Some mixing engineers will ask you to send them your unprocessed stem files because they use a different DAW. Otherwise, it's possible to send your Logic Pro session directly to your mixing engineer. If you're not tidy enough or don't know how to save your session before sending it to anyone, it would be a disaster for him and you.
If you want to work with me, for instance, you can send me your Logic Pro session, and I can take your song where you left off. But you have to do a little homework first.
Save as a new alternative before everything
Under the 'File' menu, you can find the 'Project Alternatives' section. You can save your projects as alternatives for things like you want to experiment a little bit, but you don't want to ruin your original version. Today we will use it for backup. You don't want to lose your original file while you're preparing it for your mixing engineer. Just click on 'New Alternative' and name it. Now your song is saf
Delete unused tracks
I can't tell how many times I received a project with so many muted and empty tracks. This problem seems harmless but generates an unnecessary conversation for both sides. So please get rid of them first.
Finish editing
Check if there any clicks and pops in your tracks. Clean silences on your recordings. Use fade in and fade out at the beginning and the end of a region. Select all your regions to do this quickly. Put fade in and fade out to all of them at once in the 'Inspector' menu.
Consolidate and clean up your files
First of all, merge your compilation tracks. Click on the small number above a compilation track and click 'Flatten and Merge.' That's it.
Under the 'File' menu, you will see the 'Project Management' section. In 'Project Management,' click on 'Clean up' to delete unused files, backups, and media browser files.
There will still be unused files even after you cleaned them up. Open the 'Browsers' from the right corner of Logic Pro or by clicking F. In the 'Project' section, click 'Edit' and 'Select Unused.' Open the 'Audio File' menu and click 'Delete File(s).'
Bounce your midi tracks
You have to bounce your midi tracks not just for saving CPU but also your mixing engineer maybe doesn't have the synth or drum machine you use.
You will find a 'Bounce' section in the 'File' menu. Click 'Regions in Place' to bounce your midi tracks.
Select 'Leave' in the 'Source' section. Checkmark 'Bypass Effect Plug-ins' and 'Include Audio Tail in File.' Select 'Normalize Off.' After that, you can carry the plugins from the old midi track to the new audio track. This way is better because we would want to change the parameters of those plugins afterward.
Does your mixing engineer have your third-party plugins?
You can keep all your stock plugins on your project, but you have to be sure your mixing engineer has the third-party plugins that you use on that project. Ask him if he has those plugins. If he doesn't, bounce in place the tracks that have those third-party plugins on it.
Click on the track that you want to bounce in. In the 'File' window, in the section of 'Bounce,' you will see 'Track in Place.' After click on that, you will see a pop-up window appears. Do not checkmark 'Bypass effects and plugins' so you can bounce those plugins.
Name your tracks logically
I think most of us know that one, but it's still crucial. After you've done all of these cleaning processes, make sure your tracks named logically. Audio 1 name doesn't have any meaning for others. You can name your guitars like 'Guitar Rhythm' and 'Guitar Lead,' or you can name your synths like 'Soft Arpeggiator' or 'Bass Moog.' The best way to name your tracks is grouping. Name your tracks as groups like Drums Kick, Drums Snare, Drums Hihat, Drums Shaker.
Save as your session before sending it to anyone
This is the most important part because your mixing engineer can't open your project correctly if you've done it wrong.
Click 'Save As' in the 'File' window. Select 'Folder' option. Checkmark all the options belove to make sure you're saving all the crucial data in your project. Send him the folder that you've just created.
That's it. Now you're ready to send your Logic Pro project to your mixing engineer. He will be happy if you send him a tidy one. You know what happens when your mixing engineer is happy. Also, it will make your life easier, because he won't call you and ask so many questions about your project or he won't ask you to correct something and send it back to him again.