Music, vocals and stems in iZotope RX

Use RX to fix the distraction that spoils a musical performance: a mouth click, headphone spill, a pop in a record transfer or an awkward balance in a finished mix. Start with a protected copy and listen in the song as well as in solo. A cleaner isolated track is useful only if the performance still works in context.

Choose the repair your recording needs

For a vocal take, separate mouth clicks, harsh sibilance and distracting breaths before choosing a processor. Mouth De-click, De-ess and Breath Control address different problems; none needs to run just because you own it. The vocal cleanup guide develops the approach, while iZotope's vocal-cleanup walkthrough explains why listening in the mix matters.

For a local creak or bump, Spectral Repair's Attenuate and Replace modes do different jobs: Attenuate reduces an event using its surroundings; Replace reconstructs the selected region from nearby audio. Make a precise selection and check the wanted notes around it. Follow the Spectral Repair guide for mode and selection limits.

For headphone or microphone spill, RX 12 De-bleed offers a reference-free mode: select the wanted signal type, not the spill you want removed. The Editor's Classic mode instead needs a related bleed-source track, matching sample rates and close time alignment. The De-bleed workflow covers both routes. For guitar, the Guitar De-noise guide separates tonal amp hum or buzz, fret squeaks and pick attack; broadband hiss needs a different treatment.

Rebalance a mix or edit separated stems

Music Rebalance estimates four groups: Voice, Bass, Drums and Other. Other contains material not classified into the first three, including many melodic instruments. These estimates do not recreate the original session tracks. Start with the Music Rebalance guide for level changes, or the vocal-removal guide for an instrumental, with leakage checks before export.

Use Render for a level-adjusted result. Stem Split creates separately editable stems and ignores the module's Gain sliders, assuming 0 dB. The Stems View guide explains individual-stem editing and export. For a soundtrack divided into dialogue, music and effects, use the Scene Rebalance guide instead.

Restore transfers without erasing the music

On vinyl or tape transfers, De-click targets isolated impulses and De-crackle targets dense, quieter clicks. iZotope recommends De-crackle after the worst clicks are removed; that does not make every restoration stage mandatory. Check suspected clipping by listening and inspecting the waveform and De-clip histogram. Flat-looking peaks alone are not a diagnosis.

The vinyl restoration guide starts with capture and source protection. For unstable pitch, the Wow & Flutter guide distinguishes mechanical speed variation from intentional vibrato. Check the RX edition comparison: Music Rebalance, De-bleed, Spectral Repair and Stems View are in Standard and Advanced; Wow & Flutter and Scene Rebalance require Advanced.

Approve the sound, not the number of passes

Listen for softened drum hits, damaged consonants, dulled strings and watery or phasey tails. Two gentle passes are not automatically better than one stronger pass. Compare candidates from the same original at similar playback loudness, then check the complete mix. Keep an RX Document for editable history and export a separately named audio file using the RX handoff and delivery workflow.

Music repair questions

Does De-bleed always need a reference track?

No. RX 12 has a reference-free mode that selects the wanted signal type. Classic mode in the Audio Editor uses a related bleed-source track with matching sample rate and close time alignment.

Does Stem Split preserve my Music Rebalance gain changes?

No. Stem Split ignores the module's Gain sliders and assumes 0 dB for each stem. Use Render for the adjusted balance, or edit and export the separated stems afterward.

Are two light repair passes always safer?

No. Repeated processing can accumulate damage. Compare alternatives from the same original and keep the version that preserves the performance in the mix.