You can make a drumless backing track by uploading an audio file to an AI stem splitter, muting the drum stem, and downloading the remaining instruments.
When you want to practice playing the drums to a specific song, you need an audio track that contains all the original instruments and vocals, except for the drums. You can create a drumless backing track by separating a standard audio file into its individual components. People often look for ways to do this on sites like moises.ai, lalal.ai, manual.audacityteam.org, help.moises.ai, isolate.audio, or podcast.adobe.com. On Stem Split AI, you can upload your own audio files and split them into five distinct parts, known as stems. By isolating these stems, you can remove the drums entirely while keeping the bass, vocals, and other instruments intact for your practice sessions.
Before you begin the process, you must ensure you have the correct file type and that you meet the site's requirements. You also must have the right to process the audio you upload. If you are a copyright holder and need to submit a notice, copyright notices go to contact@stemsplitai.com.
What do you need to make a drumless backing track?
To start, you need an audio file of the song you want to practice. You cannot use web links to submit audio. Links such as YouTube are not accepted by the tool. You must have the actual file saved on your computer or device. The tool accepts five specific audio formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A/AAC, and OGG.
Your file must also fit within the size and length limits. The maximum file size you can upload is 90 MB. Additionally, the song can be up to 10 minutes long. If your file exceeds 90 MB or is longer than 10 minutes, you will need to trim it or compress it before you upload it to the Stem Splitter.
The MP3 format is widely used and provides a compressed file size, which makes it easy to stay under the 90 MB limit. WAV and FLAC files are uncompressed or losslessly compressed, meaning they retain the highest possible audio fidelity, but they take up more storage space. M4A/AAC and OGG are also supported for users who have their audio libraries in these formats. Regardless of which of these five formats you choose, the maximum file size you can upload remains 90 MB, and the maximum duration remains 10 minutes.
| Requirement | Allowed Limit or Format |
|---|---|
| Accepted File Types | MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A/AAC, OGG |
| Maximum File Size | 90 MB |
| Maximum Song Length | 10 minutes |
| Prohibited Formats | Links such as YouTube |
| Required Rights | You must have the right to process the audio |
How do you prepare your file for a drumless backing track?
Once you have a file that meets the 90 MB and 10-minute limits, you are ready to upload it. You can navigate to the main tool and select your MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A/AAC, or OGG file. The upload process transfers your file to our own servers, where the separation process begins.
The actual separation is handled by an artificial intelligence model. Specifically, the site uses Demucs htdemucs. This is an open-source model developed by Meta AI research. Because the model runs entirely on our own servers, the processing is handled directly by the site after your upload finishes.
The Demucs htdemucs model from Meta AI research is designed to recognize the complex waveforms of mixed music. By running this open-source model on our own servers, the site ensures that the separation process is handled efficiently. When you upload a four-minute song, the model analyzes the entire track and fully splits it in about three minutes. This three-minute processing time means you do not have to wait long to access your separated stems.
When the model processes your song, one split gives five stems. These stems are vocals, instrumental, drums, bass, and other. It is important to understand how the instrumental stem is created. The instrumental stem is the drums, bass, and other added together. Because the instrumental stem includes the drums, you will not use the instrumental stem to make your drumless backing track. Instead, you will use the individual bass, other, and vocals stems.
How does the AI separate the stems?
The Demucs htdemucs model analyzes the mixed audio and isolates the different frequencies and patterns associated with the vocals, drums, bass, and remaining instruments. The time it takes to process your file depends on the length of the song. A four-minute song is fully split in about three minutes.
Before you commit to downloading the full files, you can listen to the results. Splitting and previewing are free. Every split plays a 30-second preview of all five stems. This 30-second preview usually comes in about a minute after you start the process.
The 30-second preview is a core feature that allows you to verify the results before you spend any credits. Every split plays a 30-second preview of all five stems. This preview usually comes in about a minute. Because the preview starts from 0:30, it typically skips the intro of the song and plays a section where the drums, bass, vocals, and other instruments are all active. If your song is under a minute long, the preview adjusts and plays from the start of the track. You can listen to this preview to ensure the drums are cleanly separated from the bass and other instruments.
How can you preview the stems before downloading?
You can use the preview feature multiple times depending on your account status. If you use the site without an account, you can split and preview 1 song a day for free. If you create an account and are signed in, this limit increases, and you can split and preview 5 songs a day for free.
During the preview, you can determine if the track is suitable for your drum practice. You can listen to the drums stem to hear exactly what will be removed, and you can listen to the bass, vocals, and other stems to hear what you will play along with. If you only want to remove vocals, you might use the Vocal Remover approach, or if you want just the voice, the Acapella Extractor. For a drumless track, you need the full multi-stem download.
How do credits and downloads work?
If you are satisfied with the 30-second preview and want the entire song, you will need to download the full stems. Downloading a whole song costs 125 credits. In monetary terms, 125 credits is $0.50.
To get credits, you make a one-time purchase. A one-time $5 purchase adds 1,250 credits to your account. Because each song costs 125 credits, this $5 purchase gives you enough credits for 10 songs. There is no subscription required to buy or hold these credits. Furthermore, credits are only spent on a download. You do not spend credits to upload, split, or preview the audio. All payments for credits are processed through FloatPass.
When you spend your 125 credits to download a whole song, you receive all five stems. The files are provided in two high-quality audio formats. You get the stems as MP3 files at a bitrate of 320 kbps. You also get the stems as WAV files at a resolution of 16-bit and a sample rate of 44.1 kHz. You can load these MP3 or WAV files into any standard audio player or digital audio workstation to mix your practice track.
When you are ready to download, you will receive all five stems as MP3 and WAV files. The MP3 files are encoded at 320 kbps, which is the highest standard bitrate for MP3s, ensuring clear audio for your practice sessions. The WAV files are provided at 16-bit resolution and a 44.1 kHz sample rate, which is the standard quality for CD audio. Having both formats means you can use the MP3s for quick playback on portable devices or use the WAV files in a digital audio workstation for precise mixing without any loss in audio quality.
What happens to your files after processing?
When you upload personal files or music for practice, data retention is a factor to consider. On Stem Split AI, files are only available to the person who uploaded them. Nobody else can access your uploaded songs or your separated stems.
The site also automatically deletes your data after a set period. Your original uploads are deleted after 1 day. The separated stems are deleted after 7 days. You have a seven-day window to spend your credits and download the MP3 and WAV files to your own device. If you wait longer than 7 days, the stems will be deleted, and you would need to upload and split the song again.
How do you mix the stems for practice?
Once you download the files to your computer, you will have five separate audio tracks: vocals, instrumental, drums, bass, and other. To create your backing track without drums, you need to combine the correct files.
Do not use the instrumental stem, because the instrumental stem is the drums, bass, and other added together. If you play the instrumental stem, you will hear the drums.
Instead, import the bass stem, the other stem, and the vocals stem into your audio player or recording software. When you play these three files together, you will hear the complete song exactly as it was recorded, but with the drums completely removed. This allows you to sit at your drum kit and play along with the original bass line, guitars, keyboards, and vocals.
If you decide you also want to practice without the singer, you can mute the vocals stem, which is similar to using a Karaoke Maker or an Instrumental Maker, but with the drums removed as well. The five distinct stems give you the ability to mute or include any part of the song you need for your specific practice routine.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to download a drumless backing track?
Downloading a whole song costs 125 credits, which is $0.50. You receive all five stems, including the ones needed for your track, as MP3 (320 kbps) and WAV (16-bit, 44.1 kHz) files.
Can I use a YouTube link to make a drumless backing track?
No, links such as YouTube are not accepted. You must upload an MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A/AAC, or OGG audio file directly from your device.
How long does it take to create a drumless backing track?
A 30-second preview usually comes in about a minute. A full four-minute song is fully split into stems in about three minutes.
Do I have to pay a monthly fee to make a drumless backing track?
No, there is no subscription required. A one-time $5 purchase through FloatPass adds 1,250 credits to your account, which is enough for 10 songs.
What is the maximum file size for uploads?
You can upload a song up to 90 MB and 10 minutes long. The file must be an MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A/AAC, or OGG format.