Automation is your friend; buy a four-track

Dont be afraid to really grab on to yours faders and parameters during the recording and mixing stage. Mixing is much about levels and panning in relation to the band/ artists intentions. Anyhow, sometimes a simple tweak with just one knob may improve your recording, for example:

Attack on compression When recording the lead vocal use two microphones, one close and one further away in the same room. Connect a comressor on the close microphone and take some dB's off. Since the dynamic range on vocals usually are to wide a little compression can do much, but try to leave the ambience mic whitout compression. When the singer hits the loud notes, the close mics compression starts to work and at the same time the ambience mic goes up instead of being pushed down in volume. So if you want to bring up the ambience sound whitout to push the fader up when the singer hits the loud parts, just bring down the attack on the compressor during parts you want to have a more roomie sound. Try it on drums to.

Threshold on gate If the advantage is there to record the drums in a bigger room, spare atleast one microphone for ambience. Seeing that the snare drum commonly is the loudest, gate the ambience microphone so only the reverbation comes up in volume when the drummer plays. Then sometimes, during a more heavy or solo part in the song, bring up the threshold almost as the gate would stop working or be bypassed. The result can be a very creative way to get variations in the song, but can also be unfavorable so be careful.

Fader Riding When changing the volume on tracks in DAW programs, set the track i write mode and change it in real time by yourself along the song plays. Try not to play Microsoft Paint in your Pro Tools, press play and grab the fader! Best way to be familiar to actual fysical contact with faders is to buy 4 track and the bounce/mix down in realtime to a 2 track casette deck which every family have.
When recording with a 4 track your mind really start to work properly. Since there is no automation, editing or so called practical tools that can help, you start to prevent "after editing" already in the recording stage. Fuck the editing tools, spend the engery on yourself, you are the best plugin tool.

Automation in Pro Tools.

Tascam 244, a good way to practice mixing and learn to prevent "fix in the mix" as there is no editing tools.

The Mid Side-Stereo (Introducing the MS Matrix)

The mid-side stereo technique provides a "fake" stereo image, considers it as being comprised of central and side elements unlike the actual positioned right and left image like the XY-technique. It is the side signal that contributes to the stereo width which most of the cases takes its signal from a omnidirectional or figure eight pattern microphone. The side microphone use two channels, one panned left, the other panned right with the polarity reversed. The mid signal is mono panned center.

Position the mid side microphone in front of the stereo subject. Be aware that omnidirectional pattern can also be used as mid-microphone instead of directional mics. Make sure that the side-microphone is bi-directional (figure 8 pattern) and is so called “coincident pair” with the mid microphone, I.e. as close as possible. The front of the side microphone (phase-positive) should be pointed 90° to the "left".

The AKG C24 have two identical capsules (e.g. o + 8) which makes it ideal, but not necesarry m-s choices.

So, finally, the m-s stereo method eats up three channels on the console; one panned center, one left and right with the polarity reversed. To avoid this situation the MS Matrix is a must. Instead of adjusting the stereo field with two faders with exact amount gain, the MS Matrix do it with just one knob; Side. You figure out the rest, look at the picture below. If using a console, you may use the the MS decoder on the channels inserts. Otherwise pre amplifiers out to MS Matrix in, then Ms Matrix left and right out to tape machine.

The MS Matrix, also works as a pre amp.

"Coincident pair"

The mid side-setup.

The akg C24 with two capsules, ideal, but not necessary M-S choices.