Written by Audioshake
Stems power a variety of uses across the music industry, from sync licensing to remixing. An increasing number of opportunities are also opening up, including in gaming, karaoke, VR/AR applications, fitness, and more.
AudioShake works with A2IM members in two ways–to open up recordings that don’t have their stems, and to deliver stems in bulk for new, “at-scale” uses that require standardized stem creation and labeling. Below are a few examples of how indie labels are making use of this award-winning AI technology.
Stems for Sync
Indie labels engaging in sync licensing know that a pitch can be easily lost if an instrumental version isn’t available. For example, BonFire Records nearly missed a sync deal for a national Taco Bell campaign when they realized they didn’t have access to the selected song’s stems or instrumentals after its band dissolved. Using AudioShake Indie, they were able to create an instrumental in seconds. We shared more resources and insight on the growing influence of sync licensing in the music industry with A2IM earlier this year.
Stems for Spatial Audio / Dolby Atmos
Spatial audio, immersive audio, Dolby Atmos, and Sony 360 are all terms that are used to refer to the audio experience where the listener perceives sound all around them. Mixes are made with stems, so that audio engineers can map the individual audio parts to specific points in a digital 3D space.
While new projects often have these tracks on hand, AudioShake can be a resource when creating spatial mixes for older songs or those with damaged or unavailable project files. From creating stems for Nina Simone’s first album, The Libertines reissue, and iconic Latin American artists like Israel Romero, labels are working with AudioShake and audio engineers like Bigger Mixes, Rich Keller, and Immersive Mixers, who specialize in creating Dolby Atmos mixes with AI stems.
Remixing and Fan Engagement
Reimagining catalogs has fueled huge streams in recent years, and indie labels like Numero Group have turned to AudioShake to create stems for remixing. Most recently, the producer
Rodney Jerkins used AudioShake to pull an ODB sample from a 1998 VHS tape recording he had for ‘Forgiveless’ on SZA’s number one album SOS.
AudioShake has also partnered with labels and indie artists to do “stem drops” on TikTok and Audius, so that fans can remix the work and share it back to the artist and wider fan community.
For example, Green Day used stems pulled from AudioShake to allow their fans to play guitar to “2000 Light Years Away,” as if they were in the band. In another example, indie artist Mia Gladstone used AudioShake to split her song and deconstruct the elements that went into its production for her audience.
From playing with the band, to sharing the making of a song or diving into the musicology behind a highlight track, artists and fans are looking for and excited by this new level of exploration with artists and their audio. In coming years, we expect to see a rise in artists and labels allowing fans to interact with their music in new ways, and even re-invent it.