Acon Digital is the latest company to offer an AI-powered real-time stem separation solution, via a plugin, Remix.
The ability to ‘break apart’ mixed audio files is something that producers have long requested, and there are now multiple tools that enable you to do it. Serato recently added similar feature to its Sample 2.0 plugin.
Remix enables you to extract five stems: vocals, piano, bass, drums and ‘other’ audio. You can adjust the volume of each of these within the plugin, and a sensitivity control enables you to tweak the balance between “elimination and spill”. All parameters can be automated, and there are separate outputs for each stem so that you can process them individually.
All of which sounds neat and tidy enough but, the real test will be how effective the stem separation is on the kind of material you like to work with. As of Remix, the technology was licensed by Acon Digital from Hance, a company that specialises in machine learning and digital signal processing.
Remix is available now for PC and Mac in VST/AU/AAX formats, and there’s also a demo version. It costs $49.90 and you can find out more on the Acon Digital website.
Besides, based on current trends, it might not be too long before stem separation is included into your DAW, as it is already included in Serato Studio, and part of Tracktion Waveform Pro updated version 12.5 .
Apparently, that stem separation is on its way to FL Studio 21.2, which is currently in beta. A video is circulating in social media X that appears to show this in action – watch the video below:
so FL Studio 21.2 will have stem separation built in?
Viper Synths shared this video intro to Robotron, a MIDI controller that’s designed to look and feel like vintage synth gear.
Robotron features an anodized aluminum body, Sapelli wood sides, and the same knobs used on Sequential Circuit and Moog synths. It’s created by David Jacopin, who wanted an alternative to the usual plastic MIDI controllers that would feel more like a real synthesizer.
“I like solid, beautiful, well finished, metal and wood cases, like it was made in the 70s and 80s,” notes Jacopin. “Inspired by legendary Moog, Oberheim, Roland and Sequential Circuits, I designed Robotron, a beautiful USB MIDI controller that makes you feel virtual synths.”
Full Bucket Music releases another free plugin based on a Korg keyboard you probably have not heard of.
It is Lambda ES-50 Polyphonic Ensemble, anyone?
Full Bucket Music is continuing its run of lesser-known Korg synth emulations with the release of Ny. It is a reboot of the Lambda ES-50, a fully 48-Key Polyphonic Ensemble from 1979, a preset machine that offered two categories of sounds.
First up, there were the Percussive tones – Electric piano, Clavi, Piano and Harmonics – and Ensemble sounds covered brass, organ, choir and string patches- Strings I, Strings II.
Ny promises to emulate the original hardware pretty closely, but ups the polyphony from 48 to 64 voices. You also get an emulation of the original analogue chorus effect.
Main features:
Close simulation of the original hardware
64 voices polyphony
Percussive and Ensemble sections
Chorus (Phase) effect
Many tweakable parameters
Resizable user interface (not “N” version!)
MIDI Learn – all parameters can be controlled by MIDI CC
Plug-in supports Windows and macOS (32 bit and 64 bit)
Ny Audio Demo:
You can download the plugin free of charge (or donate if you wish) via the Full Bucket Music website. It runs on Windows and macOS in VST/AU/CLAP formats.
