Delivering Film Music: Mixes, Stems and Clear Versions

Get the recipient’s requirements

Ask who will receive the files: the director, editor or mixing team. They may need different deliverables. Confirm format, sample rate, bit depth, channel configuration, time origin, duration and variants. If a level target is requested, get the value, measurement method and the particular file it applies to.

A setting found online does not replace that answer. The Netflix document consulted addresses dubbing and audio description in BWAV ADM; that specific context does not by itself define the export of an isolated music cue for your film. The Cubase manual also distinguishes format, sample-rate and bit-depth settings. Check their values rather than assuming a preset suits every destination.

Define what each file contains

In the proposed method, the full mix is the musical reference, a stem combines an already balanced family, and individual tracks retain finer detail. Since terminology can vary, write down the expected file list. For an electronic score, “drums, bass, textures and melodic elements” may be more useful than automatically exporting every virtual instrument.

Ableton’s official guide also distinguishes musical groupings from individual parts. Do not confuse your musical families with the dialogue, music and effects groups of a film mix. Ask which variants the edit genuinely needs: no pulse, no melody, an alternative ending or a short version. A no-melody version should still make musical sense; it is not necessarily just a mute button.

Decide where effects belong

Before exporting groups, sketch a simple routing map: which group contains each source, and where does the shared reverb live? Ableton’s manual describes separate options for tracks and return or Main effects. Check your setup. An ambience printed into every group and also supplied separately may be counted twice when the files are combined.

Ask whether the stems should sum back to the approved mix. Actually test this: shared processing and processing applied separately can produce different results depending on the routing. Do not fix a mismatch by independently normalising each group. For this check, use a common origin and export range, retain useful silence, and listen to the decay rather than cutting at the final MIDI event.

Separate music version, picture version and content

A name should identify the right cue without requiring someone to open it. One suggested convention is PROJECT_CUE_PICTURE_VERSION_CONTENT_FORMAT. Keep identifiers short and words understandable. The music version must not obscure the edit version: unchanged music can be repositioned against new picture, while new music can still target the same cut.

Cubase can build names from multiple attributes, but your team decides what those attributes mean. Check the preview and overwrite risks before a batch export. Avoid silently replacing a file already sent. A short note could say: “v04 replaces v03 for M02; shorter exit; other cues unchanged.” The recipient then knows what to import again.

Fictional example: delivering an electronic cue

This is an original example, not a real commission. For the fictional short Nuit de verre, the team has agreed on stereo WAV, 48 kHz, 24-bit files for cue M04 in picture version PIC07. Those values are assumptions for this example, not a general standard. The delivery table instructs the recipient to place the files at 00:03:12:00 on the agreed working timeline.

The package contains NDV_M04_PIC07_MUSv03_FULL_ST_48k24.wav, three stems called DRUMS, TEXTURES and TONAL, and an expressly requested NOPULSE variant. All stems share the same origin and length, including the agreed tail. A note identifies printed effects and explains how to reconstruct the reference. If a resonance extends beyond the intended range, agree on an adjustment with the recipient before producing an inconsistent package.

Check the actual delivery and explain changes

Import the package into an empty session at the stated position. Check alignment to picture and listen with any available dialogue. For a sync check, disable unwanted automatic time transformations; Ableton documents this consideration when importing. Compare the combined groups with the reference against the agreed objective, then open the actual files intended for delivery.

Suggested exercise: prepare a mock package containing one mix and three groups, then ask someone to rebuild it using only your note. If they must guess the origin or correct version, improve the instructions. When working with a team for the first time, a test file can confirm the format before the complete export.

• Delivery requirements and recipient identified.
• Picture, cue and music version consistent.
• Format, channels and settings confirmed.
• Origin, length and tails checked.
• Shared effects and reconstruction documented.
• Exports checked for clipping.
• No unagreed independent normalisation.
• Replacement note and tested files included.