STEMS VS MULTITRACKS
If you’ve ever spent time in the world of audio production you’ve probably come across the terms stems and multitrack. While they may be similar, they are distinctly different and serve slightly different purposes. This information might be useful to an artist looking to do work in a studio, an aspiring audio engineer, or a producer looking to send files over to their client.
The plain and simple answer is that stems combine multiple audio tracks of the same or similar instruments into one audio file.
Multitracks are all the separate unmixed tracks of a project, typically without much effects processing.
If you’ve been hired to mix someone's song you are more than likely going to be asking for the multitracks. Multitracks allow you more precise control of the sound through effects and processing. For example, if you were hired to mix and master a song, you would request all the multitracks. You would then be given a folder of tracks ranging from all the vocal takes, all the drum tracks — from the kick, to the snare, and the hi hats — and all the guitar takes and parts.
If you are a producer or songwriter sending demos to collaborators, you are more than likely going to be sending stems. Stems are an easy and convenient way to send elements of a project to be worked on by others. They combine the information of multiple project tracks, reducing the file size, and are easier to work with. For example, if you write a guitar part with multiple tracks, panned in different directions with several effects, and you want to send it to your drummer to record over, then stems would be the easiest and most efficient way for you and your drummer to collaborate together — other than being in person.
To summarize, multitracks are audio tracks that only contain one instrument, mic, or sound, and are more specific. While stems are condensed audio tracks that might contain multiple elements such as multiple drum tracks together, or all the vocal layers in only one audio track. So next time you are asking a studio engineer or producer for files from the project you were working on in the studio, you'll know which ones to ask for.
