Versions & Stems

Most tracks do not exist as a single file. You have rough mixes, polished bounces, vocal stems, instrumentals, alternate versions — sometimes a dozen files for one song. The waveform player handles this by letting you switch between all files in a track group without leaving the player.

How track groups and files relate

In Producer Dashboard, a track group represents a song. Each track group can contain multiple tracks (individual audio files) — bounces, stems, alternate mixes, and so on.

When you select a track group in the grid and load it into the player, the player shows the primary file by default. But all the other files belonging to that track group are accessible from a dropdown right there in the player.

When a track group has more than one audio file, a version dropdown appears in the player bar. This dropdown lists every file associated with the current track group.

Look for the file name displayed in the player bar next to the track name. If the track group has multiple files, this name is clickable — click it to reveal the full list of available files.

What you see in the list

Each entry in the dropdown shows:

File name — the name of the audio file as it was imported.
File type — an indicator of what kind of file it is (bounce, stem, project file reference, etc.).

The currently playing file is highlighted so you can see at a glance which version you are hearing.

Switching versions

Click any file in the dropdown to load it into the player. The waveform updates to show the new file’s amplitude shape, and playback starts from the beginning of the new file (or from the same time position if the files are similar in length, depending on context).

The switch is fast — waveform data is pre-computed, so there is minimal loading time.

Comparing different mixes

One of the most practical uses of the version dropdown is A/B comparing mixes. Here is a typical workflow:

Load a track group that has multiple bounces — say, “Mix v1”, “Mix v2”, and “Mix v3”.
Play “Mix v1” and listen to a specific section.
Note the timestamp (e.g., 1:45 where the chorus hits).
Open the version dropdown and switch to “Mix v2”.
Seek to the same timestamp and listen to the same section.
Switch again to “Mix v3” for a third comparison.

This lets you evaluate changes between versions without leaving the app, opening your DAW, or juggling multiple audio players. You stay in one place and switch files with a click.

Playing individual stems

If you have imported stems for a track (vocals, drums, bass, synths, etc.), each stem appears as a separate file in the version dropdown.

Select any stem to hear it in isolation. This is useful for:

Checking a vocal take. Solo the vocal stem to evaluate the performance without the backing track.
Reviewing a mix element. Listen to the drum stem on its own to check for level, compression, or room sound.
Preparing feedback. If you are sending notes to a collaborator about a specific element, listen to that element in isolation so your feedback is precise.

Stems play through the same waveform player with the same controls — seek, volume, loop, and all waveform interactions work identically.

File organisation within a track group

The files in the version dropdown appear in the order they were imported or added to the track group. The most recently added file typically appears at the top or bottom depending on the sort order.

If you have a naming convention for your bounces — like appending version numbers (Song_v1.wav, Song_v2.wav) or dates (Song_20250115.wav) — those names carry through to the dropdown, making it easy to identify which version is which.

Which file plays by default

When you first load a track group into the player, it plays the primary bounce — the main audio file associated with the track group. This is typically the most recent bounce or the file that was first imported.

If the track group has a file marked as the primary bounce (indicated by the has_bounce flag), that file is loaded first. If no specific primary file is set, the first audio file in the list is used.

You can always switch to a different file immediately after loading.

The version dropdown is also available when you open a track’s detail modal. The player within the modal works the same way — you can switch between versions while reading comments, viewing metadata, or editing tags.

Comments are tied to the track group, not individual files, so your feedback stays visible regardless of which version you are currently playing. However, timestamped comments may reference specific moments that only make sense in the context of a particular version.

Working with stems and bounces together

A common scenario: you have both the final bounce and individual stems for a track. The version dropdown shows all of them together. There is no separate “stems mode” — stems are simply files within the same track group.

This flat structure keeps things simple. You do not need to navigate to a different view or open a separate panel to access stems. Everything for one song lives under one track group, and you switch between files with one click.

Tips for managing versions

Name your files clearly before importing. The file names you use on disk carry through to the version dropdown. “Beat_Final_v3_Master.wav” is much easier to identify than “bounce_003.wav”.
Import all versions of a track. Even rough drafts and early bounces can be valuable for reference. Having them all in one place means you can always go back and compare.
Use comments to annotate versions. Leave a comment like “This is the version with the new bass patch” so you remember which is which months later.
Check which version you are listening to. Before writing detailed feedback, glance at the version dropdown to confirm you are hearing the latest mix, not an earlier draft.

The Waveform Player — player layout, controls, and display
Waveform Interactions — seek, comment markers, and range selection
Player Contexts — how the player works across different views
Supported Formats — which audio and project formats are supported