Removing vocals from a song can open up new creative possibilities. Whether creating karaoke tracks, remixing melodies, or isolating instruments, this technique gives a fresh spin to an existing song track. In this blog post, I show how to remove vocals from a song using Audacity. This is a modern technique that does the job in seconds.
The Ultimate Method
Removing vocals from a song using Audacity is a straightforward process. Open the Audacity app, add the song track to the timeline, split the track into two, and then apply the invert effect.
To split a track into two, just click the three dots on the left side of the audio track and then select Split Stereo Track.
Once you have two tracks in your timeline, double-click the second track and then go to Effects > Special > Invert. This will apply the invert effect on that specific track.
You can just sit back and wait for Audacity to do its job. This is an amazing technique that removes/isolates vocals from a song in just a few clicks. However, there are a few caveats to this method…
The Caveats to This Method
Applying the invert effect to remove vocals from a song comes with a few limitations. First, it only works for vocals that sit mostly in the center of an audio track. This method doesn’t work if the vocals are stereo or backing vocals.
With that being said, this also means that other things in the center of the track are eliminated during the process, which is the second caveat. Inverting an audio track usually eliminates some of the bass and low-end frequencies of the track. This can result in a dull sound.
Overall, this is the easiest method of removing vocals from a song using Audacity if you are using Mac or Linux. However, if you are using Audacity on a PC, I highly recommend using a free AI tool to do the job better. I wrote a separate blog for that, check it here.
Final Thoughts
Audacity has always been one of the best audio editing software. It has a lot of features that work for every audio editing need. Its Invert Effect tool can easily remove vocals from a song in just a few clicks. This method is undoubtedly the easiest but it comes with a few caveats.
Better Sound In Audacity
If you are an Audacity user and are looking for ways to improve your audio – our Audacity Presets may be the answer! In just a few clicks you can sound like a radio presenter, improve the sound of your recordings or have some fun with our creative presets (Santa, Halloween and more).
