Reference Check: compare your mix to a reference track
Drop in your mix and a track you'd like it to sound like. Reference Check finds the breakdown, build and drop in both, matches their loudness, and shows section by section where yours is quieter, narrower, duller or less punchy. It's free and runs in your browser, so there's no plugin to install and nothing is uploaded.
Sections
Section by section
The differences are yours against the referenceListen: A/B the same section
Both tracks loop the same section. Press A and B (or click) to flip between them. Matching the loudness stops the louder one sounding better just for being louder.
How Reference Check works
Finding the sections. Each track is mapped the way Phrasemap maps a reference: it finds the beat and bar lines, then the intro, breakdowns, builds and drops from where the kick and the music come and go. The two maps are shown side by side, so you can see whether your arrangement follows the same shape.
Comparing like with like. Your drop is compared with the reference's drop (the loudest one, if there are several), your breakdown with its breakdown, and so on. A whole-file reading hides the moment that matters: a mix can match a reference overall and still have a weaker drop.
What each measure means. Loudness is the section's level in LUFS, measured as streaming services and meters measure it. Punch is the crest factor, how far the peaks rise above the average: a lower number means a more squashed section. The kick and bass bands (40–100 Hz and 100–250 Hz) and brightness (6–16 kHz) are each band's share of the section, so they don't depend on level. Width is the side signal against the mid above 250 Hz. The lift into the drop is how much louder the drop is than the breakdown before it.
For a whole-file meter (integrated loudness, true peak and the full spectrum), use the Mix Checker. To find a track's key and tempo first, try the Track Analyser.
Choosing a good reference
Pick a released track in the same style and tempo range, with a mix you'd be happy to play next to yours on a big system. Use a lossless file (WAV, AIFF or FLAC) if you can: MP3s lose some top end, which shows up as brightness. Our guide to arranging from a reference track covers picking one and using its structure. For loudness targets, see the Loudness Guide.
Questions
Is there a free reference track plugin?
Reference Check isn't a plugin. It runs in your browser, so it's free and works with any DAW. Bounce your mix, drop it in with your reference, and you get the comparison without installing anything.
Why match loudness before comparing?
Louder nearly always sounds better, so an A/B where one track is louder misleads you: you end up chasing level instead of tone. Matching the two sections first means you hear the real differences in punch, low end, width and brightness.
How loud should my drop be compared with the reference?
Within a decibel or so is close enough for club play, as long as it doesn't cost you punch. If yours is several decibels quieter, it'll sound weaker next to the reference in a set. The Loudness Guide has the targets for club and streaming.
Why does my drop sound weaker than the reference?
The usual causes are the ones Reference Check measures: not enough lift from the breakdown, the kick and bass masking each other, a narrow top end, or a dull top end. Our guides to kick and bass and the build-up cover the fixes.
Is my track uploaded?
No. Both files are analysed on your computer, inside your browser, and nothing is sent or stored.
What's the difference from the Mix Checker?
The Mix Checker measures the whole file: integrated loudness, true peak, the full spectrum and stereo. Reference Check compares section against section, so you can see where your breakdown or drop falls short of the reference.