Native Instruments has released Stem Creator, a free application for creating STEMS formatted audio files, as a beta download.
STEMS is an open file format that lets you distribute tracks that incorporate a full mix, plus four stem tracks – such as drums, bass, keys and vocals. Each of the four stem tracks can be individually mixed, allowing for more performance options and making it easier to create new mixes, mashups, instrumentals, a cappellas and more.
Here’s the official video intro:
You can create a STEMS format file in three steps:
- Save four musical elements of a track as separate audio files;
- Import them into the Stem Creator Tool;
- Adjust the compression and export.
This creates a stem.mp4 file, ready for creative mixing with compatible software or hardware.
Stem files use the .mp4 container format to store the four individual stems of a track within a single file. Using the file extension .stem.mp4, this single file can be managed just like an mp3 file.
Here’s a video intro to the format:
A standard master version of the track is included in the file and can be played in stereo with any compatible audio player following standard mp4 specs, like iTunes for example. To play with a track’s individual stems, Stem-compatible software or hardware is required.
For more information about the new format, see the STEMS site.
My hope, among many, is that I can get existing tracks and even stems that are WAV files working in an MP4 audio container so basic tags will show up when testing a series of tracks in the car and on devices that don’t natively support tagged WAV files or AIFF at all. I usually throw rough mixes as AIFF on an iPod Nano, iPhone, and iPad but the Android devices play nicer with FLAC and WAV, although without tagging in most players. Having a common container that supports tagging excellently but with WAV files inside, in a nice, convenient time-sync he’d container should be handy.
Sorry, bro:
> Is the Stem format lossless?
> The Stem format uses the mp4 framework which allows Stem files to
> be encoded either in AAC 256 kbps VBR or Apple Lossless audio (ALAC).
Maybe just keep using the perfectly fine audio formats we already have and that are already widely supported? You don’t have to believe everything the Native Instruments marketing department tells you.
Sorry bro
If your app can’t handle .mp4 – a 12 year old format – it’s time to get off of Win 95.
Cool story, bro, but my software handles mp4 and every other format I use just fine, thanks.
I have zero interest in any effort being put toward that software supporting STEMS.
HATE STEMS, past my life 30 years searching for the right top notch quality sound for my music (composing,know the bassline rules, to make a very solid bassline, post production and final mastering)i past 1 month making unique sounds and a track and now? i had to give my work(all my groups) in separate loops/stems to all for free causing all can remix and destroy it and use it in all manners? I’m not in this game, if you want n-crap-remixes of your precious music tracks you are welcome.
Where do you get the idea that you have to do this for free?
It’s a new option that will be useful for some artists, some musicians & some music fans.
The reality of things nowadays is that it’s easy to make music, but it’s hard to make music that anyone will hear.
Making your music more DJ friendly may be an option for getting it played more. We’ll have to see!
“3. Adjust the compression and export.”
omg
Looking at the lukewarm response, I do not think STEMS will be a commercial success. Think harder NI.
it’s all a ploy to distract us from the fact that they are unable to implement reliably syncing traktor to anything, sequencing remix decks, or elastic audio.