Well do you suppose it might be a good idea to ask him first before assuming he doesn't mind and just going ahead and doing it? Not that it matters much for this particular piece, but I am talking just in general.
lol, I have used auto tuning and drum replacements all the time...On other works... It's not really about "contamination" per se, it's more about just consulting the artist I think. I guess in this case for some reason I thought it was really more about sheer mixing, without out so much fixing. Cause a lot of that, like drum replacements and auto tuning, or even radically changing the guitar player's tone, which many tend to be quite finicky about, could be considered more of a production decision that in my opinion, should really be closely consulted with the artist on prior to doing.
Even locking up to click and correcting natural, gradual timing shifts in a track played by humans might be something one should ask the artist about before doing. A lot of cats are sensitive about that. Some outright refuse to lock to click, actually WANTING those timing fluctuations, even though they are able to play to clicks all day long if they want.
Overall it might have helped to clarify more to what extent one was able to go, or perhaps what the exact criteria for judging the mixes were going to be, and what the artist was looking for. The examples given on their site were all much better productions. Sort of strange the mismatch there- and I have to agree with a few here that are not crazy about the recording quality of the tracks supplied- and particularly on her vocal.
The lines between producing and mixing are so blurred here that perhaps it is time for a well known engineering and producing team to attempt to better define those lines- for all of us. Not for this piece, but just in general. For example, is the decision to radically alter the guitar player's tone without consulting him a producing decision or mixing decision? So many questions exist like that which could go either way. And so often engineers are forced to wear all the hats and rarely get the credit for it. I think we all might benefit from a book that at least put down some base ground rules about the separate roles of producing vs. engineering, that are so often performed by one person.