Does stem separation upload my audio?

Not in AnalogAlchemy. Separation runs entirely on your Mac — after the first model download it works with the network cable unplugged. Online stem splitters process your audio on their servers.

Which stems do I get?

Six: vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano and 'other' (everything else — synths, strings, ambience). Each can be exported as its own WAV file.

Can I separate songs I didn't make in the app?

Yes — the Stem Lab accepts any audio file on your disk: your old demos, rehearsal recordings, purchased tracks. For other people's copyrighted music, keep the use personal (practice, transcription, karaoke) unless you have the rights.

Can I make a karaoke or instrumental version of a song?

Yes — mute the VOCALS stem and click Download WAV: the export renders exactly the mix you hear, so you get an instrumental/karaoke version. Solo the vocals instead for an a cappella, or mute any instrument for a practice track. Everything runs offline on your Mac.

ANALOGALCHEMY / GUIDES / STEM SEPARATION

Split any song into six stems on your Mac — offline.

GUIDE · UPDATED JUNE 2026 · TAKES ~2 MINUTES PER SONG

Whether you want an instrumental for karaoke, an a-cappella to remix, or just the bass line slowed down so you can finally learn it — stem separation is the tool, and you don't need a web service or a subscription to use it. AnalogAlchemy's Stem Lab runs Demucs — the separation model originally developed at Meta and widely regarded as the open-source benchmark — natively on your Mac. Your audio never leaves your disk.

AnalogAlchemy Stem Lab showing six separated, color-coded stems with mute, solo and WAV export controls — THE STEM LAB · SIX STEMS, SEPARATED LOCALLY

STEP 1

Open the Stem Lab

Launch AnalogAlchemy and pick Stem from the navigation. If this is your first separation, the Demucs model is already part of the app's model bundle — there's nothing extra to install, no Python, no terminal.

STEP 2

Drop in any audio file

Drag an MP3, WAV or FLAC anywhere into the lab. It doesn't have to be a song you generated — old demos, rehearsal room recordings, a track you bought. (For music you don't own the rights to, keep the results personal: practice, transcription, karaoke night.)

STEP 3

Let it separate

Demucs analyses the full mix and pulls it apart into six color-coded stems: vocals, drums, bass, guitar, piano and other — that last one catches synths, strings and ambience. On Apple Silicon a typical song takes well under a minute. Everything happens on your machine; pull the network cable out mid-separation if you want to check.

STEP 4

Mute, solo, export

Each stem row has mute and solo, so you can audition combinations — vocals off for an instant instrumental, everything off but bass for practice. Export any stem as its own WAV file, or all six at once. They land in your music folder as ordinary files, ready for your DAW.

Why local beats the online splitters

Privacy: unreleased music stays unreleased. Online splitters process your audio on their servers.
No caps or queues: split your entire back catalog in an evening; nobody is counting minutes or upload quota.
It's part of a studio: separated stems feed straight into AnalogAlchemy's remix and repaint tools — isolate the vocal, rebuild the track around it.

Render the mix you want

This is where the Stem Lab stops being a splitter and becomes a mixer. The mute and solo buttons don't just preview — Download WAV renders exactly what you hear. A few mixes people make constantly:

Karaoke / vocal remover: mute VOCALS, download — an instrumental of any song, offline, no upload to a "free vocal remover" site.
A cappella: solo VOCALS for just the voice — great for remixing or studying a vocal performance.
Practice tracks: mute GUITAR (or bass, or drums) and play your part over the rest of the band.
Stems for your DAW: skip the mixing here entirely — export all six WAVs and rebuild the song in Logic or Ableton.

Questions people ask

Is there a Demucs GUI for Mac?

Yes — the Stem Lab is exactly that: drag a file in, six stems out, no command line.

Can I make a karaoke or instrumental version?

Yes — mute VOCALS and Download WAV renders exactly what you hear. Solo vocals for an a cappella, or mute any instrument for a practice track.

Does it upload my audio?

No. Separation runs entirely on your Mac, offline after the first model download.

What does it cost?

The Stem Lab is part of AnalogAlchemy — $99 one-time ($49 early-bird), and fully usable during the free 14-day trial.

Try it on your own tracks.

Free for 14 days, everything unlocked — including unlimited stem separation. No account.

Download the free trial SEE PRICING — $49 EARLY-BIRD

MACOS 14+ · APPLE SILICON · WINDOWS COMING SOON

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