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How to Isolate Drum Track from a Song for Drumless or Vocal Versions

Music production and remixing have come a long way, and the ability to isolate individual instruments from a song is now easier than ever. Among the different instruments that musicians and producers often want to separate, drum tracks are a popular choice. Knowing how to isolate drum tracks from a song can be incredibly useful for DJs, producers, and musicians who want to create remixes, backing tracks, or practice routines.

Whether you’re looking to completely remove the drums for a karaoke-style track or isolate them to make a new beat, we’ll dive into the steps and tools needed to isolate drums from any track.

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Part 1. Why Isolating Drum Tracks Matters?

Drums are the backbone of most songs to set their rhythm and tempo. However, isolating drum tracks can be beneficial for many reasons:

  • Music Production: Isolated drums are often necessary for remixing, especially for EDM and hip-hop, where these beats are frequently reused and remixed.
  • Musicians can use drum tracks as backing beats to practice and improve their timing and rhythm.
  • For drummers, having a separate drum track allows for a focused approach to learning new beats and fills.
  • Removing drum tracks creates a cleaner background track for performances or karaoke setups.

Part 2. How to Isolate Drum Tracks from a Song - 3 Methods

Nowadays, you can quickly isolate drums from an audio or video track with the use of professional software or web apps. Here’s a look at the most popular methods:

1. AI-Based Online Tools (Lalal.ai & Moises.ai)

Several online platforms offer quick and easy ways to isolate drum tracks using artificial intelligence. These tools are especially popular due to their accessibility and user-friendliness.

Lalal.ai is an advanced AI-based platform that separates different instrument tracks, including drums. Another popular option, Moises.ai, provides a variety of instrument separation options. It supports drums, vocals, bass, and more. The process is similar to Lalal.ai, and it’s known for providing high-quality, clean isolations.

Here’s how to isolate drums from a song using both these web apps:

1. Open the Moises.ai or Lalal.ai web app.

2. Select “Track Separation” and Upload the song you want to process.

3. Select “Drums” as the track you want to isolate.

separating drums from a song using moises

4. Wait for the AI to process the song (this usually takes a few minutes).

5. Download the isolated drum track or the track without drums, depending on your preference.

2. Audio Editing Software (Audacity)

If you’re interested in a hands-on approach and have some basic audio editing skills, software like Audacity can help you remove or separate drum tracks by manipulating sound frequencies.

How to isolate drum tracks using Audacity? Follow these steps:

1. Launch Audacity on your computer and load the audio file you want to edit by going to “File > Import > Audio.”

2. If your track is in stereo, convert it to mono by going to “Tracks > Mix > Mix Stereo Down to Mono” to simplify the isolation process.

converting track to mono in Audacity

3. Listen to the track and identify the drum-heavy sections by focusing on frequencies (around 60-250 Hz for bass drums, 250-500 Hz for snares, and 1-5 kHz for cymbals).

4. Go to “Effect > EQ and Filters > Filter Curve EQ.”

applying filter curve EQ effect to the track

5. Adjust the curve to amplify or focus on drum frequencies by increasing the relevant frequency bands.

6. Apply the EQ, which will make the drum elements stand out more compared to other sounds.

7. Use the “Effect > EQ and Filters > High-Pass Filter” to cut out low frequencies below 50 Hz, which can help focus on bass drums without too much low rumble.

applying high-pass filter to the track

8. Apply a “Low-Pass Filter” to reduce frequencies above 5 kHz, focusing on mid-lower drum sounds rather than high-pitched instruments.

9. Use “Effect > Volume and Compression > Amplify” to increase the volume of the isolated drum frequencies if they sound too soft.

increasing the volume of the isolated drum track

Note: If there’s still background noise, use Effect > Noise Reduction. Select a short section with minimal drum sound as your “Noise Profile” and apply it to the track to clean up any remaining background.

10. Finally, go to “File > Export” and save your modified file as a new audio track with the drums isolated.

3. Professional Software for Stem Separation ( iZotope RX 11)

For the highest quality results, professional audio restoration software like iZotope RX 11 is a top choice. Though it’s an investment, iZotope RX offers some of the most advanced audio separation technology.

Let’s explore the steps on how to remove drum tracks with iZotope RX:

1. After installing the iZotope software, go to “Modules > "Music Rebalance.”

Music rebalance option in iZotope RX 11

2. Locate "Drums” and lower the slider to the minimum level to reduce or remove this instrument sound.

3. Click "Preview" to hear the result.

decreasing drum track sensitivity in iZotope RX 11

4. If needed, adjust other sliders to fine-tune the mix for balancing and a better outcome.

5. Once you’re satisfied, click “Render,” and then save the drumless version of the song on your PC.

Part 3. How to Remove Drum Sound from Song Using HitPaw Vocal Remover

HitPaw Vocal Remover is an excellent web tool that isolates all the instruments, including drums, from any song with the use of the latest and advanced AI algorithms.

Here are the steps you need to follow on a browser of your choice:

Step 1: Go to HitPaw Vocal Remover Web App

In the first step, open the HitPaw Online Vocal Remover web app page.

Sign up or sign in to your account, then click “Upload a file.”

HitPaw Vocal Remover upload a file option

Step 2: Upload Audio File

In the next step, click “Choose File” to browse, select the audio or video song saved on your PC, and click “Open” to import it. Alternatively, you can choose to drag & drop the file from your computer’s dashboard to the HitPaw online dashboard.

Uploading songs to HitPaw Vocal Remover

Step 3: Export Drums or Drumless Version

Once the song is uploaded, HitPaw AI Vocal Remover will start working on the original track to isolate all the instruments, including the drums. You will see two versions: one with only vocals and the other with drums and other instruments.

Depending on your need, click the “Download” option next to either the “Instrumental Track” or “Vocal Track” to get drums or drumless tracks.

exporting the vocal or isolated drum track from a song

Part 4. FAQs of How to Remove Drum Track from Song

Q1. Can I isolate drum tracks to remove them from a song?

A1. Yes, you can isolate drum tracks to remove them from a song. This process, known as stem separation, uses advanced audio processing techniques to separate different instruments and vocals within a song. Many editing software and online tools can perform this task, such as HitPaw Vocal Remover, Moises, LALAL.AI, and others. However, the result can vary depending on the complex rhythms of the song and the quality of the original recording.

Q2. How do I separate tracks from a song?

A2. To isolate or separate backing tracks from a song, go to the HitPaw Vocal Remover website and upload it. Wait for a few seconds to let the tool’s AI magic work to get both the instrumental and the vocal versions of the song. Click Download located next to the instrumental track option to save the audio/video background track to your PC.

Q3. How to isolate drum track from song?

A3. To isolate a drum track from a song, you can use dedicated software or online services. These tools utilize advanced audio processing techniques to separate different instruments and vocals within a track.
One popular method is using online services like LALAL.AI or Moises. Simply upload your song, select the "drums" option, and the service will process the audio to isolate the drum track. Alternatively, you can use the HitPaw Vocal Remover online tool to isolate all the instruments in a tack, including the drums.

Conclusion on Isolating Drum Tracks

In this tutorial, you’ve learned how to isolate drum tracks from a song using a couple of web apps, audio editing, and professional software. You also explore the HitPaw Vocal Remover online tool that uses AI to isolate or remove drums from any audio or video track.

Now it’s time to experiment with different methods, but our recommendation is to give HitPaw Vocal Remover a try because it takes out the effort you need to edit and split drum tracks with software.

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