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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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

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.