when i'm in charge of "producing" or "recording" or both i do the same pre-pro every time.
"send me a CD, or cassette, of all the songs we are going to record. i couldn't care less what it sounds like as long as i can hear the rough outline of the song."
i don't have time, nor budget, to sit around in practice spaces listening to songs at 110dB adding my relatively nieve comments every other take.
i typically have littel time between projects to stop and think, and i often times crunch mix sessions all around tracking sessions.
if i can drive around town with a CD playing, and get to the point where i stop listening and start hearing, i'm much more effective when communicating with the band.
one caveat to all that.......i work in the indie rock community, it is not acceptable to change a bands song structure, in any way, shape, or form with out prior conversations and agreement. doing this on the fly will CRUSH any hope you might have in gaining trust, and working with the band again.
i'm there to motivate, get performances, suggest overdubs, get in their heads and force them think of the song from all angles. i'm not there to tell them how to write, or what to play. i ask for CD's so i can start forming my thoughts on each song and i can know the arrangement in advance. keeps me from jumping around in the quiet part and standing still in the loud part.