Export and render

What "export" means

When you click Export WAV (or pick MP3 from the dropdown chevron next to it), the DAW rebuilds your entire project in an offline audio context - a faster-than-realtime renderer that processes the full timeline, every track, and every effect, then writes the result to a downloadable file. For control over format and quality (bit depth, sample rate, bitrate, loudness, stems), use Render options... in the same dropdown - see Render options below.

The render covers:

• All audio clips on all tracks
• Track volume, pan, mute, and solo state
• Volume and pan automation
• Track-level effects (chains attached to specific tracks)
• Master-bus effects
• Master volume

Plus a 2-second tail at the end so reverb and delay can decay naturally.

WAV vs MP3

WAV is recommended for any "real" use of the audio. Use MP3 when file size matters more than fidelity. The quick Export WAV button gives you a 16-bit / 44.1 kHz file; to render higher-resolution WAV (24-bit, 48/96 kHz), FLAC, or a normalized master, use Render options below.

The export flow

1. Click Export WAV in the header
2. The button shows a "Rendering..." spinner
3. Your browser opens a save dialog within a few seconds (longer for long projects)
4. Open the file in any audio player to verify

For MP3:

1. Click the small chevron next to Export WAV to open the format menu
2. Pick MP3
3. The button label changes to "Export MP3" and an export starts immediately
4. The first part renders to WAV, then uploads to the audio service for compression
5. The MP3 downloads when conversion is complete (typically 5 to 15 seconds for a 3-minute song)

Render options (format, quality, stems)

For full control, open the export dropdown (the chevron) and choose Render options.... A dialog lets you set:

• Format - WAV (lossless), FLAC (lossless, compressed to about half the size), or MP3 (lossy).
• Bit depth (WAV/FLAC) - 16-bit (CD quality), 24-bit (studio and distribution standard), or 32-bit float (maximum headroom, WAV only). Higher bit depth means more dynamic-range detail and a larger file.
• Sample rate - 44.1 kHz (CD / most streaming), 48 kHz (video and modern distribution), or 96 kHz (high-resolution). The mix is rendered at the rate you pick.
• MP3 bitrate - 320, 192, or 128 kbps (shown only for MP3). 320 is the highest MP3 quality.
• Loudness - None (leave levels as mixed), Peak -1 dBFS (raise so the loudest sample sits just below the ceiling), or Normalize to -14 LUFS (streaming loudness target) / -9 LUFS (louder). LUFS normalization matches the perceived-loudness targets that Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music use.
• Stems - tick "Export each track as its own file" to render every track separately (its own fader, pan, and effects, without the master bus), for mixing elsewhere or building sample packs. Set an export folder first so the stems land together.

FLAC, MP3, and LUFS-normalized renders finish on the server (the same pipeline the Mastering tool uses); plain WAV renders entirely in your browser. A 24-bit / 48 kHz WAV is the safe default for a distribution-ready master.

You can also just ask the AI-Engineer: "render a 24-bit 48k WAV", "bounce a 320 MP3", "export FLAC stems", or "render and get me to -14 LUFS". See The AI-Engineer.

What if export fails

"No audio clips in project" - the timeline is empty. Drop at least one clip on a track and try again.

Spinner hangs / never finishes (MP3 only) - the audio service is unreachable. Try WAV instead, or wait a minute and retry. WAV is always client-side and reliable.

File downloads but is silent - check that:

• At least one track is not muted
• Master volume fader is above zero
• No track is soloed except a silent one
• Effects are not bypassing all signal (a wet-only delay with no dry signal can look like silence at start)

Audio cuts off too early - the renderer measures duration from the latest clip end. If your last note has a long reverb tail, extend the clip itself or add a silent clip at the end so the measured duration is long enough.

Distorted / clipping audio - reduce master volume, or add a Limiter on the master bus (Pro effect). Many AI-generated tracks are already loud, and stacking multiple tracks pushes the sum past 0 dBFS.

One track sounds different in the export than in playback - usually a Pro effect that does not render on your plan. Check the effects on that track and bypass any with a PRO badge to confirm.

Filename and where it saves

Files save with the pattern {project-title}_{timestamp}.{ext} (for example, My Mix_1715281234567.wav). By default they go to your browser's Downloads folder.

Export folder: to send exports to a specific folder for the session instead, open the AI-Engineer panel and click Export folder, then pick your folder (for example a "My-Sample-Pack" folder). After that, both the main Export button and the AI batch export save straight into that folder. Browsers do not let a page write to a typed absolute path for security, so you choose the folder through the picker. This is available in Chrome and Edge; on other browsers exports use Downloads.

Batch export for sample packs

Instead of exporting one mix at a time, you can export several full-song WAV mixes at once by asking the AI-Engineer. For example:

"Export full WAV mixes of: drums muted, bass and drums only, and vocals only."

Each mix mutes or solos the right tracks, renders through this same engine, and saves as its own named WAV, then your live mix is restored. There is also a one-click Foundational Samples preset (Full Mix, Drumless Mix, Vocal Mix, Bass and Drums, plus each track as its own stem) that confirms the list with you before exporting. Set an export folder first so the whole pack lands together. See The AI-Engineer.

What is NOT in the export

• Sample previews (clicking the play icon on a library item) - those are just for auditioning
• Sample tabs / SFX tabs that you have not dragged onto a track
• The metronome click track
• Looping - the export renders one full pass of the timeline, not a loop

What to do with the file

• Upload to SoundCloud, Bandcamp, or YouTube (WAV gets re-encoded by their servers, so there is no quality penalty)
• Re-import into the DAW as a new track if you want to layer further
• Run through the Mastering tool for a final polish pass. The Mastering tool is separate from this DAW export: it runs a Pedalboard processing chain plus loudness normalization, and its output is a 24-bit / 48 kHz WAV. That is a full studio-master pass; the DAW's own Render options can already give you a 24-bit / 48 kHz WAV (with optional LUFS normalization), while Mastering adds the dedicated processing chain on top.
• Generate a Track Reel (social Shorts of your song) from the Track Reels page
• Pin it as a Soul Forge band identity if it represents an artist persona

Where to go next

• Effects and rack - shape the sound before exporting
• Tracks and clips - timeline mechanics