Your Thoughts on Reference Tracks?

[DaveL60]

I'm embarking on full production of a new song, after having recently watched Mastering.com's Radio Ready Single event. That presentation got me thinking about reference tracks, something I've really never used, so I thought I'd solicit some advice:

• Do you use reference tracks in your productions?
• Do you use them while creating material? for mixing? for mastering?
• How do you go about choosing reference tracks?
• Any pointers to tutorials (YT, etc.) about reference tracks that you've found helpful?

Thanks.

[lfm]

I always calibrate ears with reference tracks as I start any mixing at all.
Just as important as taking pauses and then go back and continue.

I just put together a combined track with 90s of various recordings that I feel sound really good regarding either drums, vocals or something else.

But never bothered with Radio Ready or something like that. Just calibrate ears.

[osiris]

I don't really understand them because unless you get one from a CD you get it (I assume) from a streaming service that has loudness maximized that track for its service. All these services seem to have different requirements.
Unless it's for EQing, then I get.

[DaveL60]

I don't really understand them because unless you get one from a CD you get it (I assume) from a streaming service that has loudness maximized that track for its service. All these services seem to have different requirements.
Unless it's for EQing, then I get.

In my case I'd be used MP3 ripped from CDs in my collection. I don't make much use of streaming services. It would be more for getting EQ and general feel in the same ballpark as the reference tracks, and for resetting the ears, as others have mentioned.

[Uncle E]

[*]Do you use reference tracks in your productions?

Yes

[*]Do you use them while creating material? for mixing? for mastering?

For mixing and mastering, not for writing.

[*]How do you go about choosing reference tracks?

If it's my own stuff, I pick two commercially successful tracks that are balanced in polar opposites of each other, that way I know I just need to land somewhere between the them.

Different if it's work for someone else.

[*]Any pointers to tutorials (YT, etc.) about reference tracks that you've found helpful?

Tutorials on using reference tracks? I don't understand why this would exist.

[slackhead]

[*]Any pointers to tutorials (YT, etc.) about reference tracks that you've found helpful?

[osiris]

Izotope has the free Audiolens, and I got it and ended never using it.

[Halma]

I am using Expose 2 (Mastering the Mix) a lot lately. And I like it. It gives a brief summary of the tracks you let it analyze. But only for the Info part. Not the "matching eq" thingy. And my reference tracks are coming from Apple Music in hires losless audio (iirc up to 24-bit/192kHz).

My DAC / Amp combo can play up to 384kHz/32bit. And I am using open Back Planar headphones. Great combo for me.

I won't say that I hear a big difference between losless and hires losless. But my setup supports it and therefore I use it.

Usage is for mixing only.

[Aloysius]

Do you use reference tracks? - Yes. They keep your ears from thinking your stuff sounds great when really it doesn't.
How do you go about choosing reference tracks? I just use what I think sounds good. Some early blues records sound terrible technically but perfect for the genre. Eighties is not as bass heavy as modern music but it grooves better because it's not weighed down in heavyness. It had a lightness to it. An essential element.

Just use what YOU like. Make the music the way YOU like it. YOU are unique.

[Ah_Dziz]

I use references mostly when working on production or mixing for others. I generally ask for something that they think is a good representation of their genre. It helps a lot to have a good idea of how the bass and drums are balanced in different genres and subgenres.

[DCrown]

My reference are my headphones.
If it sounds good there,
it is good enough for me.

[Zeisner]

1) Yes.

2) Only for mixing and (obviously) for mastering.

3) Genre/style/mood/vibe or (if the material is too unique) reference tracks which are mixed good in general and sometimes even white/pink noise.

4) I don't know, I learned about reference tracks before YouTube existed.

[AsPeeXXXVIII]

I personally don't use reference tracks, but I don't knock anyone who does.

[Reale]

It's kinda of a love and hate kind of relationship for me with referencing, as the few times I did the result was objectively better arranging wise, for sure, but creativity wise, meh.

Usually if I use them I use them right of the bat, probably to get some ideas for drums and from there I get lost in my creativity and stop following them. But as someone like me, that ALWAYS gets stuck on the synths part, it can be very useful to get an idea on how to get going.

Personally, I choose them just by listening to them, sort of like "I like this I wanna make something like this" or because I played them live and liked the response they got.

[Ronny Pries]

[*]Any pointers to tutorials (YT, etc.) about reference tracks that you've found helpful?

This tells you everything you need to understand.