Okay, so we’ve been banging on about stem separation for some years now – all because e-drummers are constantly asking digitalDrummer about sources of drumless tracks.
As we have reported in the past, the mainstream story began in 2020, when online music library Deezer released Spleeter, a stem separation technology which forms the backbone of many online and in-app separation tools available today.
We’ve reviewed a range of online tools, from free to pay per-use to subscription versions as well as the functionality bundled into leading DAWs.
And now, there’s another new option – a free app from music giant Yamaha.
Currently available in the US and Europe, Extrack is an iOS/Android music app that allows users to “practise and play their instruments along to their favourite songs as if they are part of the band”.
According to Yamaha, Extrack uses proprietary stem separation technology to automatically extract individual instrumental parts such as guitar, drums, bass, piano or vocals from the user’s own audio files on a mobile device, making it possible to adjust the volume of, mute or isolate individual instruments.
Based in Australia, we are not yet able to test the app, but on paper, it looks like a real winner.
Besides splitting songs into seven stems, each with a separate fader so that you can mute or solo drums, for example, Extrack has a bunch of advanced features such as song structure analysis and tempo control. The latter allows you to slow down a track while you learn the drum part, or speed up through the bits you already know.
And for guitarists, the song analysis includes chord display with notation, tablature and chord charts.
“Extrack offers a new level of freedom in music practice and has been welcomed by many in Japan since its March launch,” says Shoji Mita, senior general manager of the Music Connect Division. “At Yamaha, we strive to enhance musical experiences through innovation. Extrack makes daily practice more engaging and enjoyable. We’re thrilled to be expanding its availability to more countries, empowering even more users to connect more deeply with their favourite music.”
You can grab a free version of the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. This allows you to separate five songs per month, with four instrument stems. The paid version ($5.99/month, $39.99/year) gives you seven instrument separations and unlimited songs.