Waves Audio has announced Mix Unlock, a new premium feature within the StudioVerse online preset library of audio and instrument chains, allowing vocals, drums, bass and instrumental elements within finished stereo audio to be separated and manipulated inside a DAW without access to original multitrack recordings.
The feature operates in real time within the StudioVerse environment, allowing producers to audition and manipulate audio while it plays.
Integrated directly into StudioVerse Audio Effects, Mix Unlock combines Stem Separation technology with access to thousands of StudioVerse plug-in chains and presets. Using AI-powered search tools, users can quickly find and apply processing chains tailored to specific production goals, allowing mixes to be rebalanced, musical elements to be transposed, drum sounds shaped, vocal harmonies created and special effects to be added.
‘Mix Unlock fundamentally changes what producers can do with stereo audio,’ says Shai Fishman, Product Manager at Waves. ‘By combining real-time source separation with StudioVerse’s vast ecosystem of intelligent preset chains, we’re giving creators the ability to reshape finished mixes, loops and samples in a way that is more organic to their real-time DAW workflow. It’s about removing creative limitations and giving users the freedom to make any audio source work for their project.’
Unlike traditional stem separation workflows that require exporting files to standalone applications or cloud-based services, Mix Unlock operates directly within the production environment, maintaining a seamless creative workflow. Producers can immediately process separated elements using Waves plug-ins and StudioVerse chains while remaining inside their session.
The new feature also expands the creative potential of sample-based production. Users working with loops from libraries such as Splice and other sample platforms can quickly isolate or remove individual elements, allowing them to repurpose content, build new arrangements and create unique productions from existing material.
As part of StudioVerse, Mix Unlock benefits from Waves’ growing ecosystem of cloud-connected production tools and preset-sharing capabilities, giving users access to a continuously expanding library of professionally designed processing chains and creative workflows.
Mix Unlock is available now as a premium feature within StudioVerse. It requires its own licence, but it is not a standalone plug-in. The licence is available for separate purchases, and is also included with Waves Creative Access subscriptions; for a limited time, is also provided free with every update to, or new purchase of, any Waves V17 plug-in.