Stings, stems and mixes aha!

[CHuckmott]

Just to add, some virtual instruments creators also don't want you using stems in isolation. Spectrasonics for one , their contact prohibits, i.e. you just using one of their synth pads unmodified. You would have to send , for example, a combo pad and lead stem but not each separately .

[CHuckmott]

Stems have generally meant to me, separate tracks. If they want submixes, i.e. usually they specify. I agree with Andy also, if they are asking for stems you may as well send along a bed (melody free) version.

[johncolumbo]

What a great question and discussion David. Thanks for posting this.
And thanks for the detailed response Andy and notes about sending stems alone... very important stuff to know.

Thanks guys,

[Russell Landwehr]

Just to add, some virtual instruments creators also don't want you using stems in isolation. Spectrasonics for one , their contact prohibits, i.e. you just using one of their synth pads unmodified. You would have to send , for example, a combo pad and lead stem but not each separately .

HOLY CRAP! And here I thought I could just gloss over the agreements on VI stuff...

But "unmodified" ... Could mean tweak the settings on a factory preset and you are okay???

[mojobone]

Don't worry if the sum total of all those tracks is over digital 0.0 dB.

Dude; (and I'm sorry, but just this once, I mean it in the Tom Arnold way) why leave such a thing to the next person in the chain? Sure, she could pull the fader down, if she notices there's an 'over' or three, but how can you trust her meters? You wanna make your stems bulletproof, if at all possible; getting bit in the a$$ is my least favorite kind of surprise. (not that I mind the occasional nibble)

Forum folks, you're witnesses to history; this is fer sure, the first time I've ever disagreed with Andy.