Please Explain Mic'n Phase, Reversing, etc;

[bloozguy]

I'm experiencing a few challenges recording a friend's percussion drums. I put a mic high above the drum (for example a toomba), and below near the floor hoping to get a fuller sound.

A studio tech guy tried to explain to me that the mics could be phasing...and one could have a reverse signal cancelling out the other.

First of all...could someone explain that a bit more so a lay amateur home recorder can understand. Secondly, I have Aardvark Direct Pro bundled with Cakewalk 9.0 and how would I even begin to correct or test if that was a problem? We were using Shure 57 mics, btw. Thanks...

bloozguy

 

[TexRoadkill]

Search and ye shall find.

Search on "phase" and look for the 3-1 rule.

 

[postalblue]

what you should do when you record a percussion instrument with too mics where one's pointing at each other is reverse the phase in one of the mics. you can either use a cable for that, as was already explained somewhere in this bbs (i haven't tried it yet, so i can't tell you the details without a little search), or you can use a software like analogX's 'phase', which is a shareware that flips the polarity of an already record .wav file.

adriano

 

[bloozguy]

thanks...

I downloaded the plug in...now I'll have to read up on using it! Thanks...

Larry

 

[postalblue]

actually, you just sellect the track you want to reverse, click on the plugin and hit ok. there's no tweaking to be done, sorry.

adriano

 

[bloozguy]

Okay...now, I downloaded the plugin, what is the secret to take the application from the folder it is saved in and add it to my effect's choices in Cakewalk?

I clicked directly on the application itself in my Windows Explorer and got the message that it wasn't a "valid Win32 application"....so, wonder if I downloaded the wrong application, if that's nothing and I should just ignore it? Thanks for your time.

bloozguy

 

[gnarled]

Once you install the plugin, Cakewalk should automatically recognize it when you start it up.

 

[Tekker]

Okay...now, I downloaded the plugin, what is the secret to take the application from the folder it is saved in and add it to my effect's choices in Cakewalk?

It should do it automatically if you installed it right. I haven't used that particular plugin but others I have tried and even the effects from other recording program demos I have downloaded, the DirectX plugins are all added in the effects list in Cakewalk.

-tkr

 

[bloozguy]

For some reason at this time, its not meant to be I guess.

I tried downloading several times...and I had to retry because for one it kept losing the download with a window coming up saying that Microsoft Internet Explorer could not download the application. AFter trying about eight times, it finally downloaded.

I saved it with my Cake Walk program files as an "application" but when I click on it...it says that Win32 doesn't support it and can't open it.

When I go to "Edit" and then "Audio Effects" it does not show Phase there as any available effect to choose for my track. So, I'll have to figure out how to get a download of this properly.

Larry

 

[Tekker]

I found this on a Google search....

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gameaudiopro/message/5605

Check out some of those links and see if you can get any of those to work.

-tkr

 

[postalblue]

you don't have to copy it anywhere especifically, just install it wherever it chooses to be installed, and open cakewalk to see if it's in the audio effects list.
it should show analogX > phase in the audio effects.
in my computer, if i try to audition the effect, i get an error message just like yours, probably because you can't audition it anyway. so i just click ok, and it works.

adriano

 

[bloozguy]

Thanks Adriano...
I did the download...it shows existing as an application in my Cakewalk Folder. It is not showing up in my Audio Effects list unfortunately...

So...eventually, I'll figure this out or find a plugin that will be adapted. I got a feeling now anyway how this is supposed to work, and for that I apprecate it much! Thanks all...

bloozguy

 

[postalblue]

thanks strange.
i bet there are other phase reversal softwares around. do some search on http://www.hitsquad.com/smm, and see if you can find it. while you're there, get yourself a spectrum analyzer. it's very useful too.

adriano