Do your mixes lack depth and character? Today I’m going to show you how you can use the CAR principle that I’ve created which will skyrocket your mixing skills, especially when it comes to reference mixing. Let’s dive into it.
Prerequisites
Throughout this tutorial I’m going to be using SPAN spectrum analyser by Voxengo and Youlean Loudness Meter.
First and foremost, pick a reference track from the same genre as your track and pick a low listening level so you can hear the depth of the mix. Next, we are going to use the CAR principle to match the reference track. CAR stands for Calibrate, Analyse and Replicate.
Step 1: Calibrate
Let’s look at SPAN. First, we need to adjust SPAN’s curve slope in order to better understand the frequency distribution of our reference track. Some reference tracks sound dark and bassy, other are bright and crisp. We need to be able to see the frequency distribution of the reference track in such a way that we know what we are aiming for. The easiest way I found is to load the reference track in your DAW and adjust SPAN’s Slope setting until all frequency bands look like an imaginary horizontal line on the main display. This way you will know how loud the instruments in your mix should be.
Use the SLOPE knob to align all frequencies horizontally
Another thing we need is to match the loudness of the reference track. You can easily do this using Youlean loudness meter. However, I find this to be slightly inaccurate, because perceived loudness is a complex parameter. That’s why I like to isolate a frequency band (usually the kick) and match my kick to that level first. Use your favourite multi-band plugin (e.g. Multi-band Dynamics in Ableton).
Step 2: Analyse
Once kick levels are matched, it’s time to analyse the reference mix. Try to notice every distinguishable layer of sound across the spectrum of the reference track and make a note of the following: frequency range, placement, space. Frequency range pertains to the slot in the frequency spectrum that an instrument (or a sound) occupies. Notice what frequencies it has and what it doesn’t have. This will help explain the next step – placement. Instruments with plenty of low-end will sit low in the mix. High frequency content will sit a little higher, etc. Sometimes instrument placement is around the listener and this is achieved by wide stereo separation (stereo width). Make a note of panning, too. Lastly, analyse the space around the instrument – room, hall, plate, etc.
Step 3: Replicate
The fun part 🙂 Start matching other instruments’ levels accordingly while you keep an eye on SPAN and the imaginary horisontal line between the kick and the highs. Listen on low volume and carefully adjust reverb levels of each channel, stereo width, panning. Remember that the goal is not to copy the reference track 100% but to imitate the levels of the instruments and their placement in the virtual stage.
The mix below needs a boost on everything above 600 Hz.
P.S. You could set up SPAN in a way that you see both spectrums – that of the reference track and your track. Although this may be a preferred method for some, I believe that analysing the ‘ingredients’ of the reference mix first works best. Check also my other tutorial on matching reference tracks using noise.
