Drumless tracks: remove the drums from any song
You can remove the drums from any song and play along with the actual band, not a metronome and not a play-along catalogue. StemConsole works as a free drum remover in the browser with no install: upload the song, run the free four-stem split, mute the drum fader and play.
Drums are in the free Basic Split and the first split needs no account. Count-in, named loops and slowing the stems down are Pro tools.
How to make a drumless track
- 1
Upload the song
Drop an MP3, WAV, FLAC or M4A (up to 200MB) at stemconsole.ai. The first split needs no account.
- 2
Run Basic Split
The free split gives vocals, drums, bass and other, with drums on their own fader.
- 3
Set up the mix
Mute drums, or pull them to a whisper for the first passes. Bring the bass up so you have something solid to lock the kick to. Save the session.
- 4
Add a count-in (Pro)
Set Song BPM with Tap tempo and turn on count-in so you enter on the one instead of guessing from the pickup.
- 5
Loop the fill
Set an A/B loop around the two bars before each chorus. With Pro, slow it a little and name the loop so it is there next time.
- 6
Export
Bounce mix renders a drumless MP3 free; WAV bounces, and bounces at a changed speed or key, are Pro.
Where to find drumless tracks
YouTube. Drummers and fans upload drumless versions of many popular songs. Quality varies from upload to upload, and the song you want may not be there.
Catalogue sites. Services such as Karaoke-Version sell re-recorded versions of popular songs where you mute the drums before downloading, at US$2.99 a track. You get clean parts, but a cover, and only songs in the catalogue.
Make your own. Split the song and mute the drums, as in the steps above. It works on any recording you have, including obscure tracks and your own band’s demos, and you play with the real band. The free Basic Split puts drums on their own fader.
More options compared: the best ways to make a backing track and how to make drumless practice tracks.
Practising with a drumless track
Lock to the bass, not the vocal. With the drums gone, the bass is the only thing still marking the pulse. Solo bass and drums first, listen to how the kick sits with the bass notes, then mute the drums and put your kick in the same place.
Ghost the original for the first passes. Pull the drum fader most of the way down so the original drummer is a faint guide, play three passes, then mute completely.
Loop the fills, not the grooves. Loop the two bars before and one bar after each fill so you hear how it lands, and use count-in to enter cleanly. For fast songs, slow the track to 90% with the pitch locked (Pro); at half speed the cymbals smear, so keep half speed for hearing sticking.
A drumless track teaches the groove, and a click still builds the hands. Drill rudiments and new grooves on the free online metronome, with accents, triplets, sixteenths and a speed trainer that raises the tempo every few bars, then take them to the song.
The blog post on making drumless practice tracks covers what a drumless track teaches that a click alone cannot, and three ways to use the mixer, so this page stays on technique.
What to expect
Kick and snare vanish cleanly on almost any recording. Cymbal washes and room reverb sometimes leave a faint shimmer in the other stems, and it is inaudible once you are playing. Monitor with isolating headphones on an acoustic kit, or through the module on an electronic kit.
What is free and what is Pro
| Free | Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Stems | Vocal Remover and 4-stem Basic Split | 6-stem Full Separation (adds guitar and piano) |
| Looping | One A/B loop (free account) | Named loops, count-in, tap tempo |
| Slow down | The whole song, 50% to 150%, pitch kept (free player) | Separate stems too |
| Downloads | MP3 stems and MP3 mix bounces | WAV stems and bounces, including at a changed speed or key |
| Change key | The whole song, 12 semitones either way (free player) | Separate stems too |
| Splits | 5 a month; first needs no account | 100 a month |
Pro is US$6.99 a month or US$49 a year. A US$1.99 credit buys one Full Separation, no practice tools, never expires. See plans.
Frequently asked questions
Is the drum stem included in the free plan?
Yes. Basic Split is free and gives vocals, drums, bass and other, with 5 splits a month and no account for the first one.
Can I get a count-in?
Yes, with Pro. Enter the Song BPM or tap it in, and count-in gives you a bar or two before playback so you start on the one.
Can I slow a song down without changing the pitch?
Yes. The free speed and key player slows a whole song from 50% to 150% with the pitch kept. Slowing the drumless stems is Pro.
Does it work on MP3 files?
Yes. MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, OGG and AAC up to 200MB. Higher bitrates separate more cleanly.
Can I download the drumless track?
Yes. Bounce mix renders a drumless MP3 free, or WAV with Pro. You can also download the individual stems as MP3.
Does it work on a phone or tablet?
Yes, in the browser with nothing to install.
Compared with drumless packs and Moises
| Drumless packs and YouTube | Moises | StemConsole | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any song | Only the catalogue | Yes | Yes, any recording |
| Drum stem free | Free on YouTube, paid packs | Limited free tier | Yes, in the free 4-stem split |
| Count-in and loops | No | Loops on Premium; count-in not stated | A/B loop free; named loops and count-in with Pro |
| Runs in the browser | Yes | Web and mobile app | Yes, no install |
| Cost | Free or per pack | Premium subscription; price shown after login | Free split; Pro US$6.99 a month |
Related guides and tools
How to make drumless practice tracks
From the blog: the why and the setup. AI removes the drums, you play along with the real band.
Isolate drums
Solo the drums from any song: practise, sample, transcribe.
Loop a section of a song
Repeat a phrase until it sits under your fingers. Basic looping is free; named loops need Pro.
Slow down a song without changing pitch
Learn fast passages at a comfortable speed without changing the key, free in your browser.
Create a backing track
Set each stem’s level, then bounce the mix: MP3 free, WAV with Pro.
Transcribe a bass line
Solo the bass in any song and write the line down.
Written by Dan Murtagh, mixing engineer and audio educator. Updated 3 October 2026.