdown.
• Cut on the beat. Trim exactly to one, two or four bars at the song's tempo so the loop repeats without a click.
• Chop the drums. Slice a drum break into single hits (kick, snare, hat) and play them back in a new pattern.
• Change it. Pitch a piano loop up or down, reverse a vocal phrase, or filter a guitar riff until it is yours.

Getting cleaner stems

• Some bleed is normal. A hint of hi-hat in the vocal stem or a breath in the guitar is common on dense mixes. An EQ cut or a gate usually hides it in a full mix.
• Wet vocals are hardest. Long reverb tails are partly left behind. Choose dry, modern recordings when you can.
• Layer to cover artifacts. A thin-sounding stem sits better under a new part that fills the same range.

Sampling and the law

Splitting a song does not change who owns it. Practising, studying a mix and remixing for yourself are generally fine. Releasing a remix or a track built on someone else's sample needs permission from the owners of both the recording and the song, often called sample clearance. For releases, split your own recordings, licensed material or tracks you made yourself.

Frequently asked questions

How many stems can I split a song into?

With Prodverse, six: vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano and other. Some services offer more types, such as separate acoustic and electric guitar; see Prodverse vs LALAL.AI.

What format are the stems?

Prodverse stems download as six MP3 files in one zip.

Can I use the stems in my own DAW?

Yes. Download the zip and drag the files into any DAW, or work on them in the Prodverse online DAW with nothing to install.

Split your first song and hear each part on its own.