Yeah, and exactly what I need really I think. If I can start with all the unnecessary stuff gone then I may have better have a much better starting point. Then it's a matter of figuring out what I need to cut to let other things poke through without destroying the sound of what was masking siad "other thing". Obviously a lot of overlap in the traditional rock setup (which I am now realizing is why all my stuff sucks because it is soooo guitar thick) but maybe if I can plan things properly I can eek my rhtyhms in a little corner, leads in another and carve out little zones for things like the pick attack of the bass or beater of the kick to jab people in the eye... well it might work.
This is kind of making me think, based on some of the freq analyzers I've put on my stuff and just listening to it, that I may want to try some kind of automation as things come in and out of the foreground and/or run the fretboard (like when I go ultra high noodle down to lower register stuff). Probably overthinking it but I'll see what happens on that simple project then I can extrapolate from there.
Of course... baby steps but it's fun to think about and maybe I'll get good at this... finally. lulz