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In article writes:

Just because a mix engineer is using a digital hardware and software
based mixer instead of an analog console doesn't mean they aren't
mixing....and it certainly doesn't mean that the results will
automatically be worse.

I sort of said that in my initial response to the question. The
problem is that cheap computer-based mixing has brought the potential
to people who use it without having the experience or good taste to
use it in a musical manner. Some eventually learn how, some never do.
It's the same with inexpensive hardware mixing consoles (and the
people who eventually learn how to mix and graduate to better
sounding, perhaps even computer-based mixers).

Once automation is programmed, can it not be played back in real time?

Sure. But a "musical" mixer will program the automation in real time,
and then perhaps tweak it a bit in unreal time. You move the fader to
make the mix sound right and the automation system remembers what you
did and can reproduce it. The person who looks at waveforms and says
"this is a bit loud, I think it needs to go down 5 dB" and then draws
a volume envelope do to that doesn't get to hear what he's done until
he plays the track. Yeah, I know, composers don't get to hear what
they've done either until they pass out the music to the orchestra
members (unless they have home studios g) but composition and mixing
are really different things.

That's besides the point, the listener doesn't give a damn if you
automated the reverb aux returns or if you paid tom dowd to come in and
twist the little knobbies in "real time".....I'm so tired of people who
can't let go of old **** and try to margianalize new technology because
they feel threatened by it.

I work at my own pace. If I have to slow down too much to learn new
technology, I'll never get caught up. I have no problem with someone
learning the new technology from the start, or from learning it a bit
at a time while they're still working productively. But you have to
learn more than the application technology in order to mix. And
personally, I think it's easier to learn mixing as essentially a real
time process.

...I'm just saying that a lot of
people who've worked very hard to be proficient mix engineers would take
offense at being compared to a "beat maker" just because they use a DAW.

Some of the best old time engineers use DAWs today. But they learned
their craft the old way, on the old gear. The craft is what's
important. As long as the technology doesn't stand in the way, there's
nothing wrong with it. I need to be convinved that "the new way" is
really better for me. So far I haven't seen advantages for what I do.
I can see many advantages for those who do other things, however.

--
I'm really Mike Rivers )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
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you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo