Reference Tracks: 10 Things You Need to Know

Learn how to use reference tracks in your mixing and mastering sessions to get a professional sound. Follow along as Geoff Manchester shares how to think about and understand references in a mixing or mastering context, including what references to use, how to work with a client who wants to use a reference track, and more. Explore the myriad of tools available to help you achieve your sonic vision when using reference tracks, including iZotope Audiolens, RX, Ozone, Insight, and Tonal Balance Control.
Learn more about how to use reference tracks: www.izotope.com/en/learn/what...
Explore iZotope Ozone mastering plug-in: www.izotope.com/en/products/o...
Explore iZotope Audiolens reference capturing software: www.izotope.com/en/products/a...
Explore iZotope RX noise removal plug-in: www.izotope.com/en/products/r...
Explore iZotope Insight metering plug-in: www.izotope.com/en/products/i...
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - There's no perfect match
04:11 - Understand what you're referencing
06:06 - Respect the rough mix
07:08 - Reference quality matters
08:51 - How to reference with iZotope Audiolens
11:18 - Use iZotope RX to reference smarter
13:35 - Use iZotope Insight to reference
14:50 - Use Ozone 10 to reference
17:44 - Use Tonal Balance Control to reference
19:45 - Trust your choices
#izotope #mixing #mastering
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[@louisburley1597]

These are the best videos on music production

[@kyleoashu]

I was literally just looking for ref. tracks, what a coincidence!

[@joelarturoperezestrada8935]

I recently began to use Ozone EQ match to create my own custom IRs for guitar cabinets, I really want to make some KZbin content about the process because the results are simple amazing, and I also really want to say thanks for creating such an amazing, versatile and hi quality tool. It's a must have in any studio, from simple home studios to world class ones. I tried the EQ match from some other brands before Ozone's and I have to say that all of them are good in their own right, but Ozone is by far the one that really captures the tone of the references, amazing piece of software. Maybe I'd like to have some of the functionality of the other brands in Ozone, in the form of manual editing of the resulting matching EQ curves individually or at least the ability to split the "amount" of the match applied into 3 or 4 different regions (low, mid-low, mid-hi and hi for instance) to have a little more control over the shaping and the specific parts that we are trying to match.

[@samson4272]

Thanks so much for all these tips. Very thorough and very appreciated! I didn’t know about some of these things, though I own all the Izotope products 😅 Excited to explore these ideas

[@brokent163]

Thank you for the helpful and inspiring video.

[@billpodolak7754]

Nice video! wasn't aware of replacing the input meter with the reference song in Ozone, that's crazy

[@nethercords]

my only reference these days is my last release. this may sound like backwards thinking but i digress. my last release was mastered by an engineer, its going to contain artifacts i was not aware of when writing it. so it is a great reference for anything i write in the future..👍🏼🤟🏻

[@aaronbujans8723]

You have a really soothing voice…

[@CINENIMUS]

Very nice video! 👌 may I ask you what settings did you use on your De-Click plugin?

[@TheLastAlexander]

This new album I'm making cause of izotope is incredible but I know it's still alot to learn

[@johnnyvegas2015]

As usual, great tutorial….thanks so much

[@VideoManFL]

Great video , would you show using Izotope products in getting you specific sound. Is that a smiging amount or reverb?

[@musicforworldpeacerecords324]

I lost all of my presets in Tonal Balance Control and can only see Bass Heavy, Modern, and Orchestral. Is there a way to get them back?

[@Jessiekim]

[@guglielmonigro]

As Usual a clear and straight forward explanation. Great work. 1 question. Is It possible to import the Audiolens analyses in Tonal Balance Control 2? I don't think so. It would be very useful. And I suggest an implementation for both. To creat average analyses of the tracks already imported. Let's say I imported my 20 edm reference tracks and I want an average of their datas. In order to implement our average curve. What do you think? Thank you again

[@OfficialADONISMusic-bv3qe]

Yes you can

[@OfficialADONISMusic-bv3qe]

I'm sorry...I gave an incorrect answer. I don't think it goes to tonal balance 2. It seems to only open in ozone assistant part of ozone 10.

[@guglielmonigro]

@@OfficialADONISMusic-bv3qe and Neutron 4

[@eranddroory9987]

Question! when using Audiolens, does stuff like Room correction software (Sound ID etc) come before or after Audiolens in the output chain from windows?

[@iZotopeOfficial]

Room correction software does not affect the audio capture into Audiolens. With or without it enabled the capture will be the same. I hope this is helpful.

[@cliveburgess4128]

Just for grins! have you listened to your voice on this video? It has that super low Barry White thing going on, quite humorous!

[@iralepppi]

there are so many software!! ozone neutron imager INSIGHT rx i am confusion !!!

[@codrutcroitoru]

Hello. I have three questions about referencing tracks with Ozone. 1 Is there any problem if we use a Flac file for referincing with Master Assistant ? 2. If I like a reference track for all of its things (eq, image, dynamics, balance etc) but I don't agree with the LUFS of my reference track (let's say my reference is at -7 Lufs and I don't want my song to be that loud) is there any problem that I use that reference? Or better said, should I aim also for the same LUFS as the reference track to get near to all the good things of the reference track? 3. When Master Assistant tells me I should go up with the bass frecquencies on the imager, should I do what he says, or should I be aware of the fact that the low end should be mono and whatever happens don't touch it?

[@HoneyWindbutton]

I cannot find my Audiolens captures in Neutron or Tonal Balance. Can anyone help? Thanks

[@carlalimamusic]

Me either. It would be great.

[@noone0]

Subtitles are very useful for those of us who don't have English as our first language... Please, enable yours, I like your content but sometimes it's not easy to understand every word your say 😅

[@damienleming9416]

I remember seeing a censored overdubbed version of Happy Gilmore back in the day...So funny! "The Price Is Wrong (BOBBY)!"

[@Tarbash7364]

Hey what kind of mic is that? You sound d great

[@damoncisneros]

I was looking for that answer as well. It looks like a Lewitt mic

[@ManchesterMusic]

Hey friends I use Lewitt LCT 1040

[@lavinchi6709]

👑🎤🎁

[@briojaxen]

Is there not a risk of everyone ending up sounding the same? I notice that Ozone Ten is very limited in music styles. When you say "based on top pop tunes" it makes me nervous. Not everyone aspires to make pop, but rather, real music. Love Ozone, though not enjoying Ten so much. Have gone back to Nine.

[@sokoleski]

What does nine have , that's been taken away in ten?

[@michaelangeloturtle4705]

Another outstanding instructional video Geoff, I got to say thank you, if not for all the information you've put out over the years I really don't think I would have had a chance in learning this software. After deciding to take the plunge in purchasing the whole Advanced Suite of plug-ins. Well actually your videos were one of the main reasons why I decided to go for it and buy the whole Suite. So for that I personally thank you. Please keep up the good work, and Izatope if you're listening, "GIVE THIS MAN A RAISE" LOL, I kid, I kid, but no,SERIOUSLY! (You Should Give Him RAISE)!!! #Geoff 🎥=🔥 #lol #ThisDudeDeserves💰💰💰 #GeoffUDaMan "jokes aside, thank you" 👍😎✌️🎶🎚️🎛️4️⃣LIFE

[@c.g.5143]

I think something is cool and useful, something is made better by other software house...

[@KoolKatBeatz]

Looks like he recorded his voice over the video, maybe I'm tripping

[@TheChromaticz355]

I would not recommend to reference your mix with other mixes using specific tools that show only average spectral balance! Because: the mix you’re trying to match with has been mixed on a different room hence what you’re trying to match has a part of that Room Tone in its actual tonal balance! I’ll suggest you try to match main element levels like how loud are the drums relative to bass then to vocals ect! So learn your room and try to treat it so you have less flows especially on the low frequencies! And let that room be part of your mixes and so you have your own mix signature sound! Hope i made sense since my English is not my first language! Happy mixing!

[@LKO-Ekawami]

Hey it's me!," Your pain in the ass brother. You are a little Bassey...

[@whitex4652]

Advice: Reference never a single track, it's too special. Reference always a whole album. Advantage is that that is not locked to one genre. You can reference e.g. a hard rock track to "Writings On The Wall". I nealry always use as sanity check Tonal Balance with 20 referenced albums. Works flawlessly.

[@oliverquach9614]

You do you, it’s great if this works for you but this isnt something I’d recommend. I could see referencing 2-3 similar sounding songs while mixing but not more than that; Otherwise you end up with a bunch of overproduced or unfinished projects while trying to reference an entire album at once.

[@philfyphil]

This is a bit like putting all the lottery numbers that have ever been drawn, averaging them then claiming those numbers as the likely eventual set of winning numbers!. You can only reference a track, and even then part of a track. That’s your starting point.