Reference tracks: Gold mine for ideas

If you’re making music and actually trying to level up your skills, you’ve probably already noticed that analytical listening is one of the best ways to grow as an artist.

When you really listen to a track - not just vibing, but breaking it down - you start to notice the little things:

• how the arrangement flows,
• how many layers are in the beat,
• how the drums are placed,
• whether the artist is using just one vocal take or stacking five,
• if there are harmonies or not…

All of those details shape the sound you love.

A reference track takes this idea to the next level. 🎯

Instead of just listening, you’re using another song as a direct guide while creating your own.

Most people think reference tracks are only for mixing and mastering, but today we’re going to flip that idea.

I’ll show you how to use them already in the creative phase - while you’re writing, recording, and building your sound.

Let's dive in. 🤿

What Is a Reference Track?

Let’s clear this up from the jump. A reference track is simply a point of reference.

It’s not about copying another song 1:1, it’s about using it as a guide to understand what makes a track work. 🕵️

Here’s what I mean.

Let’s say you pick a hip-hop track as your reference. The beat is simple: 5 drum elements, 808, a piano sample playing in reverse, no intro, just a straight drop, two verses and three hooks.

The wrong way to use this reference would be:

• trying to recreate the exact same drum pattern,
• finding a piano sample that sounds almost identical,
• structuring your song with the same 2 verses, 3 hooks, and immediate drop.

That’s just copying, and that’s not the point.

The right way to use a reference track is to ask yourself questions while listening:

• What actually carries the energy here? Is it the drums? The bass? That reversed piano?
• Why did they drop straight into the hook instead of building with an intro?
• Do those 3 hooks keep me engaged, or does the last one feel repetitive?
• What little details are making me want to replay this song?

When you analyze like this, you start to notice the DNA of the track. 🧬

Maybe you realize the drums are the main driving force, so in your song, you decide to build a solid drum groove with similar tonal qualities, but with your own pattern.

Maybe that reversed piano is just “texture,” sitting in the background. Cool, so in your track you could use a different ambient element - like strings, a vocal chop, or synth pads - that gives a similar vibe but isn’t a carbon copy.

Maybe you like the way they jumped straight into the drop, but you also feel the third hook gets boring. 

That’s the point of reference tracks: they’re not blueprints to copy, they’re starting points to learn from.

You figure out what the main carrier of the vibe is, and then translate that into your own sound.

That way, the track you make feels inspired by the reference, not stolen from it. 🔥

Choosing the Right Reference Track

So how do you actually pick the right reference track?

You could just hop on Spotify, find your favorite artist, and grab their most-streamed song as your reference. But here’s the problem: what works for them might not work for you.

That artist has their own vibe, their own identity, their own story.

That top song probably connected with millions of listeners because it was their version of something, not because the formula works for everyone.

So instead of chasing numbers, start with your own taste.

Here’s what I recommend 👇

• Sit down with an album (or even a playlist) you love.
• Pick 2–3 songs that you keep coming back to, the ones that really grab you.
• From there, choose one track that feels like the best blueprint for the kind of sound you want to chase.

That’s your reference.

Now, if you’ve got a clear vision for your next track, you can go even deeper.

Say you want to make something cinematic, with a big orchestra on top of hard trap drums - like some of NF’s songs.

Perfect, you find one of those tracks and use it as your reference.

But here’s the thing: your reference track doesn’t always need to match the exact genre, tempo, or vibe you’re aiming for. 🎯

Maybe you’re working on a trap banger but you fall in love with a catchy indie-pop chorus.

You can take that as inspiration and flip it into your own lane. The drums, energy, and production will be totally different, but the feeling you loved in the reference still carries over.

That’s the power of picking the right reference.

It’s not about cloning. It’s about finding tracks that make you stop and think:

“Damn, I want my music to make people feel like this.”

So, here’s the rule of thumb: if you keep going back to a song over and over again, if it sits on your playlist as one of your personal favorites - that’s a strong candidate for a reference track.

Not just for a single song, but maybe even as a blueprint for your overall sound. 🎶

How to Actually Use a Reference Track While Recording

Alright, enough theory, let’s talk practice.

How do you actually use a reference track while you’re creating music?

One of the easiest tricks is to keep the reference inside your DAW.

Don’t waste time jumping back and forth between Spotify, YouTube, or your browser while you’re in the zone. 

Just grab the song with a simple converter, drop the MP3 into your session, and boom - it’s right there whenever you need it.

No distractions, no breaking the flow. 🧘

Some DAWs even let you break down a track into stems automatically (like FL Studio does).

That can be super powerful. Suddenly you can solo just the drums, or just the melody, and hear details you might have missed when everything was playing together.

Maybe you realize:

“Damn, the reason this groove feels so good is because of the way the kick and hi-hats bounce off each other.”

That’s gold for your own production. But here’s the thing: don’t overdo it at the demo stage.

When you’re recording rough ideas or your first takes, the most important thing is catching the spark.

That raw energy.

If you’re stopping every 30 seconds to check your reference, you’ll kill the vibe.

That’s why I recommend learning from your reference track before you even hit record.

Study it, break it down, take notes on the vibe and arrangement.

Then, when you’re building your demo, you already know the direction you want to go.

Later, in the production and mixing stages, that’s when your reference track becomes a real tool for fine-tuning.

So yeah, keep the reference close, but don’t let it run the session.

Your idea should lead the way, the reference is just a guide. 🗺️

Mixing With Reference Tracks

This is where reference tracks really shine.

During the creative/demo phase you might peek at your reference from time to time, but in mixing?

You should be checking it a lot. 👂

Why?

Because mixing is all about making sure your track sounds clear, balanced, and competitive next to everything else that’s out there. And without a reference, it’s way too easy for your ears to trick you.

Here’s the problem: when you’re mixing for 2–3 hours straight, your ears adapt. 

If you made a mistake early on - like pushing the bass waaaaay too loud - after a while your brain gets used to it. Suddenly, it doesn’t even sound wrong to you anymore.

That’s where a reference track saves the day. ⚡

You load it up, hit play, and instantly you have a reality check.

• Maybe your reference has the bass sitting -5 dB lower than your mix, and it still sounds fat and powerful. That’s your clue: your low end is too heavy, pull it back.
• Maybe your reference feels wider, more open. That’s your reminder to spread things out and create more space.
• Or maybe you realize the overall loudness/dynamics of your track are way off compared to your reference. Time to adjust compression and balance.

The point isn’t to copy the exact mix. The point is to keep your ears honest.

Think of it like driving at night with road signs - your reference track is the sign that tells you whether you’re still on the right road or drifting into the ditch.

If you check your reference consistently throughout the process, you’ll end up with a mix that is still yours, still has its own flavor - but also stands up competitively when played next to the songs you love. 🎧

Practical Tips for Using Reference Tracks

Before we wrap this up, let me leave you with a few practical tips you can actually use right away:

• Load it into your DAW - don’t switch back and forth between YouTube/Spotify and your project. Drop the reference track straight into your DAW so it’s always there when you need it.
• One-click solo - set it up in your mixer so with a single click you can solo the reference, and just as quickly switch back to your own mix. Don’t waste time muting/unmuting 20 tracks every time you want to compare.
• Find the core - ask yourself: what drives this track? Is it the drums? The bassline? The hook? Identify the main energy source and use that as your biggest lesson.
• Don’t copy 1:1 - the point isn’t to clone someone else’s sound. That leads to frustration and usually worse results. Instead, focus on why something works, then reinterpret it in your own way.
• Level-match your reference - make sure your reference track and your mix are at the same loudness before comparing. Otherwise, the louder one will always sound “better” to your ears, and you’ll make the wrong decisions. (just slide the fader down on the reference track, until it's match your songs volume)
  
• Check on multiple systems - don’t just compare on your studio monitors. Play your reference and your mix on headphones, your car, even a Bluetooth speaker. If your track holds up next to the reference everywhere, you’re golden.
• Use references in small bursts - don’t loop the reference for 10 minutes. Play 15–30 seconds, take the insight you need, then go back to your mix. This keeps your ears fresh and avoids overthinking.

Wrapping It Up

Reference tracks aren’t about copying someone else’s music - they’re about learning, analyzing, and using what works as inspiration for your own sound. 🎶

Whether you’re recording, producing, or mixing, having a reference track is like having a compass in the studio.

It keeps you from getting lost in endless tweaking, helps you stay competitive sonically, and pushes you to make smarter choices.

At the end of the day, your music should still sound like you.

The reference just helps you get there faster and with more confidence.

So load up those tracks you love, study them, experiment, and then twist it into your own flavor. That’s how you grow, and that’s how you build a sound that lasts. 

And if you need some high quality instrumentals for your next release you should check out my beat collections.

Take care,

Baxon 👊