During the mixing, mastering or arranging process, using some reference material to keep the mix sounding accurate and objective is a practical and important technique, especially when working with commercial tracks.
Mixing is a relatively complex process that involves balancing frequency bands, dynamic range, loudness, and other appropriate trade-offs. After a period of mixing, the human ear will inevitably feel tired, i.e. auditory fatigue occurs. Such times may affect the judgement of the song mix, and a tired ear may not be able to capture more details and accurate issues.
By comparing the mixing tracks (usually track A and track B), the mixing engineer can intuitively perceive whether the balance between the different elements is ideal. Repeatedly compare elements such as frequency range, loudness, fullness, spaciousness, and even arrangement between the two tracks. This visual comparison can help identify potential problems and ensure that the mix performs well across different systems and playback environments.
When choosing a reference track for your mix, generally select a piece that is similar in genre to the track you are mixing. Mixing preferences and standards can be quite different between styles, and this ensures that the reference track is more in line with your mixing goals, making it easier for you to capture key details and features.
In electronic music, the criteria for choosing reference tracks may becomes even more demanding, as sub-genres under different styles may exhibit very different mixing styles. Take the genre of Dubstep, for example, where the two sub-genres, Brostep and Minatory Dubstep, show significant differences; Brostep focuses on a lot of high frequencies and moderately distorted sharp Bass sound, while Minatory Dubstep’s Bassline favours extreme distortion, and may even create a destructive atmosphere by intentionally cutting high frequencies to emphasise low frequencies. In addition to the whole track differences, there are also noticeable differences in the overall tunes and atmospheres, and these differences are well represented at the mixing and arrangement level.
Overall, mixing reference material is a powerful aid in the mixing process, providing objective criteria to help overcome listening fatigue and ensure that the mixes are of consistent quality in all playback environments. A thorough understanding and use of reference mixes as a tool is essential to improving your mixes and achieving better sounding productions.
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