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Separating Vocals & Instruments: Using Suno AI Stems Effectively

· 4 min read

Suno AI empowers you to create incredible music with just a few prompts. But what if you want more control over the final mix? Perhaps you want just the instrumental for a karaoke night, the vocals for a remix, or you need to tweak the balance between voice and music. That's where Suno AI's Stems feature comes in!

This guide will explain what Stems are, how to generate them, and how you can use them effectively to elevate your AI music creations.

What are Suno AI Stems?​

In music production, "stems" refer to individual tracks or grouped tracks of audio elements (like vocals, drums, bass, etc.). Suno AI's Stems feature specifically allows you to separate a finished song generated on the platform into two distinct audio files:

  1. Vocal Stem: Contains only the vocal track(s).
  2. Instrumental Stem: Contains only the background music and instruments.

This separation gives you powerful flexibility for post-production, remixing, and various creative applications.

Who Can Use Stems?​

The ability to generate Stems is currently an exclusive feature for users subscribed to Suno AI's Pro or Premier plans. If you're on the Basic (free) plan, you'll need to upgrade to access this functionality.

How to Generate Stems (Step-by-Step)​

Generating stems from your Suno AI songs is straightforward:

  1. Navigate to Your Song: Find the song you want to separate in your Library or on the Create page (if it was recently generated).
  2. Open More Actions: Click or tap the triple-dot icon (...) located next to the song title. This will open a menu of options.
  3. Select 'Get Stems': Within the menu, find and select the option labeled "Get Stems".

[Visual Cue: Imagine a screenshot highlighting the triple-dot menu next to a song, with an arrow pointing to the "Get Stems" option.]

Suno will then process your request and generate the two new audio files.

What You Get: The Output​

Once processed, Suno doesn't modify your original song. Instead, it creates two new tracks in your Library:

  • A track clearly labeled as "Vocal" (containing only the singing).
  • A track clearly labeled as "Instrumental" (containing only the music).

Both of these new tracks will also have a "Stem" tag added, making them easy to identify.

[Visual Cue: Imagine a screenshot showing the Suno Library with the original song plus the two new "Vocal [Stem]" and "Instrumental [Stem]" tracks listed.]

Using Your Stems Effectively​

Separating your tracks opens up a world of possibilities:

  • Remixing & Sampling: Easily grab the vocal acapella or the instrumental bed to use in your own remixes or new compositions (always ensure you have the necessary rights based on your Suno plan!).
  • Karaoke & Backing Tracks: Use the instrumental stem as a perfect backing track for singing practice or performance.
  • DJ Sets: Incorporate acapellas or unique instrumental loops into your DJ mixes.
  • Improving Mixes: Export the stems and import them into a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) like Ableton Live, Logic Pro, or Audacity. This allows you to independently adjust the volume, EQ, or effects on the vocals and instruments for a more polished final mix.
  • Educational Purposes: Analyze how the vocals and instruments interact by listening to them in isolation.
  • Content Creation: Use the instrumental track as background music for videos or podcasts without distracting vocals.

Important Considerations: It's V1!​

Suno clearly labels this feature as v1. It's important to understand how it currently works:

  • Post-Processing Separation: The stems are created by separating the audio after the song has already been generated as a single file. It doesn't generate separate vocal and instrumental parts from the beginning.
  • Potential Imperfections: Because it's separating a finished mix, the separation might not always be perfectly clean. You might occasionally hear slight "artifacts" or faint remnants of the other part in each stem.

Despite these limitations, the Stems feature is incredibly useful and a significant step towards greater creative control within the Suno platform.

Suno AI Stems Feature: A Summary​

Suno AI's Stems feature is a valuable tool for Pro and Premier users looking to do more with their AI-generated music. By separating vocals and instruments, you gain the flexibility needed for remixing, mastering, creating backing tracks, and much more. While it's still evolving (V1), generating and experimenting with stems is a great way to enhance your production workflow and unlock new creative avenues. Give it a try on your favorite Suno creations!