I would like to address the too many tracks issue. I think it should read to many unnecessary tracks.

If one wants realism then many times each instrument would be on its own track like the following set up for a funk song:

1-drums - kick, snare, hi-hat, 3 toms, 2 cymbals = 8 tracks
2-bass - 1 track
3-clavicord/piano, organ = 2 tracks
4-guitars - 2 tracks
5- horns. 2 trumpets, tenor-alt-bari sax, t-bone = 6 tracks
6-lead instrument/singer - 1 track

We now have 20 tracks and that doesn't include any percussion or backup singers. Note this is for audio (RT) tracks as well as audio (RT) tracksMIDI.

Now I know that you might be able to bring the drums down to one track but you would lose the individual drum control. Same with the horns.

FWIW I have used both of the above methods as well as mixed and matched them. It depends on the song and how much realism you want as well as how much time you have.

I think it can all be summed up in Herb's "Add nothing that adds nothing to the music"

YMMV

When you are at the checkout line and they ask if you found everything say "Why, are you hiding stuff?"

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware