Our verdict: Ultimate Vocal Remover is the go-to free tool for making karaoke tracks, acapellas and stems on your own PC. It bundles many separation models and runs them locally, much faster on an NVIDIA GPU. The interface is dense, and the last stable installer dates from 2023 while the next major version is still in development.
About Ultimate Vocal Remover
Ultimate Vocal Remover (UVR) is an open-source GUI under the MIT license that removes vocals from audio with source separation models. Its core developers, Anjok07 and aufr33, trained the bundled models except the Demucs v3 and v4 four-stem models. The Windows installer includes Python, PyTorch and all dependencies.
You can choose between MDX-Net, Demucs and VR Architecture models to extract vocals, instrumentals or separate stems. Extra tools change pitch or time-stretch audio. GPU conversion needs at least an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB, with 8 GB of VRAM recommended; AMD and Intel Arc users can try a separate DirectML build marked beta. Everything runs offline.
What it does well
- Vocal and stem separation. Extracts vocals, instrumentals or individual stems from songs.
- Several model families. MDX-Net, Demucs and VR Architecture models, many trained by the UVR team.
- GPU acceleration. Uses NVIDIA GPUs for much faster conversions; CPU also works.
- All-in-one installer. Bundles Python, PyTorch and dependencies, so nothing else is needed.
- Pitch and tempo tools. Changes pitch or time-stretches audio with Rubber Band.
Who it is for
Good fit
Musicians, DJs and karaoke fans who want acapellas, instrumentals or stems without an online service.
Look elsewhere
PCs with little disk space, and AMD or Intel GPU users who want a stable accelerated build.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free and open source (MIT)
- Many high-quality separation models
- Runs offline on your own PC
- Fast with an NVIDIA GPU
Cons
- Last stable installer is from 2023
- Must be installed on the C: drive
- AMD and Intel GPU support only in a beta build
How to install Ultimate Vocal Remover
The button downloads the official UVR 5.6 installer from GitHub. Install it to the main C: drive; the developers warn that a secondary drive causes instability. With an AMD Radeon or Intel Arc card, the DirectML build linked on the project page is an option, but it is a beta.
Questions about Ultimate Vocal Remover
Is Ultimate Vocal Remover free?
Yes. UVR is open source under the MIT license and free to use. Donations are optional.
Do I need a graphics card for Ultimate Vocal Remover?
No, it runs on the CPU too, but slowly. For GPU conversions the developers list an NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB as the minimum and recommend 8 GB of VRAM.
