How To Import Stems From Any DAW Into Logic Pro X

Harness the power of Logic Pro X's mixer and automation tools by bringing in stems from any DAW for mixing using these simple steps.  

One of the best things about working in a DAW is the fact that you can relatively easily move content around between different studios, computers or systems. But there are caveats - the biggest one being that far and away the best way to do this is using stems, which are project-length audio tracks for every part of your production.

Moving a whole project in stems format into Logic means that you get to take advantage of its advanced mixing capabilities and all the great plugins you have on your system, but you don't have to worry about MIDI or other plugs that were used on the original project, since these have all been rendered down to regular, straightforward audio tracks on export from the other DAW. This means than in Logic you're working with nice, easy audio data. But how do you get to that point?

Logic Pro X 104: Mixing Automation

This short video from the course Logic Pro X 104: Mixing Automation has Joshua Carney explaining exactly what steps you need to take to bring in audio stems from any DAW to Logic for the purposes of mixing or mastering.

It's important to remember that all your stems need to start at the same point, regardless of what content is on those tracks. So even if there's just a couple of vocal stabs scattered throughout a track, that track's stem still needs to start at zero or 1 bar, and ideally end at the same point as all the others, even if most of the track consists of silence. This is done so that your parts never go out of sync. Of course you can chop them up, but if all you're doing is mixing, you shouldn't have to.

Getting your project settings matched to that of your imported audio before you start is also vital, which Joshua explains and demonstrates in the video. When you import audio you can choose to convert its format as well, which might sometimes be necessary. You also have several options when it comes to organising and copying imported stems, which are also explored in the video.

Importing stems from another DAW into Logic for mixing or further editing can be easy and a great way to mix your own stuff, or other artists' work! Check out the rest of this course for a complete guide to mixing and automation in Logic Pro.

Watch the full course Logic Pro X 104: Mixing Automation in the Ask.Audio Academy | macProVideo | Ask.Video

Hollin Jones was classically trained as a piano player but found the lure of blues and jazz too much to resist. Graduating from bands to composition then production, he relishes the chance to play anything with keys. A sometime lecturer in videographics, music production and photography post production, Hollin has been a freelance w... Read More

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