Preparing Stems Before Upload

Drop exported stems in a DAW unwarped. If they play in time together — including the click — they are ready. Pliris puts files on the timeline as they are.

Stems go onto the Pliris™ timeline exactly as you upload them. We do not shift a file that starts late, we do not pad a file that is short, and we do not warp anything into time.

The check is in your DAW, not in Pliris.

The listen test

  1. Export stems, click, and cues from the same bounce / session.
  2. Drop those files into Ableton or any DAW unwarped / unaligned — warp off, on a tempo-aligned timeline.
  3. Hit play.

If they all play back in time together, including the click, they are good to upload. Then drop them on the arrangement: Uploading and Analyzing Your Stems.

Pro tip: Warp off is the point. You are checking the files themselves, not a session that already lined them up for you.

What Pliris does not do

  • We do not align misaligned stems. Files land on the timeline as they are. A stem that starts two bars late in the file starts two bars late in Pliris.
  • We do not match lengths. If the files are not all the same length and clean, we leave them that way. Same start, same length, is on you.
  • A click from a different bounce throws tempo. When you upload a click, we build the grid from it. A click bounced from a different session than the stems will not match the music.

The usual miss: instrument stems are tight WAVs that start on the downbeat, and the click and cue files are longer AIFs that start later. In a DAW they will not play together. In Pliris they will not either.

If the listen test fails, fix it in the DAW and re-export. Do not upload hoping Pliris will clean it up.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know my stems are ready to upload?

Drop them in Ableton or any DAW with warp off, on a tempo-aligned timeline. If every file plays in time together — including the click — they are ready.

Does Pliris align stems that start at different times?

No. Pliris does not align misaligned stems. Files go on the timeline as you uploaded them.

What if my stems are different lengths?

Pliris does not match lengths up. If the files are not all the same length and clean, they land that way — re-export so click, cues, and stems start and end together.

Why is my tempo wrong after I uploaded a click?

We build the grid from an uploaded click, so a click bounced from a different session than the stems will throw tempo. Export the click with the stems from the same bounce, then run the listen test before you upload.

Where to go next

Stuck anywhere, click the support bubble in the bottom-right of any page, or email support@fromstudiotostage.com. You'll hear back within 24 hours.