With the technology we have, there's no need to record and mix "as hot as possible". Getting a sensible level at every stage of the process takes a bit of time to learn how to do it right.

I can recall a time when I had meters in the red and a weak, thin, wave in the track after recording. With some experience, it was possible to keep everything out of the red and have a nice, solid wave after the fact. It comes from watching carefully the levels you have coming in and going out of every stage in the process including the FX and VST's.

You can always turn something up after the recording and mixing is done, but turning it down is the hard part. Yep.... leave lots of headroom in the tracks and in the mix.

Good points in that article.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.