a really dumb question

[Fazzat]

This is a really dumb question I know, but I am just curious. Is there any software, or other types of equipment, that would remix a stereo recording from a CD, and allow you to remove certain instruments or vocals? I know you can mix from multi-track to stereo, but can you mix stereo to multi-track? I also know you can do this with MIDI files but not other types. I'm also interested in removing lead vocals from CDs for personal use but the vocal eliminators I use just don't do the job. Thanks, and again, sorry for asking such a dumb question.

[Dougie Johnson]

No such thing as a "Newbie" dumb question.
No, to my knowledge there are no products that can remove certain musical aspects of it. Once a song is mixed down to its final stage (2 track), it is pretty much a done deal...If you wish to remove certain instruments for the sake of "jamming" with the tune, there are a few CD's out there that are specifically made for this. They are re-recorded by other bands.

[dave m]

I have removed lead vocals from a CD before. I used Cooledit. If the vocals are mixed prettu even;y over both left and right channels they will be all but gone.
Download Cooledit from Syntrillium.com.
After you have it installed go to:Transform/amplitude/channel mix then click oh the button on the right that says vocal cut. It won't take out background vocals but it should take out lead vocals.
BTW, you will need to record the song first, of course.
dave

[Heat]

Fazzat,
I think it is funny you are asking this question, because I asked the exact same thing on this forum about a month ago.....this is the best that I could find, dave M's solution for removing vocal is about the best you can do..or you can download a free vocal remover from Analog X....they do the same thing, they just re pan the stereo image, and in the process, it mixes out the main vocals. The only problem is, any vocal not originally panned dead center, will not be mixed out, this is probably why background dont mix out very well.

I dont know if these tools are any better that the ones you are using now....but these are only average at best, at getting vocals removed. They only remove about 85%...

If you can find another way to remove vocals, and instuments, I would really like to know......