DRUM MIXING pt 1: PHASE CANCELLATION Fix Tutorial
Recording live drums can lead to issues with phase cancellation causing the final mixed drums to sound hollow with lack of definition. In this tutorial, we will explain what phase cancellation is and how to fix it in your DAW.
NOTES:
1. It was brought to my attention I forgot to show how to invert/reverse the phase via plugins. I will show this in the next tutorial.
2. At 2:27 this is called “polarity cancellation” to visually show how phase works. In a real world situation during recording, phase cancellation would happen with 2 or more microphones recording the same source at different distances.
Can this happen if you only have one mic on the snare and not two?
My opinion is that isolation betwen the soundsorces in a drumkit is all
about miking! If you learn to handle that you may not need all your
plugins!
i think in kick you are doing wrong… just my opinion…
2:27 That is a polarity cancellation, not phase. Phase cancellation is
caused by time difference between multiple sound sources and is never true
“cancellation.”
Is it normal for the snare sound to pull to one side? Like in this video I
can tell the snare is more present on the right side.
So we want to move the wave forms of the delayed mics? And not the direct
ones like snares, toms and kicks? Is this so we dont ruin the rhythm?
That was a really well done video. I’m impressed with how clear the
explanation was, and also the visuals. The little zooms and the helpful
text was very thoughtful and helpful. It’s all in the details! Also, I’ve
had to do that very thing before, fixing drum phase alignment by hand. I
never knew it was a thing, I just made it up one day thinking it was a
genius idea. I’m glad you’re teaching it here! It really works if you do it
right.
I’m sorry but I can hear zero difference in your before/afters. I’m not
really getting what phase actually is either and i wish this video helped
at all for me. I feel more useless to phasing then i did before.
Great video! I’m just getting into recording drums and this has really
helped!
Thank you very much! I remember learning about phase in physics, and I kind
of got the idea with 2 sine waves and when they are out of phase (when
Ø=180), but this is a practical example. Thanks.
Wow this was very helpful thanks!
hey there nice vid, where is the next video for the processing part?
Good point Justin. I do kind of try to pack everything into one video. But,
in doing so leave small things out. Will try to work on that. I might make
a link to a video showing how to invert phase. Thanks again
and after all that you never simply said how to invert the phase. Thanks
for the info on how to line them up but knowing how to invert the track in
Pro tools would be helpful.
Excellent! Thank you.
Yes, definitively, our ears must know when to do it or when not. The
processed drums sound much better in this case. I´ve tried this trick many
times, but I always had the doubt if I was doing well in terms of space.
Anyway, I´ve learnt some other things related to phase alignment ;) Thanks
a lot for you work!
Thanks Clayton. still learning and gathering techniques. But, these are a
few I found work for live situations.
It depends on how the drums were recorded. There are many ways to achieve a
desired sound and fix phase issues. I wouldn’t say one method is better
than the other.
Indeed, totally agree. One method may work for one situation and not for
another. I try to promote using your ears since music is about feeling and
emotion. But, having many tools and methods can help mold your sound. Flip
the phase, nudge things around until you get the desired sound.
Well, it´s a nice trick, but I have a question. Distance and the different
times when sound reaches the mics are important in how you feel the depth
in the sound, feeling the space of the room where you record the drums, at
least in overhead and room mics. I know how to get the overhead mics in
phase, as you explain in your tutorial, but I´m not sure if moving the pair
of overheads closer to the snare mic is a good thing in terms of space and
depth. (sorry for my english)
So moving them instead of just flipping the phase button is better
right?good tutorial by the way.
Excellent tutorial!!