Creating music is just one part of the process; being able to share and collaborate using your tracks is equally vital. One way to do this is by exporting stems. Stems are individual tracks or elements of a song, exported separately. Whether you’re collaborating with another producer, sending your track for mixing, or sharing your work for a remix, knowing how to export stems is crucial. Here’s how to do it in several popular DAWs:
Ableton Live
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Open your project in Ableton Live.
Solo the track you want to export.
Go to 'File' and select 'Export Audio/Video'.
Ensure 'All Tracks' is selected under the 'Rendered Track' drop-down menu.
Choose your desired export settings and click 'Export'. Repeat this for each track.
FL Studio
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Open your project in FL Studio.
From the menu, select 'File' and then 'Export'.
Choose 'WAV file' or your preferred format.
In the export window, select 'Split mixer tracks' under the miscellaneous options.
Hit 'Start' to begin the export.
Pro Tools
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Launch your Pro Tools session.
Highlight the section of the song you wish to export.
Go to 'File', then choose 'Export' > 'Audio Mix'.
In the dialog box, select 'Multiple Mono' or 'Multiple Stereo' based on your needs.
Set your desired export settings and click 'Export'.
Logic Pro X
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Open your project in Logic Pro X.
Highlight all the tracks you wish to export.
Navigate to 'File', then select 'Export' > 'All Tracks as Audio Files'.
Choose your desired export settings and folder destination.
Click 'Save' to begin exporting.
Reaper
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Open your project in Reaper.
Go to the 'File' menu and choose 'Render'.
Set the 'Bounds' to 'Entire project'.
Under 'Channels', select 'Stereo'.
In the 'Render to' dropdown, choose 'Stems (selected tracks)'.
Choose your desired settings and click 'Render'.
BandLab
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Launch your project in BandLab.
Click the drop-down arrow next to the 'Save' icon and select 'Download All Stems'.
The tracks will be exported as individual WAV files by default.
Cubase
Step-by-Step: Exporting Stems
Open your project in Cubase.
Highlight the tracks you wish to export.
Navigate to 'File' > 'Export' > 'Audio Mixdown'.
Under 'Channel Selection', choose 'Multiple' and then select the tracks you want to export.
Set your desired export settings.
Under 'Import into Project', choose 'Audio Track' to have the stems imported back into your session.
Click 'Export'.
No matter which DAW you're working in, exporting stems is a vital skill for any music producer. Follow these step-by-step guides to ensure a smooth process across any platform. Sharing your work with collaborators, mix engineers, and fellow producers has never been easier.
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