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fishtank · Posts: 1

I know this may be a reach, but is there any way to use CEP to
help with audio that's out of phase? I've just run into a problem in which some of our station imaging VO work was sent to us out of phase.
I'm looking for an easy way out by trying to correct the
out-of-phase segments of the finished sweepers without having to
re-mix them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

thx,
fishtank

Graeme · Member Location: Spain Posts: 4663

If it's 180º out of phase, simply invert one channel of the affected section.

If there is just a little phase difference between the two channels, it gets a bit harder, in CEP, to sort this out. You will have to separate the left and right channels and insert them as indivisdual tracks in the Multitrack View. Then you can move one relative to the other until the phasing is correct.

Craig Jackman · Location: Canada Posts: 909

Or maybe the phase error is there as an "effect" for artistic reasons.

Hey it could happen!

VoodooRadio · Location: USA Posts: 3971

Syntrillium M.D. · Location: USA Posts: 5124

hi fish. All of the above advice is right on the money.

The Channel Mixer (under Effects>Amplitude>Channel Mixer) is what you'll need (if simply inverting one-channel is not going to solve the problem).

You can preview the balance changes in real-time (in the Edit View) or, if using CEP2, you insert your file into MT and run it that way (in real-time) as well.

---Syntrillium, M.D.

Graeme · Member Location: Spain Posts: 4663

Craig Jackman · Location: Canada Posts: 909

Not recently, but in the past, I've recieved commercials where a significant portion would literally disappear as it was exactly 180 degrees out of phase. If your console doesn't offer a mono listen button, you'll have to run it into 2 mono channels and pan both to center. If it's obnoxiously swishy or disappears, then you have a phase problem that has to be fixed ... remember there are still mono radio's out there that need to hear what you are doing!

Graeme · Member Location: Spain Posts: 4663

Granted, this is the 'radio' forum - where much of the discussion revolves around the voice - but I have heard several music tracks recently where the 'engineer' went for a great stereo sound stage. Unfortunately, this turned into a real pile of c**p when the track was mono'd.

I can only assume these were never checked at the production stage, since, had they been, they would never have been allowed to escape.

More people listen in mono than might be believed and it's essential to check any product in this mode.

Craig Jackman · Location: Canada Posts: 909

I think the thing most younger producers don't realise is the phase problems that affect mono radio. Even if you are at a stereo FM station, people still listen in mono ... older car radios, clock radio's ... even poor signal strength on really good stereo's will cause them to switch into mono automatically. If you don't check something in mono and there are problems, you are potentially pissing off a significant portion of your audience.

VoodooRadio · Location: USA Posts: 3971

What really seems ironic to me is.... this is (checking your file in mono) so simple to do. I would think that every teaching institution is teaching this basic principle. Even people that get O.J.T. should be taught something so basic. Shy