Mastering Stem Export in BandLab Mobile

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Naming Tracks and Duplicating Them
3. Turning off Effects on Duplicate Tracks
4. Exporting Stems
5. Saving the Instrumental
6. Saving the Leads
7. Saving the Dubs
8. Saving the Ad-libs
9. Saving a Version with Effects
10. Compressing the Folder and Emailing to Engineer
11. Conclusion

How to Export Stems in BandLab

BandLab is a popular platform for recording music, but if You want to get your songs mixed or mastered by a professional engineer, you will need to export your stems. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of exporting stems in BandLab step by step.

Introduction

Before we begin, make sure you have your BandLab project open. We will be working with a track called "Been On It" by our friend Mike Tobinski. Let's start by playing a few seconds of the track so we can hear what it sounds like and understand what we're working with.

Naming Tracks and Duplicating Them

To ensure Clarity and organization, it's essential to name your tracks. This way, the engineer will know what each track represents when you export your stems. To name a track in BandLab, swipe left on the track, click the three dots, and select "Rename." Name your tracks accordingly, such as "Instrumental," "Leads," "Dubs," and "Ad-libs."

Next, duplicate the tracks. This step is necessary because you'll need to remove any effects before exporting. To duplicate a track in BandLab, swipe left on the track, click the three dots, and select "Duplicate." The duplicated tracks will appear at the bottom of your screen.

Turning off Effects on Duplicate Tracks

Now that you have duplicated the tracks, it's time to turn off the effects on the duplicate tracks. This ensures that the engineer has full control over the effects applied during the mixing and mastering process. Go to the effects section and turn off all effects for the duplicated tracks. Remember to turn off the auto-tune effect as well, if applicable.

Exporting Stems

Once you have named your tracks and turned off the effects on the duplicate tracks, it's time to export your stems. Start with the instrumental track. Click the three dots on the track, select "Export as Audio," and save the file to your desired location. Repeat this process for the leads, dubs, and ad-libs tracks, exporting each one separately.

Saving the Instrumental

When exporting the instrumental track, name the file accordingly to avoid confusion. For example, "Mike Been On It Instrumental." Choose a location to save the file, such as a designated folder for your stems. Organizing your stems in a folder will make it easier to send them to your engineer later.

Saving the Leads

Follow the same process for the leads track. Export the leads as audio, name the file appropriately, and save it to the designated folder. If you have multiple lead tracks, ensure to differentiate them by naming them accordingly, such as "Leads 1," "Leads 2," and so on.

Saving the Dubs

Repeat the process for the dubs track. Export it as audio, name the file appropriately, and save it to the same folder. Dubs are tracks where the artist sings along with the leads. Make sure to name the file "Dubs" to denote its purpose.

Saving the Ad-libs

Lastly, save the ad-libs track. Export it as audio, name the file accordingly, and save it to the designated folder. Ad-libs consist of vocal embellishments and additional background vocals. Name the file "Ad-libs" for clarity.

Saving a Version with Effects

In addition to exporting the stems, it's beneficial to provide the engineer with a rough mix that includes all the effects. This version can serve as a reference for the engineer during the mixing and mastering process. To do this, go back to the BandLab mixer, mute the duplicate tracks, and unmute the original tracks with effects. Save the project, and then export it as audio following the same procedure as before.

Compressing the Folder and Emailing to Engineer

Once you have exported all your dry stems and the version with effects, it's time to send them to your engineer. However, email attachments can be restrictive due to file size limitations. To overcome this, compress the folder containing your stems into a zip file. This will merge the folder into a single file that you can easily email. To compress the folder, hold on the folder, click "Compress," and then select the zip file.

Once the zip file is created, you can share it with your engineer via email. Choose the email provider you prefer, such as Gmail, and send the zip file as an attachment. Don't forget to include a descriptive subject line, such as "Bin On It Stems," and click "Send."

Conclusion

Exporting stems in BandLab is a straightforward process that allows you to collaborate with professional engineers for mixing and mastering. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can ensure that your stems are organized, properly labeled, and ready to be sent for further processing. Remember to save a version with effects for reference, compress the folder, and email it to your engineer. Happy music-making!