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How to Extract Vocals

One of the main benefits of using digital audio workstations such as Pro Tools, Logic or Ableton is the ability to edit the audio intuitively. With a digital audio workstation, you can zero in on one element of the audio and extract it. For example, removing vocals from a song lets you use the remaining audio as a karaoke backing track. Once extracted, you can use the vocal for another purpose, such as a remix or an a capella mix. The specific process for extracting vocals varies according to the type of audio files you have access to.

Things You'll Need

  • Digital audio workstation
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Instructions

  1. Setup

    • 1

      Double-click the desktop icon for your preferred digital audio workstation. Depending on how your workstation is configured, either the last used session or a blank session opens automatically.

    • 2

      Call up the relevant session for vocal audio extraction. The command process varies slightly among programs, but the option for opening a work-in-progress is typically located in the File menu. For example, in Logic click "File," "Open Recent" and select the session from the drop-down menu.

    • 3

      Close down blank or irrelevant recent sessions when prompted.

    Master Mix Vocal Removal

    • 4

      Import the song from which the vocals are to be extracted. Typically, the import command is located in the File menu. Once imported, the audio opens in a new audio channel.

    • 5
      The equalizer tool lets you manipulate sound according to its frequency.

      Open the equalizer tool. This is typically located in the "Effects" or "Tools" menu, depending on which program you use. The equalizer lets you hone in on specific frequency bands. Click "Play" so you can hear the equalizer's influence in real time.

    • 6

      Click on the equalizer curve. The equalizer interface has an array of slider dials and a grid. Inside the grid is a curve that represents the audio's frequency spectrum. The vertical grid axis represents the volume level, and the horizontal axis represents the frequency. Drag the curve around the grid. This process boosts different frequency bands. The human voice typically sits between 80Hz and 80KHz. This is a large frequency range, so move the curve around slowly in-between these two markers on the horizontal axis.

    • 7

      Release the mouse button to stop moving the curve as soon as the vocals become very loud. This means you've identified a frequency upon which the vocals are present.

    • 8

      Drag the "Gain" dial to zero. The "Gain" dial applies only to the highlighted frequency. Because vocals have a variety of frequencies, this process will only remove part of the vocal audio. Repeat this process three or four times to fully remove vocals from the audio.

    Multi-track Vocal Extraction

    • 9

      Click on the first vocal audio channel in the workstation interface. This highlights it, meaning subsequent commands are applied only to that channel.

    • 10
      Exporting vocals as a single file lets you use them in another song.

      Click "Send To" and select "Bus 1." If "Bus 1" is grayed out, select the first available bus. In audio, a bus is a master mix channel where you route multiple audio channels to be mixed down as a single file. Click on each subsequent vocal channel, and send each one to the same bus.

    • 11

      Highlight the bus channel. Click "File" and select "Export As." Select "Wav." This renders the collective vocal audio files as a single, loss-less audio file.

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