# Converting vocal to instrumental music **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479 "2006-11-07T22:46:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yellow\_Rights](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Yellow\_Rights](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yellow_Rights)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479/1 "2006-11-07T22:46:58Z")
Is there a free reliable software for me to use that can get rid of vocals on a track? I’m an instrumental person myself and I feel quite a few songs are “ruined” by the vocals. Thank you very much! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479/2 "2006-11-07T23:26:44Z")
There are a number of programs that claim to be able to do this, but I’ve never found one that works very well. In a wide stereo mix, if the vocals are mixed to centre - that is, they’re exactly the same waveform and levels on both stereo channels, then you can split the stereo into two mono tracks, invert one of them, then mix them together and anything that was originally the same on both channels adds to zero, leaving just the things that weren’t the same on both. All of that is possible in [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net), but even so, the end result is not usually very good. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Octagon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479/3 "2006-11-07T23:34:42Z")
If you use winamp you can find a plugin that removes vocals. It does basically what mangetout describes. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479/4 "2006-11-07T23:47:31Z")
Anyone know where this plugin can be downloaded? I’ve always wanted to rap the lyrics to Eazy-E’s _Eazy-Duz-It_ over the melody of _The World At Large_ by Modest Mouse. They fit together uncannily well. And no, I’m not kidding. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479/5 "2006-11-07T23:51:48Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I’ve always wanted to rap the lyrics to Eazy-E’s _Eazy-Duz-It_ over the melody of _The World At Large_ by Modest Mouse. They fit together uncannily well. And no, I’m not kidding. [/QUOTE] [I believe you](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Song_To_The_Tune_Of_Another) ---
**Author:** ![Yellow\_Rights](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Yellow\_Rights](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yellow_Rights)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/converting-vocal-to-instrumental-music/379479/6 "2006-11-10T16:15:46Z")
I’m a bit of a technical n00b though, all this talk of splitting into two stereos and what not has got me in a spin. Thanks anyway!