How to keep every version of a song organized (mixes, stems, notes)

Give every bounce a version number and a date in its name (Song Title – v07 – 2026-10-12.wav), keep each version in its own folder with its stems, and write down what changed next to it. Never overwrite an old version and never name anything “final”. Keep the lyrics and split sheet with the song, not in a separate app.

Name every version the same way

Song Title – v07 – 2026-10-12 – mix.wav

v07: a number with a leading zero, so v10 sorts after v09.
The date: year first, so names sort by date too.
What it is: mix, master, instrumental, a cappella, TV mix.

One folder per version

Song Title / v07 / the mix, the master and a Stems folder.
A short text file beside them: what changed, the tempo, the key, the sample rate.
Old versions stay where they are. Delete only when the song is released and archived.

Keep the words with the song

Lyrics: one file per song, updated in place, with sections marked ([Verse], [Chorus]).
Split sheet: who wrote what and the shares, signed by everyone before release.
Notes: production and mix notes with the time they refer to.

Back up the session, not just the bounces

A bounce cannot be remixed. Keep the DAW project too, with its audio copied inside it. See how to back up Logic Pro projects.

Common questions

Why not call the last mix “final”?

Because there is always one more. “final_v2” and “final_REAL” follow, and nobody can tell which is newest. A number that only goes up always can.

Should stems go with every version?

Yes, when the arrangement or the mix changed. Stems from v04 do not line up with the master of v07, and the engineer will ask.

How do I compare two mixes fairly?

Match their loudness first, then switch between them at the same point in the song. The louder one almost always sounds better otherwise.

Where should notes from the engineer go?

Next to the version they are about, with the time in the song they refer to (“1:42 vocal too loud”), so they can be checked off.

Or let Songcase keep it

Songcase keeps every version of every song in order with its stems, plays any two side by side, takes notes at a moment in the track, and holds the lyrics (with rhymes) and the split sheet with the song. Project backups go in the same place. It comes with Lucid Lab Pro. See Songcase.