When it comes to mixing, reference material can help you decide on the mix’s warmth, depth, space, and color. Space frequently refers to a sound’s width, specifically its “left-to-right dimension,” which suggests how each component of the mix is panned. Reverbs and spatial effects can be used to add depth and give the mix a “front-to-back dimension.” This describes the ‘wetness’ or distance to which an audio sound is audible. When a sound is “dry,” it lacks depth and seems to be directly in front of us. The ‘brightness’ or ‘darkness’ of a sound is referred to as the mix’s color and warmth, and it usually results from specific EQ and frequency adjustments. Finding a recording that closely resembles the song you are working on in terms of timbre and energy is known as referencing. You can decide on a mix with greater knowledge and gain a great deal of insight about your mix environment by using a reference as a sonic target. Highlighting these specific aspects in a mix can benefit them greatly, enabling us to build it up by focusing on individual parts instead of the mix as a whole.
For my production, reference material is crucial in garnering inspiration for any track I want to work on. In order to build my skills as a producer, the main thing I’ve done over the years is I listen to my favourite tracks/beats and see what I can implement from theirs into mine, whether it be the type of instrumentation or mixing style, then I watch tutorials on how I can achieve the sound, which may be viewed as another form of reference material. Overall, I believe reference material is the most effective way to work on techniques and experiment with new genres. Experimentation is the key to crafting your sound, and whenever trying something new, you need to be able to hear what a completed version sounds like in order to be used for inspiration. For example, I’ve tried working on different genres in the past, one being techno. As I am not that familiar with the sound, I looked at a lot of 2hollis’ work, and was able to pick out the type of sounds and melodic progressions he typically uses and incorporate something similar into my tracks.
Partners, S. (2018). How and why you should use a reference track during mixing. [online] Blog | Splice. Available at: https://splice.com/blog/how-and-why-you-should-use-a-reference-track-during-mixing/#:~:text=Share [Accessed 17 Apr. 2025].
2hollis (no date) Spotify. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/artist/72NhFAGG5Pt91VbheJeEPG (Accessed: 17 April 2025).