Getting two signals to phase align can be tricky, especially if the waveforms are complex. However, there are several tools available to help you get this task done. The Melda Production phase alignment plugin is a CPU-friendly and customizable tool that can analyze your tracks in seconds. It’s also designed to minimize cancellation.
The InPhase by Waves plugin is another excellent tool to use. The software enables you to time shift a sample and discover which time delay gives your layered samples the most powerful phasing effect. The results can be compared against your reference signal to make sure you’re getting the most accurate phase alignment possible. It also allows you to adjust the timing of one sample to fix the problem.
You can also use an analog sampling oscilloscope to measure the phase shift of the two signals. Once you have that data, you can then align them to have the same delays and property values. It’s important to note that this method will only work when the two symbols are in sync.
The method used to get two signals to phase align is not as complicated as you may think. You can actually use a simple delay line to create an allpass filter. You can also use polarity inversion to reduce the amount of delay. Lastly, you can use a correlation meter to find out if there’s any phase reversal.
The InPhase by Waves software has an automatic feature that can help you get two signals to phase align automatically. This is a great time saving tool that can be used in many contexts. You can use it for live recordings, multi-microphone recordings, or in the studio. You can even choose a “Dark” mode that’s specifically designed for live performances. It also comes with a spectral phase correlation meter. This is a useful tool that mastering engineers can use to spot phase cancellations in their mixes.
A better method is the use of static signal properties to align two signals. For example, if you have a pair of speakers with identical bass frequencies, you can align them by adjusting the phase of the left speaker. This will compensate for phase-offset caused by the difference in acoustic latency, which is the time taken for sound to travel from one speaker to another. Similarly, if you’re panning a cymbal to the left, you’ll have to compensate for the difference in phase between the two waveforms. You can use an averaging function to minimize the variance. The number of samples used for the comparison will vary depending on the acoustic latency. This method will also help you identify where the phasing is the most pronounced.
The Little Labs IBP Phase Alignment Tool was developed with audio engineers as a “fix-it” tool. This plugin can eliminate unwanted hollow comb-filtered sounds and partially out-of-phase sounds. It’s also a great tool for live recordings, allowing you to quickly and accurately phase align your tracks.