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Old 01-25-2013, 08:09 AM   #1
aasvik
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Default Time aligning a moving drumkit with ambient mics in live recording

Yeah, recorded a live gig, all tracks + stereo mic setup at FOH. Problem is, after time aligning room mics with initial drum hits (so as not to hear doubling or having phase problems), things skew over the course of the gig, and during songs. All of a sudden the ride hits are doubled (probably because the drumkit moved?). Ideas on how to time align this properly, or otherwise deal with the problem? It's not only a matter of phase problems, but audible doubling of the transients!
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Old 01-25-2013, 08:19 AM   #2
drtedtan
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If you are using these FOH tracks in the normal "room mic" role, they should not be time aligned. That delay is part of what provides the sound of the room/reverb. It's like setting the pre delay on a reverb plugin - the more delay, the bigger the room appears to be. So feel free to adjust to taste, just don't think they HAVE to be aligned by default.

Also note that phase issues don't always sound bad. They often add character and, for lack of a better term, "mojo" to a recording.


EDIT: try adjusting the delay time so that it falls on a rhythmic subdivision of the song's tempo - e.g., 8th, 16th or 32nd notes.
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Old 01-25-2013, 07:34 PM   #3
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It's not only a matter of phase problems, but audible doubling of the transients!
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Old 01-26-2013, 08:39 AM   #4
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I just re-read your OP and it sounds like the timing is going in and out of time between the room mics and the other tracks (recorded direct, perhapss?). If this is the case, you could set the tempo of your project to the direct tracks' tempo (each bar if necessary) and then make an Acid or Rex file from the room mics, but that would be a huge pain.

I think the best option here is to ditch the room mics. If you need ambience, try to simulate a room sound with reverb. I would go with a good small or medium hall impulse with a convolution reverb (e.g., ReaVerb), send it to a separate track and compress it. Then bring it in under the direct tracks like you would a room mic. This won't sound exactly the same, but it will serve the same purpose and, if you find a good impulse, it will still sound really good.
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Old 01-26-2013, 08:27 PM   #5
aasvik
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Its there for the live feel + room feel. Audience, sound of the band as heard in the audience to add. But, probably a sync problem. Think i'll cut the highs and put it a bit further back, and blow up a bit for audience between songs and so
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Old 01-26-2013, 09:58 PM   #6
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I would compress the Room Track with fast Attack & Release, get rid of most Transient. Then you blend to taste, as the room Mics are only to provide... Room ambiance. You don't need much definition in it. A creative use of eq/sidechain compression and ducking can also help you.
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Old 01-27-2013, 04:11 AM   #7
Tim Ragnur
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Seems like you recorded simultaneously on more than one recording machine. This is what you get when not syncing the converters with clock...
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Old 01-27-2013, 07:51 AM   #8
aasvik
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At closer inspection, there's small patches of "jitter-noise" on the ambient mics, where the audio is skewed. Took some time to locate all, but sounds good now! Thanks for the help
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Old 01-27-2013, 09:33 AM   #9
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Glad to hear you got it worked out and sounding good, aasvik.
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