Spinoff of the aligning capsules thread...

I'm curious about what some of the people here have to say about listening for and fighting against unwanted phasing in stereo mic arrangements. I'm definitely trying to develop a sharper ear for catching this stuff so I'm interested in hearing some more experienced peoples' methodologies.

Yep.

Hamas wrote:I'm definitely trying to develop a sharper ear for catching this stuff

If it sounds bad change something.

I know it sounds like a boring answer, but if you're in the computer world zoom in on the waveforms.

Also listen to the two channels together and separate. If it 'thins out' when both are going you've got a phase problem.

These answers are boring cause they're true.

losthighway wrote:Also listen to the two channels together and separate. If it 'thins out' when both are going you've got a phase problem.

That's pretty much it. Also, try soloing one channel and gradually fading in the other. Things should sound progressively louder and fuller as the other channel comes in. If either of these things aren't true, you might have phase issues.

If I am comparing a couple of mics, like for a guitar amp, I will pan them together (mono) and make sure that the two are purely additive, and there is no comb filtering effect when one is mixed with the other. I also like to listen to them panned extreme left and right to check the phase (should basically sound like source sound is coming from between the speakers depending on the difference in the sound of the two mics).
For overheads, spaced pair-

I duck tape my chihuahua to the sub connected to my M-audio near fields. When he throws up, then the kick's in phase!

I never have phase issues with guitars. I only record them through my line6 POD pro. Acoustic too!

What? I kid, I kid! (said like an old Jewish man)

Really those are all good ways to check between multiple mics on electric guitars. All good.

When I'm micing a drum kit, after I have everything pretty much set, I'll go around the kit and solo each mic with the kick mic just to make sure none of them are stealing low end from my kick. Sometimes even if I'm a little scattered I'll ask the second "more kick here, or more kick here?" like an eye doctor does. Once in a while I'll even put my finger on the sub/woofer and hit the phase switch. Though this only happens when there's that one band member in the back of the control room telling jokes or eating chips with his mouth open and generally unable to shut the fuck up during critical parts of the session. It's kind of the Helen Keller method of checking for phase issues.