Split any song into stems, right in your DAW
DeepStem separates vocals, drums, bass and everything else with AI. It runs entirely on your computer, with no uploads, no account and no subscription.
Windows without an installer: portable VST3 ZIP (129 MB)
VST3 plug-in and standalone app · works in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Reaper, Bitwig and other VST3 hosts
Try it: press play, solo stems with S (right-click for just that one), click a waveform to jump, and switch models to compare.
Demo song: “Troublemaker” by Josh Woodward, licensed CC BY 3.0 US (source). This 30-second excerpt was split into stems with DeepStem; the stems are derived from the original recording.
What it does
Load a song, press Separate, then drag the stems into your project.
2 or 4 stems
Vocals and instrumental for karaoke, sampling and remixes, or vocals, drums, bass and other.
Preview in sync
All stems play together through the plug-in. Solo one, click a waveform to jump.
Drag into your DAW
Every stem has a handle. Drag it straight into your timeline as a 24-bit WAV or FLAC.
Three models
Prism, Prism+ and Fusion. Every song is different, so if one model doesn’t nail it, try another.
Private and offline
Your music never leaves your computer. No internet connection needed after installing.
Remembers your work
Stems come back when you reopen your project, so you can keep working where you left off.
Install
Takes about a minute. Both installers include everything DeepStem needs.
- Download
DeepStem-Windows-Setup.exewith the button above and open it. - If your browser or Windows warns about the file: in Edge choose … → Keep → Show more → Keep anyway; if “Windows protected your PC” appears, click More info → Run anyway. The beta isn’t code-signed yet, so Windows doesn’t know the publisher. Prefer no installer? Use the portable ZIP and copy
DeepStem.vst3intoC:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3. - Click through the installer. The plug-in goes to
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3, the standard folder every DAW scans. The DeepStem app appears in the Start menu. - Rescan plug-ins in your DAW (in FL Studio: Options → Manage plugins → Find plugins), then load DeepStem. It’s listed as an instrument.
- Download
DeepStem-macOS.pkgwith the button above. - Open it. If macOS says it “can’t be opened because Apple cannot check it”, click Done, open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway next to DeepStem. This appears because the beta isn’t notarized by Apple yet.
- Click through the installer and enter your Mac password when asked. The plug-in goes to
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3and the app to Applications. - Rescan plug-ins in your DAW, then load DeepStem. It’s listed as an instrument. Logic Pro and GarageBand don’t support VST3: use the DeepStem app instead.
How to use it
The same steps in the plug-in and in the standalone app.
- Drop a song onto the window, or press Choose file. WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3 and OGG work everywhere; M4A/AAC on macOS.
- Pick 2 or 4 stems, a format (WAV or FLAC) and a model: Prism is fast and crisp, Prism+ is smoother but slower, Fusion is often more natural on dense mixes.
- Press Separate. A progress bar shows the time left, measured on your computer.
- Preview with play, solo stems with S (right-click S to hear only that stem), and click any waveform to jump there.
- Drag a stem’s handle into your project, or open the output folder at the bottom right. Stems are saved in
Music/DeepStem Stems/<song>.
FAQ
How long does a song take?
It depends on your computer. As a rough guide, a 3½-minute song takes about 1½ minutes with Prism on an Apple M1, and longer on older laptops. Prism+ and Fusion are slower. DeepStem shows the real time left while it works.
Why does Windows or my browser warn about the download?
Windows SmartScreen and Defender warn about programs from publishers they don’t know yet. DeepStem’s beta installer isn’t code-signed, so it gets this warning even though it’s clean. A signed version is coming. Until then you can click through the warning as described above, or use the portable ZIP, which contains just the plug-in and needs no installer.
Which model should I use?
Start with Prism: it’s the fastest. Songs separate differently, so if vocals bleed into the instrumental or the drums sound thin, try Fusion, a different model that often sounds more natural on dense mixes, or Prism+, which smooths the transitions of Prism.
Does it need the internet?
No. Everything runs on your computer and your audio is never uploaded.
Which DAWs does it work in?
Any DAW that loads VST3 plug-ins: FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Reaper, Bitwig and more. For Logic Pro, GarageBand or no DAW at all, use the standalone DeepStem app.
I don’t see DeepStem in my DAW
Rescan your plug-ins and look under instruments, not effects. Check the plug-in is in your VST3 folder: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 on Windows, /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3 on macOS.
System requirements
| Windows | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, about 400 MB free space, 8 GB RAM recommended |
| macOS | macOS 11 Big Sur or newer, Apple Silicon or Intel, about 400 MB free space, 8 GB RAM recommended |
| DAW | Any VST3 host, or the included standalone app |
How do I uninstall it?
- Windows: Settings → Apps → DeepStem → Uninstall.
- macOS: delete
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/DeepStem.vst3,/Applications/DeepStem.appand/Library/Application Support/DeepStem.