EXPERIMENT IN STEM SPLITTING ON AN ALREADY IMPORTED AND OPTIMIZED AUDIO TRACK

Introduction:

Because of odd behavior in saving files when using the stem splitter on an already imported and optimized audio track, I ran several experiement to test what actually happens when you use the stem splitter dialog box. PGM videos state some suggestions, forum users state others, and PGM chat support states others. The main confusion revolves around two issues. One is the meaning of and use of the "Destination track (first)" check box. The second is the use of the "Preserve WAV files"check box. One alarming thing to me was that PGM chat told me that if I had the destination track (first) chosen as "Audio", my imported audio track would be erased which was very alarming. (spoiler alert: at least with this work flow, that comment was incorrect)

Method:

I imported an audio track according to the recommendations of Noel96 by using the import audio track menu choice. The advantage to doing this specifically is that it gives one access to the "Import Audio File" dialog box (not available elsewhere) that allows one to set the bars precisely in the location chosen so that the BIAB 2 bar count in and any first bar of the song that is "incomplete" with a pick up, in the proper locations so that optimizing the track in ACW goes smoothly and one can make a perfect first bar for the pickup bar and still mesh perfectly with the 2 bar count in. This has worked really well for me to have precise control.

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So my method is to first import as above, optimize bar lines, equalize tempo and often do chord analysis. After that I approach splitting if needed. I know you can do the import and the ACW functions all in one with the stem splitter dialog, but it lacks the previously mentioned bar placement which is so useful.

Experiment:

I did four iterations of splitting with combinations of the "Destination track (first)" check box on or off, and the "Preserve WAV files" on or off and then looked at what type of file saving was done to my song folder. The results were surprising to me and may represent bugs, but at least we now have an answer to the original question as to why the saving behavior was strange.

Here is the stem splitter dialog box with arrows pointing to the check boxes in question.

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and showing the Utility Track #1 option in the drop down menu.

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Results:

Audio Destination, Save Wav ON

Five WAV files labeled with same prefix and as #1 #2 #3 #4 #5. No names on the instruments


Audio Destination, Save WAV OFF

Five WAV files labeled with same prefix and as #1 #2 #3 #4 #5. No names on the instruments


Utility #1 Destination, Save WAV ON

Five WAV files labeled with same prefix and as #2 #3 #4 #5 #6. and Utility Track #1 mixer slot being empty. No names on the instruments on these files
PLUS
Five WAV files now labelled with the instrument names Bass, Drums, Other, Residuals, Vocals but no number symbols.


Utility #1 Destination, Save WAV OFF

Five WAV files labeled with same prefix and as #2 #3 #4 #5 #6. and Utility Track mixer #1 slot being empty. No names on the instruments on these files.

Conclusion and Comments:

The Save WAV check box appears to give equal results whether ON or OFF except the odd case where one has Destination Utility Track #1 and Save WAV ON. Then you get double tracks saved with one set being labelled with instruments.

In this case the instrument labelled tracks have no function in BIAB itself. Only the numbered WAV files are critical for preservation of the stems in a BIAB song.

If you choose Utility #1 as he destination for some reason the stems start populating at Utility Track #2 in the mixer and Utility track #1 stays empty.

The advice I was given on PG chat that if you choose Destination "Audio" that you audio will be erased is incorrect and the stems actually start populating beginning with Utility Track #1

This strikes me as very odd behavior

Final Choice of Use:

I will continue to use the Import Audio first step due to the usefulness of the bar setting dialog box (I realized others may choose differently)

When splitting my optimized audio tracks I will choose the "Destination track (first)" as AUDIO and forget about the "Preserve WAV files"check box.

I would love for the saved WAV files in the song folder to be labelled with the instrument names, but in the one very odd situation when that happens, those files are not functional files in BIAB and just a second copy labelled differently perhaps to be used outside of BIAB, but of course all these WAV file are very large and keeping them seems pointless to me.

Hopefully this experiment may be useful to others or explain wacky results that seem inconsistent or not understandable.

Last edited by Moonbeam9067; 09/10/25 08:12 AM.