What is a Stem?

A stem is an audio file that contains a grouped element of a song, such as all drums, all vocals, or all guitars combined into a single track. Stems are created by exporting related tracks from a mix so that each group can be controlled separately. This allows engineers or producers to adjust major parts of a song without needing access to every individual track.

For example, a song might be exported as several stems including drums, bass, guitars, vocals, and keyboards. Each stem contains all the sounds from that category mixed together. When these stems are played simultaneously, they recreate the full mix of the original song.

Stems are commonly used in remixing, film and television production, live performances, and mastering. They make it easier to rebalance sections of a mix, create alternate versions of a track, or adapt music for different purposes. By working with stems, producers and engineers can maintain flexibility while still preserving the structure of the original mix.