Do you need beat stems or trackouts for mixing?
What are trackouts or stems? What’s the difference?
The words Trackouts and stems are often used interchangeably. They are the individual sounds that make up a beat made into separate WAV files. “Trackouts” almost always refers to individual instrument sounds while stems may refer to sounds separated into similar groups. The trackouts for a beat are sent as a folder of WAV files. Each sound is labeled (ie Kick drum.wav, synth.wav etc)
Why are stems better for mixing? The single file instrumentals have been mixed and often mastered by the producer to the best of their ability but without the context of your voice on it. Having stems offers the advantage of being able to shape the instrumental around your voice with much more control over the sound of the final product.
Does it matter which one I use? This depends on your goals as an artist, I have listed some of the pros and cons of trackouts vs single file instrumentals below:
Stems Pros: More control over the mix, better sound quality, and provide the option for more creative arrangement options (i..e removing different instruments and key times in a song.)
Stems cons: More expensive, takes more time to mix.
Single File Pros: fast, cheap
Single File Cons: low sound quality, less control over final sound quality and can’t change arrangement.
Tips for your first session
Recording can be expensive.
Read below for tips on how to get more done in less time
Instrumentals:
Please bring you instrumentals prepared on a thumb drive or email them ahead of time. If you are recording over beats from YouTube please bookmark, save or screenshot the beats you are using so we can find and download them as quickly as possible.
Lyrics and recording:
Memorizing your lyrics is not for everyone but it will DRASTICALLY cut down your time in the booth. If you are interested in recording more during your session, memorizing your lyrics will maximize what you will be able to get done.
If you are reading lyrics from your phone, putting your phone on airplane mode while in the booth will help keep the flow moving without unneeded distractions and starting/stopping.
Studio Guests:
Bringing guests in to the session can be really great for the vibe but be mindful of who you bring and how many people you bring. Too many people in the session often leads to unfocused and unproductive studio time. I find that we can get the most done with groups no larger than three people.
Drugs and Alcohol:
I am all for altering ones consciousness for creative endeavors however there is an upper limit for most folks after which productivity really takes a dive. if you are trying to keep the session productive please understand your own limits.
How to get your music on Spotify and Apple music music
Distribution
To put your music on Spotify, Apple Music or any other streaming service you must use a distribution service. There are many options I recommend Distrokid for most artists because it starts at 20$/year for unlimited uploads.
Mixing and Mastering: What's the Difference?
Mixing and mastering are two different stages of the audio production process.
Mixing is the process of combining multiple tracks of audio, such as vocals, drums, and instruments, into a single track called referred to as the mixdown. The goal of mixing is to create a cohesive and balanced sound by adjusting levels, EQ, panning, and other audio effects on each sound in a song.
Mastering, on the other hand, is the final step in the audio production process. It involves fine-tuning the overall sound of the mixed down audio to prepare it for distribution. This may include adjusting the loudness, EQ, and dynamics of the audio, as well as adding any final touches. mastering is traditionally done as a separate process AFTER mixing.