Phase inverting? newbie question

[Thunderpaws]

Ola. Have recorded some tracks using di + Mic. Now, I have read that I should invert phases, or something like that, to get away from a slightly hollow sound caused by slight differences in signal from each.

Can someone enlighten me as to how you go about this? I don't have a Scooby and my main, guitarist, man doesn't think we need to. However, I guess we won't know if we have to unless we try it and notice any differences.

Thanks for any helpful comments that come my way...

[moonbass]

If you have a phase invert button (on the desk or DAW) it's easy enough to test. Just try it in and out and see which sounds better (less thin; fuller). Where you find the phase invert is the tricky bit. In Logic it's on the gain plugin of the stock plugins.

[HowieBass]

You only need to switch polarity if the existing tracks are already out of phase... this article should help explain:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep12/articles/mixing-bass.htm

[topo morto]

Did you record or transfer onto a computer? If so you can see any phase and timing issues clearly.

[Thunderpaws]

Recorded onto an 8 track then sent to a pc running QBase. When I get to the other guitarists house with that pc I will ask him to check. Thanks very much.

[RockfordStone]

cubase has a phase invert button on the track fader
also, the phase inversion isn't a hard and fast rule, sometimes it is a matter of just lining the peaks etc up with the wave form, but as with all recording elements, do what sounds best

[Gareth Hughes]

Quick tip that a mate told me recently is to zoom into one of the tracks - ie: making the time stretch out to the smallest increment - then highlight that track and moving it a millisecond or two forward. The difference won't be audible but the peaks and troughs will not be out of phase. You know you'll have moved it too much if it sounds like you've added a chorus pedal

[ahpook]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1403733412' post='2485860']
cubase has a phase invert button on the track fader
[/quote]



It's near the top of the track control IIRC

Edited June 25, 2014 by ahpook

[cheddatom]

inverting them will only work if they're exactly out of phase

You need to align them as best you can. Zoom in on both tracks and try to align the peaks and troughs so that they're in the same place

[topo morto]

Yep, phase inversion and time alignment aren't alternatives when it comes to complex signals (i.e. music) - To get things in phase, you want to phase invert one signal if (and only if) the two signals are out of phase, and time shift if (and only if) there's a delay.

[Thunderpaws]

Thanks so much for your posts gents.

[The Badderer]

this is a really useful video and will explain the steps people have described above

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI9_uLN-YWA