Reference CD

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rguagenti

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What is the proper way to use a reference CD.

Is it as simple as playing it back to back against your masterpiece to make sure you have proper volume levels and tonality, or is there more to it than that?(Damn those compound questions)

Isn't a reference CD relative anyway. Where I might use a Pete Yorn CD to go after that sound someone else might use Tom Petty.

Am I off base? Do I even know what I am talking about? Someone let me know. Thanks
 
Your not off track at all.

I use different reference CDs all the time. They are very helpful when I am wanting to match (or come close to) a certain Mix, Tone, Volume level, FX, EQ, or just overall sound.

My ears get lost in the mix on a regular basis. So a reference CD can help keep me on track, and get me closer to the sound I am looking for.


Hope that helps.


Steven
 
So I got it right.

Basically it's a CD of a song who's sound I am trying to go after or who's overall feel and groove I am trying to go after.

I see what you mean I, too get lost in the mix sometimes and I need to re-orient myself. Time to start with reference CD's.

Okay, cleared up.

Thanks Imalion.
 
I just finished mastering and finalizing a set of songs for a CD distrubution for a friend of mine.

It was a rock based project that had some quieter acoustic numbers, light rock, to some full bore heavy rockin-out. For each of those areas I found a reference CD from my collection that matched the dynamics, eq, ambience and density I was looking for.

I put the reference material in one of the tracks in the multitacker so I could match the stuff I was doing with the nuances of a great-sounding professionally mastered cut. That way it was a quick click to bring in the pro and compare it with the track I was sweetening or balancing. After a while the pro track matches my own track as good as I can get it with my current equipment and skill level and I'm done.

I do the same when mixing to get the best possible sounding mix to give the mastering guy something really good to work with - except for the fact that I'm not finalizing or pre-mastering by using any equipment across the stereo output buss.

References are cool ! :cool:
kylen
 
Refernce CD's have many uses. If your room is not a great room (too many reflections, too much bass response, etc. If your monitors aren't great - or don't translate well to other systems. If you don't hear all the frequencies well (my problem - with some hearing loss).

In all these cases, useing a commercial CD that you know is well mixed (and is in the style you are trying to record) can give you a constant reference.

If you are mixing for others, have them bring a CD or artists that they hope to sound close to (assuming it's a well mixed/mastered recording).
 
Thanks for all of your insights.

Kylen, I like your idea of copying the reference song onto a track of the project. Don't you lose something in the transfer or is the sound quality largely unaffected?

How do you get the song on a track? Is it basically one long sample?

They say asking questions is a sign of intellligence.... I must be the smartest guy in the world.
(lol)
 
mikeh said:
Refernce CD's have many uses. If your room is not a great room (too many reflections, too much bass response, etc. If your monitors aren't great - or don't translate well to other systems. If you don't hear all the frequencies well (my problem - with some hearing loss).....
Click to expand...
I agree. :cool:
 
this last weekend i came up with a totally new reference CD idea, and i think it works really well. (for those of us on computers)

when you are 95% done with a mix, do a bounce, and throw it in itunes or whatever jukebox you have.

then you can very quickly compare it to a whole world of music. you can stock your itunes with whatever material you like best in terms of recording...

much better than fumbling with a bunch of CDs, plus you get to go straight to the middle of songs, stuff like that.

also you can turn on the "sound enhancer" to replicate how people will be hearing your song with the "loudness" or whatnot on.
 
i use other cd's too. i use them to chek out the overall high and low end in a mix. i do mostly heavy music so i use meshuggas"destroy,erase,improve"cd. the day i get that sound and that type of mix out of my gear will be the day i will bang my balls off of my keyboard.(that would be a good thing)
 
Don't you lose something in the transfer or is the sound quality largely unaffected? How do you get the song on a track? Is it basically one long sample?
Click to expand...

The song sounds pretty good to me - I'm sure I lose a little in the transfer but I can't really tell. The overall dynamic and EQ balance is still there which is what I'm after. I may lose a slight amount of aural depth but it isn't a factor yet.

I rip the song from the CD as a 16 bit wave file using Cakewalk Pyro 2004 or any equivalent good sounding ripper. I've heard some pretty good sounding mp3s that I would do this with too believe it or not.

Once you get the wave file then I import it into the Sonar project or Cool Edit Pro project as a stereo track as if it were ready to mix in with the rest of the tracks. It's just one long sample, in those apps it's called an 'event' or 'wave block' I think.

kylen
 
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