In the past, when I started mixing I would save my initial mix as [Name of Song][Date project started][Revision][Mix #]. I would then export the mix as a wave file, and then import it into a mastering template with other songs to be mastered. I believe other members have a similar work flow.
 
Mix Recall eliminates the need to save a whole project with a different mix number as I can save a different mix right in one project, give the export the same name with new mix number, and put it into the master template.
 
Mix Recall is fine if you want to just compare mixes one at a time. Sometimes though I like to hear real time differences, i.e. real fast A/B comparison. For example different eqs, with difference console emulators s-type,etc. Personally I can't hear a difference if I use Mix Recall to do this function since it takes a few seconds to load in a different mix. By then I forgot what the first mix sounded like. (It's a feature associated with older age...)
 
What I do is in the Mastering Project, if I want to A/B two mixes, I mute one and use the group function to tie the two mix mutes together. This way if I mute the non-muted mix, it mutes and the other mix unmutes. Now I have instant A/B comparison.
 
I also send each mix to a separate bus, so I can add a final eq, iZotope secret sauces, etc. The Group Mute function can be used here also.
 
Sorry if this is common knowledge on this forum, but I'm waiting for some guests to arrive, and this gives me a chance to keep proficient at touch typing. and maybe this post might help someone.
 
Walt

I do exactly that when mastering, only I use exclusive solo mode to do it. Makes it easier to compare more than two variants.

(note: I don't regard myself as a mastering engineer, but I find myself doing it for some of the no-budget bands I record).

John T
I do exactly that when mastering, only I use exclusive solo mode to do it. Makes it easier to compare more than two variants.

Ok I'm going to learn something new. What is Exclusive Solo?
 
Walt

Okay, I got it googling. Thanks!
 
Walt

John T....
 
All you need to become an expert master miester are:
 
Good Ears
Good Reproduction Systems (not those, all us muso's have that)
Good Software
Good Environment (Room)
and I say it again,
GOOD EARS
 
I do NOT consider myself a good Mastering Engineer but when it comes to fishin, I can bait them with the best.
 
But, back OT....
 
I think that the mix recall feature is one of the best new features we get in SONAR... makes what you said much easier than all that file administrative stuff... in my old world (more on the model of the old days of once the desk got changed there was no going back) this feature will be a game changer for me.... that is, once I think I like a mix (create a scene), then when I play around to make it better, I can at least go back and do some A/B comparisons and see if my tinkering actually made it better or worse (tomorrow, not today).  If worse, back to the A mix, if better, save as the new A mix. Today, once I start tinkering the last turn of a knob is my current mix and there is NO going back.
 
Good stuff,
Jim
 
 

Ah, well, let me qualify what I'm saying. I don't think of myself as a mastering engineer. I do think I'm better at mastering than any of the 20 bucks a track chancers on the internet. These are different points.
 
I can do it okay. I'm not embarrassed by my efforts. But real mastering engineers are far better and worth the money (though some expensive ones are also terrible).
 
It's not my specialism, and I'm not trying to move into it. I'm a producer / recorder / mixer.

Interesting about the A/B stuff. That wasn't my immediate thought of what to do with Mix Recall. I saw it more as an efficient way of trying out different broad approaches. I personally don't even want to A/B different mixes in that way, though I can see why someone would.
 

I do just about the same thing. I used to save my projects periodically with a different number on project name like you did. For master i export the song as WAV then import it into a Mastering project i set-up for that purpose. 
also has previously mastered songs that i've engineered for reference plus the reference song im using to master against. The mix recall feature helps eliminate me having to save the projects under different numbers, I love it. It also helps because I record videos to help some of the smaller engineers in my area, so this will help me in my step by step method videos i record for a few of my friends. I've seen multiple engineers do the same thing. I think over-time, everyone learns and assimilates into certain methods. Some take longer than others to develop their methods but from I've seen. Most engineer eventually end up kinda working the same way.
 
No i don't consider myself a "Professional" engineer, but in the regions that i operate in, Im one of the few options available for local artists which also means less producers/engineers for me to compare too or learn from. My best friend graduated from art institute of Seattle with music engineering degree, and honestly he told me, the things i did in mixing were about exactly the way they taught to do it. I come by here on forums to try to learn ways to better myself and sometimes help others as I am restricted on the real-life influences I have available.

Woody....
 
I am moving to Seattle in a few months (for retirement) and plan to purchase a home either on Bainbridge Island or Issaquah.  The home MUST have an secondary house that I am going to convert into my studio/man cave (you get the idea).
 
I also don't think you need to go to school to become an engineer as long as you have good ears and learn how to use the tools you have.  The equations go like this:  Good Equipment + Not so Good Ears = Not so good mixes,  Bad equipment + Good Ears = Good Mixes, Good Equipment + Good Ears = Great Mixes.
 
It does help though if you learn the basics of audio.. for example, back in the real old days, artificial space was created on mixes using tape delays that were synced to the tempo of the song and panned hard left and hard right... sounded amazing and everything went through these delays (including the bass and the drums).  Guys that showed me this did NOT go to school but years later, the professors came up with a name for this psyhco acoustic effect that they now teach you in school. I forgot the what they named it but it actually creates a sense of space in the mix and the wrong notes created by the delay fall right under the new notes so you don't hear the notes but you can hear the space.
 
Back then, they used a couple of reel to reel tape decks with 30 foot tape loops wrapped all around the studio and they would just let them run while they were mixing and using them as a send and they had a couple of returns for the left and right output (that were panned hard left and hard right)... it sounded amazing compared to the recorded tracks and many many recordings in the early 70's used this technique... I promise you, none of these guys went to audio schools but they were engineers to me.  To your point though, there must be tons of studios in Seattle with its legacy, you just need to find out where they are and NETWORK.
 
Good luck,
Jim