Mixing... home vs. pro

As of the past couple months is seems mixing has become my main job and thats definitely not something I would complain about.  There's been some recording sessions in there too, but the majority of the work has been mixing.  I did have some mixing jobs getting backed up for a little bit because I lent out a piece of mixing equipment to Recording Magazine for review.  But, I also took on more mixing jobs than recording jobs.  It does seem like there is growing interest in my mixing service, which may have something to do with my analog methods.  A couple mixing jobs were projects that were created in home studios and sent to me for a professional touch.  Those in particular were looking for the elusive analog warmth that my studio has to offer.  Its not something obtainable in a home studio environment, since the equipment required to get that sound is about as expensive as a nice house.  However, its important to note that the equipment plays just a small role in the sound of a Mix.  The greatest factor in any mix is the choices made by the engineer. Creative mixing decisions are the foundation of my work.  One thing that probably gets overlooked by amateur recordists is mixing actually begins when the microphones are getting set up.  The projects I have both recorded and mixed generally tend to sound better than the projects I only mix.  This is because I actually start mixing during the recording process with creative choice and placement of microphones that will give me the mix results I'm looking for.  I'll even track with EQ and compression at times if its going to give me the sound I want to work with. 

In conclusion, professional mixing can certainly take home recordings to a more professional level, but the best results would obviously be from a professionally recorded and mixed project.  I doubt there's many home studios with floating floors and proper acoustic treatment, let alone all the expensive microphones and preamps... and lets not forget the most important thing - the experience that comes with doing something every day of your life.  Recording at home can be a fun experience, but getting professional results is a different story.  I usually recommend reserving home recording for creating preproduction demos.  In that application, a home studio is a cost effective solution for developing songs.