🎧 Hear it as a podcast (Yes, this is AI):
As a music artist, I’ve learned that having access to individual stems of a track is crucial for creating unique mixes and remixes.
Many songs are only available as full tracks, making it challenging to isolate specific instruments or vocals.
When I started remixing, I struggled with limited source material.
But then I discovered a game-changer: AI-powered stem separation tools.
Once I tested these tools, the difference was night and day.
My creative possibilities expanded exponentially, and I never looked back.
Stem separation is more than just splitting audio.
It’s about creative freedom, experimentation, and professional-grade remixing.
Done right, it unlocks new potential in existing tracks and elevates your productions.
The challenge?
↳ Accurately separating a full track into high-quality individual stems quickly.
As a busy music artist, I couldn’t spend hours manually isolating instruments or settle for low-quality stems.
That’s where AI stem separation tools like lalal.ai Audioshake
In this article, I’ll review the top 5 AI stem splitters I’ve personally tested . Discover which tool can revolutionize your music production and remixing, just like it did for me.
Spoiler: These are my 2 favourite tools:
Tool Name 🥇 Lalal.ai 🥈 Audioshake Ideal for 💡 Music professionals, filmmakers, voiceover actors 💡 Music creators, filmmakers, and enthusiasts Key Features → High-quality MP3 stem separation → Cutting-edge AI for stem separation Free Plan ✓ Free stem preview ✓ Free stem preview Pricing 💰 Split a 3-minute song into stems for just $0.19 💰 Indie plans from $20 to $99 per month for 4 to 20 stems; Stem Options ✓ Flexible stem count options (vocals, drums, guitars, bass, etc.) ✓ Flexible stem count options (vocals, drums, guitars, bass, etc.)
Table of Contents
What is AI stem separation?
Stem separation is the process of extracting individual elements, such as vocals, drums, bass, and other instruments, from a fully produced song. AI-powered stem separation tools use advanced algorithms to analyze audio and separate the different stems with high precision and quality.
The benefits of AI stem separation
There are several benefits of using AI for stem separation:
✓ Time and cost savings: AI eliminates the need for manual stem separation or hiring session musicians, saving valuable time and reducing costs.
✓ Enhanced creativity: AI empowers musicians to remix and repurpose existing songs in unique ways, unleashing their creativity.
✓ New Possibilities: AI-powered stem separation tools open up new possibilities for content creation in various industries, from music production to film and advertising.
There are several AI tools available for stem separation:
Tool Features Best For 🥇 LALAL.AI – High-quality MP3 stem downloads – Music professionals 🥈 Audioshake – Tailored solutions for major labels – Music creators 🥉 BandLab Splitter – AI-powered stem separation – Music professionals Vocal Remover – AI-powered stem separation – Music professionals SongDonkey AI – Easy online/app workflow – Karaoke lovers
Each tool offers its own unique features and capabilities, making it easier than ever for musicians and producers to work with individual elements of a song.
So, let’s dive in and discover how AI is revolutionizing the music production landscape!
How does AI stem separation work?
To achieve stem separation, AI models are trained on vast amounts of data , including songs with and without vocals, to recognize and separate different audio sources. These models learn to identify the unique characteristics of human voices and distinguish them from other instruments. This training process enables the AI algorithms to accurately separate the stems and create high-quality audio tracks.
There are various AI-based approaches used for stem separation, including deep learning and signal processing algorithms:
Deep learning models , such as convolutional and recurrent neural networks, analyze the spectrogram representations of audio data to extract vocals and instruments.Signal processing algorithms use mathematical techniques to analyze the frequency and amplitude of audio signals.
💡 Suitable for music professionals , filmmakers , voiceover actors
💰 Start off for free to try
→ Save 15% with my code “aimusicpreneur”
Screenshot
Lalal.ai easily isolate vocals, drums, bass, and other instrument stems from any song in high quality without quality loss. With over 4 years of development and training on thousands of professionally mastered tracks, Lalal.ai’s advanced neural networks can split audio into stems more accurately than any other stem splitter on the market.
Key features:
✓ Download high-quality MP3 stems
✓ Generous free plan up to 10 minutes
✓ Process songs in all common formats
✓ Separate audio into stems in seconds
✓ Preview separated stems before processing
How does Lalal.ai work?
Sign up for a free account.
Get 10 minutes free.
Choose stem split (Vocals, bass, drums etc.)
Select files to upload your track.
Preview the files
Click on “Split in full” to get your stems
Whether you’re a musician looking to remix tracks, producer wanting to analyze songs in more detail, or karaoke lover looking to remove vocals, Lalal.ai
The intuitive interface allows users to simply upload songs in many common audio formats such as MP3, OGG, FLAC and more . After uploading songs, Lalal.ai will then separate the audio within seconds, providing previews of each stem for preview. Users can choose to separate into vocal/instrumental stems or isolate specific stems like drums, bass, guitars or more.
How much does Lalal.ai cost? Best of all, Lalal.ai is very affordable. The tool offers a generous free plan that supports processing up to 10 minutes per month (but without downloads)
You can split 1x 3-minute song for 19 cents
Package Price (€) Total Minutes Number of 3-Minute Songs Cost per Song (€) Pro 35 550 183 0.19 Plus 25 330 110 0.23 Lite 18 90 30 0.60 Starter 0 0 0 N/A
Plans start from just $18 for the Lite pack which provides stems for 90 minutes of audio. For frequent users, the Pro pack offers 500 minutes of separation time for $35. All plans include batch uploads and fast queue processing.
Output files are provided as high-quality MP3s. Lalal.ai is perfect for musicians, producers and non-musicians alike who want to easily access stems from their favorite tracks.
Want 15% off? Use my exclusive code “aimusicpreneur” at checkout.
3 reasons to choose Lalal.ai : ✓ Isolate vocals for perfect karaoke tracks✓ Extract instrumentals for seamless remixing✓ Separate stems to analyze song structure
🥈 Audioshake – Unlock the real power of your music
Imagine being able to deconstruct any song into its individual instrumental and vocal elements with just a few clicks. That’s the incredible capability offered by Audioshake’s
Key features:
✓ Tailored solution for major labels
✓ Cutting-edge AI for stem separation
✓ Flexible stem count options available
✓ Master-quality 44.1kHz WAV output
✓ Isolates vocals, drums, instruments, etc.
Picture this scenario: You adore a particular track, but you find yourself wishing you could isolate the powerful vocals or thumping drums. With Audioshake, that dream becomes a reality. It’s like having a virtual audio engineer at your disposal , ready to peel back the layers of any musical composition and expose its core components.
This revolutionary tool opens up a world of possibilities for music creators, filmmakers , and enthusiasts alike. Whether you’re a producer seeking to remix a song , a video editor in need of isolated audio stems , or simply a curious listener eager to dissect your favorite tunes, Audioshake empowers you to experience music from an entirely new perspective.
How does Audioshake work?
At the heart of Audioshake ‘s
How much does Audioshake cost?
Audioshake offers tailored solutions to cater to the diverse needs of both independent artists and major labels/publishers:
Audioshake Indie:
Free stem preview generation
Paid plans ranging from $20 to $99 per month, offering 4 to 20 stems per month
Pricing varies based on output format (mp3 vs. wav)
Audioshake Live:
3 reasons to choose Audioshake :
✓ Tailored solutions for independent artists and major labels/publishers alike
✓ Lightning-fast stem separation, empowering your creative workflow
✓ Affordable and flexible pricing plans for indie users
🥉 Splitter by Bandlab – Isolate tracks from songs
💡 Suitable for music professionals , filmmakers
BandLab Splitter separate it into individual track stems including vocals, drums, bass and other instruments.
Key features:
✓ Looping functionality
✓ AI-powered stem separation
✓ Speed and key adjustment per stem
✓ High quality isolated track downloads
✓ Seamless workflow with BandLab studio
✓ Works on all devices via mobile and web
How does Bandlab Splitter work?
Using Splitter is simple. Upload a track to the tool and it will analyze the audio to isolate each stem into high quality tracks. From there, musicians can download stems, adjust the playback speed and key, create loops and more. This allows focusing on specific elements to improve skills.
How much does BandLab splitter cost? BandLab Splitter completely free with no restrictions or hidden fees. There are no limits on uploads, downloadable stems or additional features. Splitter works seamlessly across devices via the BandLab mobile and web apps.
3 reasons to choose BandLab Splitter Isolate Vocals: Remove vocals from any song to create backing tracks for practicing vocals or cover songs.
✓ Adjust Tracks: Tweak stems individually by changing speed and pitch to suit skills or jam along.
✓ Learn Songs: Study individual elements of your favorite songs by listening to isolated instrumentals
Vocal Remover – Separate tracks effortessly
💡 💡 Suitable for music professionals , karaoke lovers, filmmakers
Vocal Remover isolates vocals from multi-track songs . With a click, vocals can be extracted for improved learning, mixing or creative sampling.
Key features:
✓ AI-powered stem separation
✓ Isolates clean vocal recording
✓ Generates stems within minutes
✓ Free to use with donation option
✓ Processes common audio formats
✓ Releases full instrumental backing
How does Vocal Remover work?
The app lets users choose an audio file to process. An AI model trained on vocaled and instrumental data then separates the track into stem files within minutes. This extracts a pristine vocal recording while retaining full quality backing instrumentation.
How much does Vocal Remover cost? Vocal Remover free of charge . An optional donation can be made to the developer to support continued development and availability of the tool.
3 reasons to choose Vocal Remover Isolate clean vocal stems in high quality for remixing or sampling in other projects.
✓ Create backing tracks: Quickly generate instrumental versions of tracks to develop cover skills or experiment with remixing.
✓ Reduce distraction: Lessen vocals when wanting to focus purely on song structure, lyrics or individual instrumental parts.
💡 💡 Suitable for karaoke lovers
SongDonkey AI
Key features:
✓ Easy online/app workflow
✓ AI-powered stem separation
✓ Constant model improvement
✓ Isolates full quality vocal track
✓ Supports various audio formats
✓ Wav/mp3 format downloads provided
How does Songdonkey AI work?
SongDonkey AI allows users to upload songs to its website or application . An AI model trained on vocaled and instrumental audio then separates the input track into individual stem files. This process extracts the raw vocal track while retaining the full instrumental backing.
The AI is able to distinguish vocals from other elements through deep neural network analysis of audio spectrograms. Its training dataset continues growing, improving quality over time. Various formats are supported for maximum flexibility.
How much does Songdonkey AI cost? Songdonkey
3 reasons to choose Songdonkey AI? Quickly make instrumental versions of songs for practice, covers or remixes.
✓ Extract acapellas: Isolate pristine vocal stems for sampling in remixes or custom mixes.
✓ Seamless workflow: Intuitive interface optimizes the separation process from upload to download.
Applications of AI stem separation
AI stem separation has a wide range of applications in various industries. Let’s explore some of the different use cases where AI stem separation can be beneficial.
Musicians and producers
Musicians and producers can leverage AI stem separation to create remixes, mashups, and custom arrangements. By separating the vocals, drums, bass, and other stems from a song , artists have the flexibility to manipulate and rearrange the individual elements to create unique versions of existing tracks.
This opens up endless possibilities for creativity and experimentation, allowing artists to put their own spin on popular songs or blend different genres together.
Film and video production
AI stem separation also plays a significant role in film and video production. It enhances soundtracks by isolating specific instruments or vocals, enabling filmmakers to highlight certain elements or create a more immersive audio experience.
For example, in an action scene, AI stem separation can isolate the sound of gunshots or explosions, making them more pronounced and impactful. In a romantic scene, it can enhance the emotion by isolating the vocals or subtle instrumental elements.
Karaoke, voiceover production, and audio restoration
Another potential application of AI stem separation is in karaoke, voiceover production, and audio restoration. Karaoke enthusiasts can use AI stem separation to remove the vocals from songs, allowing them to sing along with their favorite tracks.
Voiceover artists can isolate the voice track from background music or sound effects, making it easier to edit and mix audio for various projects. Additionally, AI stem separation can be used to restore old or damaged audio recordings, removing unwanted noise or enhancing specific elements.
Real-world examples
Real-world examples of successful AI stem separation usage include:
BandLab’s Splitter : LALAL.AI :
Challenges and limitations of AI stem separation technology
AI stem separation technology has revolutionized music production by allowing us to easily separate vocals, drums, bass, and other elements from songs. However, like any technology, it has its own set of challenges and limitations that we need to be aware of.
Potential loss of audio quality and artifacts
One of the main challenges associated with AI stem separation is the potential loss of audio quality or the introduction of artifacts during the separation process. While AI models have advanced significantly in recent years, there is still a chance that the separation algorithm might not accurately distinguish between vocals and instruments , leading to a less than perfect separation. This can result in a slight degradation of the audio quality or the presence of unwanted artifacts in the separated stems.
Complexity of audio mixes
Another limitation is the need for continuous improvement and refinement of AI models to handle complex audio mixes. AI algorithms are trained on large datasets of songs, but they may struggle with certain genres or styles that are less common in the training data. As a result, the accuracy of stem separation can vary depending on the complexity of the mix and the specific characteristics of the song.
Ethical considerations
Ethical considerations also come into play when using AI stem separation technology. Copyright infringement is a major concern, as separating stems from copyrighted songs without permission can violate intellectual property rights. Unauthorized use of separated stems can also lead to legal issues, particularly if the stems are used for commercial purposes without proper licensing.
Addressing the challenges and limitations
To address these challenges and limitations, it is important for developers to continuously improve and refine their AI models. This involves training the models on diverse datasets that cover a wide range of music genres and styles. It also requires implementing quality control measures to ensure accurate and high-quality stem separation.
From an ethical standpoint, it is essential for users to respect copyright laws and obtain the necessary permissions before using separated stems
While AI stem separation technology offers exciting possibilities for music production, it is important to acknowledge its limitations and challenges. Loss of audio quality, the need for continuous improvement, and ethical considerations are all important factors to keep in mind. By understanding these challenges and working towards solutions, we can fully harness the potential of AI stem separation while respecting the rights of artists and copyright holders.
The future of AI stem separation
The potential for future advancements in AI stem separation is truly exciting. As technology continues to improve, we can expect even more accurate and efficient separation algorithms. This will enable musicians and producers to have even greater control over the individual elements of a song. Imagine being able to isolate and manipulate specific instruments or vocals with just a few clicks. The possibilities for remixing, sampling, and creating unique versions of songs are endless.
Frequently asked questions about AI stem splitter:
AI stem separation offers several benefits over traditional methods of stem separation. One of the key advantages of using AI for stem separation is the ability to achieve high-quality separation without significant loss of audio fidelity.
Accurate separation: AI models are trained on large datasets of songs with and without vocals, allowing them to accurately identify and isolate vocal parts from the rest of the audio. This ensures that the separated stems maintain their original clarity and quality.Time-saving: In traditional stem separation methods, manual editing and isolation of individual tracks can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. AI stem separation eliminates the need for this manual work, as the AI models can automatically separate vocals, drums, bass, and other stems from songs in a matter of seconds. This allows musicians, producers, and DJs to focus more on the creative aspects of their work, rather than spending valuable time on tedious editing tasks.Creative possibilities: AI stem separation unlocks new creative possibilities for music production. Musicians and producers can easily remix, sample, and create custom arrangements by extracting vocals or isolating specific tracks such as drum tracks. This opens up a whole new world of creative exploration.
