Mastering Mixing: The Role of Reference Tracks

• Music Business
• Special Education

Mastering Mixing: The Role of Reference Tracks

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you will:

• Understand the importance of Reference Tracks in mixing
• Be able to select appropriate Reference Tracks
• Analyse mixing techniques
• Apply these techniques to your own mixes

What do you already know about the Sound Mixing process?

Mixing Basics: Key Terms

Mono
Multiple instruments were recorded using one microphone and played out of one speaker

Stereo
Instruments are balanced across two speakers or headphones

Signal Flow 
The stages a sound goes through from recording to reaching the listeners' ears

Volume
Balancing the loudness of different instruments depending on priority

Mixing Basics: Key Terms

Panning - moving different instruments to the left or right between the two speakers 

Phantom Image - an instrument placed directly between the two speakers, creating an illusion of an additional speaker

Frequencies - The Bass (low), Mid and Treble (high) sounds heard across the different instruments

Reverb - An electronically produced echo effect in live and recorded music

Today's Focus: Reference Tracks

We will come back to some of the terms referenced above as we go through the mixing process.

But first, before you even set up your mixing project, you need to identify at least one Reference Track...

What do you already know about the use of Reference Tracks in Sound Mixing?

Importance of Reference Tracks

Reference tracks provide a benchmark for your desired sound, helping to achieve professional quality mixes.

Analysing Reference Tracks

When we listen to reference tracks, we should be actively listening to identify mixing techniques such as balance, frequency spectrum, dynamics and spatial effects so that we can try to recreate them in our own mixing project.

We will now listen to a selection of reference tracks as a class and identify some of these characteristics.

Example Reference Tracks

Play examples of well-mixed tracks from different genres for students to actively listen and identify specific mixing techniques.

Selecting Appropriate Tracks

Think about the song you have recorded with your team. Choose reference tracks based on genre, instrumentation, and sonic characteristics to align with the project's goals.

I recommend starting with the original version of the song you have recorded!

Applying Techniques

Apply techniques learned from reference tracks to enhance students' own mixes for improved quality and sound.

Group Analysis Activity

In small groups, analyze a reference track to identify specific mixing techniques and discuss findings with the class.

Application in Student Mixes

Students will apply techniques learned from reference tracks to their own mixes and present their improved mixes to the class.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.