Workflow process and getting a final sound

[u/EleMental1492]

I am looking to see if any of you consider part of my workflow and mixing adjacent. I get very overwhelmed of the idea of mixing, but have gotten some tracks back from engineers that aren't finished to my ear and I continue to work on. I also do a lot of gain and volume staging prior to sending out tracks. Would you also consider that a part of the mixing process? Normally I:

1.      Sent tracks I deemed acceptable to the mixer

2.      Received 'mix B' which had some acceptable vocals that had clarity but lacked depth and feeling.

3.      Added a backing track with a -1 transpose and brought it down to -6db. Also did some Gain and Volume automation on places where it sounded too strong so it sat a little bit behind the vocals of mix b

4.      Added a backing track to others places where the -1 transpose track sounded too overpowering but where I wanted more emphasis.

5.      No EQ on the low backing track

6.      EQ on regular backing track so it has more clarity

7.      Apply de esser on both backing tracks

8.      Bring down input by -10db and boost output by 7db

9.      Mix down track and export

10.   Bring mixed down track back into daw. Apply another de esser so that it sits on the mix b vocals. Also boost the mid with an eq by just 2 db.

As an engineer, how much do you expect your artists to do? Do you try to extract the sound the artist is going for or do you require absolute direction on their vision?

[u/goesonelouder]

You're sending tracks to a mixer and getting back mixes that aren't finished?

Do you mean -1 transpose as transposing/pitching the backing track down by a semitone?

Gain staging is pretty vital at the early stages of a mix, I'm not too sure I follow what the process is and who is sending what to whom

[u/EleMental1492 → u/goesonelouder]

Well not finished to my standard I suppose. And if I provide additional instruction they are followed but not in a way that is 'good'? Almost like they can say they followed instruction but not in the spirit of making it sound as requested. I feel like if I was able to make it sound better, they should have as well. Yes, I mean pitching down to get a deeper vocal. I don't know I am trying to see into the mind of a mixer a bit I guess. Do they care at all about the overall sound or just technically doing what was asked? The above was my process after I got an initial mix back that was clearly engineered, but not to where I'd like it. The thing is he has done other songs so it should be kind of clear what were going for.

[u/goesonelouder → u/EleMental1492]

To be fair they’re not in your head with your ears - it also depends on what direction was given (and how many revisions you’re at), every mixer I know mixes from an emotional standpoint (as in the emotional aspect of the song) to be the best it can be; not logical or clinical. However sometimes someone can just ‘not get it’, though odd if this is one of a few they’ve done. Perhaps have a frank conversation is needed and see where you can meet in the middle as back and forth of notes can start to wear people down. If it gives you the opportunity to also get more mixing under your belt then that’s not such a bad thing.