Should I Be Using Reference Tracks? 20+ Advanced Tips/Tricks

Reference tracks are super useful, there’s no doubt about it. 

They can help you dial in the right tonal balance, fine-tune your mix, and achieve a professional sounding music production. 

Plus, successfully matching loudness levels, understanding stereo width, and analyzing frequency response will take your own mixes to the next level.

As a producer, knowing how to use reference tracks to their full advantage means you’ll be able to perfect your mixdowns and lock in a solid low-end (and much more).

That’s why I’m breaking down everything you need to know, like:

• How to choose reference tracks ✓
• Using reference tracks to nail tonal balance ✓
• Matching dynamics, compression, and stereo imaging ✓
• Comparing vocals, drums, and bass for a balanced mix ✓
• Checking your mix in mono to avoid phase issues ✓
• Studying song arrangement and energy buildup ✓
• Using your favorite reference tracks to refine effects processing ✓
• Setting up reference tracks properly in your DAW ✓
• Implementing advanced techniques like stem separation ✓
• Much more about reference tracks ✓

By knowing all about reference tracks and how to use them properly, you can seriously enhance your skills. 

Plus, you’ll be able to analyze music like a pro, fine-tune your own mixes with confidence, and achieve high-quality sound that will blow your mind.

Why Should I Be Using Reference Tracks?

If you’re serious about music production, using reference tracks isn’t just a good idea 一 it’s a complete game-changer. 

Whether you’re mixing a hip-hop banger, an electronic music anthem, or even chart-ready pop songs, a reference song gives you a clear target to aim for in terms of: 

• Tonal balance
• Stereo width
• Overall high-quality sound

When you use reference tracks, you get instant insight into how all the elements of a great song work together, from drums to vocals to the bass guitar. 

They’re key for fine-tuning your own mixes so they stack up against industry standards with a clear master that translates well across different sound systems. 

Plus, even if you already have a solid mix, comparing it to the best reference tracks can help you pinpoint subtle differences in compression, low-end, and upper-midrange.

It basically gives you a roadmap to an even better final master, sick sound design techniques, and the best sounds in the game.

Don’t worry, I’ll break it all down throughout the article so you get a super solid understanding.

How to Choose the Right Reference Tracks

Not all reference tracks are created equal… 

You need to choose reference tracks that match the genre, style, and energy of your own work so that you’re making relevant comparisons. 

If you’re mixing hip-hop, you wouldn’t want to use a heavily processed electronic music track with tons of reverb as your reference song.

The sonic characteristics of the two are totally different, so it would be pretty pointless.

You should also think about whether you’re in the mixing stage or mastering stage, because your go-to reference tracks should match that part of your workflow. 

For example, in the mixing stage, you might focus on vocals, drums, and sound design, whereas in mastering, you’d be checking overall tonal balance, low-end, and clarity. 

Another pro move is picking both modern reference tracks and classic ones so you get the best musical ideas from different genres.

It will help you shape a good sound that stands the test of time.

The Role of Reference Tracks in Mixing

When you use reference tracks during the mixing stage, you’re making sure your own mixes stack up against professional sounding music when it comes to tonal balance, stereo width, and clarity. A reference song gives you a direct comparison so you can pinpoint exactly where your mix is lacking and tweak to perfection. Let’s get into it.

• Matching Tonal Balance & Frequency Response

One of the best ways to use reference tracks (when mixing) is to match their tonal balance and frequency response to your own mixes. 

If your bass sounds muddy compared to your reference track, you might need to cut around 200-300 Hz with a narrow Q setting in your EQ to reduce muddiness. 

A great way to check this is by using a spectrum analyzer like FabFilter Pro-Q 3…

If your mix has a massive low-end boost around 50 Hz but your reference mix is tighter, you’ll know to apply a subtle shelf cut (-2 dB at 50 Hz) to clean things up. 

On the same note, if your vocals sound harsh compared to your best reference tracks, you can use dynamic EQ to tame resonances in the 2-5 kHz range.

While boosting some air around 12-16 kHz to maintain clarity, of course.

Take some popular pop songs for example, where vocals sit right in the center of the mix with a bright and crisp upper-midrange presence. 

Just make sure to always choose reference tracks that closely match the genres and sonic characteristics of your own productions, so you can fine-tune your tonal balance.

• Controlling Dynamics & Compression with References 

When comparing your own mixes to reference tracks, make sure to pay attention to how compression is applied across different elements like: 

• Vocals
• Drums
• Bass guitar
• Etc. 

If your reference song has a tight, controlled low-end but your own work sounds boomy, your bass might need more compression.

Try using a multiband compressor like Waves C4 to compress 50-120 Hz by 3-4 dB with a slow attack (50-70 ms) and medium release (100-150 ms). 

On the other hand, if your vocals sound too squashed compared to your best reference tracks, check your vocal compression settings.

If you’re using an 1176-style compressor, try dialing back the ratio from 8:1 to 4:1 and increasing the attack time to 6-8 ms so the transients aren’t getting crushed. 

For example, in most hip-hop tracks drums hit hard without overpowering the vocals, thanks to precise parallel compression techniques. 

To hear these details better, toggle between your own mix and a reference mix at the same perceived loudness (use a gain-matched A/B plugin like ADPTR Metric AB). 

Compression is all about preserving energy while controlling peaks, and using reference tracks makes it easier to find the right balance without over-processing.

NOTE: Always use your favorite reference tracks to compare the dynamic range of your own tracks by checking the crest factor, and if your mix is heavily compressed and has a low crest factor, it might lack energy and need some transient control adjustments.

• Achieving a Professional Stereo Image

A well-balanced stereo image is what separates an amateur mix from a professional sounding music production. 

When you use reference tracks, focus on how wide the vocals, drums, and other instruments sit in the mix, and ask yourself:

• Are they centered?
• Are they panned?
• Are they spread across the spectrum? 

By checking all of these things out you’ll get some serious insight.

If your own mix sounds too narrow compared to a reference song, try using mid/side EQ to boost the sides around 8-12 kHz while keeping the mids tight between 300-500 Hz. 

A good example of a mix with perfect stereo imaging is The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights”, where the synths are spread wide while the vocals remain focused in the center. 

You can also widen background elements like pads and reverbs by adding a stereo widening plugin (like Ozone Imager) but avoid overdoing it.

If your low-end gets too wide, use M/S processing to keep anything below 150 Hz in mono for a clear master.

• Dialing in the Right Reverb & Space

Reverb is a key factor in sound design, and by using reference tracks, it’ll help you figure out how much reverb is needed for a good sound.

Without drowning the vocals or making the drums too distant, of course.

If your reference mix has a short, tight room reverb on the snare, but yours sounds washed out, shorten your reverb decay time to around 0.8-1.2 seconds.

And don’t forget to increase the pre-delay to 20-40 ms so the transient stays sharp. 

For vocals, you’ll want to compare your mix to a pop song where the reverb is present but not overpowering or obnoxious.

If your vocals sound too dry, try adding a plate reverb with a decay of 1.5-2.5 seconds and rolling off the lows below 200 Hz for clarity. 

A good example of a mix with controlled reverb is Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy”, where the drums remain tight and dry while the vocals have a subtle but effective reverb tail. 

To hear how reverb interacts in your mix, use your favorite reference tracks and toggle your reverb on and off at different volumes.

This will ensure that it sits naturally rather than dominating the stereo field.

The Role of Reference Tracks in Mastering

The mastering stage is where you make sure your tracks translate well across all sound systems. Using reference tracks in mastering helps you dial in tonal balance, loudness, and clarity to ensure your final master competes with commercially released music.

• Achieving Industry-Standard Loudness (LUFS, RMS, Peak)

When you use reference tracks for mastering tasks, one of the biggest things to check is loudness, of course.

You don’t want your master to be too quiet compared to a reference mix, but you also don’t want to crush the dynamics just to get louder. 

Most pop songs and hip-hop tracks today sit between -8 to -10 LUFS (Integrated) for streaming platforms like: 

• Spotify
• Apple Music
• YouTube

More dynamic electronic music might be closer to -12 LUFS, so keep that in mind and always check that unique streaming platform for the specifics.

A good example is Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode”, which sits around -9 LUFS with solid low-end energy, while Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” is around -11 LUFS.

It allows more room for transients perfectly.

You should aim for a peak level around -0.1 dB TP (true peak)to avoid clipping, while keeping an RMS level of -8 to -12 dB for a balanced, commercially loud but still dynamic master.

• Consistent Transients & Punch

A solid master keeps the transients crisp while maintaining a balanced low-end and avoiding over-compression so things don’t sound harsh or just ridiculous.

When you use reference tracks, listen to how the kick, snare, and other percussive elements retain their impact without feeling over-limited…

If your own mixes sound dull, you may be crushing your transients too much with a limiter, and nobody has time for that.

For example, you can use FabFilter Pro-L 2 with a transparent limiting style and set an attack time of 1-3 ms to let some punch through while adjusting the release based on the track’s rhythm. 

Just listen to Dr. Dre’s “Still D.R.E.” because it’s a track with tight transients, where the drums hit hard without losing clarity.

NOTE: If your mix sounds soft in comparison, you may need to dial back your mastering compression ratio to 1.5:1 or 2:1 to retain transient punch.

• Balancing the Highs, Mids, and Lows in the Final Master

A well-balanced master should closely match the tonal balance of your best reference tracks so that no one frequency range is overpowering the others. 

If your low-end feels too heavy or muddy compared to a reference mix, use a linear-phase EQ like FabFilter Pro-Q 3 to make precise adjustments. 

Start by analyzing the sub and bass regions using a spectrum analyzer…

If you notice an excessive peak around 50-80 Hz, apply a narrow -1 to -2 dB cut to tighten up the low-end while preserving punch. 

Also, if your kick and bass are clashing, use dynamic EQ to reduce 60 Hz only when the kick drum hits 一 maintaining clarity without removing body from the bass guitar.

On the opposite end, if your highs sound dull next to a reference song, a gentle high-shelf boost of +1.5 dB at 12 kHzcan bring back air and sparkle. 

Just be careful though, because too much high-end boost can introduce harshness, especially when it comes to vocals and hi-hats. 

If needed, use de-essing at 5-8 kHz to control unwanted sibilance while still keeping the clarity and definition of the vocals intact. 

A good example of a mix that gets this balance right is a reference song where the vocals, bass, and drums all sit naturally without overpowering each other.

Check if your own mix maintains this same balance when switching between different sound systems (big, big must).

To make sure your master is translating well across all listening environments, A/B your own mix with a reference track on studio monitors, headphones, car speakers, and even phone speakers. 

If your vocals disappear on smaller speakers, you might need a midrange boost around 2-4 kHz. 

Or, if your bass is too boomy in a car, consider a gentle -1 dB cut at 100 Hz to clean it up. 

Matching the tonal balance of a reference mix ensures your final master is clear, dynamic, and competitive, no matter where it’s played.

• Matching Overall Clarity & Definition

Clarity in a master comes down to properly balancing all the elements so that nothing sounds muddy, harsh, or buried in the mix. 

A well-mastered track should allow each instrument (vocals, drums, synths, and bass) to occupy its own space without frequency masking or excessive compression. 

One of the best ways to check this is by using reference tracks to analyze how clean and well-separated the elements are. 

If your own mix sounds cloudy or congested compared to a reference song, it’s likely due to excessive buildup in the 200-500 Hz range, which is where muddiness lies.

To fix this, use dynamic EQ (like FabFilter Pro-Q 3) and apply a subtle -1 to -2 dB cut in the 250-350 Hz range whenever the bass and kick hit at the same time. 

If the entire mix feels boxy, widen the cut slightly between 200-500 Hz while A/B testing with your best reference tracks to ensure you’re not removing warmth. 

Vocals are another key area 一 if they’re getting masked by the drums, guitars, or synths, check if your reference mix has more presence in the 2-5 kHz range. 

If needed, apply a gentle +1 dB boost around 3-4 kHz to help the vocals cut through, but avoid overdoing it, as this can introduce harshness.

A good example of a crystal-clear master is a reference song where the vocals, chord progression, and drums all sit perfectly in the mix without stepping on each other. 

If your vocals still feel buried, use mid/side EQ to slightly attenuate the midrange in the side channels so the center channel (vocals, kick, and snare) can be more defined. 

To make sure your own tracks achieve this level of clarity, make sure to A/B test with your reference mix using gain-matched levels.

If your mix sounds dull or over-processed in comparison, you may need to refine your EQ, compression, and stereo imaging. 

The goal is to create a clear master that translates well across all listening environments, from studio monitors to small phone speakers, like I said.

Song Arrangement & Structure 

A great song isn’t just about sound design and mixing either because it’s also about structure, and using reference tracks can help you break down how professional songs are arranged, including:

• Section lengths
• Transitions
• Energy flow

Most pop songs follow a predictable structure, with verses lasting 16 bars, choruses around 8 bars, and bridges creating variation before the final hook. 

If your own mix feels flat, study how a reference song builds energy…

Notice how some beats introduce high-pass filters, riser FX, or drum fills before a big moment to create tension. 

Drum patterns & groove flows also play a huge role.

Hip-hop often relies on swing-heavy hi-hats and a punchy snare, while electronic music keeps things driving with a four-on-the-floor kick. 

If your drop or chorus doesn’t hit hard enough, compare it to a reference track to see if you’re missing something.

Maybe your low-end needs more weight, or your vocals need a wider stereo spread to create some much-needed contrast. 

By analyzing reference arrangement, you can refine your own productions and make sure they have the same level of excitement/smooth transitions as the best reference tracks.

Using Reference Tracks for Sound Selection & Design

Beyond just mixing and mastering, a reference track can also help you choose the right sounds for your beats. Matching synth textures, instrument timbres, and effects processing can help you achieve a high-quality sound that fits your chosen genre. So let’s get into it.

• Matching Synth Textures & Timbres

One of the biggest differences between an amateur and a professional sounding music production is the quality of the synth textures and instrument timbres. 

If your own mixes sound thin compared to a reference track, it could be because your synths lack harmonic richness.

To fix this, try layering a saw wave with a sine wave at -12 semitones to add depth. 

A great example of this is in electronic music, where supersaw leads are often created using multiple unison voices slightly detuned to create a wide, lush sound. 

Or, if your bass guitar or 808s don’t hit as hard as your best reference tracks, check your reference mix again.

You might need to add harmonic saturation using a plugin like Soundtoys Decapitator or a subtle parallel distortion layer to help the low-end cut through. 

For vocals, listen to your reference song to determine if they have more brightness or warmth, and adjust accordingly with a subtle 1-2 dB boost at 10-12 kHz or by cutting muddy frequencies around 250-400 Hz. 

Using reference tracks in this way helps ensure that every sound in your own productions sits perfectly in the mix without feeling out of place.

• Studying Effects Processing (Saturation, Reverb, Delay)

If your tracks sound flat or lack character compared to a reference mix, it’s likely that you need to refine how you’re applying saturation, reverb, and delay. 

When you use reference tracks, listen carefully to how saturation enhances the drums, bass, and vocals (if your mix sounds too clean and lacks energy, adding subtle harmonic distortion can help bring it to life).

When it comes to drums, you could add tape saturation with -12 dB drive on a parallel bus so the transients stay sharp while increasing thickness and body. 

If the bass in your reference song has more grit and warmth, try using tube saturation with a 10-20% mix setting 一 focusing on midrange harmonics (500-1 kHz).

This will help you add character without making the low-end too muddy. 

On the flip side, if your own mix sounds too dry compared to a reference track, check how much reverb and delay is being applied. 

Many pop songs use a plate reverb with a 1.5-2 second decay and a 50-75 ms pre-delay so the vocals retain clarity while still sitting in the space naturally.

Delays also play a huge role in creating depth and width, as well.

If your reference song has a wide, immersive vocal sound, it may be using a ping-pong delay set to 1/8 or 1/4 note sync, blended at around 20-30% wet. 

If your own mixes feel too static, applying subtle slapback delay (60-120 ms) on a separate delay bus can help fill out the space without making the mix muddy. 

By matching the effects processing of your reference tracks, you can ensure that your own productions have the high-quality sound and professional polish needed to compete with industry standards and dominate the competition.

• Creating Depth & Dimension

A key part of sound design is layering multiple sounds to create depth and dimension, and reference tracks can show you exactly how the best producers achieve this. 

This way, you can be the producer people reference in the future.

If your own mixes sound flat, check how the reference mix layers different textures; a great example is lead synths in electronic music, which often have three layers: 

• Bright layer boosted at 8-12 kHz
• Midrange layer sitting around 1-3 kHz
• Sub-layer filling out 100-300 Hz

If your drums feel weak, listen to a reference track and see if the snare has multiple layers so you can switch things up.

Many hip-hop snares blend a tight clap, a deep rimshot, and a subtle noise layer for added presence. 

For vocals, check if your reference mix uses double tracking, panned hard left/right, or if there’s a wide chorus effect on background vocals to create more dimension. 

PRO TIP: Use high-pass filtering on layers above 200 Hz to avoid low-end build-up while still maintaining warmth and fullness. 

Bonus: Using Stem Splitting Software

One of the most powerful techniques (and my favorite) when using reference tracks is stem splitting.

It lets you deconstruct a reference mix into its individual elements (vocals, bass, drums, and other instruments) so you can analyze how they interact in isolation. 

This technique gives you detailed insight into how professional mixes are built so you can pinpoint exactly what’s missing in your own tracks. 

If you’re struggling to get your vocals, bass, or drums to sit like they do in your best reference tracks, breaking the track down into stems gives you all the answers.

For example, if your vocals feel buried compared to a reference mix, use a tool like iZotope RX 11 Music Rebalance or XTRAX STEMS to isolate them and analyze their EQ curve, reverb tail, compression settings, etc.

If the reference track has vocals that cut through more clearly, check if they have a midrange boost around 2-5 kHz or a de-esser controlling sibilance at 6-8 kHz, then adjust your own mix.

And, if your vocals sound dry, listen to how much reverb and delay is applied in the reference song…

If you hear a plate reverb with a 1.8-second decay and 50 ms pre-delay, try dialing in a similar setting to match the space and depth.

One of the biggest areas where stem splitting helps is low-end management. 

If your bass and kick don’t gel together as well as they do in a reference track, isolate those elements to see if the reference mix uses sidechain compression to make space. 

A good rule of thumb is setting a sidechain compressor with a 30-50 ms attack and 80-120 ms release to duck the bass slightly when the kick hits 一 preventing frequency masking in the 60-100 Hz range. 

If your own mix feels muddy in the sub frequencies, compare the low-end balance in your reference song and consider a narrow -1 to -2 dB cut at 80 Hz for clarity.

If your drums don’t hit as hard as they do in your reference mix, extracting the drum bus with stem splitting software allows you to analyze the transients and dynamic range.

For example, you might notice that the snare in the reference mix has more body…

This could indicate a parallel compression boost around 200 Hz or a transient shaper set to +3 dB on attack to enhance the punch. 

If your kick lacks weight, check if the reference track is reinforcing 50-60 Hz with a sub kick layer, and consider layering one into your own mix if needed.

By using stem splitting software, you gain a deeper understanding of how individual mix elements interact so your mix is always on point.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it: everything you need to know about reference tracks and how to use them like a professional. 

Just make sure to choose reference tracks that align with your genre/style, analyze tonal balance, match dynamics, and study effects processing like we talked about.

I’m telling you, by using reference tracks, you’re not just improving your mixing and mastering skills, you’re also sharpening your ear for professional-quality sound.

And, learning exactly what makes a great song stand out so you can improve your creative process in the process (no pun intended).

And, as a special bonus and today’s category, you’ve got to check out the 3 absolute best Free Project Files in the game. 

They break down exactly how to create a professional beat from start to finish, from effects and automation settings to EQ, compression, layering, and sound design techniques. 

These project files are invaluable because you can literally learn anything you’re curious about or need to improve upon.

Each is available in Ableton, FL Studio, and Logic Pro, designed by some of the best producers and sound designers in the game. 

Just like reference tracks, they can help you reverse-engineer pro-level tracks and apply the same techniques to your own music.

Bottom line, using reference tracks won’t just help you fine-tune your mix 一 they can completely change the way you approach music production. 

This way, you’ll be able to match the energy of the best tracks, get your mixes translating across all systems, and lock in a clean, punchy master like a professional. 

Plus, you’ll develop better ear training, understand pro-level mixing techniques, and perfect your workflow with every project. 

Just remember to always gain-match your references, analyze frequency balance carefully, and trust your ears above all. 

And most importantly, keep experimenting, tweaking, and improving because the more you use reference tracks, the closer you’ll get to creating chart-ready music every time.

Until next time…