Stems vs Multitracks: What's the Difference?
Working in studios and remotely with clients, I still hear stems and multitracks used interchangeably from time to time. Thought I'd break down the difference — not to be picky, but because it genuinely matters depending on who you're delivering to and why.
Stems
Multitracks
Stems
Stems are grouped tracks exported as a single audio file, summing multiple elements together.
For example, a drum stem might include:
- Kick
- Snare
- Percussion
- Claps, hats, etc.
How stems are grouped depends entirely on the project and the preferences of the producer, mix engineer, or mastering engineer.
When bouncing stems for mastering, they might be grouped as:
- All drums
- All bass
- All vocals
- All music
- All FX
Most of the exporting I do is stem-based. The producers I work under generally like to commit creative decisions - FX, balances, and grouping. And the mix engineers are either delivering stems to labels or sending the mix on for mastering. But this varies between studios and individual workflows.
Multitracks
Multitracks are individual audio files for each element in a session.
For example:
- Kick = one file
- Snare = one file
- Hi-hat = one file
- Lead vocal = one file
Traditionally, multitracks are described as unprocessed, but in practice that's often more flexible.
Mix engineers may request:
- Dry/raw multitracks
- Wet (processed) multitracks
- Or both
This allows mix engineers to either retain full control with the dry recordings. Understand the direction of the song by having the processed tracks, or having the best of both worlds by having both options.
Why It Matters
Knowing the difference avoids confusion, delays, and unnecessary revisions in professional workflows. Whether you're delivering stems for mastering, sending multitracks to a mix engineer, or preparing files for a remix — clear communication and correct file preparation saves everyone time.
Verify your stems before delivery
Stem Checker helps you catch export mistakes, length mismatches, and missing audio — so you can deliver with confidence.
Download on Mac App Store