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.

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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[kyleoashu]

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

[louisburley]

These are the best videos on music production

[joelarturoperezestrada]

I recently began to use Ozone EQ match to create my own custom IRs for guitar cabinets, I really want to make some YouTube 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.

[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..👍🏼🤟🏻

[billpodolak]

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

[brokent]

Thank you for the helpful and inspiring video.

[johnnyvegas]

As usual, great tutorial….thanks so much

[samson]

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

[TheLastAlexander]

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

[iralepppi]

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

[VideoManFL]

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

[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

[musicforworldpeacerecords]

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?

[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?

[eranddroory]

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

[HoneyWindbutton]

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

[Tarbash]

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

[cliveburgess]

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

[noone]

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 😅

[Mixedbyjojo]

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!