stems

[Lue]

What are stems?
Are they legal?
(if they are) Where can you get them?

EDIT: No, this wasn't a joke. I'm very new to music and still don't know what I'm doing. I guess I should have been more clear.
Where can I get the stems or pro tools projects of popular songs. I see them online sometimes labelled as "stems". In the comments, some people say that it is illegal to post and share them. I just want more information on that.

I would like to download popular song stems or pro tools projects so that I can learn and listen a little more carefully to what the pros do.

Where can I get the stems of popular songs?

If it's not legal then I obviously won't look into it further.

[Southsidemusic]

Is this a Joke post?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem..._and_mastering

Here you go!

[JFreak]

it was a joke. the joker meant stims, and no, we don't sell that stuff here

[amagras]

Stem cells?

[Lue]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Is this a Joke post?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem..._and_mastering

Here you go!

No, this wasn't a joke. I'm very new to music and still don't know what I'm doing. I guess I should have been more clear.

Where can I get the stems or pro tools projects of popular songs. I see them online sometimes labelled as "stems". In the comments, some people say that it is illegal to post and share them. I just want more information on that.

I would like to download popular song stems or pro tools projects so that I can learn and listen a little more carefully to what the pros do.

Where can I get the stems of popular songs?

If it's not legal then I obviously won't look into it further.

I actually didn't know the tracks were called stems too. So now I know. Thanks for the info.

[Southsidemusic]

No one is gonna share the stems of popular songs on the web as that is copyright material and not for newbees to play with.

Search on the web for stem sessions and I know steven slate has some courses online with stems to download but thats gonna cost ~$100 per session and there are some competitions that offer stems for mixing but none of those are for publishing, just for the specific purpose of the stems.

Why do you want these? Why not start with making your own music if you are new to this? Messing around with other peoples work wont take you anywhere.

[albee1952]

Back to the original question...."Stems" are sub-mixes of tracks from a larger session. An example of stems done from a pop/rock/country session might include:
Drums
Keyboards
Acoustic guitars
BGV's(Back Ground Vocals)
Lead vocal(with or without FX

Stems from a movie soundtrack would add lots more like:
Foley
Ambience
background dialog
sound effects
etc.

That's the basic idea(I'm sure the POST folks could expound on this a ton, but hopefully, you get the idea)

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Back to the original question...."Stems" are sub-mixes of tracks from a larger session. An example of stems done from a pop/rock/country session ...

That's the basic idea(I'm sure the POST folks could expound on this a ton, but hopefully, you get the idea)

Didn’t you read the link I posted in the first answer to the OP?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem..._and_mastering

All covered in that post already so why the repeat? Can’t get any clearer than that!

[WorldStudios]

I would say that Albee provided a quick and simple answer and you supplied the long detailed answer. Both are helpful.

On this topic... I often have long discussions with customers about what they mean by "stems" to make sure we mean the same thing. Many of them think "stems" means each and every separate track from a session. Beware!

[amagras]

Time to bump the "stem vs multitrack" thread. Anyone know where it is?