Hi Edgar! Thanks again.
I am familiar with mixing and recording, it just seems like you are not able to answer my question.
I can't use the existing tracks because they need to be different because yes, I am trying to accomplish something different (hence the need for this post).
"There is no such thing as "assign" 40 Tracks to 1 Track and then you have 39 left. Again, it has to do with the relationship between a Track and a Channel Strip. Whenever you have an audio signal playing back, it has to be processed by an Audio Channel Strip. You cannot merge them together, unless you actually merge or bounce them (look up the "Join command" that lets you merge the Audio Regions, without actually bouncing them to a new Track.)"
^Thank you, I assumed this but wanted to see if there is some knowledge I did not know. Always take an opportunity to learn!
"If you have 40 Tracks and all 40 Channel Strips have the identical EQ setting, then you bettter use an Audio Bus or Summing Stack, so you adjust the EQ only once instead of doing it 40 times."
^Yes, also a correct and good way to mix and EQ tracks. Although, if you listen with a close ear you will hear that there is a difference in doing this through a bus than having them EQ'd on each track. The bus' affect them differently. I agree that it shouldn't, but if you are curious about it try listening very closely. (Or maybe I'm making things up..)
If you bounce an audio signal and import it back into your Project, then that is exactly the same audio signal. If it sounds different, then there is something going on in your session (i.e., import onto an Audio Track that has Audio Plugins going on).
^It's not quite the same audio signal once it's bounced and then placed back into the project. I'm not sure why that is so! Perhaps try it yourself if you are interested and you can hear how the frequencies change.
Thank you for doing your best to answer my questions!