Preparing Stems for Delivery: The Professional Standard

Getting a sync placement or a remix request is exciting. Failing to deliver stems correctly can kill the deal. Here's the professional standard for stem delivery in the commercial music world.

The Basic Requirements

Regardless of the specific request, professional stems should always be:

• WAV format — never MP3, never AIFF unless specifically requested
• 24-bit depth — never 16-bit for deliverables
• 44.1kHz or 48kHz — match the original session (48kHz for film and TV)
• The same length as the full track — stems should start and end at the same timestamp as the master, even if they contain silence
• No embedded FX processing unless specifically requested — deliver dry stems with effects bypassed

Naming Convention

Consistent, clear naming saves time and prevents errors:

ArtistName_TrackTitle_BPM_Key_StemName.wav

Example: StemifyDemo_WhoIsHe_85BPM_Dm_Vocals.wav

Avoid spaces in filenames — use underscores or hyphens instead.

What to Include

A complete stem delivery package typically includes:

• Individual stems (minimum: Drums, Bass, Instruments/Other, Vocals if applicable)
• A "Full Mix" stem — the complete master recording
• An "Instrumental" stem — all elements except lead vocals
• A "TV Track" stem — all elements except lead vocals, often at a lower dynamic level
• A text file with: BPM, key, time signature, plugin credits, and any special notes

Sync Licensing Specific Requirements

For TV, film, and advertising, music supervisors often need stems in specific groupings. Ask before delivering — their requirements may be different from a label's. Common sync requests include "music and effects" stems (with ambience but without the score) and "score only" stems (without sound design or dialogue).

File Organization

Deliver as a single organized folder, zipped. Name the folder the same as the track. Inside: all WAV stems, the text info file, and a full mix reference MP3. This gives the recipient everything they need without ambiguity.