Stems
Upload and organize stem files for your tracks.
What Are Stems?
Stems are individual instrument tracks that make up a full mix: drums, bass, vocals, guitars, synths, strings, and so on. Locker organises stems into Stem Packs, so you can keep multiple sets of stems (one per version, or one per session) tidy and accessible.
Stems are essential for remixes, sync placements (where supervisors often need instrumental or a cappella stems), and collaboration with producers who need to edit individual elements.
Stem Packs
A Stem Pack is a collection of stem files, optionally linked to a specific version. For example, your "Final Mix" version might have its own stem pack with all the individual instrument files, while your "Demo" version has a simpler pack.
- Upload stem files by dragging them into the Stems section of the inspector
- Create multiple stem packs per track, each with its own name
- Link a stem pack to a specific version for clarity
- Download entire stem packs as a single ZIP file
- Share stems with collaborators through messages
Uploading Stems
To upload stems, open a track and go to the Stems section in the inspector. Drag your stem files in, or click the upload button to select them. You can upload WAV, AIFF, MP3, or FLAC files.
If you upload uncompressed files (WAV or AIFF), Locker processes them in the background to create compressed playback versions while preserving the originals for download. This means collaborators can listen without downloading huge files, but still get the full-quality stems when they need them.
Automatic Tagging
When you import stems, Locker automatically tags them into instrument groups based on their filenames. Files named "Drums.wav", "Bass.wav", "Lead Vocal.wav" will be tagged accordingly. This keeps your stem packs organised without any manual effort.
Use clear filenames when exporting from your DAW. Names like "TrackTitle_Drums_Final.wav" make it easy for Locker to detect the instrument type.
Stem Storage
Stems count toward your plan's storage limit alongside versions, voice memos, and files. If you have large stem packs (common for multi-track sessions), keep an eye on your storage usage in Profile & Settings. Consider archiving or deleting stem packs you no longer need, or upgrading to a higher plan for more space.