Is there a program that can separate the layers of an audio track?

Question

I would like to be able to edit songs I already have to make them karake tracks, just voice tracks, possibly take out drums or other instruments, etc. Is this possible with a computer and a program, or is it a job for more complex equipment? If so, what kind of program?

Answer 1

There is professional level software and hardware that can remove voice and instrument tracks very effectively, but this is very pricey equipment designed for professional studios.

If you are doing this as a hobby or to experiment, then I would recommend the Audacity program which is available for download as trialware at download.com.  It has a pretty good built-in function to remove vocals from a song.  Removing instruments has to be done by hand though and is much tricker, but still do-able if you are willing to invest the time in learning the program.