The Sound Board

Some pretty impressive stuff here.

There's improvements to the unmix module, including a new Unmix Instrument feature where you can train the algorithm on a clean bit of one instrument and attempt to isolate it on the rest of the mix.



Some pretty extraordinary new stuff for post use, unmixing dialogue, sfx and music and reconstructing poor quality dialogue using AI:



https://www.steinberg.net/spectralayers/new-features

Very interesting features. Think I demo-ed number 9 or 10, but decided then to stick to RX, but worth to dive into this and check things out.

It's a nice step forward in the evolution of unmixing. The drum separation in particular looks very well done and useful.

The most difficult unmixing to do, in my experience, is to separate keyboards from guitars and vocals from melodic orchestral instruments that are in the same range. Since those conflicts weren't included in the video, I think it's safe to assume that they will still be problematic.

Nonetheless, Spectralayers 12 looks like a significant upgrade.

Best,

Geoff

Geoff Grace wrote: ↑Jul 02, 2025 2:19 pmThe most difficult unmixing to do, in my experience, is to separate keyboards from guitars and vocals from melodic orchestral instruments that are in the same range. Since those conflicts weren't included in the video, I think it's safe to assume that they will still be problematic.

On the basis of what I heard in the video, I suspect you could give it a go with Unmix instrument, but it would be a) very dependent on getting a clean source and b) would need manual massaging afterwards.

Guy Rowland wrote: ↑Jul 02, 2025 4:28 pm

Geoff Grace wrote: ↑Jul 02, 2025 2:19 pmThe most difficult unmixing to do, in my experience, is to separate keyboards from guitars and vocals from melodic orchestral instruments that are in the same range. Since those conflicts weren't included in the video, I think it's safe to assume that they will still be problematic.

On the basis of what I heard in the video, I suspect you could give it a go with Unmix instrument, but it would be a) very dependent on getting a clean source and b) would need manual massaging afterwards.

My thoughts as well, Guy. That’s why I chose the word “problematic” instead of “impossible.” Of course, the fact that it can even be done to the extent that’s already been accomplished is pretty amazing, whether it turns out to be good enough or not; and sometimes, it’s amazing and good enough.

Best,

Geoff

Pretty amazing. I expect in a year's time there will be 30 competitors with this feature, but right now I think Spectralayers is the only game in town with it.

A demo is now available and I'm trialling it. In terms of unmixing, it makes RX feel prehistoric.

First of all, the algorithm quality is best is class. But equally important is the fact it doesn't throw anything away and you can move stuff from one layer to another at will. It's pretty sensational. It's a level of user control far beyond anything I've worked with previously.

The sheer variety of tools available is pretty mind boggling. I tried it with a complex commercial track which has a gorgeous sustained lap steel in the mix with all manner of other things, one of which sounds like a banjo or ukulele. By default some of this ended up in Guitars and some in Other. I was able to move all the lap steel stuff into guitar. But that had a bleed of what sounds like a tabla. I was then able to separate that Guitar stem into tonal, noise and transient components, getting rid of the tabla. It was beyond by powers to get rid of the ukulele completely, but everything has its limits I guess.

It is more like working with Photoshop than Pro Tools. I think some real time investment to make the most of the tools would pay off, it's a bit of another world.

I've demoed earlier versions before and been moderately impressed but never enough to pull the trigger. Definitely will this time. I'm hoping they will lure me with a sale at Black Friday.

I’ll probably buy it when it goes on sale, if only for the high quality algo and for stem making. I used lalaai this afternoon to remove the vocal from a client’s 2015 song and he was delighted.

It would have been nice if Steinberg offered a discount to their loyal Cubase users. Oh well.

If there is a reasonable deal to be had (and let's face it, reasonable is vague) I will get a license for Spectral Layers.

I first trialed Spectral Layers when Sony was the published.I worked quite well with Sound Forge, not quite as nicely with Wavelab, and by then I had given up on Sony and their promise to update Sound Forge. I like Wavelab, and it does get better with each version, but I still find Sound Forge easier to use, by a significant margin. But I do not trust Magix any more than I trusted Sony, so I don't see me upgrading to the current version of Sound Forge.

After a couple of days with the current trial version of Spectral Layers I will upgrade, if they know about my now ancient license. Seems to me there was a hitch last time I tried to upgrade?

Anyway, Spectral Layers has always been a fantastic tool that can do probably 100 times more things I than I know how to do! Barring an unexpected sale, or an unexpected project that requires Spectral Layers I too shall be waiting on a killer BF sale!