How do you use reference tracks and meters to evaluate your stereo balance?

I don't use reference track for mixing. the spectral audio content, is based on a different song a different arrangement. try to match isn't practical.

I’m not a reference track type of producer but I understand it if you do. But understanding and getting use to seeing your meter movements will eventually help you get use to hearing audio and already understanding the range of it.

One thing I have found helpful is ALWAYS use a reference track when mixing a song. Compare your mixing session to the reference track frequently, and you will soon understand how to mix sessions like the professionals!

The answer for those questions are pretty simple if we concider the mixing engineer as an artist then no need to reference tracks and meters ! ) I can hardly imaging Pablo using a Dali piece of art as a reference .) at the other hand if you concider the mixing engineer as an engineer :) I technical gourou then I advice you to use every track that u love I be got as a reference track and also having. Every kind of meteres at your studio but be sure that I doesn’t make you more creative ! Train your ears ?? train to observe and then use ur imagination .

One thing I've found helpful AI tools such as Soundid, that are able to artificially flatten your output based on your speaker (or headphones) audio profile. Amazing for mixing! I find it hard to fully depend on a reference track to find that similar stereo balance.

I never use reference tracks during mixing, I prefer to rely on auditory memory. Before a mix, I’ll spend a few days listening to songs in same genre. Then when approaching the mix I’ll use my memory to mix the track. Referencing directly can be a risky activity as you will often copy the reference too much which results in a mix that loses its identity and doesn’t sound as good as it could have. Plus it trains your auditory memory, a skill that should never be underestimated.

Honestly, I very rarely use reference tracks (GASP!). However, I do agree with the benefits of using them when mixing a Song, EP or Album with similar production to what you're working on. Whether it's Hip-Hop, House, R&B, Gospel, Country, etc., there are more than enough great records to choose from. Now, with that said, I do regularly listen to songs that sound similar to what I'm working on. I make notes on each mix: Kick, snare, dynamics, etc. Secondly, each instrument: how they move, blend, pan. etc. Finally, I note the EFXs: a delay I like used on a vocal, a reverb on a snare, etc. During my mix, I refer to my notes & apply them. In the end, I trust my ears and vision for whatever song I'm working on and follow my intuition.

I find it helpful to start by using parallel comparison to find a base decibel level for each of your tracks. While playing my reference track, I will usually first adjust the drums, bass, and rhythm piano or guitar, all from 0 dB. In comparison with my reference, adjusting first the volume and EQ of instruments that take up more space helps me find the headroom to mix in the vocals and a lead instrument.

In the context of live audio, where stereo output isn't always desired, a quick subtraction of the left and right channels into a metered bus channel should show if you have any difference in the left and right channels. If there is signal present on the bus, there is a difference between L and R.

To check your stereo balance, use reference tracks and meters. Choose well-mixed songs in the same genre and play them alongside your mix. Switch between the reference tracks and your mix to compare. Use VU meters to check volume levels on both sides. Phase meters help you see if the sounds are too centered or too wide. Spectrum analyzers show the frequency distribution, ensuring a balanced sound. Adjust your mix based on what you see and hear.

When I'm mixing, reference tracks are my secret weapon for nailing stereo balance. I'll A/B my mix against pro tracks in the same genre, paying close attention to how wide or narrow different elements sit. I use correlation meters to check mono compatibility and make sure nothing's out of phase. A stereo vectorscope is great for visualizing the width and balance. I also rely on mid-side EQ to fine-tune the stereo image of specific elements. Ultimately, I trust my ears, but these tools help me spot issues and make sure my mix translates well across different systems.

While record mixes are mostly 2 channels, this does not inherently constitute stereo sound. Stereo is the practice of recording with at least 2 microphones, and reproducing the stereo field, with reference to our ears, using two or more carefully positioned speakers. Speakers are required as the time delay and filtering of our head creates different sound fields for each ear at any given moment. If headphones are to be used for reference, then a physical filter simulating a head must be used while recording to achieve the effect, often referred to as "binaural" as it's distinctly limited to two sound references. Properly executed, the effect is that the brain able to perceive spatial depth, like looking at a 3D image.