How to Export Multitrack in Pro Tools

Published 16.11.2021 Last updated 05.09.2026 Author Max Rayden 5 min read votes(3)

Short answer: save the session under a new name, give every track a descriptive name, bypass master bus processing, then bounce all tracks as 24-bit WAV at your session’s sample rate with volume automation rendered. Every stem should start from the same point and peak below -6 dBFS.

Here I’ll explain how to export individual tracks in Pro Tools.
It’s easy and only takes a few minutes if everything is set up properly.

Step 1: Save a new version of your session.
Go to File > Save Session As, and add “for mixing” to the name. This will keep your original session safe.

Step 2: Name your tracks clearly.
Use descriptive names like “Kick”, “Snare”, “Vocal_Lead”, “Guitar_1”. Avoid generic names like “Audio_01” or “Track_05”.

Step 3: Prepare your session.
Make sure vocals are tuned and instruments are aligned. If needed, Major Mixing offers tuning, timing, and re-recording services.
If you have layered parts of the same instrument, consolidate them. For lead vocals, separate sections like:

Lead_Verse
Lead_Chorus
Lead_Bridge

Step 4: Bypass unnecessary effects.
Turn off EQ, compression, and reverb unless they are essential to the sound.
If you want to export both wet and dry versions, duplicate the track and name them accordingly:

“Guitar_Dry”
“Guitar_Wet”

Step 5: Check your levels.
Create a Master Fader track (from Track > New, choose Stereo Master Fader).
Select the All group, press Play, and make sure the master output doesn’t clip. The peaks should stay around -6 dB.

Now we are ready to bounce stems in Pro Tools.

Consolidate your audio.
Select the ALL group, then triple-click on any track to highlight everything.
Use <Shift + Option + 3> on Mac or <Shift + Alt + 3> on Windows to consolidate all tracks — this ensures they all start from the same point.
Open the export window.
Select all tracks in the Track List, right-click, and choose Bounce.
Export settings:

File Type: WAV
Format: Interleaved
Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz
Bit Depth: 24-bit
Make sure Render Volume Automation is enabled

Set destination:
Click Select Directory and choose or create a new folder.
Include your song’s name and BPM in the folder name (e.g. “MyTrack_98BPM”).
Press Bounce to export your files.

Final check:
Create a new session, import the exported files, and make sure everything is aligned and complete.

Zip your multitrack folder and upload it to MajorMixing when placing your order.

Setting	What to send	Why it matters
File format	WAV or AIFF	Never MP3. Lossy files are already missing information a mix engineer would otherwise have to work around.
Bit depth	24-bit	Gives plenty of resolution below the noise floor. Going to 16-bit throws that away for no benefit.
Sample rate	Same as your session	44.1 or 48 kHz is fine — just don’t convert. Resampling on export adds artefacts nobody asked for.
Start point	Bar 1 / timeline zero	Every stem the same length from the same start, so the whole set drops in and lines up without editing.
Peak level	Below -6 dBFS	Leaves headroom to work with. Clipped stems cannot be repaired later.
Master bus	Bypassed	Any limiter or compressor on the 2-bus prints onto every stem and cannot be undone.
Track effects	Bypassed unless integral	Amp sims, special delays and tuned effects are part of the sound — send those as both a dry and a wet version.
Naming	Descriptive	“Kick”, “Lead_Verse”, “Gtr_1_Dry”. Not “Audio_07”. Clear names save hours on a large session.
Also include	Tempo and key	A one-line text file with BPM, key and any tempo changes prevents a lot of guesswork.

This is the spec our engineers ask for on every project. Getting it right the first time is usually the difference between a mix starting today and a mix starting after a round of re-exports.

Exporting this session for a mix? Send it to us instead of fighting it yourself: professional mixing and mastering from $133 per song, 2–3 days per song, 6 revision rounds included. Full prices are on the pricing page.

Exporting stems from Pro Tools — FAQ

What is the fastest way to export all tracks in Pro Tools?

Bounce the tracks with File Type set to WAV, 24-bit, at the session sample rate, and Render Volume Automation enabled. Bouncing the whole set in one pass keeps every file the same length and perfectly aligned, which saves re-exports later.

Should I send stems or the whole Pro Tools project?

Stems, in almost every case. Audio files open anywhere, on any system, with no missing plugins and no version mismatch. A project file only helps if the engineer happens to run the same DAW with the same plugin set, and even then it slows the start of the work.

What do I do with virtual instruments and MIDI?

Print them to audio before you export. A MIDI track is not a stem — it’s an instruction for a plugin that may not exist on the other end. Render each instrument to its own audio track, then export that.

Should volume automation be rendered into the stems?

Yes. The rides you’ve already made are part of the performance, not a mistake to be undone, so we ask for them printed. What should stay off is master bus processing and anything you added just to make the rough mix listenable.

My session is 96 kHz. Should I convert it down first?

No. Export at the session rate and leave the conversion to the end of the chain. Sample rate conversion is one more process between your recording and the finished master, and there’s no reason to spend it before mixing has even started.

How do I send the files once they’re exported?

Zip the folder and upload it with your order. Name the folder with the song title and BPM — for example “MySong_92BPM”. If the archive is large, a cloud link works just as well; what matters is that all the stems arrive together.

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