Exporting your vocals and instrumental (Cubase)
The same preparation works whether you're sending your tracks to a mix engineer or to Takeme2mix Studio.
The most important thing: export everything over the same range
Export the vocals and the instrumental from the very start to the very end of the song, over the same range. If the ranges don't match, the vocals and instrumental will be out of sync.
Steps in Cubase
- Click the instrumental event and press P (this sets the export range to the start and end of the instrumental)
- Solo (S) only the track you want to export
- File → Export → Audio Mixdown
- Settings
- File type: Wave
- Sample rate: same as the project (44.1 kHz or 48 kHz)
- Bit depth: 24-bit (32-bit float is fine too)
- Solo the next track and repeat without changing the range (export the instrumental over the same range too)
The idea is the same in Studio One, Logic Pro, GarageBand and other software: keep the range from the start to the end of the song, and export one file per track.
File names (when choosing all at once)
On the order screen you put files into separate instrumental, lead vocal and harmony boxes, so any name works. If you choose them all at once, files are sorted automatically when their names contain these words:
| Role | Words to include in the file name / example |
|---|
| Instrumental | inst, instrumental, karaoke, off vocal / SongTitle_inst.wav |
|---|
| Harmonies / backing vocals | harm, chorus, cho / SongTitle_harm_high.wav |
|---|
| Lead | Anything else is treated as lead / SongTitle_lead.wav |
|---|
For each harmony track, you can choose where it sits (left, slightly left, center, slightly right, right, or spread wide).
Before you export
- Turn off any monitoring reverb or effects on your vocal tracks (the mix adds reverb)
- Leave volume faders and panning as they are where possible (0 dB, center)
- Check the instrumental's terms of use (conditions for covers, monetization and credits)
Recording tips for better automatic mixing
- Even your loudest notes should stay out of the red, just short of yellow (peaks around −6 dB)
- Use a pop filter and keep the same distance from the mic every time
- Turn off air conditioners, fans and computer fans if you can
- Record somewhere with little echo, such as near bedding or curtains
Takeme2mix Studio is a 2MIX that polishes your recording as it is. How you record makes the biggest difference.