How to Export Track Outs and Stem Files
Whether you’re sending your project to a mixing engineer or collaborating with other artists, having properly exported stems can make your work more efficient and professional. This is a comprehensive guide on how to export track outs and stem files from some of the most popular DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations): FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools. For more tips like this, read our free artist resources.
What Are Track Outs and Stems?
- Track Outs / Individual Stems: Each instrument or sound is exported to its own individual audio file from the start to the end of the song’s timeline. For example, kick drum, snare drum, bass, lead synth, and vocals are each exported separately.
- Grouped Stems: Multiple instruments or grouped elements in a single file (e.g., all drum tracks in one audio file, or multiple background vocals in one file).
Depending on your workflow and the needs of the project, you might export each track individually (track outs) or opt to group them together into stems. The goal is to provide clear and manageable files for the mix engineer—or your future self!
1. Exporting Track Outs and Stems in FL Studio
A. Preparing the Session
- Organize Your Mixer Tracks:
- Assign each sound or instrument to its own mixer channel.
- Label each channel with a clear name (e.g., “Kick,” “Snare,” “Piano,” “Lead Vocal”).
- Check Levels and FX:
- Ensure your levels aren’t clipping.
- Decide if you want to include effects like reverb or delay in the exported stems. If you prefer your mixing engineer to handle effects, remove or bypass them before exporting. Alternatively, you can export two versions—dry (no effects) and wet (with effects).
B. Exporting
- File > Export > Wave File (or MP3, depending on your needs, but WAV is most common and recommended for best quality).
- In the Export Dialog, look for the following:
- Destination Folder: Choose or create a folder that will contain all your stems.
- Filename: Label your file in a consistent way, e.g., “SongName_Drum_Stem.wav.”
- Split Mixer Tracks:
- In the FL Studio export dialog, check the box for Split mixer tracks.
- This option automatically exports each track in the Mixer to a separate audio file.
- Rendering Options:
- Mode: Make sure you select full song if you want the entire project length.
- HQ for all plugins: Check this for higher-quality rendering.
- Tail: Set to “Leave Remainder” if you want to preserve reverbs and delays.
- Click Start: FL Studio will export all assigned mixer tracks to the chosen folder. Make sure each track is labeled correctly.
Tip: After export, verify your stem files by re-importing them into a blank FL Studio project to ensure the track outs line up and are the correct length.
2. Exporting Track Outs and Stems in Ableton Live
A. Preparing the Session
- Label and Organize Tracks:
- Clearly name each track (e.g., “Kick,” “Vocal,” “Bass,” “Guitar”).
- Decide on Effects:
- Similarly to FL Studio, decide if you want your effects (reverb, delay, compression) baked into the track or if you prefer to keep them off for the mixing engineer.
B. Exporting
- Select the Entire Song:
- Go to the Arrangement View and highlight the entire length of your track.
- File > Export Audio/Video:
- The Export Audio/Video window will pop up.
- Rendered Track:
- Typically, for stems, choose All Individual Tracks in the “Rendered Track” dropdown.
- If you only want certain groups or buses, you can select them accordingly.
- Render Start / Render Length:
- Make sure it encompasses the entire song.
- Audio Settings:
- File Type: Choose WAV or AIFF (WAV is more commonly used).
- Sample Rate: Usually 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (or higher if required).
- Bit Depth: 24-bit is standard for high-quality audio.
- Click Export:
- Ableton will export each individual track as its own file.
- Check Your Stems:
- Ableton organizes these files neatly in the selected folder. Double-check naming and alignment.
Tip: If you have Return/Send effects, you may need to export those separately or route them to audio tracks if you want separate effect stems.
3. Exporting Track Outs and Stems in Logic Pro
A. Preparing the Session
- Name All Tracks:
- Label each track precisely (e.g., “Lead Vocal,” “Pad Synth,” “Kick Drum”).
- Select Effects Workflow:
- Decide whether to keep effects on individual tracks or to remove them before exporting.
B. Exporting
- Select All Regions:
- Go to the main window (Arrange window) and select the entire timeline you want to export.
- File > Export > All Tracks as Audio Files:
- This option will bring up the export dialog for each track (or you can also choose “Selected Tracks as Audio Files” if you only need some).
- Export Settings:
- Destination: Create or choose the folder for your stems.
- Range: Choose the length of your regions or the entire project.
- Format: WAV or AIFF. WAV is typically standard.
- Bit Depth: 24-bit (or 32-bit float if needed).
- Include Volume/Pan Automation: Check this if you want those applied. Uncheck if you prefer a raw track.
- Bypass Effect Plug-ins: Decide if you want to bypass all plug-ins or keep them on. If you want a dry version, check this option.
- Overlap: Make sure that “Include Tail” or the “Extend File Length” option is selected if you have reverb or delay tails that extend beyond the regions.
- Click Export:
- Logic will create individual audio files for each track according to your settings.
- Verify:
- After Logic finishes, confirm your new folder contains all your stems, correctly named and of the same length.
4. Exporting Track Outs and Stems in Pro Tools
A. Preparing the Session
- Consolidate Audio Clips:
- In Pro Tools, it’s often easiest to “consolidate” each track so that all audio within that track forms one continuous file from the start to the end of the song.
- Highlight each track’s clips from zero or bar one to the end of the song, then Edit > Consolidate Clip.
- Name Tracks:
- Go to the Mix window or Edit window and rename each track so the consolidated audio takes on that name.
B. Exporting (Two Common Methods)
Method 1: “Bounce to Disk” for Each Track
- Solo a Track:
- Solo your first track (be sure it starts from zero).
- File > Bounce to Disk:
- Set your bounce source to the main output or the specific bus if you’re routing the track to a bus.
- Choose WAV, 24-bit, and an appropriate sample rate.
- Set the file to bounce the entire track length.
- Repeat for each track until all are bounced.
- This method can be time-consuming if you have many tracks, but it ensures each track is processed exactly as heard.
Method 2: Using “Export Clips as Files”
- Highlight All Tracks:
- In the Edit window, make sure each audio track is consolidated and selected from start to finish.
- Right-Click (or File menu) > Export Clips as Files:
- Choose your format (WAV or AIFF, 24-bit, etc.).
- Choose a folder destination, name format, and export.
- Check Your Files:
- This approach will export the consolidated clips, preserving their start and end points, so each file has correct alignment when imported into another session.
Tip: Ensure any aux tracks or bus processing is either included in each stem or printed separately if you need those FX.
General Best Practices & Tips
- Mute Unused Tracks:
- Delete or mute any tracks that aren’t part of the final song. This avoids confusion and clutter.
- Check Levels:
- Keep your track-outs/stems peaking around -6 dB to -3 dB to allow headroom for mixing.
- Consistent Naming:
- Use descriptive, uniform file names (e.g., SongName_InstrumentName.wav).
- Include BPM and Key:
- It’s helpful to mention the project tempo (BPM) and key in your folder or file names for smooth collaboration.
- Communicate Format Preferences:
- If you’re sending stems to a mixing engineer, ask if they prefer WAV or AIFF, and what sample rate/bit depth is ideal.
- Organize Your Folder:
- Create subfolders for “Dry” stems (no effects) and “Wet” stems (with effects) if you’re sending both.
- Test the Export:
- Always open a new session in your DAW (or another DAW) and drag your stems in to make sure everything lines up and there are no missing files.
Exporting track outs and stems properly is a crucial skill for any music producer, engineer, or artist. It ensures smooth collaboration, a clean mixing process, and consistent file organization across different platforms. By following these steps in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools, you’ll have high-quality, organized files ready for the next stage of music production.
Now that you know how to export track outs from each major DAW, you can confidently share your projects with others or prepare your own sessions for mixing and mastering. Enjoy the convenience and clarity that properly exported stems bring to any audio project! Have any questions or extra tips about exporting stems in your favorite DAW? Are you interested in hiring DCR to engineer your music? Reach out in the form below.