Phase Alignment Calculator
Calculate the exact millisecond and sample delay needed to fix comb-filtering when recording with multiple microphones.
Microphone Distance Setup
e.g., The physical distance between the snare top and snare bottom mics.
Environmental Factors (Optional)
Temperature slightly changes the speed of sound.
Delay the closest microphone by this exact amount to time-align the transients and eliminate hollow comb-filtering.
What is phase alignment?
When you record a drum kit, you usually place multiple microphones around the room. Because sound travels slowly, the snare drum will hit the close microphone a few milliseconds before it hits the overhead microphone on the ceiling.
This tiny delay means the two audio recordings are out of phase. When you play them together, the sound waves will actually fight each other, making the snare sound weak and hollow. Phase alignment is the process of nudging one track forward so they hit at the exact same time.
How to use the alignment calculator
If you know exactly how far away your two microphones were, you can type that distance into the calculator. The tool uses the speed of sound to figure out exactly how long it takes the audio to travel that distance.
It will give you a precise delay time in milliseconds. You can take that number, go into your studio software, and shift the distant microphone track backward by that exact amount. This will perfectly align the phase and give you a massive, punchy drum sound.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the temperature matter?
The speed of sound actually changes depending on how hot or cold the room is. By entering the room temperature, the calculator can give you a much more accurate millisecond delay time.
Do I shift the close mic or the far mic?
You always delay the close mic. Since the sound hits the far mic later, you must push the close mic backwards in time (adding delay) so they both line up on the grid simultaneously.
Does this apply to synth bass?
Yes. If you layer two digital synth basses that share the same frequencies, they can easily cancel each other out. You can manually nudge one of the MIDI clips by a few milliseconds to fix the phase.