Stems and Trackouts for Beat Buyers: Export Before or After Mastering?
Published · by Loopin
Export stems and trackouts before any mastering, from the same mix as your stereo file, with the master bus empty. Master only the stereo WAV and label it clearly as the preview.
Export stems before the master bus touches anything
Stems are submixes (drums, bass, melody, FX); trackouts are every individual track. Both are for the buyer to mix with their vocal, so they should be your mix without mastering. Bypass or remove the limiter and any loudness plugin on the master bus, then export.
Mastering is a stereo, finished-file job. Stems that already contain a limiter will not sum back to your preview and will fight the buyer’s own mix bus. Keep the unmastered export as your source of truth.
Leave 3 to 6 dB of headroom on every file
Peak no higher than about −6 dB on the loudest stem and keep the sum of all stems under −3 dB. That gives the buyer room to add vocals and a limiter without clipping. If the 808 stem hits −0.5 dB, fix the gain, not the export bit depth.
Export at the project sample rate in 24-bit WAV if your DAW allows it. A mastered stereo file is a different thing: Loopin’s download is a 16-bit WAV, so use it as the preview, not as the source for stems. If a buyer asks for 16-bit, convert the stems at the last step with dither on, never earlier. Keep the 24-bit originals in your archive.
Check that stems sum back to the mix
Import all the stems into a blank session, line them up at bar 1, and compare the sum with your stereo export. For a real check, invert the polarity of your stereo export against the summed stems: anything left over is a plugin or send you forgot to print. Reverb and delay tails that sit on a send bus are the usual culprit.
Start every file at the same point and trim the tail to the same length. A stem that starts a bar late is the most common refund email a beat seller gets. Zip each beat with a short text file listing tempo, key and the date you exported, and you will never wonder which version a customer holds.
Master the stereo file as the preview, not the deliverable
For the MP3 or WAV preview shoppers hear, master the track free after you have printed your stems. Previews are unlimited, and a Punchy or Warm feel often fits type beats better than the default. Downloads are capped at 1 per rolling 24 hours with no account or 2 with a free account, so plan a catalogue session over several days.
Be clear with buyers which file is which. If your stems are unmastered, say so in the listing. A buyer who loads a stem pack and hears a quieter drum bus than your preview will think something is missing. Our guide to how to master a beat covers loudness for the stereo preview.
Name files so nobody has to ask
Use BeatName_BPM_Key_Drums.wav and a separate BeatName_Master_Preview.wav. Put the tempo in the name so the buyer can set up their session without guessing, and run the track through the key and BPM finder if you do not know it. Zip them in one folder per beat.
Check the requirements on your store or marketplace before uploading; limits on file size and file type differ. Keep a copy of the exact version you sold for every lease. If you want a loud, finished preview for the store page, use free online mastering on the stereo file only, and keep stems out of it.
Frequently asked questions
Should stems be mastered?
No. Export stems and trackouts before mastering, with no limiter on the master bus, so the buyer can mix them. Master only the stereo preview.
How much headroom should beat stems have?
Peak around -6 dB on the loudest stem and keep the summed mix below about -3 dB so a buyer can add vocals without clipping.
What is the difference between stems and trackouts?
Stems are grouped submixes such as drums or melody. Trackouts are every individual track in the beat, so they give a buyer more control.
Can Loopin master stems?
No. Loopin takes a stereo mixdown, not stems. Use it for the finished stereo preview or the stereo file of a beat.
Do I need 24-bit stems?
24-bit is the safer export for stems if your DAW supports it. Loopin's mastered WAV is 16-bit, so use it as the preview file, not as stem source material.