How-to guide
How to separate drums from a song on Windows
DrumSplit runs in a modern browser on Windows. Upload a song to get seven files: five separate drum stems (kick, snare, hi-hats, toms and cymbals), a drum bus and a music stem with the drums removed. The work runs in the cloud, so you do not need to install a desktop separator or use a GPU.
Step-by-step
- Open drumsplit.io in a modern browser. No Windows desktop installation or local GPU is required.
- Select a supported audio file. WAV, MP3, FLAC, M4A, AIFF and OGG are supported. Check size and length first, then select it from File Explorer or drag it to the upload area.
- Choose a mode. Natural is the recommended default for songs across genres. Puncher adds transient enhancement and is tuned for EDM, hip-hop, pop and heavily compressed mixes. Direct is for audio that is already drums-only, such as a drum loop or drum stem, and separates it into five kit pieces.
- Pay from $0.99 per split. There is no subscription. Purchased credits never expire. Payment is by card or Google Pay.
- Download and extract the ZIP. In Natural and Puncher it contains seven 24-bit WAV files: the five drum stems, a drum bus and the music stem with drums removed. Direct returns the five drum stems and a drum bus, with no music stem.
Getting the file ready on Windows
Start in the folder where the song is stored. If File Explorer hides extensions, open the View menu and enable file name extensions. The extension at the end of the name helps identify the format, for example .mp3, .wav, .flac or .m4a. DrumSplit also accepts AIFF and OGG. Renaming a file extension does not convert the audio, so use an audio conversion tool if the file is in an unsupported format.
To check file size, right-click it in File Explorer and choose Properties. Confirm the size is 100 MB or less. In the same dialog, check the duration if Windows displays it in the file details. The maximum track length is 8 minutes. Both limits apply, so a short high-resolution WAV may reach 100 MB first, while a smaller compressed file may reach 8 minutes first. If the source exceeds either limit, choose or create a shorter supported file before uploading.
Use a stereo file. 5.1 and other multichannel audio are not supported, so convert multichannel material to stereo before sending it. Keep a copy of the original file; you do not need to edit or overwrite it.
Downloading and extracting the ZIP
After processing, download the ZIP from the results page. Edge and Chrome usually save downloads in the Downloads folder unless you changed the browser's download location. If you do not see the file, open the browser's downloads list and use its option to show the file in its folder. Check that the download has finished before opening it.
In File Explorer, find the ZIP, right-click it and choose Extract All. Pick a destination folder you can find again, then select Extract. Work with the extracted WAV files in that folder. A ZIP preview lets you inspect files, but extracting first gives your DAW regular files and a stable folder path to import from. Keep the extracted stems together so they are easy to select as a set.
The result includes five drum parts: kick, snare, hi-hats, toms and cymbals. Natural and Puncher also include a music file with drums removed. Direct mode is intended for input that already contains drums without the rest of a song, and returns the five kit parts only.
Importing stems into Windows DAWs
Import the extracted WAV files into FL Studio, Reaper, Ableton Live or Cubase using the DAW's audio import or file browser. Audacity users can choose File > Import > Audio and select the WAV files. The output is 24-bit WAV, ready to use as audio in these applications.
Place every stem at the same timeline position, starting at 0:00. Do not line up each file by eye at a later point in the song. Since the stems come from the same source, starting them together preserves their timing against one another. If your DAW places imported audio at the playhead, return the playhead to the beginning before importing each file, or move the clips so their starts align at zero.
Listen to the parts in context and solo individual stems when you need to identify a particular drum part. The music stem is the original song with drums removed, not a vocal, bass or guitar extraction. DrumSplit focuses on drums and does not output those other instrument stems.
Troubleshooting
- The upload is slow or appears stuck. Large files take longer to send, especially on a slow connection. Confirm the file is within both limits and allow the upload to finish.
- The ZIP will not download. Check the browser's downloads list for a blocked or paused item and retry if offered. An extension can interfere with a page or download; if the issue persists, try a browser session with extensions temporarily disabled.
- You cannot find the downloaded file. Open the browser downloads list and show the item in File Explorer. The browser may save to another folder if its location was changed.
- You need to leave while processing. You can close the tab. Results remain in My Splits for 24 hours and are emailed to you.
- The source is rejected. Verify the format, stereo channel layout, size and duration. It must be at most 100 MB and 8 minutes; multichannel audio needs conversion to stereo.
Common questions
Does DrumSplit need to be installed on Windows?
No. Use DrumSplit in a modern browser. Processing happens in the cloud, so your PC does not need a GPU.
How long can the song be?
The maximum is 8 minutes, and the upload must also be 100 MB or smaller. A file must meet both limits.
What does the ZIP contain?
It contains 24-bit WAV stems. Natural and Puncher provide kick, snare, hi-hats, toms, cymbals and music with drums removed. Direct provides the five drum parts only.
Can I use the files in Audacity or a DAW?
Yes. Import the extracted WAV files into Audacity, FL Studio, Reaper, Ableton Live or Cubase. Start every stem at 0:00 to keep them aligned.
What does a split cost?
Pricing starts at $0.99 per split. There is no subscription, and purchased credits never expire.
Try DrumSplit
Upload a song to the drum splitter & drum stem separator and get 7 files: kick, snare, hi-hats, toms, cymbals, a drum bus and the music without drums. From $0.99 per split. No subscription. Purchased credits never expire.
Try DrumSplit