🎶 Stems vs. Tracks: What’s the Difference? 🎶

Confused about stems and tracks? Understanding the difference can drastically improve the quality of your mix!

 **Tracks** = Individual instrument or audio files on separate channels.  
 **Stems** = Groups of instruments or “parts” combined into a single audio file.

For example, when a mixing engineer asks for a *drums stem*, they’re looking for one audio file with all the drum elements combined. But if they request *drum tracks*, you’ll need to export each drum element separately and send them in a folder.

Why Does This Matter? 
Mixing tracks individually gives your engineer much more control. For instance, if the snare’s too loud relative to the kick, adjusting the entire drums stem won’t fix that balance. Also, processing on a stem applies to every element in it, so individual tracks are always preferred!

Best Practices for Sending Files
When preparing files, make sure to include:
1. A full mix of all tracks on one audio channel.
2. Stems for each instrument group (e.g., drums, guitars, vocals).
3. Each individual track bounced separately.

Pro tip: An organized session with clearly labeled tracks makes life easier for your mixing engineer! 

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