File Preparation & Delivery Published August 29, 2026Updated October 27, 2026

How to Export Stems in Reason for a Pro Mix (Step-by-Step Video)

Get every channel out of Reason's rack as a clean, full-length stem using Bounce Mixer Channels. Follow the steps and DGUNZ's short video before you send your song to be mixed.

Bounce stems in Reason video guide thumbnail by Mix & Master Engineers

Reason gives you a whole rack of instruments, effects and a full mixing console in one place. When it is time to hand your song to a mixing engineer, all of that needs to leave the rack as separate audio files. Done right, your engineer gets a tidy folder of stems that drop straight into a session. Done wrong, they get files of different lengths, missing effects or parts that clip.

The good news is that Reason has a built-in tool made for this job. This guide explains each step in plain words, and DGUNZ's short video shows exactly where to click in Reason.

▶ Watch the Reason stem export video on YouTube

Before you export

Give every mixer channel a clear name. Reason names channels after devices by default, so "Subtractor 3" should become "Lead Synth" before you bounce.
Check the main mixer's master section. Turn off the master compressor and any insert effects on the master channel so they do not shape your stems.
Look at your send effects. If a reverb or delay on the sends is part of the sound, plan to bounce those FX returns as their own files too.
Split up combinators and multi-output devices where you can. A drum machine on one channel gives your engineer one drum file; routing pieces to separate channels gives far more control.
Leave some headroom. Make sure no channel meter is hitting the red.

How to export stems in Reason, step by step

1. Save your song, then save a copy for exporting. 2. Set the left and right locators (or move the end marker) so the range runs from the very start of the song to a few seconds after the final sound. 3. Go to File > Bounce Mixer Channels. 4. In the window that opens, select the mixer channels you want to bounce. Include any FX return channels you need. 5. Choose to bounce to disk (rather than to new tracks in the song). 6. Set the file format to WAV and the bit depth to 24-bit. 7. Keep the sample rate the same as your song. 8. Decide on insert FX and channel settings. Keep creative inserts that are part of the sound; your engineer can always ask for dry versions. 9. Choose a new folder with a clear name. 10. Click Bounce and wait for every channel to render.

Prefer to follow along? ▶ Watch the video

Recommended export settings

File type: WAV
Bit depth: 24-bit
Sample rate: Same as the song
Start point: Song start, the same for every channel
Length / tail: Locators around the whole song plus a few seconds
Normalize: Off
Master bus processing: Off (master compressor and master inserts bypassed)

Common Reason export mistakes

Locators left on one section. If the left and right locators still wrap the chorus you were working on, only that part gets bounced. Reset them around the full song.
Master compressor left on. It squashes your parts in a way your engineer cannot undo. Switch it off before bouncing.
One file for a whole drum kit. A rack drum machine on a single channel bounces as one stem. Route kick, snare and hats to their own channels if you want a punchier mix.
FX returns left out. If your space comes from the send effects and you skip those channels, your vocals and synths sound dry. Tick the FX return channels too.

Check your stems before you send them

Make a brand-new empty song or open any DAW, and import all the files at the very start. Play them together against your rough mix to confirm nothing is missing or out of time. Check that every file name tells you what the part is. Then zip the whole folder.

From the studio: getting the rack out cleanly

After 15+ years of mixing, the Reason sessions I enjoy most are the ones where the rack has been unpacked onto separate channels. The thing I see most often is a combinator or drum device bounced as a single file, which locks the balance inside. On hip-hop beats, I need the kick and the 808 apart so they do not fight, and a one-file drum stem makes that much harder. I also see locators left around a loop, so I receive eight-bar stems for a three-minute song. For drum and bass, where the breaks and the bass carry everything, separate channels are the difference between a good mix and a great one. Take five minutes to split your devices, reset the locators and bounce every channel you need.

Stem export guides for other DAWs

Using a different DAW, or working with a producer who does? Each guide below has its own short video:

Ready for a professional mix?

Upload your Reason stems to our online mixing service and start with a free sample mix so you can judge the sound first. You can view our packages and pricing or contact the studio if you want advice on your files.

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About the author: Charles "DGUNZ" Alison is the lead mixing and mastering engineer at Mix & Master Engineers, with 15+ years of experience across hip-hop, Afrobeats, gospel, R&B, pop and more. He trained at Point Blank Music School (UK), is an approved Apple Digital Masters provider, and is a Top Rated, Vetted Pro engineer on Fiverr with 2,200+ client reviews. Meet the engineer · Contact the studio