Why a reference track gives you a finish line A mix with no goal can be adjusted for hours without ever feeling finished. You might nudge the same vocal level for twenty minutes until you can no longer tell whether it's better or worse, and that happens because there's nothing to measure the mix against. I often say that referencing is the compass and the template is the map. A template or a preset can get you started, but only a reference (or 10,000 hours of experience) tells you whether you're heading in…