Hey There Mixin' and Masterin' Peeps:

I found a cool little trick that helps me when I'm mixing, so I do not "overdo it" on any individual track or make any of the instruments too harsh.

It is like using a reference track, but in this case I am using the BIAB full mix render of a song with any BIAB tracks as the reference. Let me explain.

The trick involves the use of an exported band in a box render when I am using one of the styles especially the "Xtra styles" which I love since they seem to come pre-mixed if you will.

I mean they have a really great balance to them: great panning and a great overall sound that doesn't really need a whole lot of extra EQing in some cases. The sound is usually very warm "as is" with great dynamics.

So once I get a band in a box composition to the level that I want it and I am exporting the individual tracks I take advantage of the export that is called the "render" which is the mix of all of the tracks that comes with the full generation of all tracks as stems.

I will take this "render track" which I guess I'll call a "reference mix" or "bed" and put it on the first track of any mix that I'm doing. I call it: well you guessed it, "the bed."

Then I will add in all of the other individual tracks and play all of the other stuff that I do such as piano, guitar, other instruments and synths.

But when I'm doing the mix I pulled the reference track or initial bed in the box mix up high and listen to whether I have made any of the electric guitars too harsh or anything is over-complicating the simplicity and the nice melodic tone that you will usually get from the very first band in a box render.

This helps keep me honest so to speak and allows me to mix the individual tracks including the ones I play myself up and down and balance them against the first one so that I get a really rich and warm sound.

I know that there are many other ways to use reference tracks and other tools that will analyze the eqs of reference tracks but this is one method that I use which I find works really really well in the initial mixing phase.

If it is of any hope help to anyone then my post is not been in vain.

P.S. The screenshots might help explain. It shows the actual work in progress levels of the instruments I am playing against the bed...but the mix itself is more than loud enough...of course the bass will come up, and I will add in drum stems, but maybe you will see what I am up to. smile

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Ref Track1.jpg (136.16 KB, 37 downloads)
Ref Track 2.jpg (138.18 KB, 37 downloads)