Tyler Chase
← Sending a session

Bouncing stems in Ableton Live

Live can export every track as its own file in one go, and unlike Logic's version it's reliable. Each file comes out with that track's devices and automation, from the same start point.

The settings, at a glance

Rendered Track
All Individual Tracks
Render Start
1. 1. 1
Include Return and Main Effects
Off
Render as Loop
Off
Convert to Mono
Off
Normalize
Off
Create Analysis File
Off
Sample Rate
Same as your project — don't change it
Encode PCM
On
File Type
WAV
Bit Depth
32
Dither Options
No Dither

  1. 1. Turn off anything on the Main track

    Click the Main track (called Master before Live 12) and switch off every device on it with the round button in its title bar.

    The export settings below leave the Main track out anyway, but this way the rough mix you check against is the same balance.

    The Main track's device chain with every device switched off.

  2. 2. Screenshot your Main track plugins

    Take a screenshot of the Main track's device chain, showing every plugin and the order they're in, and put it in the stems folder. Switched off is fine in the picture. I just need to see what's there.

    That's how I rebuild your rough mix's master chain exactly, so what I'm mixing against sounds like what you sent.

    Then open each plugin's window and screenshot that too, so I can copy its settings knob for knob.

  3. 3. Select bar 1 to the end in Arrangement View

    Switch to Arrangement View (Tab). Drag across the timeline from bar 1 to a bar or two past the last note, so tails can ring out.

    Clips playing in Session View won't be in the export — everything has to be in the arrangement.

    Arrangement View with a time selection from bar 1 to just past the end of the song.

  4. 4. Open Export Audio/Video

    File › Export Audio/Video… (⇧⌘R). Under Selection, set Rendered Track to All Individual Tracks.

    Check Render Start reads 1. 1. 1 and Render Length covers the whole song.

    The Export Audio/Video window: Rendered Track set to All Individual Tracks, Render Start 1. 1. 1.

  5. 5. Set the options

    Turn Include Return and Main Effects off. That keeps each track dry of the shared reverbs and delays — the return tracks come out as their own files instead, so I get both.

    Render as Loop, Convert to Mono, Normalize and Create Analysis File: all Off.

    Rendering Options: Include Return and Main Effects, Render as Loop, Convert to Mono, Normalize and Create Analysis File all Off.

  6. 6. Set the format and export

    Sample Rate: the same as your project — whatever you recorded at. Live says underneath what rate it'll render at.

    Encode PCM: On. File Type: WAV. Bit Depth: 32 (that's 32-bit float, so a channel that goes over 0 dB doesn't get clipped). Dither Options greys out at 32, which is right. Leave Encode MP3 (CBR 320) and Create Video Off.

    Click Export, make a new folder for the song, and save. Live names every file after its track, so name your tracks properly first.

    Sample Rate matching the project, Encode PCM On, File Type WAV, Bit Depth 32, Dither Options greyed out, Encode MP3 Off.

  7. 7. The lead vocal

    The export gives you the lead vocal as it sounds on its track. For the dry one, switch its devices off, set Rendered Track to just that track, and export it again with "DRY" in the name.

    Group tracks come out as their own files as well. Leave them in — I'll know what they are.

Before you send it

  • One file per track, each named after its track.
  • Every file is the same length and starts at bar 1, beat 1.
  • Drag them all into an empty session at bar 1 and press play: it should sound like your rough mix.
  • The rough mix and your session file are in the same folder.
  • A screenshot of your master bus plugins, in order, is in there too.

Other DAWs

Logic Pro · FL Studio · Cubase · Pro Tools