Audio Separation
Vocal Separator API — isolate vocals or instrumentals
Two specialized models — speech and music — that pull clean vocal tracks or backing tracks out of any mix, with minimal artifacts.
Before & after
See the difference
One mixed file goes in — two clean stems come out. The waveform shows the split in action.
What it does
Vocal Separator pairs two single-purpose models. Speech mode is built for dialogue, podcasts and voiceover: it keeps intelligibility while removing music beds and effects. Music mode separates lead vocals from instrumentals for karaoke, remixes and stems. Both run without phase cancellation tricks, so the isolated track stays clean enough for broadcast.
Full API referenceimport requests
url = "https://api.mlslabs.io/v1/vocal-separator/jobs"
resp = requests.post(
url,
headers={"X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
json={
"input": "s3://bucket/episode-05.wav",
"output": "s3://bucket/stems/",
"mode": "speech", # or "music"
"tracks": ["vocals", "instrumental"],
},
)
job = resp.json()
print(job["job_id"])Key features
Why teams pick this API
Speech mode
Built for dialogue, podcasts and voiceover — keeps intelligibility while removing music beds and effects.
Music mode
Separates lead vocals from instrumentals for karaoke, remixes and stems.
Artifact control
No phase cancellation, no musical noise under the vocal — clean enough for broadcast.
Streaming-friendly
Low-latency segment processing for live and interactive audio workflows.
Use cases
Built for real workflows
Karaoke & backing tracks
Produce instrumentals and isolated vocals for consumer products in one request.
Podcast & interview cleanup
Remove music beds and room tone while keeping dialogue fully intelligible.
Dubbing & voiceover prep
Isolate the original voice for reference or replacement during localization.
Remix stems
Grab the vocal of one track and the instrumental of another for mashups.
Pricing
Credit-based pricing
Every request draws from your credit pool. This API bills 12 credits per minute of audio.
| Billing unit | Cost in credits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Processing time | 12 credits | Per minute of audio |
| Failed jobs | 0 credits | Credits auto-refunded |
| Batch processing | Same rate | One queue, per-file callbacks |
Learn
Guides, tutorials & comparisons
Batch Vocal Separation with the API
Batch vocal separation tutorial: process an entire song library into vocals/instrumental stems with ...
Read TutorialClean Up Meeting Recordings for Transcription
Improve ASR accuracy on meeting recordings: separate the speech stem, denoise, then transcribe. Up t...
Read TutorialA Real Demucs Alternative: Same Quality, No GPU
Need Demucs-quality vocal separation without CUDA, Docker and checkpoint management? Use the mlslabs...
Read TutorialHow to Extract Instrumentals from a Song
Get a clean instrumental (karaoke track) from any song with an API — step-by-step tutorial with Pyth...
Read TutorialIsolate Dialogue for Dubbing
Isolate dialogue for dubbing pipelines: extract the clean vocal stem from short-drama episodes, sync...
Read TutorialRemove Background Music from Voice Recording
Remove background music from a voice recording or voiceover: isolate the clean vocal stem with AI, k...
ReadAudio Source Separation Explained
Audio source separation explained: how modern models split music into vocals, drums, bass and other ...
Read GuideSpeech Separation vs Speech Enhancement
Speech separation pulls voices apart from music or other speakers; speech enhancement cleans noise a...
Read GuideSpleeter vs Demucs: Which Open-Source Separator Wins?
Spleeter vs Demucs (HTDemucs) — the two open-source separation standards compared on quality, speed,...
Read GuideVocal Isolation vs Noise Reduction: What's the Difference?
Noise reduction removes steady hiss; vocal separation rebuilds two independent tracks. Which one you...
ReadVocal Remover API vs Consumer Apps
Consumer vocal remover apps are great for one song at a time. An API is for products and pipelines. ...
Read CompareVocal Separation API vs Demucs (HTDemucs): An Honest Comparison
Demucs is excellent open-source separation — if you have a GPU. We compare quality, speed, cost, and...
ReadFAQ
Common questions
What is the difference between Speech and Music mode?
Speech mode is optimized for dialogue-like content; Music mode for songs. Picking the right mode meaningfully improves separation quality.
Can it run in real time?
Yes, in streaming mode — designed for live and interactive audio.
What about full stem separation?
For multi-stem output (drums, bass, piano, guitars, environmental sound), use the Source Separation API instead.
Does it work on mono files?
Yes, mono and stereo inputs are both supported.
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