Question 1

How do I send stems to a mix engineer?

Accepted Answer

Export each track as an individual WAV file (24-bit, at the sample rate your engineer requests), starting from bar 1 with the master bus chain bypassed. Name every file clearly, include a stereo premix as reference, and follow the WET/DRY guidelines your engineer provides. BounceGuide lets engineers generate a complete PDF guide with these exact instructions for their clients.

Question 2

What is the difference between WET and DRY stems?

Accepted Answer

WET stems are exported with all creative effects active (reverb, delay, distortion, sidechain, autotune). DRY stems are exported with no effects, just the raw sound. Sound design effects that define the character usually stay WET, while mixing effects are removed.

Question 3

What format should stems be exported in?

Accepted Answer

WAV or AIFF at 24-bit is the professional standard. Use the sample rate of your project or what your engineer requests, commonly 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. Never send MP3 for mixing or mastering, since it permanently removes audio data.

Question 4

Is BounceGuide free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. BounceGuide is completely free, requires no account, and generates the PDF entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to any server.

Question 5

Which DAWs does BounceGuide cover?

Accepted Answer

BounceGuide includes step-by-step stem export instructions for Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER, Bitwig Studio and GarageBand, in six languages.

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