How to Use Automix Desktop: A Complete Guide

Automix Desktop runs the full Automix engine directly on your Mac or Windows machine. No uploads. No server queues. Your stems stay on your hard drive throughout the session - and because everything processes locally, it runs 2-5x faster than the browser version.

This guide covers everything from stem preparation to DAW export. If you have just downloaded Desktop and want to get straight to it, start at the stem preparation section. If you want to understand what you are working with first, read on.

What is different about Desktop

The AI engine is the same one behind the web version of Automix - built on research from Queen Mary University of London, validated across over 7 million tracks. What changes is where the processing happens.

On Desktop, everything runs on your machine. This has practical consequences. Sessions that might take a few minutes in a browser queue are done in under two minutes on Apple Silicon. You can work without internet once the app is installed - with the exception of Audio Cleanup and Mix Insight, which require a connection. And your audio never touches a RoEx server - RoEx does not train on your audio.

That last point matters more to some producers than others. If you are working on unreleased material, in a studio with patchy internet, or just prefer tools that behave predictably and locally, Desktop was built for that.

System requirements

Mac:

• macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later

• Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 or M4) or Intel 64-bit

• Apple Silicon and Intel are separate installers - download the right one for your chip

Windows:

• Windows 10 64-bit or later

• x86_64 processor (Intel or AMD)

Download at automix.roexaudio.com/desktop.

Preparing your stems

Automix Desktop works on stems - the individual audio files for each element of your track. Get these right before you open the application and the rest of the process is straightforward.

• Export as WAV or AIFF at your session's native sample rate and bit depth. Not MP3.

• Name files clearly. Lead Vocal, Bass, Kick, Snare, Guitars. Automix uses filenames to suggest categories - clear names save time.

• Keep levels sensible. A true peak ceiling of -1dBTP on individual stems leaves headroom for the mix. Stems that are already clipping limit what the AI can do.

• Do not pre-compress stems heavily before importing. Automix makes its own compression decisions per stem. If everything arrives already squashed, those decisions are constrained.

DAW-specific export guides: Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, GarageBand.

Loading and categorising stems

Open Desktop, create a new project, and drag your stems in. Automix will suggest a category for each one based on the filename and audio content. Check every suggestion before moving on - wrong categories are the most common cause of a first preview that does not sound right.

Available categories: Lead Vocal, Backing Vocal, Bass, Kick, Snare, Drums, Lead, Pad, FX, Other. If a stem does not fit neatly - a synth bass with a melodic top end, for example - assign it to whatever best describes its primary job in the arrangement.

Genre and Importance

These two settings have more impact on the result than anything else. Set them before generating a preview.

Genre

Genre tells Automix how to approach the fundamental mix relationships - how bass and kick sit relative to each other, how much space the vocal gets, what the overall frequency balance of the master should target. Pick the genre that best describes the track's primary feel. If the result does not sit right, change the genre and regenerate - it takes a few seconds on Desktop.

Importance

Importance controls how much priority each stem gets in the final mix. High, Medium or Low.

A sensible starting point: Lead Vocal at High, Kick and Bass at High, lead melodic parts at Medium to High, supporting layers and atmospherics at Medium or Low, FX and transitions at Low.

The most common mistake is setting everything to High. It does not make everything louder - it removes the hierarchy that makes the mix feel like it was made by someone who knew what the track was about. Be selective.

Generating and reviewing the preview

Hit generate. On Apple Silicon the preview is significantly faster than the cloud version. On Windows it varies by processor but is consistently faster than the cloud equivalent.

Before you decide whether to download, listen back on at least three systems - headphones, speakers, and your phone or a Bluetooth device. The things to check:

• Is the vocal sitting where it should in the mix?

• Is the low end clear - can you distinguish the kick from the bass, or is it a wall of mud?

• Play it in mono. Does anything important disappear?

• How does the loudness feel relative to other tracks on a streaming playlist?

Fine-Tune panel

If the preview is close but something is off, the Fine-Tune panel lets you adjust individual stem levels relative to the mix without starting again. This is not the same as turning a fader up in your DAW after the fact - you are adjusting the input to the AI's mixing decisions, not overriding the output.

If the vocal feels buried, bring its Importance up slightly and regenerate. If the bass is overwhelming the arrangement on your particular session, pull it back. Tracks with unusual arrangements - a vocal-heavy track with sparse instrumentation, or a dense club track where the kick is everything - benefit most from this step.

DAW export

This is the feature that separates Automix Desktop from every other AI mixing tool. Once you are happy with the preview, you can export the full project back to Ableton Live, Bitwig Studio or Fender Studio.

What you get is not a rendered stereo file with the mix baked in. It is the full session - every EQ curve, compression setting, panning position, gain decision and spatial treatment that Automix made, all visible and editable as native plugins and track settings in your DAW.

If you want to release the Automix mix as-is, it is ready. If you want to adjust the vocal, reshape the reverb on the guitars, or take the low end somewhere specific for a particular sound system, everything is there to work with. The AI does the technical work. You keep the creative control.

To export, select the export option from the menu and choose your DAW format. Open the file in Ableton, Bitwig or Fender Studio.

Downloading the finished master

When you download, Automix Desktop produces two files - the mix and the mastered master. The master targets -14 LUFS integrated with a true peak ceiling of -1dBTP, which is the right target for Spotify, Apple Music and other major streaming platforms. It is ready to send straight to your distributor.

Frequently asked questions

Does Desktop need an internet connection?

Connectivity is required for initial sign-in and for the Audio Cleanup and Mix Insight features. Everything else - stem loading, mixing, mastering, Fine-Tune adjustments and DAW export - runs entirely locally with no internet connection required.

Does RoEx use my audio to train models?

No. Your audio is processed on your machine and never transmitted to RoEx during a Desktop session.

What is the difference between Desktop and the browser version?

The AI engine is identical. Desktop runs locally - 2-5x faster, no uploads, works offline. The browser version processes in the cloud and works on any device without installation.

How many stems can Desktop handle?

Up to 32 stems per session. For larger sessions, group related parts before exporting - all backing vocals to one stem, all rhythm guitars to one stem - and categorise the groups.

Do I need Automix Pro to use Desktop?

Previews are free but include a watermark. A Pro subscription removes the watermark and unlocks release-ready exports. See automix.roexaudio.com/pricing for current plans.

Does Desktop work with the Automix for Ableton Live extension?

Yes - the Ableton extension launching in August 2026 runs on the same Desktop engine. The guide above covers the standalone workflow. The extension removes the export step entirely, running the mix directly inside your Ableton session.