Oct 30, 2026
HT Mix Analyzer Tonal Snapshot — A reference curve that remembers a musical moment.
Article
How do you compare the tonal balance of a mix with a reference without losing sight of the passage you actually care about? HT Mix Analyzer Tonal Snapshot is my experiment in making that comparison more useful inside REAPER.
It displays 32 frequency bands, a reference range, stereo information and peak/RMS dynamics. Its reference-learning mode saves the last valid spectrum smoothed with a 10-second exponential time constant. Earlier audio gradually fades in importance, so this is a weighted memory rather than a hard ten-second recording window.
The technique combines stereo FFT analysis, amplitude-based spectral measurements and time-weighted ranges. Bands with too little reliable information are marked as uncertain. The intention is to support listening decisions and highlight differences, while leaving the decision about what sounds right to the mixer.
The workflow is inspired by tonal-reference tools such as iZotope Tonal Balance Control and Audiolens. The analysis implementation is independent. The local beta can use locally imported target data; those files are separate from my plugin code. Its monitoring modes also draw on Airwindows Monitoring3 by Chris Johnson.
A useful starting point is a representative chorus: learn the reference there, then compare a similar passage of your own mix. I use the listening modes in REAPER’s Monitor FX so they do not become part of the export.
I’m developing this collection in REAPER’s JSFX format with the help of Codex and ChatGPT. JSFX lets me develop audio and MIDI tools directly inside REAPER and inspect their source. My aim is to make these tools usable wherever I use REAPER: Windows, macOS and Linux. Cross-platform testing and any helper-app requirements will be documented per plugin. This is a beta preview. Features, interface and sound may change. A public release is planned; there is no announced release date yet.
