Fixing phase issues in DP

[funkyfreddy]

Hi, I'm wondering if any of you have any tips regarding phase issues and how to fix them in DP.

I'm working on a traditional Irish folk tune employing pipes, acoustic guitar, flute, violin, and various percussion. The main featured percussive instrument is the Bodhran

It was recorded in stereo with microphones on both sides of it, left and right. The player did multiple takes which were edited and compiled. Now we seem to having some phase issues on some of the different takes.

Would any of you have any advice on the most efficient way of fixing this? Rerecording it is not an option at this point. Thanks, Fred

[mikehalloran]

Precision Delay is the uh… precise tool you are looking for (pardon the pun). The Plugins have their own manual but this is a brief overview:

Correct delay and phasing issues with one click

Precision Delay

Precision Delay's unique, breakthrough design helps you phase-align complex signals. For example, if you record a guitar amp or an acoustic instrument from two different mics placed at different distances, the time delay between them will likely cause phase issues that make the two channels sound hollow or affected by a comb-filter-like rasp when played together. The solution? Feed both signals into Precison Delay and click the ALIGN button. Precision Delay performs complex, real-time analysis on the signals to determine phase similarities, then instantly aligns the signals with sub-sample precision. You can further manually adjust to find the "sweet spot" to your ears.

And a video

https://motu.com/en-us/products/softwar ... -plug-ins/

I use a similar tool from Eventide but the only real difference is the GUI — it was a giveaway a few years ago. No reason to seek it out and pay the $99 when Precision Delay is included with DP.
https://www.eventideaudio.com/products/ ... time-align

[funkyfreddy]

Thank you so so much for your quick reply Mike! I appreciate it very much and will give it a go!

You just saved me some valuable hours!

Motunation.com has been a God send over the years in my humble experience

[stubbsonic]

It's worth mentioning that if you are recording on either side of a frame type drum, then the stereo mics are 100% phase inverted.

For every time the head moves away from mic A, it is moving toward mic B.

You may find that inverting the phase on one of the mics will fix most of it.

It can also be very helpful to zoom way in on the wave form to see both that the wave is inverted, and also that there may also be some micro delay, as well. But start with inverting one, see where that gets you. Pan them to mono (temporarily) and you'll be able to hear if it is immediately better or worse.

[funkyfreddy]

Thank you Jon! Good to know!

Another question.... When I listen back to the track in Mono I am using the folddown tab on the Master Fader in the mix window and selecting Mono, then selected None when i want to go back to stereo.

Is this how you do it or is there a better way of switching your mix from Stereo to Mono in your opinion?

Thanks again, Fred

[mikehalloran]

Thank you Jon! Good to know!

Another question.... When I listen back to the track in Mono I am using the folddown tab on the Master Fader in the mix window and selecting Mono, then selected None when i want to go back to stereo.

One way to do it…

Is this how you do it or is there a better way of switching your mix from Stereo to Mono in your opinion?

Thanks again, Fred

Many of us use monitor controllers with a dedicated Mono switch. That way you can just hit the button and check quickly without touching your mix. All but the most rudimentary have them beginning with the $69.95 Mackie Big Knob Passive and $58.95 Behringer.

https://www.sweetwater.com/c417--Studio ... Management

Many also have a switch that puts your subwoofer in or out (many subs have that function as a footswitch, also).

I use the Radial MC3 but there are many excellent units on the market.

[stubbsonic]

My audio interface has a mixer control panel (that is just open all the time when my interface is on) with a mono button. Alternatively, you could send the tracks to a stereo bus, (panned hard left and hard right), then create an Aux Track with that bus as input. Insert a TRIM plugin onto that Aux track, use the Trim plugin to pan things center. That way you can option click on the insert label in the mixer to bypass the Trim plug-- keep it bypassed to hear stereo. Enable it to hear mono. Delete when you're done with the mono business.

[waterstrum]

Thumbs up for the Mono button.
Has saved my butt on numerous occasions.