Qie Stem Slicer FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is stem separation and how does it work?

Stem separation (also called stem splitting) is the process of using AI to isolate individual instruments from a mixed song. Qie Stem Slicer uses advanced AI neural networks to analyze audio and separate it into individual stems — vocals, bass, melody, drums, and individual drum components like kick, snare, hi-hat, cymbal, ride, and tom.

How many stems can Qie separate a song into?

Qie separates songs into 10 full stems — more than any other stem splitter on the market. You get: Bass, Melody, Vocal, Full Drums, Kick, Snare, Hi-Hat, Cymbal, Ride, and Tom. Most competitors only offer 4-6 stems. Qie's 6-component drum separation (kick, snare, hi-hat, cymbal, ride, tom) is a unique feature that gives producers and DJs granular control over every drum element.

Does Qie Stem Slicer work with Ableton Live?

Yes — Qie is the only stem splitter that automatically generates Ableton Live Session View projects (.als files). You get two projects per song: one with audio tracks and one with MIDI tracks. Each project has color-coded tracks, Complex Pro warping, and Follow Actions enabled. Just open the .als file in Ableton 12+ and start producing immediately.

What are 8-bar loops and why are they useful?

Qie automatically chops every stem into perfect 8-bar loops synced to the detected BPM. Each loop is labeled with BPM, musical key (Western and Camelot notation), bar number, and energy density level. This lets producers build organized loop libraries from any song and quickly find the right loop for their productions. No other stem separator offers automatic loop creation.

Is Qie Stem Slicer free?

Qie offers a free trial that lets you process 5 songs with full functionality. The full version is a one-time purchase of $69 USD — no subscription, no monthly fees. Once activated, you get unlimited offline processing forever, plus lifetime updates via email.

How does Qie compare to LALAL.AI, RipX, and Moises?

Qie offers more stems (10 vs 4-6), unique features like 8-bar loop auto-chopping and Ableton project generation, and costs $69 one-time vs recurring subscriptions ($99+/year). Qie also processes locally on your computer for faster results and complete privacy — no uploading to the cloud. Visit the Compare page for a detailed feature-by-feature breakdown.

Can Qie export stems as MIDI?

Yes. Qie generates MIDI files for every stem using Spotify's basic-pitch neural network for melodic instruments (bass, melody, vocals) and librosa onset detection for drums. Each drum component maps to standard General MIDI notes. You also get full Ableton MIDI projects with all transcriptions embedded and ready to edit.

Does Qie work offline?

The free trial requires an internet connection for each session. Once you purchase the full version and activate your license key, Qie works completely offline — no internet required. All AI processing happens locally on your Mac or Windows PC using your own hardware.

How do I separate drums from a song?

Simply drag any song (WAV, MP3, FLAC, AIFF, M4A, AAC, or OGG) into Qie and click Process Audio. Qie's AI will separate the full drum track, then further isolate individual drum components: kick, snare, hi-hat (with open/closed classification), cymbal, ride, and tom. Each component is exported as a separate WAV file and organized into 8-bar loops.

What audio formats does Qie support?

Qie accepts WAV, MP3, FLAC, AIFF/AIF, M4A, AAC, and OGG as input formats. All stems and loops are exported as high-quality 44.1kHz WAV files. MIDI files are also generated for every stem. Qie runs on macOS 14.0+ (Apple Silicon) and Windows 10/11 (64-bit).