Do you use reference tracks as a mixing aid? If so, what specific attributes do you focus on when selecting appropriate reference material for a given song? Things like similar genre and instrumentation seem pretty obvious. What else do you look for?
 
Thanks.

it is absolutely imperitive to use reference tracks while mixing.
 
all the pros do it, for a reason.
 
especially if you mix in a room that is not balanced.
 
 
here is a good source for what to look for in reference tracks:
 
http://www.digido.com/media/honor-roll.html

i also like to use HAR BAL to study the frequency analysis of songs i'm actively using as 'references'.
there are other means to the same info (SPAN comes to mind) but i like Har Bal.
 
 

Yes, definitely.  I haven't looked at the link above yet; but I usually go by feel.  What song does the song "feel" similar too, especially vocal-wise and prominent instrument-wise.

I'll try to find a song with similar instrumentation and mix to mine, and A/B it.
Along with my ears, i'll use Voxengo Span to give me a visual to aim for.  That seems to help with a bad room.

I just try to think of a simular song somehow from a related genre.
fe if you'd be mixing 'Are you gonna go my way' by Lenny Kravitz would try to reference it against something by White Stripes maybe.....just an example.
personally I use a free plugin (RMS Buddy) and set the same RMS level for mix and reference track, and then usually turn down the reference track it bit more so they sound equally loud.
 

Sheane raises a very good point in his last sentence.
 
Any track you bring into SONAR for reference purposes will have already be mastered and made commercially loud, so bring it down to sensible levels before making any adjustments

Yes. I look for something that sounds like I want my stuff to sound through my system.
It's just a good way to calibrate your ears.

Yes, I use MCompare, which can load 4 to 8 reference tracks at a time. It can also quickly level match them. I switch back and forth between my tracks and the ref, to check things like bass levels, punch, reverb levels, etc.

It's been a long time since I actually imported a reference track into a project for comparison. The problem, as noted above, is that you're using a mastered track as your reference. That's always going to limit the amount of useful information you can glean from a comparison. Even EQ and vocal levels, which would seem to be the most reliable clues, are affected by mastering compression. 
 
References are still quite valuable to me, though. But instead of directly comparing them to my mixes, I use them to train my ears to recognize what a great mix sounds like on my system. My computer is my primary listening station. Whenever I'm perusing forums, reading news aggregators or going through emails, music is playing.
 
Right now it's Sailing to Philadelphia by Mark Knopfler. It's nothing like my current project, an orchestral piece. But it's a prime example of a clean, well-balanced mix and the music suits my mood this morning.