How To Use A Reference Track To Improve Both Your Mixing & Arrangement

This video will show you how to use a reference track in order to get a cleaner and more professional-sounding mix. Reference tracks are used by many professionals and can be a very powerful tool when it comes to getting a better mix. This is a trick professionals use all the time when mixing and mastering. Plugins like this makes the job much easier. If you're a music producer who's struggling with mixing and mastering then this technique will come in very handy.
It allows you to get a more objective view on your own mix, by comparing it to a commercial track that has been professionally mixed and mastered.
By studying a professional track, and analyzing the mixing and mastering you can better adjust your own mix to sound similar to the commercial track.
If you use a plugin such as the reference plugin shown in this video, it will also compensate for any difference in volume, which can also come in very handy. Usually, when comparing your own premaster to a fully mixed and mastered track, it will tend to sound dull and lifeless in comparison. That's not so much of a problem using a plugin such as the reference 2 for example.
☑️ Buy the Reference plugin here: www.pluginboutique.com/produc...
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MICROPHONE:
☑️ Audio-Technica Cardioid Condenser Studio XLR Microphone: geni.us/at2020microphone
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XLR CABLES:
☑️ TISINO 35 ft Balanced XLR cable for mic: geni.us/xlr3ftoxlr3m
☑️ Monoprice 6 ft Balanced XLR Cable for monitors: geni.us/monoprice104761
SHORTCUT KEYBOARD:
☑️ Backlit FL Studio Shortcut Keyboard: geni.us/flstudio-keyboard
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📧 Other inquiries?
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[@FireWalkMusic]

☑️ Buy the Reference plugin here: www.pluginboutique.com/product/3-Studio-Tools/95-Referencing-Tools/10218-REFERENCE-2-FREE-Copy-Of-EXPOSE-2/?a_aid=5d496680b59cd ✔️ VST & Effect Plugins: pluginboutique.com/?a_aid=5d496680b59cd ✔️ Premium Loops And Sample Packs: www.loopmasters.com/?a_aid=5d496680b59cd Want professional feedback on your track? Mixing or Mastering? www.fiverr.com/firewalk Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/firewalkmusic

[@Miszor420]

Hands down to the best music production channel on KZbin. I know there are alot of great channels and I appreciate everyone of them, but for real tho you're explaining everything so clear, step by step and it all actually works (this should be obvious, but i have watched tons of tutorials, which just didnt work). In couple days just by watching your videos i figured out tons of stuff i've been struggling for months... thank you

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks for that awesome feedback! I'm very happy to hear that you have found the content helpful, and feedback like this really motivate me to keep on making these videos. I spend a lot of time making every single video because I want it to be perfect. I rewrite the script over and over until I'm certain that it's as simple and logical as possible. Even a simple 15 minute video can take me days to produce. I'm glad to see that it's worth it. :)

[@RaptureMusicOfficial]

My opinion is - Just mix how you like it. Make a pause and return later to your own mix and continue to work on it. You don't need other peoples references. Don't overestimate mixing and mastering. It's about the melody, harmonies, quality of your arrangement. That's the most important thing. A great mix can't save a bad song. EQ your track how you like it. Don't mimick or copy other peoples mixes or sound. If you think your mix sounds good, then it's good. Simple as that!

[@modernmabuse]

Yes! Why should I listen to a song that has a bad melody but a good mix?

[@RaptureMusicOfficial]

@@modernmabuse Yep :D

[@Draion1989]

Very helpfull, as always. Thank you very much for making these, you help me to improve so much!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks, glad to hear it! :)

Man, I love your videos. Your explanation is very clear. Congratulations for your job

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

[@thomas_rellum]

First video that I played from you, and what a quality ! Best tutorial 👍🏻

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hey, thanks! Glad to hear that you like the video. We spend a lot of time trying to make all our videos as short, straight to the point and easy to understand as possible. :)

[@thomas_rellum]

FireWalk I’m french, altought you have american accent I understand very well that you said and course your explantions are easy & clear.

[@romanefimov7544]

Your channel just explains me all my questions about fl studio. Thank you for being on youtube

[@FireWalkMusic]

Glad to hear it :) You're welcome

[@kalashsarode]

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thank you! Glad to hear that you found it helpful! :)

[@dedemcx8305]

Your tutorials are the best !!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Much appreciated :)

[@maddamon788]

Fantastic clarity and quality content. Thank you!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

[@arnabsarkar8829]

You deserve a lot more subscribers dude...hats off and thank you

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks, very much appreciated :)

[@Okarnuger]

Wow. Thanks for letting me know about this plug-in, Will use this one alot :) Thanks again for all great videos

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@kevintran9321]

Awesome video! I'm definitely getting this plugin. Thanks! :)

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@sofamorto]

Wow, I never thought about using a reference track in that way, thanks for the idea! ;)

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome! :D

[@jevolent]

you are an extremely competent teacher! Thank you!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thank you, glad you found it useful :)

[@Juanszitoo]

very good breakdown, thank you very much.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

[@Sawer]

This might be the answer to my mixproblem that bugged me for months! Gonna try it soon! +1sub :)

[@FireWalkMusic]

Glad you found it helpful :)

[@msgsaltsweet]

So inspiring explanation. Thank you so much again.

[@wazya5270]

Amazing tutorial again,thank you very much!

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@MarcoBoomin]

Just what I was looking for! I Dig it!!!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Glad you liked it :)

[@MajistaPheres]

Thanks for these videos! Very very awesome channel

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks, glad to hear that you like the videos :)

[@Nortsan197]

I wish all the tutorials are like this, really helpful sir!🤗

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

[@daaamn001]

And here we go again! Another one ☝️😁😏👍🏾!

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's been a few weeks now since the last one. I've been so busy lately. Hopefully people will find this useful :)

[@daaamn001]

FireWalk don’t worry 😉 u doing pretty good:)! I really needed it, this kind of tutorial. Mastering the mix has pretty good and easy plug ins :)

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks :) Yeah, they have some really good & very useful plugins for mixing and mastering.

[@daaamn001]

FireWalk indeed!👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@spiritvoys]

Thank you,so much for your help , greeitings from Sweden !

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome! :)

[@Speechrezz]

Ooooo love that new intro and stuff really fancy :0

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks :)

[@tinodadon]

Completely made my day with this video! Big help on how to use reference. Had a question. Say your track is too dynamic in the mid compared to the reference, would you compress your master bus with a multiband or Compress individual elements in the mid range? Thanks!

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's always best to fix any problems in the mix. You're not really supposed to fix problems during the mastering stage unless you have no other choice. :)

[@o_wildstyle_o7857]

very good vid bro!! no questions left..

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks :)

[@alamg669]

Another great tutorial!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

[@MrDjdetto]

I really like your videos ,this is the best KZbin channel to learn everything about music production.Can you make a video how to mix the kick with the bass and after that how to mix one more sound for example the lead?

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad you like the videos. Good suggestion, I'll put it on my list :)

[@iplayddr3789]

love your videos!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thank you! Glad to hear it :)

[@Guilty404]

Thanks for these videos, but can you make a full mixing tutorial covering some important topics like EQ, Compression, Saturation, Reverb actually I don't know when to use reverb and when not to use it?

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome. I already have a few tutorials about mixing actually, like how to EQ, how to get the levels right and how to layer leads etc. I'm planning on making more though, so that I eventually have a complete "how to mix" series. :)

[@Zentamusic]

fantastic video!!!!!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks, glad you liked it 😀

[@bedtimeread]

Great vid, thank you!

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@Whatsthedealman]

Hi and thanks for the review and insights! Would this software work for a singer-songwriter trying to reference more acoustic-based music, particularly with matching vocals and guitar sounds?

[@FireWalkMusic]

Yes :)

[@B.E.R.T.]

Gonna try this out today!

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's great! :)

[@Goran-Mogli]

Big thanks!

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome

[@davelang4329]

really great tutorial thanks for the info.....

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@sumit5288]

Hello FireWalk, I found out that you're tutorials are really effective. I was just wondering if you could do a video about Mastering with Izotope 7 or 8 in fl studio, it would be very helpful.

[@FireWalkMusic]

I'm planning on making a video about mastering. In fact, I have many more mixing related videos planned. :)

[@sumit5288]

Well thanks for the response. Eagerly waiting for those stuffs.

[@Bongomoviestz]

Firewalk my qn is i always am using Fl but i don`t know should i put any plugin to the mix bus before or after mixing to mix down a beat ready for recordin??

[@FireWalkMusic]

Do you mean if you should mix with mastering plugins on the master bus?

[@WaziiMusic]

Has anyone ever told you that you have a golden voice? Cuz' you do!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks :)

[@tejasmanchi4694]

very nice tut man

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks :)

[@cesarnova6179]

super dope bro realy good video can you make more mastering and uplifting trance videos in the futur thank you & good luck

[@FireWalkMusic]

Sure, I'll try! :) Thanks

[@suptho808]

You're a legend

[@FireWalkMusic]

Glad you liked it :D

[@muhammedalikesici9927]

Please make a tutorial to how to eq premade drum loops or any loop which contains different stuffs in it. Bass,lead or anything else. And also mixing a sub bass is very necessary for a lot of genres in these days. How can we fattener a sub bass (808) or smoother without killing its characteristics? Can we use 808 and bassline at the same time etc... This would be a great one.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll put it on my list. But to answer your question: Usually you have to choose between a thumping kick or a rumbling bass. You usually can't have both at the same time. Psy Trance has both powerful kicks and bass, but the kicks are extremely short, which is why they get away with it. An 808 is a totally different beast. So a rule of thumb would be to either have a low going kick and a cutoff bass, or a cutoff kick and a low going bass. I hope that helps. :)

[@PuppiesVideosCompilation]

1:23 that's so me hahahaha

[@FireWalkMusic]

I think we have all been there :D

[@ShoaibKhan-bz5qm]

Producer's hangover lmao

[@djjireh]

very very good video thanks!!!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks, you're welcome :)

[@tslinofficial6586]

Very helpful great job sir

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks

[@scrumtios0]

holy shit im sold!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Glad you found it useful :)

[@khalilsingh]

Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! :)

[@kingmadeofficial6124]

The song sounds amazing

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Much appreciated :)

[@WellAnimated]

Are you reading my mind with your tutorials?

[@FireWalkMusic]

I take it you found it useful :D I'm constantly trying to figure out which tutorials will be the most helpful to my viewers, and this is something I wish was available back in the day when I first started making music. :)

[@Trazodonemusic]

can't stop thinking of that "how its made" comment lol

[@FireWalkMusic]

:p

[@coolmenthol]

FW, is the reference track source file format matter? I mean like mp3/AAC using lossy compression and it may have artifact or even lost frequencies.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Yes, I recommend using as high quality as possible. You can go to beatport for example and buy your favorite tracks there, and download the high quality wav version. That's what I often do. It only cost 2-3 dollars at the most. :)

[@drake2381]

Firewalk you are amazing i learn about a lot of thing from your channel so plz make a video in which you teach everything about massiv

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks! Glad I could be of help :)

[@Cryptiiix]

Can you map the switch button to a keyboard shortcut or midi knob so you can make changes and switch at the same time?

[@FireWalkMusic]

I haven't tried myself but I suspect that's possible, yes.

[@djraffis]

Not sure but I think you can load up all your mastering plugins on your premaster. Than keep the master channel empty, load up your refernce track and set the reference track to your master channel. Then mute back and forth from master to pre master channels.

[@Haj_S.e.x.y]

Wonderful just like every time , Please can you publish a tutorial about "midside processing", ? What is it and what use it for , Thank you for your help Your have best tutorial in you tube

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thank you, much appreciated! I'll put it on my list :)

[@farcry79]

I don't get it, so if you press the button top right to automatically adjust the volume to your track then if you start adjusting levels to try match, wouldn't the volume of the reference go down as well? If thats the case how are you meant to get a balance., am I missing something along the lines?

[@FireWalkMusic]

It will match the overall loudness so that it's the same. But you're right to point this out, it's one thing that's worth keeping in mind, if you increase your kick by 10 dB for example then it will of course affect everything. I don't recommend keeping that option on while mixing, because it will constantly try to readjust, which is as you pointed out annoying. Instead, I recommend using this plugin to get a feel for how it sounds, and get a mental image of what needs adjusting, then you try to mix it down without the plugin, and then you go back and check if it's better. Ideally they should implement an option to make sure this feature is only active when the plugin is focused for example. That way it wouldn't mess up anything when you're not actively using it and trying to mix.

[@MK-pn3lm]

Thanks for this helpful video! Did i understand right: when the white line is above the 0 db line, then is my mix in this area to loud? And the higher the purple lights are, the more my mix is ​​compressed than the reference track? Many greetings from germany

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome. Not necessarily, it just means that your mix has more energy in that frequency band compared to the reference track. It doesn't have to mean that it's too loud. Every track is different. :)

[@MK-pn3lm]

@@FireWalkMusic thanks for your Message! :) how i can fix it, that my mix get the same level of energy? Do i have to cut more frequencies?

[@johnnyanko6051]

Thanks!! :)

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@Iluzmusic]

Hey Firewalk! What would be the ideal setting(slope, block size) on Span analyser for mixing using a reference track?

[@FireWalkMusic]

That depends on a lot of things. How much CPU you want to use and what you're using it for. Are you just out to get a good overview? Or perhaps you're using it to detect certain problems in the mix? For comparing a reference track you probably just need to see an average, so the default settings will probably do.

[@Iluzmusic]

FireWalk I'm using span to detect masking frequencies and phase correlation issues. So for this the default settings would do right?

[@Suchitttt]

Can we use this plugin seprately in sub mixter before mastering.

[@FireWalkMusic]

I usually just place a limiter on my master and push it up a little to "simulate" the squashing that goes on during the mastering, it will bring you closer to the end result for comparison purposes.

[@controllerbrain]

One more thing, at what point in your mix did you start using the ref plugin/tracks? I was thinking of using it right from the start, as soon as I load the first kick drum. Is that the idea?

[@FireWalkMusic]

There's no rules. Whatever works for you. If you have a clear goal in sight then there's nothing wrong i using it from the start.

[@controllerbrain]

No worries thanks again. I must say though, I have to be the world's worst producer. No joke.

[@nibiru2486]

Next time maybe something about sound design or equing a few tracks with the similar frequencies? (4 pads for example).

[@AnymMusic]

well as a small producer, good luck getting non-mastered professional tracks to reference with

[@FireWalkMusic]

That will be very difficult indeed. Generally, you should never compare your own unmastered track to a commercial master, but that's what most of us have to do. That's part of what's so clever about this plugin, because it will volume match the commercial master with your own track. Keep in mind that louder always sounds better to humans. Once the sound level is equal, much will be done. It makes it much easier to reference. I often recommend that people put a temporary limiter on their master, to kind of simulate how the track will behave when it's mastered. If you do that in combination with this plugin, then you'll be able to minimize the difference. Referencing should then be a lot easier.

[@AhmedNoorr]

great tool thanks for this tutorial

[@AhmedNoorr]

Can i get this plugin on a Mac for Logic pro x?

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome :)

[@FireWalkMusic]

I haven't checked but I'm sure it's available for mac too. :)

[@AhmedNoorr]

great, I will look it up thank you! ;)

[@Gloomer2000]

I asked a tutorial about reference tracks, and look : Eirik did it again. Thank you very much my friend. Think I have to buy Reference now. Or do you think there are other good reference vst's (free) ? I will Google a while now. Thnx again my man ! :-)

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks Jan! I know I have promised you to make this tutorial for a long time now. I finally got it done. I have tried several other reference plugins in the past. This is the one with the most and best functions in my opinion. Also, ozone 8 have some similar functions, but it's much more expensive, costing $499. The reference plugin is just $49 to purchase. Definitely worth it. I use it all the time now. :)

[@mikewhiteman23]

What tools do you think are the best tools for recreating/copying a song you like?

[@FireWalkMusic]

Your ears :) I typically start by figuring out the chord structure and the melodies, and then I add various effects and fills etc when all the major stuff is in place. The most obvious challenge when recreating a track from scratch is that you're not going to have the exact same samples and sounds that the original composer used, so it will typically end up sounding slightly different. You can tweak synths to get very close, but regarding samples it's more difficult. You can also experiment with various layering in order to get the exact sound you're looking for. I recreated Kygo's Sexual healing a while back, and I think it came out very close to the original. I have a video showing how it's put together here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXzYnKVjYpyHodU

[@wickedprinc3624]

Hey buddy! Any way you could potentially make a video tailored to "how to mix/master specifically for soundcloud"? Im trying to compile a list of things to always make sure i do so that my SC uploads are as loud & HQ as possible.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Yes, this is something that's on my list already. :)

[@wickedprinc3624]

Perfect man - cant wait. Thanks!

[@error0ne]

finally you done a vid with your way of using ref. track :) thank you for sharing knowledge bro!would another video i love to find here, is about quantization and groove translation from drum/perc loops into midi to work with. thats the only thing i really not satisfied in fl is compared to the powerfull groove pool groove extracting tools from ableton. may using melodyne to get midi extraction is the best workaround.what you think ?

[@FireWalkMusic]

You're welcome. You can also use newtone or edisn :)

[@oneandatwoanda]

Whilst I appreciate the instructional video, I think you failed to mention a remedy to loud masters being dragged into your session. Clip gain in Pro Tools in conjunction with a metering plugin on your master bus are effective tools to level match tracks before you A/B to them. I use an aux track for my mastering plugins and send the reference tracks to main outs so they bypass the processing. I will be purchasing this plugin all the same. Thanks for the video, you outlined the functions very well.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Indeed, there are ways around it of course, but I wanted to showcase this plugin itself in the video as I generally find it's much easier to use. Just drag and drop the files into it and you're done. :)

[@rikkistarrett307]

My monitors go down to 37hz (M-Audio BX8-D3), would you still recommend investing in a subwoofer?

[@FireWalkMusic]

No you should be fine. There are two "sweet spots" if you will when it comes to the low end. Typically the 80 and 50 / 60 hz region. The 80 hz is not a problem for most speakers, but the 50-60 hz is right at the threshold of the capability of most of the smaller 5" speakers. You simply won't get an accurate representation of those frequencies with those smaller moniors, and this is a huge problem because this frequency range is so important. The 50 / 60 hz region is what makes the rumble from your sub bass and your kick for example. It's what you'll typically feel in your gut when you're in a club. With larger monitors you'll be able to feel the air pressure, and you can tell by the vibrations in the floor that there's enough low end. With smaller cones that won't happen and you will often feel like there's too little bass. This causes you to add more and more bass trying to compensate for this lack of bass, when in reality the bass was always there, you just can't hear it because of the monitors. This is a typical beginner mistake, which is why it's generally easier to mix on somewhat larger monitors which goes lower. 37 hz is fine. You'll typically low cut stuff around 30-40 hz anyways. :) It's the 50-60 hz you need to be able to really hear.

[@rikkistarrett307]

@@FireWalkMusic thanks for the highly detailed reply! Seems I'm all set then :)

[@-musicprod-9676]

Yo the Mitnight Example hurts too much, sooo true 😭

[@lightyears..awayfromyou..9593]

Love your tutorials Can you please do tutorials about Bigroom

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks, glad to hear it. It's on my list already, but I can't say for sure when it will get done.

[@jackaustin2487]

Nice tips! i used to make a track, and it sounds fine on my speakers, but when i hear in my MP3 Player it freaking suck, epsecially in the LOW FREQUENCY

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hey Jack! yeah, getting a mix to sound good on all kinds of devices is almost impossible. I recommend testing it on several different devices during the mixdown. Test it in your car, on earbuds, on bluetooth speakers etc. The goal is to get a well balanced mix that sounds decent on most devices. You will have to make some compromises though. :)

[@NightimeBurnout]

I NEED the unfinished track from the video! and the reference tracks!

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's still unfinished I'm afraid. Turns out I have basically NO spare time.. at all. :p

[@AVEMAREAMUSIC]

Where can one get this reference plugin?

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's available on plugin boutique: www.pluginboutique.com/product/3-Studio-Tools/72-Utility/3675-REFERENCE?a_aid=5d496680b59cd

[@gymandthelifeoutside3966]

HEY FIREWALK PLEASE HELP ME, WHEN I ADD GROSSBEAT IT SAYS 0,34 MS LATENCY, AND WHAT IS PLUGIN DELAY COMPENSATION AND ALL THE YELLOW / GOLD CLOCKS IN THE MIXERTRACKS AT THE BOTTOM?

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hey. Automatic Plugin Delay Compensation (APDC) Is used to keep all the vst's and plugins in your project in sync. When you first start out on a project, you may just have one synth and one EQ. Your computers processor will spend a little bit of it's processing time generating the sound from your synth and then processing the EQ. This adds a little bit of "lag" to the playback. As you keep on adding more and more synths, and more and more effects, the processor has to process more and more information, and it won't be able to keep up any more, so it takes it longer to finish. Therefore, a little bit of "lag" is purposefully added in order for everything to be able to stay in sync. IF APDC was not in place, your kick, hat, snare, bass, leads etc would all be out of sync, and that wouldn't sound good. :) When grossbeat reports 0,35ms latency, that's the time it takes your CPU to process that plugin. And that time will be added to the total "lag" in your project, in order for everything to play back in sync. You might have noticed that in a very large project, you might have to increase the buffer settings in order to avoid stuttering and such. When that happens, it becomes difficult to play the midi keyboard at the same time. There will be a lag. I suggest you check out my video on CPU performance in FL Studio to know more about this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYi8nqStl5yVas0

[@gymandthelifeoutside3966]

Okay so even tough with the red exclamation mark on the grossbeat and the clocks in the mixer that turn yellow, im still fine? And thanks for answering so fast love your vids you earned a sub

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's just alerting you that the plugin is "cpu hungry" so to speak.

[@gymandthelifeoutside3966]

okay yes but i mean the song will still be in the right pace, noting is delayed or out of tempo even tough is says by the clock in the bottom right corner in the mixer 0,34 ms

[@AlepouTV]

How do you get that sound on fl studio?? Omg!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hi, it's all about the mixing. Using the right combination of EQ, compression and saturation. I have a lot of mixing tutorials on my channel that will help you get clean sounding mixes :)

[@AlepouTV]

@@FireWalkMusic 💕

[@joakimjocka8022]

which other refrence vst are there?

[@FireWalkMusic]

Magic AB is also good, but I prefer this one.

[@roarproductionsstudio]

make a video on best mixing plugins.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Sure, it's already on my list :)

[@Audiomishran]

what are some other plugins like this?

[@FireWalkMusic]

You can also try Magic A/B

[@MrDobleagent]

is that really your voice? is amazing like be in cinema!

[@highlifebeats4943]

real radio sales and advertisement voice!

[@displayname8848]

It still needs the ability to add loop markers to the reference mix tho. That would help.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hopefully more features will be added in future updates, as it has in the past. :)

[@MrPhilipmcclenaghan]

In Ableton you can set the output of your reference track to "ext out" instead of the master channel. That way you can still hear it but it will bypass any mastering plugs you have on your channel

[@FireWalkMusic]

Indeed. Keep in mind that unlike Ableton, Fl Studio started out more like a game, which then kept evolving. They kept adding to it over the years, and now we have FL20. This means that there are some things in FL Studio which is not optimal. Take midi handling for example, which is not being done internally in FL since it was added on later. For this reason you can't record midi generated by a plugin such as the komplete kontrol and send it to another channel, it will just record whatever is in the piano roll and pass that information along. In Ableton you can just arm another track for recording, press record and then play, and it will capture the actual midi being generated. Ableton was more geared towards these kind of things from the get go. That said, FL Studio has come a LONG way since then and fortunately it do make up for some of it's lacking features by having other capabilities that some other daws don't have. :)

[@MrPhilipmcclenaghan]

@@FireWalkMusic been using Ableton for around 10 years, started on live 8, now 9. Don't exactly think 10 is worth the money as doesn't seem much in it that I would need lol. Watching your videos, and friends that have FL, it looks very complicated to do simple things sometimes lol. Will give you a subscribe here mate!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thanks for the sub. I make a lot of independent videos about mixing in general, plugin reviews and more, so I'm sure you'll find some of the videos interesting. While this channel is mostly dedicated to FL Studio, I tend to use several daws myself so unless it's a FL Studio specific video I always try to make the content relevant to all daw users. :) Regarding Live 10, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed myself. Ableton doesn't get major updates very often so naturally people had very high expectations. I feel that Live 10 was a minor update, and not the major overhaul that a lot of people had been hoping for. Groups within groups and all that is great, but it should have been done a long time ago. There's some alteration in shortcuts now and more enhanced and streamlined workflow overall. There's some other additions here and there too, but nothing really huge. The GUI has been slightly updated, and there's also more skins. But not to the extent that I was hoping for. As good as live is, I hate to say it, but I really don't like the gui. It just feels dated and a lot of stuff is too small and I have trouble seeing it. I really like the workflow in Ableton quite a lot though so It's a shame that I can't really "click" with the GUI. I guess it's one of those "you either love it or hate it" things. The automation handling in live is perhaps the simplest and most efficient of any daw, and it's extremely fast and versatile when it comes to audio editing directly in the arrange view. The browser is also very good and I like the way it automatically organize for you and such. Having easy access to everything right in front of you at all times is great and allows for a really fast workflow. FL Studio on the other hand relies heavily on windows on top of windows and can result in a lot of clicking and moving of windows. So unless you learn all the shortcuts to easily close and bring up windows it can slow you down considerably. Either that, or you'll need more than one screen to spread things out a bit. There's some other very cool features in FL though which kind of make up for it's shortcomings in other areas. I'm also a huge fan of Cubase which is a real beast of a DAW. Unfortunately it's very expensive to buy and upgrade. FL Studio on the other hand has free updates for life, and they also update very frequently, which is a very good selling point for a lot of people I think. Guess I went off rambling a bit there. :D It's an interesting topic and it's easy to get carried away :D

[@MrPhilipmcclenaghan]

@@FireWalkMusic haha that was actually very in depth lol. As for the GUI I don't really like any of them lol. Fl especially looks very dull or something. Looks messy too the way ya just place any sound on any track within the arrangement view lol. I'm very ocd in that respect any everything gets labelled and colour coded then grouped and colour coded 🤣. Always use the same colours too so when I open old projects I don't get confused. Makes it a bit easier for me. Yeah, watched several of your videos last night, obviously I know most of what's going on, but sometimes it's nice to get a wee refresher or at least to watch someone else make there way through wee pit falls in the mix and stuff. You explain things well! Especially for any beginners that may be watching. Too many producers blind beginners with complicated wording and one of main hates "you need to do" lol. Many times I've corrected people online for that term lol. Music is about trying things out and seeing what works for you.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Indeed! I tend to always color things the same way too. I'm a bit lazy so often times things are not named properly etc, but I always place my percussion etc on top, then my bass and so on, so most projects tend to be structured the same. I definitely think that's important, so that you develop a structured and organized workflow. :) Indeed, it's in fact the whole reason I started making videos. A friend of mine was just starting out with music production but he didn't understand many of the tutorials he watched. I checked them out and found that often times it was 15 minute videos where people went on and on about their life, their dog and what not. No wonder my friend got lost. So, I decided to make some videos for him myself. Short, and straight to the point. Just what he needed to know, and nothing else. 90% how and 10% why. :)

[@kri8tiv]

How do I get the plugin please

[@FireWalkMusic]

www.masteringthemix.com/products/reference

[@rahulraj-us9er]

can a make a video on how to make our mix sound louder...

[@FireWalkMusic]

Yes, I have a "how to mix" series. It's not finished yet, as I have a couple of more videos to go. But I will eventually cover all the most important mixing steps, including mastering.

[@ricardoferraro3883]

Obviously you don’t need any reference plugin Sir !! Your sound is already amazing !!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Thank you, much appreciated! :)

[@mateoherrera6231]

is this vst only exclusive to Studio one?

[@FireWalkMusic]

No. It this works in all daws. 🙂

[@mateoherrera6231]

@@FireWalkMusic I don't own PreSonus < I guess I need that and it comes with a preSonus HUB to download so it can be use d in other DAW's, please correct me if I'm wrong

[@angelbeatzonthetrack1701]

reference track is the best..sorre to came late.....Thanks

[@FireWalkMusic]

It's a great plugin indeed :)

[@angelbeatzonthetrack1701]

ToneBoosters Plugin Bundle is good i recomend

[@controllerbrain]

Does it matter if the ref track is mp3, wav etc?

[@FireWalkMusic]

No, you can use many formats but I recommend using the highest quality possible. Don't use a very low bitrate mp3

[@controllerbrain]

Cheers buddy appreciate it

[@sydneymusic2597]

I have a Question, when you have no compression in a Frequency range, and REFERENCE is telling you that you need to have less compression on that frequency range... what do you need to do? bc im so confused with that, what i mean is... you have no compression on your instruments in a determinate range, but REFERENCE is telling you that you have to remove the compression. So if there's someone who can help me, i will appreciate it. btw sorry for my english... Thanks!

[@FireWalkMusic]

It could simply mean that you have a lot of instruments in your track, occupying a wide band of frequencies. This plugin can't really tell the difference. It's meant to be used as a reference only. I recommend always using your ears first. If it sounds good, it sounds good. Visual tools can be a helpful tool to double check, but always rely on your ears first. :)

[@sydneymusic2597]

@@FireWalkMusic Thank you mate!, now i know that. I`ll pay more attention to my instruments in order to not compress a lot. But yes, i heard what i did and for was good, so I left it as it was.

[@gurindersingh7933]

where do i find .wav reference track

[@FireWalkMusic]

I recommend buying from Beatport for example. It's just a few dollars and you get the high quality wav file. :)

[@KARAMHYAT]

Is the REFERENCE plugin free?

[@FireWalkMusic]

No it's not. It's currently $49 to purchase, but it's definitely worth it. There are other similar plugins which cost more and have less functionality. Also, the Ozone 8 have some of the same capability, but it cost $499. I own this plugin myself and I use it all the time now. :)

[@larrycavallucci3258]

I have watched countless videos on "reference tracks and their use". BUT, NO ONE ever starts from the beginning. Do you have to buy them? In this video, you brought in a WAV file. So where did you get it? I don't think that I could even plop in an old CD of the Eagles, and download Wave files of Peaceful Easy Feeling, as an example. SO, I would really like to see someone actually start from the beginning. Since I started my home studio 2 yrs ago, I do see one common fault, well, maybe a couple. Trainers "assume" everyone knows the terms you are using, and never really start from scratch. I have a plugin called Metric A/B but first need to find out WHERE and HOW I can obtain the actual reference tracks. And thanks for listening....

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hi, thanks for your feedback! This kind of detailed feedback is very helpful when it comes to improving my tutorials in the future. To answer your question: Most people download music from www.beatport.com. It's typically just a few bucks per track. You can in some cases download from various streaming services too, depending on which plan you have. If you have reference tracks on CD, then there are lots of free software that allows you to record those songs as wav / mp3 etc on to your computer. Here's a few free ways to do this: www.videoconverterfactory.com/tips/cd-to-wav.html

[@aressto]

It would be much more efficient if u will not only shown functionality, but share your work flow with this vst with your live comment. How you correct your track, what do u see on spectrum and hear, and what and how it should be corrected. Thank you!

[@FireWalkMusic]

Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep this in mind in the future. :)

[@mangoville5826]

aye aye aye aye

[@FireWalkMusic]

:D

[@MrSirMrSirMr]

The first song I used to test this plug-in was 'Go To The Mirror Boy!' by The Who - so the Mirror button confused me for a bit.

[@jamalcole1985]

Lol does this plugin work for you?

[@MrSirMrSirMr]

@@jamalcole1985 It certainly works as intended. I must admit, I'm finding the whole direct referencing process frustrating just because it's so hard to get close to professionally-produced records, but I feel that's more on me than the plugin. How about you?

[@MrSirMrSirMr]

@@jamalcole1985 (I've only been using it for a day though, so it may just be more about practice)

[@jamalcole1985]

@@MrSirMrSirMr yeah okay that makes a lot of sense I've been using it for about a day as well and I'm noticing a lot of stuff about my vocals that need some extra work and on the low end as well

[@jakezepeda1267]

I tend to run my stuff through 3 different headphones, my laptop speakers, pc speakers, and car and tweak things between. It still sounds like garbage in the end 😂 but it helps me realize if certain things are too loud or quiet.

[@FireWalkMusic]

Well, you're doing it right I'd say! :D I also audition my mixes on various setups to hear how it will translate. A mix will always sound very different in your studio and in the car for example, and very different again on small earbuds. Getting a mix to sound perfect on all devices is impossible, but by testing most of them you should at least be able to get a well balanced mix that sounds decent on most of them. :)

[@drake2381]

plz tell me how to buy massive

[@FireWalkMusic]

www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/massive/