Recording
My work consists mainly in taking a vocal and instrument track, and enhancing it to sound like the band you don't have, but would like to have. Send me a two-track song and let me go to work, with added help of arranging and producing the song, then on to the next 2 steps below.
This is getting all the right "ingredients for the cake" process.
Mixing
After watching, listening to, and taking a TON of Videos and also paid courses, I have come up with my own method and systems which to me, have simplified the process. I believe too many audio engineers have just complicated this process, as I have had a long road of being in and around music.
This is the "baking the cake" process.
I'd consider myself a "purist" audio guy.
Mastering
This is the "icing on the cake" process, the last part of a lengthy step-by-step process. And there are no shortcuts.
I have taken about 6 different paid courses, two every extensive, one from Ian Shephard, a Mastering Guru, and have again come up with a very good method for this last section, utilizing several super-duper mastering Plugins and analysis meters.