Do you use all the tracks?

[on tilt]

Just a question for those of you that are mixing pros or semi-pros. I guess this also assumes the tracks were recorded elsewhere by someone else, but I guess it could apply to your recordings as well. But anyway...

How often do you use all the tracks included in a session? If you don't, how much do you leave out? Obviously, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But what percentage would you guess that typically is?

[Big Tim]

It's totally "horses for courses" and pretty much comes down to common sense. If there's 100 tracks and every one has a specific purpose that helps the track, they'll all get used. If there's 20 tracks of guitars all playing the same thing each with a slightly different tone, most of those are going to get cut and I'll pick the ones I like the tone of best in the context of the track. If it's unclear then I'll ask the band/artist which things are key to the song and which things are incidental or "nice to have" and work from there. Not wise to second-guess if there's any uncertainty.

[ditto]

Less Is More Department: It's very cool to hit mute on a track in a mix and see what it sounds like without it. If you've got a lot of tracks in the mix, often the mix sounds better WITHOUT one or more tracks. (The Less Is More Department is sometimes known as the Do Yourself A Favor Department.)

[axeman69]

It all depends on which tracks best serve the song. Remember, it's the song that's most important, regardless of what the guitar player or drummer tells you.

[Farview]

I use what needs to be there. I generally don't make decisions to eliminate parts with things that I am not producing, but I will get rid of 3 of the 5 mics that they used on the guitar amp.

[aww-de-oh]

I use what needs to be there. I generally don't make decisions to eliminate parts with things that I am not producing,
but I will get rid of 3 of the 5 mics that they used on the guitar amp.

Hey.. did you mix my song?

[EnlightenedHand]

I typically leave out multiple mic takes of the same instrument like snare bottoms (hate them) or unnecessary extra guitar mics (most of the time they don't do anything to make anything sound better).

I don't remove anything that's a part of the basic arrangement of the song, at least not without asking first.