Stems?

[horacejesse]

Exactly what is meant by stems?Quote:NEW LISTING -- Esoteric, cool, atmospheric INDIE-style FILM SCORE MUSIC/INSTRUMENTALS are wanted by an Audio Software Co./Library that specializes in supplying digital media creators the means to create specialized soundtracks for their visual projects (films, TV, ads, etc.). They're seeking a wide range of score material that would work in, say, a Jim Jarmusch or Quentin Tarantino film. Not big orchestral John Williams stuff -- rather, the opposite. Moody, quiet, spatial, unique, dramatic, etc. Important: You must have the original multitracks/stems on hand and available in case the company is interested -- you must be able to deliver "in stems." Do not submit material that does not meet this criteria -- they can't use it. Broadcast quality needed [great sounding home recordings are OK]. Please submit one to three songs online or per CD. All submissions will be screened and critiqued by TAXI and must be received no later than Feb. 22, 2007.TAXI # S070222IN

[davewalton]

Quote:Exactly what is meant by stems?These are variations of the full song, usually accomplished by muting or soloing certain tracks. For example you'd have the full version, then the full version without the percussion, then the full version with the lead instrument(s) and percussion muted, a version with just the percussion and bass, etc. You just have to be able to have access to your recording in a way that you can deliver whatever variation or combination they ask for.

[arkjack]

Some engineers I know refer to the stems as the individual wave file of each track.... meaning you would convert each track to a wave file that could be imported into protools and remixed... I wonder if that's also what they have in mind....ArkJack

[horacejesse]

There seems to be a big difference between Dave's and your interpretations. What Dave describes I can already manage.

[matto]

Hi guys,the true meaning of "stems" is a number of submixes which, when combined together, add up to the full mix. For example in a pop song you could have a drums/perc stem, bass stem, guitars stem, keyboards stem, bg vocals stem, lead vocal stem. These stems would be created at the time of recording the final mix (by soloing the appropriate tracks) and include the same eq, processing etc as the full mix. Line them all up in your DAW at equal levels and you hear the full mix.The appeal of this approach for a library is that with a few well chosen stereo files you can create a wide number of mixes to suit almost any AV application. For a songwriter who records his stuff at an outside studio, the advantage is that you can go back and e.g change the level of you lead vocal or bass without going back into the studio...as long as you have your most basic DAW setup.So...this is the traditional meaning of the term stems. However these days it's also used in the sense of "mixouts", which is the technical term for what Dave describes...i.e. a number of "versions" of a mix to suit different applications. In this case the "stems" don't add up to the full mix. Almost all libraries will want a version of the song without vocals (or w/o the lead instrument in case of an instrumental). Some prefer additional mixouts.Mixouts are less flexible than stems but also less work for the end user, so it's a trade-off.I've never heard the word stems used for all individual tracks...that would be more like "twigs", wouldn't it?It's impossible to say which definition of stems this company is using, but if you have the original multitrack files available you should be able to deliver anything...mixouts, stems, "twigs"...whatever is required.matto

[arkjack]

So if I'm understanding you Matt, the stem is actually a mixdown of individual parts or possibly a single part... such as all guitars together or just one guitar and could be in any audio format..... wav or other.... but essentially mixed down with the same level and eq and effect loops as the final mix.... interesting.... thanks for the edyukachin....ArkJack

[matto]

Exactly...a "submix", usually of several tracks except in the case of lead vocal/instrument and sometimes the bass where it can be a single track (although it's usually still a stereo stem due to the effects).Any audio format, could even be on multitrack tape. In fact DA-88's used to be a common stem delivery format in post production not too long ago.

[horacejesse]

Hmmm...I think I can do all that without a DAW, though it would be a big pain. With my setup it is harder to save settings unless I wrote everything down, so I would have to do the stems immediately after the final mix.But yikes! how to know which combination they might ask for in advance? Once you get beyond five or six tracks, that is a heck of a lot of combinations.So is there a standard composition to stems that makes them a little predictable so they could be laid up in advance like preserves? Or is the library apt to ask for any combination you can think of? "We want a stem with just drums and the harmony voice," for instance.Could one do OK with seven or eight pre-made stems following a common rule as to their composition? How many pre-made stems should I store up for each composition? Or is it practical?

[matto]

Yeah...back when I started getting deals I was on a completely analog system with no automation or recall...you had to write down every single setting on the board and outboard equipment to be able to recreate a mix...or start all over... so I know what you're talking about.I don't think it makes sense to do stems during mixdown to try to accomodate possible future library deals.1- It's quite rare for a library to want stems or mixouts; in fact in don't think there have been 5 listings in the past 10 years asking for this sort of thing. Chances that you'd get forwarded to one of these listings AND offered a deal are quite small, and IF you got the deal and it was good enough I think you'd just bite the bullet and go redo your mix (and stems) from scratch.I've personally worked with only one company that wanted true stems, and one that wanted various mixouts, and in both of those cases we're talking about new music written to their specs. I've NEVER had to go back and do stems for a preexisting tune.2- There is no way of knowing if a company will want stems or mixouts, and exactly what those would look like...if a company goes thru the hassle of providing this to their client, they probably have developed a very specific system that works for them, and there's no way for you to anticipate what that system would be...So I'd say, just make a regular mix and an "underscore mix" for all your songs. "Underscore" meaning without vocals for a song or without the lead instrument in case of an instrumental.As far as this specific listing...as I understand it you DO have the original multitrack recordings and you COULD deliver in stems...it would be a major hassle, but not impossible. So I would take my chances and submit as long as you have music that fits the other listing criteria.Hope this helps,matto

[horacejesse]

Thanks, Matt. That is a big help.