Referencing with Tonal Balance Control

Neutron and Ozone’s plugin helps you get a handle on your overall mix and talks to Neutron’s EQs

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Using the same files from before (which you can download from FileSilo), try to make sure there’s a Neutron (Or Mix Tap) on each track and load the Tonal Balance Control over the master channel.

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We have four ranges. The white lines represent our audio signal, and the blue ranges signify target levels in dB for that area of the frequency spectrum. The idea is to get the white lines in the blue ranges, thus making the mix comparable to commercial ‘tonal balance’ standards.

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There are three targets to choose from: Modern, Bass-Heavy and Orchestral. You can also change the spectrum readout to Fine instead of Broad, letting you work with the whole frequency spectrum rather than four generalised bands.

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In TBC, select an EQ from any instance of Neutron that’s working, and you can alter its controls while viewing the overall tonal balance. In the video, we add a dynamic band on the kick, and reduce low-frequency energy from the bass and snare to bring the overall tonal balance more into range.

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At the top, we can select a file to analyse and use as a reference. You might be surprised at the frequency content of these tracks as compared to TBC’s averages, and this is a good example of how real-world tracks don’t necessarily conform to TBC’s ideal standards. Tonal Balance Control is a great guideline, but its suggestions aren’t mandatory.