Thanks, noted and bookmarked.

I have the form.. tempo.. bar count.. etc.. all charted out.. then I set the bpm for the click and I lay a single stereo guide track of guitar playing the changes.. not worrying about it being perfect.. just in time.. then I build my other tracks up around, under etc.. that guide track.. I porbably spend the most time on drums.. not just getting the parts right.. but also the tone of the kit or samples.. and then if its samples triggered by midi that I did.. controlling the beat.. moving things slightly off ahead or behind the beat to make it a little less locked in and metronomic.. automataion any dynamic changese or hits/accents etc.. definitely spend the most time on the drums... then balancing the layers and lanes for the layers in the mix field.. mix it and listen to it and as many different systems in as many different environments as possible.. different monitors.. different rooms.. in the car.. in some one else's car.. then find others whom's ears you trust and let them listen to it.. it even helps if none of them know each other and then take notes off the feedback they give you from what they thought of the mix and composition.. down to what systems they were listening to it on.. apologies for the rambling.. its just kinda off spills out of my head like this.. lol

wow, well thanks for the advice...

\m/ anytime!