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Any time you record a source with more than one microphone, several challenges pop up, e.g. phase, time alignment, etc.

Here’s an interesting tool that could solve these common challenges very quickly and accurately. It’s a new plugin called “Auto-Align” by SoundRadix.

Check it out in action on an electric guitar:

There’s a FREEeeee trial available.

Here’s more from the SoundRadix web site…

Time-aligning a multi-microphone setup is crucial to achieve coherent and punchier sound. When recording an instrument with more then one mic, sound tends to reach each microphone at a slightly different time and thus cause some frequencies to cancel each-other while other frequencies can build-up unnaturally.

Until now, compensating for the delay between the microphones had to be done manually – an extremely time consuming and inaccurate process.

Enter Auto-Align.

Auto-Align will “listen” to your multi-mic recording and will automatically measure and compensate for the delay between the microphones – sample accurate.

When distant microphones are used and a delay is desired to preserve a sense of space, Auto-Align can time-place the microphones to better match the close-mic’ed source.

Auto-Align can also automatically detect a reversed polarity mic and compensate for it.

Q&A

Q: What is Auto-Align?

A: Auto-Align is a Audio Unit plug-in (VST & RTAS coming soon), designed to automatically and sample-accurately, time-align audio tracks that were recorded using multiple microphones or with two or more separate sources such as a DI and a microphone.

Auto-Align does not alter the sound of the recorded tracks in any way, but rather shifts them in time, compensating for the delay caused by the speed of sound.

Q: How Does It Work?

A: Auto-Align works by “listening” to two audio tracks at a time, sample-accurately time-shifting the track it’s engaged on, in order best match the track it is listening to via side-chain. Auto-Align can also detect if the track is reversed in polarity to its mate and compensate for it.

Q: What are the requirements for Auto-Align?

A: Pretty much any Mac will do, PPC or Intel running Leopard OS or higher. You’ll need your DAW to support Side-Chaining. It is currently available as Audio Unit plug-in. VST and RTAS coming soon. During the installation you’ll need to have an internet connection in order to authorize your copy of Auto-Align.

Q: Is it possible to use Auto-Align to align different takes of the instrument?

A: No. Since Auto-Align doesn’t manipulate your sound but rather moves it in time, trying to align different takes isn’t going to be beneficial.

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