One of the most exciting new editions to Logic Pro for iPad 2 is Stem Splitter, Apple’s AI powered stem separator that allows users to separate out audio files into four distinct parts: Drums, Bass, Vocals, and Other instruments.
If you’ve taken the Stem Splitter Lesson inside Logic Pro for iPad, you’ll have heard how good a job stem splitter does separating out Apple’s super cleanly recorded demo file. But how does it perform in the real world?
In the video above I demo how Logic Pro for iPad’s Stem Splitter fares when separating tracks from three very different recordings.
In the first test, I import one of my own recordings. Back in 2011, I recorded an EP at home on an (even then) ancient iBook G4 using a single USB microphone. All the drums were chopped up drum loops from GarageBand and the bass was just electric guitar recordings that I pitched down an octave. It sounds ok, but definitely more like a demo than a ‘properly’ recorded, mixed and mastered record.
Stem Splitter worked better here than I thought it would honestly. Some of the stems do sound a bit sketchy at points and I think that’s because Stem Splitter’s AI algorithm is separating parts based on EQ ranges and this track wasn’t recorded or mixed particularly well. Still really quite impressive though.
In the second test, we go back to 1927 with a song called One Dime Blues by Blind Lemon Jefferson.
Despite the age of the recording, Stem Splitter was still able to accurately separate the guitar from the vocals almost flawlessly. It’s also really interesting that it ‘assigned’ all of the hiss from the recording to the other track, leaving the vocals almost pristine.
For the third and final test we come right back up to date with a nasty phonk/trap track that has big bass and drums and a big variety of vocal samples.
First off it’s interesting to hear what audio is present I the Other track. It just sounds like a lot of bleed from other EQ ranges honestly except for one point, where it seems like the bass track switches from the Bass stem to the Other stem.
The drums sound brilliant though as does the bass.
The vocals though do sound quite artifact-y, though they aren’t the focal point of the track.
Have you used Logic Pro for iPad’s Stem Splitter feature? Let me know your thoughts on it in the comments below.
