How to Get a “Shallow” Instrumental With No Vocals

Jun 2026 · 5 min read

Looking for a shallow instrumental no vocals version of the Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper hit? You're not alone. It's one of those songs people reach for at open mics, talent shows, wedding performances, and YouTube covers — and the official karaoke track isn't always easy to find (or doesn't match the album arrangement you actually want).

The good news: you don't need studio stems. With a high-quality audio file and an AI vocal remover, you can build your own backing track in a few minutes and use it for practice, filming, or live performance prep.

Why make your own Shallow instrumental?

An instrumental with the vocals removed is useful for lots of reasons:

Singing practice — learn melody, timing, and dynamics without fighting the original lead vocal.
YouTube or TikTok covers — put your voice on top of a clean-ish backing track.
Live gigs — rehearsal at home before you hit the stage.
Duets and mashups — mute one part and sing harmony over the piano and strings.

Shallow is a strong candidate for separation: it's mostly under four minutes on the album cut, piano-led at the start, and the full band doesn't crash in until later. That usually means better results than dense EDM or live crowd recordings.

What you'll need

A legal copy of the song — purchased download, CD rip, or file you already own. Avoid low-bitrate YouTube rips if you can; they separate worse.
MP3, WAV, M4A, or FLAC — we accept all four. WAV or FLAC is ideal; a 320 kbps MP3 is fine for most covers.
A free SongRemoveVocals account — 10 minutes per day included, no credit card.
Headphones for the quality check step. Seriously, don't skip this.

The album version runs about 3:35, so it fits our five-minute-per-upload limit in one piece. Most 320 kbps files land around 8–10 MB, well under the 15 MB cap.

Step-by-step: Shallow instrumental with no vocals

Follow these steps to remove the vocals and download your instrumental.

Step 1: Prep your audio file

Open the track in any basic editor (Audacity, GarageBand, your phone's files app) and confirm you're using the version you want — album mix, not a live TV performance with crowd noise.

If the file is huge (uncompressed WAV from a pro rip), export a copy at 16-bit / 44.1 kHz or a high-bitrate MP3 for upload. Details in our audio prep guide.

Step 2: Create your account and upload

Go to SongRemoveVocals, sign up with email, and verify the six-digit code we send you. Once you're in, drag Shallow into the upload area or tap to browse.

Processing time depends on queue load — often around one to three minutes for a track this length. You'll see a progress estimate on screen; the job keeps running if you switch tabs.

Step 3: Let the separator do its work

We use AI stem separation (Spleeter in the cloud) to split your file into a vocal stem and an instrumental. You don't pick knobs or models — upload, wait, download.

Shallow has two lead voices in places. No tool gives you a perfect studio acapella from a finished stereo file every time. You might hear a faint ghost vocal on the big chorus — that's normal. For practice and many cover videos, it's still totally usable.

Step 4: Download WAV or MP3

When processing finishes, download WAV if you're syncing video in an editor or running the track through a DAW. Choose MP3 for a quick phone rehearsal or sharing with a bandmate.

Exports have no watermark. The filename keeps your original name so you don't lose track of versions.

Step 5: Listen before you commit

Play the instrumental next to the original and check these spots:

0:00–1:00 — piano intro. Should feel open and clean.
Chorus (“I'm off the deep end…”) — listen for vocal bleed and whether the strings still sound natural.
Final chorus / outro — loudest section; drums and vocals fight hardest here.

If something sounds off, light EQ in a DAW often helps more than re-uploading ten times. A gentle cut around 2–4 kHz can tame ghost vocals. See EQ tricks after separation.

Tips for a better Shallow backing track

Start with the best file you have. Lossless beats a re-compressed social clip every time.
Sing over the instrumental once before you film. You'll notice bleed faster than your audience might.
Leave headroom. Don't slam the backing track to 0 dB in your video editor — leave space for your vocal.
Plan the duet sections. If you're covering both parts solo, mark where Bradley's lines were so you don't get surprised mid-performance.

When to buy a karaoke version instead

AI separation is great for quick, flexible backing tracks. But if you need a note-perfect minus-one for a paid gig, competition, or commercial release, consider buying a licensed karaoke version. Separation won't match a studio-produced instrumental on every song.

For bedroom practice, school performances, and most social covers, a DIY instrumental is usually enough.

Try it on Shallow

Grab the file you own, upload it here, and see how the instrumental sounds in your headphones. Free minutes reset at midnight UTC — enough for a few runs while you dial in your cover.

Disclaimer: “Shallow” is referenced for search and education. We don't distribute copyrighted recordings. Cover videos and public performances may require separate licensing — check before you publish.