Before you begin
  • Choose 4 stems for drums or bass; try 5 for piano.
  • A quieter target part can be more helpful than a fully muted one.
  • Use the original recording to check notes and timing.

Keep two listening references

For instrument practice, the separated mix is an aid to hearing, not a transcription. A missed attack or an unstable low note in a stem may be a model artifact rather than a mistake in the performance. Keep an unprocessed original alongside your practice export so you can compare any ambiguous passage.

Bass: leave a little context

Choose 4 stems and first listen to the bass estimate with the drums. This makes the relationship between the bass line and kick easier to follow. Then lower the bass fader to build a version you can play along with. If you lose your place with it fully muted, keep a quiet bass reference rather than raising the entire backing mix.

Very low tones can be difficult to hear on small speakers. Use a suitable playback setup at a comfortable level. Turning the volume far up to compensate for missing low-frequency reproduction can make other instruments excessively loud.

Drums: preserve cues for the form

Lower the drums and listen for where fills, count-ins and cymbal tails used to mark section changes. Muting everything may remove useful navigation cues. A low drum reference can help you learn the structure before attempting a fully muted version. Try the isolated drum track separately to hear the pattern, but check its details against the original.

Piano: treat the label as a hypothesis

Use 5 stems when the source has a clear piano part. Keyboards, sustained pads and heavily processed piano can be split inconsistently. If the estimate lacks notes, do not assume they were absent from the recording. Compare Piano with Other, and use the original to confirm harmony and voicing.

Make two exports instead of over-adjusting

  1. Save a reference mix with the target part audible but reduced.
  2. Save a second mix with that part muted, if the remaining music is still coherent.
  3. Give the files descriptive names after download, such as “bass-guide” and “bass-muted”.
  4. Keep the model and source consistent while comparing them.

Stemix provides level and mute controls. It does not currently provide a time-stretching editor or an editable musical score. If you need slower playback, export a copy for an editor or player that offers that feature. An estimated BPM or key is a rough aid, not a replacement for listening or a verified musical analysis.

This guide describes the current product controls and implementation. Separation results depend on the recording, device and model; examples are not quality guarantees.

Further reading: Spleeter · Web Audio API · How the tools work