"Stems" might not be what you think they are...
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 พ.ย. 2024
- Instagram / coltcapperrune
My Photography / coltcapperrunephotos
Website coltcapperrune.com
My Outdoor TH-cam Channel / @trailtherapynash
Purchase All Music Gear HERE: imp.i114863.net...
Gear In This Video
Music I’ve Worked On / from-the-studio-of-col...
Best Vocal Mic Under $100 imp.i114863.ne...
Best Budget Interface imp.i114863.ne...
Best Budget Studio Monitors imp.i114863.ne...
My Gear:
Ultra Wide Monitor amzn.to/3DaYR2G
Monitor Arm amzn.to/3cV7mo8
Gator Racks sweetwater.sjv...
Microphones
Warm Audio WA-44 sweetwater.sjv...
WarmLifter sweetwater.sjv...
Lauten Audio Atlantis sweetwater.sjv...
Lauten Audio Eden sweetwater.sjv...
Manley Reference Cardioid sweetwater.sjv...
Neumann TLM67 sweetwater.sjv...
Neumann KM184 sweetwater.sjv...
Warm Audio CX12 sweetwater.sjv...
Byerdynamic M201 sweetwater.sjv...
Lauten Audio LA-120 SDC Pair sweetwater.sjv...
Lauten Audio LA-220 LDC sweetwater.sjv...
Lauten Audio LS-208 sweetwater.sjv...
Royer R-121 sweetwater.sjv...
Sennheiser MKH 416 Shotgun sweetwater.sjv...
Sennheiser MKE 400 sweetwater.sjv...
DJI Lav Mic sweetwater.sjv...
Warm Audio WA-44 sweetwater.sjv...
WarmLifter sweetwater.sjv...
Rack Gear
My Signature Mic Pre capi-gear.com/...
Avid HD Interfaces sweetwater.sjv...
Avid HDX Cards sweetwater.sjv...
SPL PQ Mastering EQ sweetwater.sjv.io/DKXKJ5
SPL Channel One mk3 sweetwater.sjv...
SSL Bus+ sweetwater.sjv.io/210N6D
SSL Fusion sweetwater.sjv.io/nLeAyV
Rupert Neve Designs MBT sweetwater.sjv...
Rupert Neve Newton Strip sweetwater.sjv...
SPL Vitalizer MK-3 sweetwater.sjv...
Neve 1073 sweetwater.sjv...
Distressor sweetwater.sjv...
Audioscape www.audio-scap...
UA 1176 imp.i114863.ne...
SPL BiG imp.i114863.ne...
Pope BAX 2020 EQ www.popeaudio....
Tube Tech LCA 2b imp.i114863.net...
Lauren Audio Panther Pre www.lauren.aud...
Radial EXTC imp.i114863.ne...
Serpent SB4001 imp.i114863.ne...
CAPI 500 www.capi-gear....
Coil Audio Mic Pre coilaudio.com
Power Conditioner imp.i114863.ne...
Interface imp.i114863.ne...
Monitor Controler sweetwater.sjv...
Budget Monitor Controller imp.i114863.ne...
Budget Patch Bay imp.i114863.ne...
Flock Audio Patchbays sweetwater.sjv...
Monitors / Headphones
Focal Trio 11be imp.i114863.ne...
Focal Atmos Surrounds sweetwater.sjv.io/vNRNg3
Auratone 5C sweetwater.sjv.io/q4dqnY
ISO Acoustics Monitor imp.i114863.ne...
Favorite Speaker Stands imp.i114863.ne...
Best Mixing Headphones imp.i114863.ne...
Tracking Headphones 1 imp.i114863.ne...
Tracking Headphones 2 imp.i114863.ne...
Instruments / Amps
Handwired Fender Deluxe Reverb sweetwater.sjv...
GTR Load Box / IR sweetwater.sjv...
Favorite Synth imp.i114863.ne...
Acoustic Guitar imp.i114863.ne...
Resonator Guitar imp.i114863.ne...
Maschine imp.i114863.ne...
Keyboard imp.i114863.ne...
GTR Amp imp.i114863.ne...
Iconic Guitars iconicguitars....
Lauren Audio www.lauren.audio/
Camera Gear
Main Camera bhpho.to/3P0Iyt1
Main Lens bhpho.to/3ZqcHHi
Vlogging Lens bhpho.to/3ykQG1F
B Roll Lens 1 bhpho.to/3l61Qj3
B Roll Lens 2 bhpho.to/3sj70Mh
Telephoto Lens bhpho.to/3CCYLQD
Camera 2 bhpho.to/3M57U6U
Lens 1 bhpho.to/3KSLAvS
Lens 2 bhpho.to/3KWc53I
Favorite Tripod bhpho.to/3vRkvnN
Budget Tripod bhpho.to/3WZBlwF
Favorit Gimbal bhpho.to/3GU0pzB
Main Light bhpho.to/3MVHncl
Softbox bhpho.to/3OWKRgJ
Budget Light bhpho.to/3IVUnQL
Small Softbox bhpho.to/3XmySMJ
Color Grading Monitor bhpho.to/388EwOs
Favorite Studio Tools / Accessories
Field Recorder imp.i114863.ne...
Mic Stand imp.i114863.ne...
Pop Filter imp.i114863.ne...
Patch Bay Cables imp.i114863.ne...
Clip On Tuner imp.i114863.ne...
Hard Drives imp.i114863.ne...
Ultra Wide Monitor amzn.to/3DaYR2G
![เจ็บที่ยังฮัก - ม่อน วรวิทย์ [ Official Mv ] จอนนี่มิวสิค](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KALIGSRSjFs/mqdefault.jpg)
![เปิด อาณาจักร หมื่นล้าน "สาระตั้ม" l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3XE0nPF4YkQ/mqdefault.jpg)
My studio has been doing film & TV audio post for 25yrs. To put some clarity, when we in the film/TV post world talk about "stems" we are most times referring to a specific set of sub-mixes that are usually required to be delivered with the final movie files to a distributor when they buy a film from the film's producers. These stems are referred to as D-M-E stems, which stands for Dialog-Music-Effects. The purpose of spearating final deliverables to a distributor in this manner is they can easily swap out the "D"-dialog stem with a foreign language. Although most of us hate to watch dubbed dialog, it is still popular among some demographics and counties. So that is how they are used. Anytime to play a movie and there is an option to listen to the foreign language dubbed dialog, or an English dialog dub of a foreign film, you are listening to a blend of the Music & Effects stems rentered with a different Dialog stem.
Also, a distributor or producer can swap out music in a soundtrack without having the remix the entire thing, if downstream there ends up being copyright infringement issues that force a change.
Hope that helps!
I like the distinction in this way: Full session in individual tracks = Multitrack. Mixed groups = Stems. Single Stereo File of entire song = Final Mix.
I like this and I’d only redact “final” from the nomenclature. Just “Mix”. Then there can be the Master too! Named “M” I have a strong aversion to the word “final” and it’s just a personal tick.
@@davidbadstubner4582 fair enough! I guess I used a thinking shortcut, I never actually put "final" in any naming. I put numbers indicating version, or REV1, REV2 (revision) etc, but for the sake of naming "the final file delivered" by mixing engineer I said final mix - but I totally agree with you :))
Yup, had it correct but 10 yrs ago I was confused but once explained like you just did, it stays with you.
Brother thank you for the shout out! And thank you for clarifying. I hope this helps others to have a better understanding of the differences.
Thank you for asking the question!
THANK YOU. The more people with a big audience we have correcting this misuse of the term, the better.
This is gold👍 Thank you Colt. Always interesting videos.
Thanks for watching!
I do work a lot in Film Post, and your description is correct. Today most film mixes have as part of their delivery 3 stems: dialog, effects, and music. Sometimes there's an 'undiped' music track as well. The primary purpose of separating them is for example to make a overdub version of a film afterwards, where you need to drop the original dialog, but keep effects and music. Similar with the undiped music, allows you to a different version of ducking music under voice overs. Also stems are provided in stereo and 5.1 unless it's an Atmos mix. So these aren't used for mastering as in music, bus archive in case the film sound has to be re-mastered.
I love this kind of video. It might seem insignificant, but this kind of knowledge is REALLY useful. I think the lingo/terminology is one of the biggest barriers to beginners' success in industries.
I guess it's a bit like notes and scales on instruments. Maybe you're an amazing guitarist or piano player, but if you don't know the names of notes, keys, chords, and scales, then you would be completely lost in a band or studio with industry professionals.
Yeah Stems are Rendered Groups..
In compilation we refer to the groups as Stems & The Entire Session as Track Outs
Yup!
Yep. I totally had this wrong. Lol !!! I thought each track was a stem. Thank you for the brain-calibration. 😆
Thank you for watching and for being open to this!
Argh. So many times clients ask for stems when they mean multitracks.
Best explanation. Also, I like these shorter videos.
I get this from clients too, I also get (in post production) "I have a interview we need mastered" But what they need is Dialogue editing, and cleanup, and mixed. "Mastered" is also now just one of those terms that people say cause they think its "the term".
The way you defined it is the way I was taught in my training.
next time I send this video to my clients to explain him what stems really are ! Thanks for this video !
I think I was on track I viewed stems as sub-groups to be used as part of a large mix like for film. I saw a film composers notes on their DAW and stems and how many of their stems were groups of orchestra instruments to be mixed as a unit.
THANK YOU !!!!!
Your explanation is exactly what my interpretation of the definition has been as well. Thanks for the video, I was starting to think I had it wrong, even though deep down I thought I was right.... if that makes sense? hahaha
I hear all the time, that clients say, they are gonna send me the stems, when they mean they are gonna send me the tracks.
In film production, they still use stems on the score mixing stage. For individual files, I use the term "tracks".
Great Video, luckily i knew what it was, but i feel it is the same way for aux channels and effect channels or groups in general (some DAW name them different). Sometimes you just need to communicate and make sure everyone is on the same page
Doing the Lord’s work in this one 🫡
PREACH!
This subject really cracks me up. The word stems came from film. I have three feature films out and use to partner with Sal Zaentz film center. Stems are tracks put together like bussing groups. I have been arguing this point for a while. Correcting people, yet they still think I am wrong. I laugh all the time because they don't get it. What they are calling stems are tracks. As a mixer, I don't want them to stem out their song to me, just give me the tracks. LOL Thanks for covering this. I think I will save it and send it to some of my friends that still think I am wrong.
I have found that when working with musicians in California and even more specifically the LA area I have to constantly confirm with people when they say “stems” if they actually mean stems or if they are asking for track outs which is the case 90% of the time. This rarely happens when working with musicians from any where else.
I will only add that Multi-Track= Discrete singular mono tracks that make up the totality of the mix. And I will say there is a specific DAW (presonus studio one) that uses “Stem” as a menu export option that includes both stems and discrete multi tracks. 😊
THANK YOU!!!! Gets so tiring asking some A&R scout what they actually mean.
Yes. I had it 100% correct.
Stems are what's left to your flowers after me and my pet goat stop over for a visit.
😂😂😂
I had it wrong for a long time too. When you first start your limited to the knowledge of those with your ear. If they're wrong, your gonna be wrong too. The word I needed is trackouts. I don't care about stems most of the time. I want the trackouts.
A lot of the history of "stems" does come from TV and film, and from a music point of view it meant having to allow the TV and film guys some flexibility in how to treat a song without giving them the responsibility (or the ability) to completely change the original mix. Need a vocal up version? Piece of cake. No vocals? Again, easy. Guitars interfering too much with the dialog? No problem.
In this day and age, stems can be useful in collaboration efforts. It can be easier to send stems to online partners rather than a full session with however many tracks. Need a bassist to cut a track to your demo? Send him/her a drum stem, a guitar stem, your example bass track/stem, a vocal stem, or whatever, and the bassist can set up his/her own mix with ease while working on his/her contribution.
Good to know i had it right, even though i never printed a stem before, haha!
To me a stem is
a supportive or main section of something. So sometimes it could just be one individual track off the Drums. Normally a drum stem would be all of the drums mixed. But certain cases called for certain things. I guess it’s just the terminology you decide to use at that point.
I'm glad you switched back to cool topics. Sell that atmos setup while it has market value and get the money back.
About movies, this is also what makes translations possible. You just replace the dialogs stem and bang, you are done.
LOL, not quite but close.
@@KernSound yeah, I guess there quite a bit more work involved lol
Tracks are the branches. Stems are the sub mixes/bus mixes/bus groupings... Main/Master is the Onion containing all of the layers. If it helps people to visualize it.
Yup
Thanks for watching!!
Do you print your stems running through the mix bus (2-bus) or are stems pre-mix bus? Personal preference? Great video!
When printing my stems, I’m trying to print the entire sound of each group, including mix bus compression.
This works pretty well on drums, but all the other groups don’t react the same when the drums aren’t hitting the compression.
How do I make the compressors react to the entire mix, while only compressing the audible material, such as the Vocal group?
great vid as always. And useful. Production note, however, the background music was REALLY loud in this one. I found it more difficult to listen to what you were saying because the ambient music was right up there.
nah, i think we got it from here
Would a stem include the processing (reverbs etc.)?
So, in Pro Tools, would the stems be like creating VCA Master faders and then assigning all your drums or vocals to that fader?
As I understand him, yes. I personally don't use VCA groups anymore, but where I do create groups and assign a Sub Bus to that group, as I'm understanding him, if I bounced that group into a stereo file, I would have created a STEM. Hope I'm right, I've been confused by this as well. I think I'm right now. Thanks for the question Andy!
Hold up Colt. Yes, great video for new people in industry, but… There’s You and there’s no Magic Mouse near you?! How’s that possible?!)
Colt, What is new in that 500 rack I see behind you in the video?
The CAPI Melcor preamps I’m testing
@@ColtCapperrune Awesome!
Ah I was right then people are using this wrong. Or sometimes they call multitracks stems.
I knew what you said though because you went with the Sweet Water answer from an article they did on this.
I’ve been fighting this war for the last 15 years
Never won a single battle :)
Hey Colt great content brotha. By the way how did it go with the Hurricane?? I hope it didn’t hit you guys !! I was going to DM you but man Ive been busy and I totally forgot. Hope everything is good. God bless brotha. Keep up these vids.
I've always thought stems are the bus's exported as separate stereo and maybe mono files if they go to a mono bus... so not necessarily stereo tracks but it's all the components exported into the bus's export.
Then a stem master is simply getting all the bus's... and have done this... and, yes I have thought it to be right... which is good that I haven't been looking like a idiot.
I have a video idea for later and that is to go a bit more in detail about your experience in Atmos mixing when you realise you much prefer to get the raw original files and not stems for Atmos mixing.
You will start to notice when you mix from the stems of a stereo master that you are using very limited cut down sounds and will prefer the original file so you can make every element sound as good as it can rather than work with with these carved files that are of course carved to fit together in a stereo mix and you'll then find the fold downs work better which is weird.
I myself have found this and can not figure out what is going on.
Is the Atmos algorithm mixing things for me? Do elements be carved down in a fold down to fit together in what is essentially a stereo mix with clever timing that gives things the separation and placement in the binaural mix but it also seems to limit the sounds to fit together... it doesn't become a bloated sounding fold down trying to mix too thick sounding sound together.
Now of course, there are techniques you have to follow for this to work, otherwise it does actually sound worse when it folds down, but surely there is a guessing game we are playing that I think we could demystify but properly understanding how the algorithm works.
There must be a cheat code that has been realised yet??? or.... Is the reason for this to do with the fact the algorithm is constantly being updated and they are in fact trying to catch up with our styles as we learn how to best utilise their current algorithm?
They are putting a insane amount of money in the development of this format and the would not be hiding secrets that limit us to make the best product possible as good products sell their format of course... there must be some sort of experimental research where they are learning from us as we learn before there starts to be better understanding of these formats and how they best work before more helpful understanding are realised????
From what I have seen so far is that we seem to learn ourselves what works best and of course as this has happened the algorithm has changed and it has gotten better while this has been happening.
I have also noticed that some things that worked better at the start now do not work as well and have gone from okay mixes to poor mixes and so mixing have improved with it.
This does also mean that we are on ground zero with it at the moment and with it being possible to make a better atmos mix folded down to stereo than stereo, and I repeat the beginning of that for people ready to jump on the fact there are so many awful fold downs: WITH IT BEING "POSSIBLE" TO MAKE A BETTER ATMOS MIX FOLD DOWN THAN A STEREO MIX, when this has been achieved are we only seeing the start of what this format can achieve? or is it only going to be minor improvements from now?
Or... will this continue for a while until a sort of Atmos 2 comes out as the final format once this is fully developed?
To me, stems are rendered sub-groups.
"stems" = whichever files you got from a Guitar Hero rip 😁
Is the term sub-group no longer used by anybody?
Tell us how you deliver stems when asked for it, there are some common standard requirements for stems. Specifically for movie editing.
Could be an interesting video.
If you sent them a real stems they would tell you that you sent it wrong, what they really want is all tracks starting at the same time so that they can use it in any DAW. Track out the song starting at the same time.
@@KernSound Yeah but track outs are the session and those are not the stems. Track outs are basically the processed session. I make a mix not a track outs.
@@Chaos-Dynamics I tell my clients with no plugins unless it is something that they need for tones. But to send me unprocessed as well.
@@KernSound That’s probably meant for incoming tracks to get mixed, I mean when delivering outgoing mixes and stems are necessary extra besides the mix like separate music, vocals and instrumental stems, or a vocal up mix or separate music only mix with separate vocal stems for use in movies or documentaries. Or maybe it’s the whole session that’s being delivered, something I don’t usually do myself as a mix engineer because I mix with analog gear and only print the stereo mix and not the multitrack out. I’m setup to do it but never do.
Now whats print mean? LOL
Printing just means to record onto a new audio track. You're familiar with the term "bouncing", correct? Think of these 2 as being similar but when you "print" you're recording to a new audio track in real-time.
Just means export or bounce, term comes from the days of tape.
STEM is short for STEreo Mix. If it hasn't been created via mixing, by definition it's not a stem.
Who hasnt understand what a stem is in 2024 ? 😂😂
I think it's a lost cause. There are those who say that the English language is fluid and changes. The excuse is that what something meant yesterday doesn't mean the same today.
It’s still important to know proper terminology in any professional field. If someone asks me for stems of their song, they are going to get seven or eight stereoprints, not the full 100 tracks.
@@ColtCapperrune I totally agree with you but dang.. some people are adamant that stems mean single tracks. 🙄
A language being “fluid” is asinine.
If we don’t ALL use the same meaning of a word then it’s no different then a conversation between 2 people speaking 2 different languages.🤦🏻🤷🏻♂️