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How to Cut Vocals From a Song

Music-creation programs such as Audacity, Adobe Audition and Sonar HomeStudio offer useful tools to aid in the vocal-removal process. While most vocals can be removed by splitting a stereo track and changing it to mono, you can also choose to use a vocal removal plug-in, which comes supplied with most music-creation software. In order to remove vocals from a song, the song must be in stereo MP3 format.

Things You'll Need

  • Audio file
  • Audacity
  • Sonar Cakewalk
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Instructions

  1. Using Sonar HomeStudio

    • 1

      Open the program and create a new file by selecting "File" and "New" from the top of the screen. Import the audio file into the software by clicking "File" and "Import" from the top menu options. The file will only import if it is in MP3 format.

    • 2

      Right-click the song or the portion you wish to edit and select "Split stereo track" from the drop menu. The song will split into "L" and "R" tracks. Right-click the "R" track and select "Invert" from the side drop menu.

    • 3

      Highlight and right-click both tracks and select the "Mono" option from the menu. Preview the track by pressing the "Play" button at the top of the screen.

    Using Audacity

    • 4

      Open the software and create a new file by selecting "File" and "New File." Import the audio file by dropping it onto the interface or by clicking "File" and "Import" from the top.

    • 5

      Open the drop-arrow in the track window, which is located to the left of the imported track, and select "Split Stereo Track." The song will split into "L" and "R" tracks.

    • 6

      Highlight the "R" track, which is below the "L" track, and select "Effects" from the top menu and "Invert." Click the drop-down arrow in the "L" track window and select the "Mono" option, and then do the same for the "R" track.

    • 7

      Preview the track by pressing the "Play" button at the top of the screen.

Recording Music

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