Hey Frank,

Those are some great tips!

I'm sure everyone will have a different process that suits them best, but I like to use the Band-in-a-Box plugin in Adobe Audition (just my DAW of choice because I work with Premiere a lot for video). I will often record live instruments into Audition to mix with the Band-in-a-Box tracks, and I like the control Audition gives me when recording and mixing various tracks together.

Since my background is in radio, I am probably a bit heavy handed with effects, equalizing, and compression. The station I worked at, absolutely everything had to peak at -6db, so I just keep doing that out of habit.

Cheers!