How To Mix With A Reference Track

►► Create radio-worthy songs from your bedroom. Download the FREE Radio Ready Guide and learn the 6 step process to recording and mixing Radio Ready Songs → RadioReadyGuide.com
If you use a reference track right when you’re mixing, it’s very hard to screw up a mix.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, it's a time-tested way to making sure your levels are balanced well, and that your mixes are on the right track.
But it’s not as simple as dropping in a reference into your mix and A/Bing the audio and trying to match it.
After all, it’s not nice to hear how much better a reference mix sounds compared to your rough mix - and you’ve got to know what to listen out for, so your mix is progressing forward, and not moving backward!
In this week’s video, Graham explains how to properly use a reference track when mixing, without any fuss or frustration.
This video is taken from our flagship mixing course, Mixing University. If you'd like to learn more about the course, go to: mixinguniversity.com/
#reference #mixing #recording

[@recordingrevolution]

►► Create radio-worthy songs from your bedroom. Download the FREE Radio Ready Guide and learn the 6 step process to recording and mixing Radio Ready Songs → RadioReadyGuide.com

[@Focused2341]

Would you please do a video on why mixes always sound quiet compared to others when aiming for 11-14 LUFS level? It’s real irritating try to follow the LUFS recommendations set by companies so you can keep dynamic range, but then every other mix on those platforms just blows yours out of the water.

[@TheMixAcademy]

@@Focused2341 You're not alone, man! Most major labels don't care about streaming recommendations. If you like it hot, mix it hot. If not, mix/master more conservatively. The beauty of preference. ;)

[@Focused2341]

@@TheMixAcademy thanks for the feedback! Those LUFS levels sure do make your final decisions take longer. Like I don’t want to completely squash my master by making the average loudness to high, but it’s frustrating listening to a Spotify playlist and having your song come on next, just to realize how much quieter it is in comparison. My latest song is sitting at 14 LUFS perfectly (took some precise tweaks to make it that way), but if I was someone else and my song came on next, I think the gap in loudness is big enough to draw someone’s attention to it and make them question why that is. I want to keep my dynamic range, but not to the point where it’s going to draw attention, or rather the wrong kind of attention, to it. Guess I’ll have to keep working on releasing more content until I find a happy medium. Like how much will the algorithm allow me to push before I completely squash my mix.

[@TheMixAcademy]

@@Focused2341 I tell you what... On your next mix or even when revisiting a recent one, ignore all of the advice you've heard about loudness and do what sounds best to your ears. The only reason to be concerned about loudness is if you hear audible distortion and of course if you lose the essence of the song. If your loudness processing distracts the listener from the intended emotion of the song then adjust accordingly. Most of what I mix/master ends up between -6 and -10. Most importantly, don't beat yourself up by overthinking it! I hope that helps!

[@NickRosaci]

I haven't really recorded songs in years (at least not anything needed to this quality level), and getting back into it, I'm so glad this channel is still around. Graham really explains things simply without talking down, doesn't miss anything. Hell, he actually answers questions just before that exact question pops up in my head. I am pretty sure this KZbin channel is responsible for some of the better KZbin music videos that happened about 10 years ago. Graham (and now Joe): thank you for helping me hone my craft!

[@dr.weeniehutjr]

No seriously this is arguably the most important part. Makes it *almost* easy to go from sounding like a demo to sounding like a finished product. Such a game changer

[@squidcaps4308]

Using reference tracks is maybe the biggest single factor to get my mixes to sound, well, i am somewhat satisfied.. It was a real levelling up moment.

[@SafirLamkhantar]

Sometimes I tend to get crippled: "oh I can't do music, I'm in a horrible room, with non-neutral speakers, the mix is bound to be terrible...". But this video reminded me of this very basic yet essential advice. 👍

[@richardbailey511]

Yep just be you and leave the rest in the hands of fate. That's all you can really do

[@Martin-kn6vc]

It's also worth using reference tracks at the recording stage, and making sure that your source tones are in the ballpark of the reference tracks that you're using, that way your mix comes together a lot easier.

[@simpletown323]

Ive been thinking about that but it never really clicked for me to pull a reference track in so i can compare prior to recording

[@Martin-kn6vc]

@@simpletown323 I don't personally drag tracks into the session, but I make a Spotify playlist before the session, then make notes on the songs that inspire the sounds of each instrument I'm recording as a general guide.

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

Huge thumbs up. Makes mixing much easier.

[@IrishRover79]

In Pro Tools, a good way of integrating a reference track is to route your mix buss to an audio track which you put the reference on. When input monitoring on this track is on, you hear your mix. When it’s off, you hear the reference. This means you only need to click one button to alternate. You can also store different references on different playlists.

[@noir4659]

It's a good one but input monitoring gives you a momentary "cut off", a literal matter of mili-seconds of silence between your mixbus and your reference, but that's enough time for our ears to re-adjust and lose objectivity. Best way (that I've found) is to do it the analog way: send your mixbus to interface output 1-2, and your reference to interface output 3-4, have them both hooked up to a monitor controller like the BigKnob. Hit the input selection button to switch between the two, boom, you got yourself an instant switch with no audio cut-off in between. Just be sure to use good quality and, more importantly, similar cables for connectivity since that's the only thing that could impair reference accuracy

[@richardbailey511]

That's great info. I've gotta try that.

[@TISTWORLD]

Great tip

[@MosheBenChaim]

In Ableton you just assign any button you want

[@hectorqwer]

This is the most important tip, I wish I had learned it earlier in my life

[@ronallen2458]

Every mix that I have done that I liked AND my client liked used reference tracks in this way. I referenced them at every stage. I think this is solid advice. Nice video.

[@lucaslazari86]

Graham your videos are the best! Most of my knowledge in music production comes from your channel. Thanks a lot!

[@dreambeliever3652]

Man dude... this is the best reference track video you’ve put out. Thx alot

[@danielandersonmusic6702]

Excellent Graham. I needed to hear this!!!!

[@PhillTHEMusic84]

Great video. Simple but gold worthy technique.

[@charlesrobichaud-parahawkm4088]

Thank you for sharing. This was outstanding and super kind of you to provide this helpful do-it-yourself It can only elevate individuals.

[@dachreport]

Great video Graham. I've only just recently started using references again and it's a great help. I was shooting in the dark 😬 Thanks 👍

[@ozdrjohn]

great video - really clearly explained... thanks!!!

[@420scene]

Good call on the reference track. I never actually thought of doing that before. I would always compare volumes from the reference song but never had it side by side with the master track.

[@landonfinnerty2391]

Nice one Graham. Thanks. People say do this, but, don't show you how to do it.

[@garfieldoliveira1458]

Wow thanks G this is amazing, huge cloud of my eyes, thanks much, this is Gold.

[@ConnRDR20]

Something I know I need to do but have been skipping over recently - thanks for the reminder to stop being lazy!

[@Jaredkfjones]

Likewise!

[@heartbroken6173]

Very helpful tutorial, thank you, angry man. Liked and saved.

[@lworxrecordschristianlabel2893]

Great content! Thank you!

[@EliPrinsensHVTVocals]

Very helpful! Thanks.

[@JameelDLS]

So helpful, thanks alot

[@schyzofriend8596]

Thank you very much 💜

[@erniegalarza4266]

Excellent.

[@thegroove2000]

Your tuts are superb by the way. Thanks.

[@DeepFriedHallelujah]

He do have some nice tuts unfortunately no pics in this vid 😢

[@chinmeysway]

Could also use references to help remember what everything sounds like already - a great guid to make something different.

[@thegroove2000]

Fabfilter pro q 3 has the feature as well. To load a ref tracks to analyze.

[@clear_gray_sky539]

I recently learned about parallel compression and distortion ( duplicating a track adding a lot of compression and distortion on it then blending it in to the original track) it can make my mixes very loud and it’s easy to do

[@fumetsudragons418]

hello could you explain more...? is there any video showing that? thank you

[@DocKaosBeats]

@@fumetsudragons418 Check out Devon Terrell he has videos on it

[@operarocks]

I wish voice teachers and students understood this. Your brain lies to you. Reboot it. The best learning is in contrast to something else. This tactic is so easy to do, and yet hard on our egos. Thanks Graham. Way to throw down the gauntlet

[@terryrahn6595]

I use a reference track when I record, nothing beats a good start.

[@thegroove2000]

Yer man that makes perfect sense.

[@cholkymilkmirage4984]

how do you go about this?

[@BloodwolfMusic]

I miss you Graham

[@lotustaixtyson2464]

Thank you for the tips.. I've been mixing a lot of songs but they never translate in other places

[@mmount4963]

Not sure about pro tools, but in the DAWs I have used, if you mute a track you can simply hit the solo button to switch between the mix and the reference giving you an immediate comparison without hearing them at the same time for moment.

[@vewilli]

Very good. 👍🏻👏🏻 Now, if only I could find a reference track that sounds like my music. 😒

[@jakejuvell4260]

thanks great video! what's your setup? your audio is super clean. did you do any post editing or is this just the raw audio?

[@stuartwrigglesworth9339]

You are right

[@jbuggsyraps32]

before reference mixing became a thing what did the professionals use as a reference the first time?

[@ramymoustafasaber]

great, but i can not download tracks from spotify or something, so, can i stream these tracks aonline, then start to see the difference? or you have another solution?

[@thegroove2000]

With something like izotope insight is helpful.

[@MendingSilence]

Can you help me with my gain staging, mixing and balancing my tracks?

[@ServingMyJesus]

Are iTunes downloads closer to WAV than MP3 downloads? I ask, because I have heard that we should not use MP3s as reference tracks.

[@oliverqueen3434]

What you think about Fostex 6301B small monitors? I found to buy them cheap. Do they can do auratones job? And do i need a pair or single mono speaker is enough.

[@MendingSilence]

Now I’m just confused, so how did you do your gain staging before? Did you use a VU or a LUFS meter before you started leveling your tracks to the reference? Or

[@jesse_cole]

I'm still not sold on this argument from Graham. Sure, we should "shoot for the best," and compare our mixes to the best mixes, but those mastered mixes didn't achieve that quality solely in the mix phase. If we want our mixes to sound like theirs, then it stands to reason that we should seek to emulate the quality of their pre-mastered mixes while we're mixing, then try to emulate their final quality while we're in the mastering stage, lest we risk over-processing our mixes.

[@noir4659]

It's not an issue if you know what you're listening for. A final master might be very different from its mix in terms of dynamic range - FINE - then don't reference it. Go for other aspects: low-end balance, stereo image, reverb & depth, etc, these are aspects that a good mastering engineer would usually never mess with, or at least never with big moves, so shoot for those aspects when referencing

[@jesse_cole]

@@noir4659 That's good advice.

[@rager1969]

I heard someone on KZbin advocate against using reference tracks. It might have been Jordan on this very channel.

[@jjgkffkffjkfkfkfkffjff6804]

Did the first song mixed use a reference track?

[@dafingaz]

🙏🏾🙌🏾

[@pnomaster86]

Can I use Spotify when doing references instead putting an Wav/Mp3 in the session?

[@Kellz_777]

Not recommend but it’s probably better than nothing. You can probably get a general feel for the characteristics you’re aiming for just from objectively listening to your reference song (Which is the most important thing.) But if you’re really trying to emulate the overall sonic imprint of a reference then you will need it in your session so you can accurately A-B the material.

[@scotbyrdmusic]

I get the importantance of using a reference track - what no one ever addresses is DRM - will your DAW allow importing a track downloaded from a DSP market?

[@Kellz_777]

There’s no DRM issues that I’ve come across. I’ve got a reference folder that I’ve made from my iTunes purchases. I just drag a track from within iTunes to the folder and it copies in there. Then it’s just a matter of importing them into an audio track in the DAW.

[@spencerimre]

8:36 rick rubin hearing this and crying

[@Uzi2k-]

Fast foward to 4:32 if you want to get to the point.

[@rune288]

Can you download files from Spotify?

[@skoneal007]

Kindda begs the question how did the very first tracks get a good mix without reference tracks. 🐓🐣I’m pretty sure you can be objective for more than 2 seconds. Having said that ear fatigue is a real thing and you need to know when to stop and try again later.

[@MendingSilence]

I didn’t see the mastering stage ?

[@christopherheadcase6886]

So the question i have is.. Does it have to be a high quality wav file or is an mp3 good enough as a reference? What type of one republic track did you pull in? Was it wav or mp3? Since every song everyone get from online purchases are mp3

[@simonturner1]

The difference between an MP3 and a Wav is a lot less than audio snobs want to admit. Back in the early days of the internet, sure, but when you can now get digital releases as 320kbps MP3, the difference is negligible.

[@christopherheadcase6886]

@@simonturner1 cool i just wanted to make sure an mp3 was good enough to use as a reference track cuz I dont have a lot of reference wavs laying around

[@alanbit123]

Not sure why you created that extra Mix Buss.

[@bpxo.creations]

So who got the 1st "label quality mix"" If they didn't have a reference to use?

[@waynechoga2816]

If everyone has been mixing referencing to this 1st “label quality mix” then okay, that’s fine. But we all mixing to someone else’s mix which was theoretically referenced against a better sounding track. Does that mean mixes will perpetually and incrementally just keep getting worse and worse?? It’s a pyramid scheme this! Run for your lives 🏃🏾! Leave your mixes and run for your lives!!

[@adammaznev4069]

Top google searches after this video --> youtube to mp3 converter

[@zachtoom]

Sounds like a Gavin DeGraw track - dig it

[@larsthomasdenstad9082]

I am in no way an audiophile or have great ears (47 years old). But I reference quite religiously myself, but I think not trying to reference WAV/FLAC is a huge misstep if you easily have the option of doing it. Pro mixes are just insanely different in the top-end pre-compression. Listening to compressed audio will often muffle your target. It is true that most people cannot hear the difference in a blind test on consumer equipment, but that is a completely different argument than the one I am making. On most equipment I use for music production I can consistently hear the difference clearly. And I think that if you, when using pro equipment, target the best quality you can get your hands on, it will turn out better. Personally, the biggest issue I have had with not using WAV/FLAC is that the very top-end sounds are muffled. You can offset this somewhat by using Streamliner, and while I like that plugin, getting it right by knowing what you are supposed to try to match just seems like a way simpler solution to me. I can really in a blind test easily hear the difference between a FLAC and what, way, Spotify gives you. But then I have expensive listening hardware that I am familiar with.

[@hextatik_sound]

No chance huh? I use reference tracks occasionally and used them a lot back in the days, but if you've been mixing stuff for over 20 years, you can do just fine without reference track.

[@jesse_cole]

I think this argument is both right and wrong. You can certainly do fine, even great without a reference mix. He'll, you might do a lot better than a good reference mix on your own. But the reference mix argument likely has some merit when it comes to a mix's commercial value. These days, more and more popular music sounds the same, and the mixers who are churning our that same "sound" are the ones who are more likely to have a "hit" on their hands. So by using a popular reference track, we're a lot more likely to achieve that millennial/zoomer thing in our mixes, and then the millennials and zoomer kids are more likely to want to stream and download it. But yeah, actual quality of sound has very little to do with reference track mixing, I think, unless you're personally chasing the sound of a record you like.

[@emreuludogann]

After 5 years of mixing, the best thing I wish I could do is use references. please!! please do it! I am "please". You cannot make a good mix if you are below the intermediate level. you just cannot!

[@beyondcomposition]

It was said to use wav and not mp3's How could someone get hold of a professional wav's of a commercial song..????

[@itzdm0r3]

One way is to buy the CD version of the album, that's how I get the wave files. You can also download an apple lossless file from Apple music/iTunes.

[@MosheBenChaim]

And use your ears not your eyes with this trick.

[@tmnl8037]

Unable to concentrate about what this video is about due to constant disruptions by KZbin placing advertisements every so often. It is a total disaster caused by greed of KZbin money grabbing advertisements. By the time the advertisements are over I was totally distracted at what the content of the video was supposed to convey to the watcher of the video.KZbin is a total failure and this video needs to be uploaded to an alternative website that is not filled with constant video disruptions. Perhaps upload it to Vimeo instead because all this advertising by KZbin is total bullshit!

[@Matt_Morgan]

Yawn!

[@mdp303]

Make you point once, I’m 3rd of the way through and you are just Labouring the same point over, and over, and over, and over, and over , and over again. I agree by the way, but if not preaching to the choir, your audience just went over to watch the latest Beato

[@onimisilovesonmusic4548]

Massive.. very helpful...thanks