5/27/2023 0 Comments Sound reference for mixingThat picture you took is so high quality that it's almost as if you're standing in the field as you paint. If you're picking the right song, no one ever stopped listening to it because 'it sounded bad.' Revisiting our painter metaphor, think of it as having an extremely professional camera. If you're basing your work on the pros, your work is going to sound like the pros! These songs are proven to be loved by their particular audience. So by basing your mix off their work, you make sure your mixes are just as translatable as theirs.įinally, the obvious: using reference tracks will simply make your song sound professional. Could you imagine if a Bruno Mars song sounded great in the mixer's studio, but trash everywhere else? We wouldn't still be dancing to Uptown Funk two years later, that's for sure. They know that their client is going to be played on the radio, in cafes, in clubs, in earbuds, and on phones. Professional mixers MAKE SURE that their work is going to sound great on everything. Using references also makes your mix more translatable. There's less guesswork and second-guessing than before. Speaking of which - it's also faster.īy 'following the map,' there's so much extra work you're not doing! You are getting to the goal more quickly because you have a better idea of the moves you need to make to get there. You can follow along the dotted red line to find the gold, rather than searching through the entire desert island. The closer they sound, the less extra work you need to do, so less decision fatigue sets in. It allows you to compare your mixing decisions to the mixing decisions made in the reference. How do you know if something 'sounds right' if you have nothing to compare it to? Basically, using a reference track helps keep your focus on the final goal. It's exhausting, and your mixes suffer because of it. There are so many small choices that add up to a finished product. Decision fatigue is a constant problem when mixing. You're reaping several benefits by taking a few extra seconds to add a reference. What are the benefits of a reference track? Is the volume of the vocals okay? What about the snare?.You ask yourself questions that help you to focus your mixing choices: You frequently compare your mix to the reference in order to get a clearer idea of what you're going for. In the real world, a reference track is a professionally mixed song that sounds similar to the one you're mixing. It's your own personal picture of the field. Some yellows here, a splash of blue there, and… voilà! A perfect painting. You snap a picture of the field and head home. Now, let's say you decided to bring your camera with you on this trip to the farm. It may look good, but it wouldn't be accurate! If you stood there, had a good look at it, then went home and started to paint, how accurate do you think your painting would be?It would be a rough estimate of what you remember the field looking like. Let's say you wanted to paint a picture of the wheat field on your cousin's farm. In this article, we will share with you exactly what reference tracks are, how to find them, and how to use them properly. They keep you from 'mixing blind' by showing you how the pros do it. Then use reference tracks to become a better mixer FAST. First, create the ideal home studio that makes mixing easy. References are one of the best ways to quickly improve a mix. Want to sound like your heroes? Reference tracks are the answer.
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