Hi Todd
I tried to answer your previous question about normalising >>
HERE<<
Just to reiterate, there is no good reason to
permanently alter any of the audio in your projects. Getting a balanced mix is primarily about using the volume faders to set the optimum levels of each individual track and bus, as well as using the pan controls to place each instrument where you want it in the stereo field.
If you need to boost some of your recorded audio by normalising the waveform, then maybe you need to check your input signal chain to ensure you are recording at high enough levels.
In saying this, there are two different and acceptable methods depending on the recording bit depth of your project. If you are recording at 16bit, then the accepted technique is to record fairly 'hot' - in other words, the input gain should be set so that at the very loudest, the signal just occasionally peaks in the red zone of the recording meter, but without
ever hitting 0db; this will cause 'clipping' (unwanted digital distortion). However, if you are recording at 24bit there is a much wider acceptable range of levels at which you can record - you must still never let the signal clip, but you can record successfully with a much lower input level than at 16bit.
As to your first point, I'm not sure I understand what you are saying - how are you opening GTPro 4?