Electrical Audio How-To: Time Alignment of Multiple Sound Sources

Engineer and Hobbyist Diagrammer Steve Albini discusses how to ensure proper phase coherence when recording multiple signals from a single sound source.
www.electricalaudio.com
Shot and Edited by Jeff Perlman.

[@slimmhouse712]

I went to school for audio engineering. This 12 minute video discussed phase and Time aligning more than any of my classes in college.

[@ElectricalAudioOfficial]

Hear that kids? Send your tuition checks straight to ELECTRICAL AUDIO!

[@McPherson123]

@@ElectricalAudioOfficial If you did a comprehensive and accredited course inside the Electrical Audio studios that earned me a degree or an industry-recognized apprenticeship that prepared me to earn a career in audio engineering, I would register in a heartbeat. Of course, I would first need to get my current student loans paid or wiped out. The former method will likely take roughly 30 years. America! Fuck YEAH! So..... taking apprentices?

[@andriealinsangao613]

@@McPherson123 Same here!!

[@jerryweber1768]

@@McPherson123 You mean 'Murica

[@jimjimx5418]

What school did you go to? I could throw a rock and probably hit some sort of “audio” school....

[@dinosaursr]

This is why the internet isn’t all bad.

[@ivan_emege]

Rest in Peace, Steve Albini, excellent producer and engineer. I’ve enjoyed your informative tech videos so much.

[@diegoleerot]

Damn it I didn’t know he passed! Yeah rest in peace bro

[@Eliphas_Elric]

Too bad he liked child porn and talked about it in disgusting detail.

[@zapster2412111]

Chicago Punk baby!!

[@studioruangsvara]

What?? Are you joking?

[@suitandtieguy]

the casual mention of "I had this dual delay adjustable in microseconds made for me by Eventide" is the most massive flex i've ever seen in a recording techniques video.

[@eliju420]

Steve: Hello Eventide, the most renowned digital effects manufacturer, with the most pristine sounding units ever? Eventide: Yes? Steve: I need you to make a me a delay, adjustable in microseconds. Eventide: Uh...who the fuck is this? Steve: Steve Albini Eventide: Right away, sir.

[@sugaree9090]

what do we think - 10 grand later?

[@GimmeJimmy23]

That's because he's a massive personality. To him, it's probably not even a flex, more like an easily-attainable win-win from someone who's so much of an insider, that he's programmed half of your brain, and tries not to take credit for it. (Because he's so humble.)

[@GimmeJimmy23]

Well, not your brain, specifically.... But the brains of many! Music!!

[@GimmeJimmy23]

@@sugaree9090 Inquiring minds would like to know ...

[@jiro7997]

The second part of the video where Steve was adjusting the distance between the two mics should have gone on for like an hour longer with incrementally worse and worse results until he finally went completely insane because that's what happens when I try to do it.

[@TempoDrift1480]

Well people attempt to do this without a trained ear and it's like tasting wine all night long looking for the best when you've only had Boones Farm. Bout an hour in you're gonna be pretty well tuned.

[@plummetplum]

Maybe putting headphones on and doing it in mono can help focus on the phase cancellation better.

[@ElmoSyr]

I know this is a year old, but there's a way of getting the phase as close as possible by first flipping the phase of one of the mics, or in this case not flipping, then align the mics to a point where the signal is the quietest (it's a lot easier to hear than this) and after that flip the phase. At this point you're maximizing the signal strength which means the bottom end is in phase.

[@getulioprates]

@@ElmoSyr Amazing tip!

[@TheChuckFina]

Put a tape measure on the floor from the cabinet.

[@wyleetolson9182]

Is it just me or is Steve Albini truly one of the most fascinating and down-to-earth nerds ever?!?

[@MrSlantwise]

Yes, he is. Super cool dude.

[@amplifier2]

Yes, he was.

[@SupaFUZZZZZZ]

Steve is a legend. He was a nice man and a true genius. Also a very humble man. That's something rarely seen on this earth.

[@Bring_MeSunshine]

You may not take these YT vids that seriously, but you offer proper audio engineering tips, insight and information, and that's such a breath of fresh air, compared to all those clickbait, subs-gathering channels that just push audio gear and rehash audio tricks. Brilliant - thanks

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

I wish the algorithm would pick up on audio/music vids like these. The true in depth stuff you could only hear in college years ago

[@chinmeysway]

@@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245there’s not really much like this. it’s all hot air empty narcissism mostly lol

[@chanc3hurley]

Steve is one of the few people that I can absorb information from instantly. Like i`m actually being taught from an actual professor instead of some armchair expert with an obvious lack of experience. I could never afford an audio engineering education, so these videos are worth their weight in gold to some of us. Even the basics such as this. You`re doing the lords work.

[@doogdoogdoogdoogdoogdoog]

Samesies. Steve has gotta be one of the most concise guys in music; an amazing clarity of expression.

[@EzraClaverie]

Agreed. He's a talented and practiced teacher, not just in these prepared videos but when he speaks extemporaneously. Even when he explains highly technical or abstract points, he neither talks down to his audience nor burdens them with unnecessary detail. He never shows off.

[@alveydoug]

I just Subscribed. :-)

[@concretebadger]

I've subscribed as of now. This stuff is SOOO helpful. Gotta agree with the other people in the replies here. Steve is one of those people who knows his trade inside-out, but explains it in a really clear and accessible way.

[@nolanroberts2710]

It's a real blessing to have people like Mr. Albini giving these real hard factual instructionals because there's far too much people just say you don't need to know theory you do not need to know this that to write a song which is true but that doesn't mean the song will get finished it doesn't mean song will actually be good and that's a big problem music should be respected enough to only be put out what is good and not just one your proud of something that you've created because That unfortunate breeds nothing but mediocre and mediocre is far away what I believe as human beings should be from anything.. That's not to say that I don't think that artist shouldnt released their music or unfinished pieces to be shared. But if you are going to endeavor the most fantastic chance to create short of childbirth, give it the respect your music deserves.

[@HiFi-Yeah]

Steve really knew what he was doing, and with such massive attention to detail in getting the fundamentals right (instrument, room, mics, phase).

[@tommyzcat]

5/10/24: Goodbye Sir. I have watched and learned so very much from you and your team! Condolences to everyone who is feeling your loss today and going forward. Namaste

[@KevinFitzpatrick81]

We're all waiting for the Steve Albini masterclass DVD with all these beautiful nuggets on there. Every one of his videos are priceless.

[@CieloVistaSoftware]

Finally, a true Engineer demonstrates on an oscilloscope reality. Everyone else is just guessing ultimately saying "my ears are as sensitive as an oscilloscope". No wonder there's so many bad mixes.

[@arthurmartins5495]

02:25 For anyone interested in his explanation. Great, genius man! "It has to make its way through a pretty elaborate system before it finally gets to this microphone. It has to go through the input circuitry of this amplifier, which has time constant, and the preamplifier has to get the signal to the power amplifier section, which it then has to modulate the power supply through the out port, output transformer, which then needs to couple the primary and secondary windings to the output cable, which goes to the loudspeaker, which then gets it voice coil energized, then the voice coil drives the speaker cone inside its magnetic gap and the compliance of the cone needs to move the air that's in front of it, that air pressurizes and the pressure wave travels through the physical distance between the loudspeaker and the microphone, than the microphone diaphragm needs to move and make its way through another transformer and down the cable, that it has some capacitance, then into the microphone preamplifier...It's a wonder it works at all" ps: i managed to slow it down using reaper, so its pretty accurate.

[@frankvazquez5974]

If only 1% of the videos on KZbin were this quality.....and 8,000 subscribers?

[@veerchasm1]

This guy is a legend and his ability to breakdown sound physics is unmatched

[@carltoncotter2614]

Ironically given the subject matter, it's the difference between someone who can read, write and communicate vs. an "engineer".

[@EarlyMist]

I agree totally. Spoken clearly and concisely. I couldnt quite keep up with the chipmunk bit but got 70% of it 😅

[@TheChadPad]

I fuckin died at "It's a wonder it works at all!" This was great

[@AndrossUT]

For me it was, "he has a fucked up knee, so he can't leave"

[@maschoff69]

Best laid plans of mice and men!

[@rocketsauce5067]

What a lot of folks don't get is this is very important stuff for free.Respect.

[@SupaFUZZZZZZ]

I never knew if Steve studied engineering or if this was all self taught. Believe he studied Journalism at Northwestern University. He's obviously a genius. Can anyone let me know if he had formal education on engineering? RIP Brother. You are a legend and will never be forgotten.

[@GiveThemHorns]

"He has a fucked-up knee, so he can't leave." I'm dying of laughter right now! That was hilarious and the delivery was amazing!!

[@bumbpp1257]

I wish they deleted all phase alignment videos on YT and only showed this one. Extremely helpful, Steve Albini is a genius, standing ovation

[@andrewsimpson3194]

The fast-forwarded part was very cute. But I can fast forward myself, thank you. I want to hear what Mr. Albini is saying please!

[@ElectricalAudioOfficial]

Use slow speed playback, brozilla. Or better yet, record it to tape and varispeed!

[@pimpum24]

@@ElectricalAudioOfficial I agree with Andrew tho. There's millions of channels explaining the fundamentals but the beauty is in the details. That's just expressing a desire and not a destructive criticism. What you guys are doing is great ;)

[@Emcfree2084]

@@pimpum24 nah he was being a cock. If he can "fast forward himself, thank you very much" then he can "slow playback speed himself, thank you very much"

[@nazliuz]

@@ElectricalAudioOfficial 🤣

[@jameskultra]

I honestly wish that section wasn’t fast forwarded for comedic effect.

[@swinginonthespiral8765]

0:48 an acoustic delay: physical distance between mic and speaker 1:26 a direct signal delay: an imperceptible delay, a fraction of the speed of light 1:40 phase difference causes phase cancellation - the canceling of frequencies between signals => thin bass; comb filtering 3:25 oscilloscope - visualize the difference of direct vs acoustic delays 3:30 ^ solution: insert, within single-microsecond range, a delay with either into signal path using analog delay or digitally, use an all-pass filter 6:25 a proper phase coherence => low freq: better response; high freq: less comb-filtered effect 7:40 microphone polarities; "pin 2 hot" convention 8:30 Lissajous display on oscilloscope to visualize alignments differences between two separate mics' arrival times 8:50 ^ mics w/ completely opposite polarities 9:10 ^ small adjustments by ear between the mic distances and their resulting Lissajous curves

[@Aqua_1014]

Thanks!

[@carlosdelgado7054]

"America's most top liked guy, He's got a FUCKED UP KNEE so he can't leave...." Aside from being an extremely educational video...it made me fall off my chair and laugh my ass off. BRAVO!!!!

[@Xtn1Insecticide]

Comming back here just to double check speed of sound through cable cause I knew I heard it here before is v helpful. Thank you Mr Albini for this comprehensive database left behind. f’n genius

[@frankthomas8782]

I love how you get down to the nitty gritty of the technical stuff but still emphasize the importance of training your ears.

[@TheMilford]

These would have been great segments for 3-2-1 Contact back in the day.

[@darrencarter]

This ladies and gentleman is why the University of KZbin is where I am enrolled. Thank you for being such a great professor!

[@marcandrelegermusic]

Your self deprecating humour was off the charts on this one. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos!

[@stephensmith799]

The effect of removing phase cancellation is very VERY noticeable. Thanks!

[@The_Kalahari_Cowboy]

Steve should be a lecturer. He explains things so clearly and logically.

[@thomasdannegger]

This went over phase, phase checking, and adjusting issues more clearly than anything I studied in audio engineering school.

[@chucktouchton398]

This man is the greatest audio engineer ever! Nirvana knew this back in '92-93...

[@Shredbmx221]

This is one of my fav vid of ALL TIME. I show it to everyone that's slick enough to understand it (like dad) whether they are into recording or not, it still interests them. As slick as I thought I was, I am enthralled by the old timers that really know the minutia of what they're doing. IE recording, Land Surveying, Engineering, Motocross, writing etc....

[@fgoindarkg]

I wish I could tell Ol' Beener just how helpful this is. RIP.

[@lindseytaylor4460]

I love the ever-flowing Steve Albini education all over KZbin. Eloquent and funny. :)

[@ALIONBASS]

I always adjust the mic-track visually in protools, slide it back until the waves of the DI-track and mic-track are perfectly aligned. Perfect results every time.

[@ralvknights]

This episode Rocks. Thank you for addressing important details that can make a sonic difference in recording guitars. This channel is a gift to all recording musicians.

[@mikecamps7226]

I'm on the other end of the audio thing as I build amplifier for guitar and a scope can be a very critical tool. A guitar amplifier is very simple as an audio device once you fully understand what's going on, as compared to more sophisticated circuitry and devices as I come from a TV background. When you get into TV and radio devices, you need the scopes to do alignments and adjustments. SO I can say, that I am very impressed of the use of a scope in a recording studio situation. I have never noticed this in all my observations relative to recording studios, and now will have to call it out. But it should be pointed out that a modern studio situation with multiple source possibilities is rather different than a vintage studio situation in the infancy of recording when there was ONE microphone being utilized

[@TempoDrift1480]

Most people in real life would just walk away instead of trying to understand this sort of stuff. I see it all the time. They want to record with a phone and expect it to be printed. Like... Okay go somewhere else with your half ass lifestyle.

[@LetsGoMetsGo33]

My favorite part was at 4:05 where Steve said "well that sucked". Because I understood him, briefly!

[@The_Absurdistt]

I miss Steve. Bless you Albini.

[@manuelafesta2283]

I'm finding these videos really informative even for a beginner with no knowledge in the field like I am. PLEASE keep 'em coming!!

[@mastod0n1]

I loved the gradual fast forwarding of Steve explaining the entire route the signal takes through the amplifier and speaker. And then the cut to "It's any wonder that it works at all" made me laugh out loud. And on top of that I learned way more about audio recording than from any other video I've seen before.

[@Hyxtryx]

I hated that part. It's insulting to the viewer's intelligence. Just let him speak. I'm sure it wasn't Steve's idea to do that. So to the editor of this channel: Stop insulting our intelligence with crap like that!

[@IfUfindthisURlost]

@@Hyxtryx I didn't find it insulting at all. What I took from it was that the sped up explaination is additional but not essential. Since most people won't tamper with the inner workings of there amps, it would have been enough to say, "There will be a slight delay as the signal goes through your amp or stack." However the detail is there, if you want it.

[@rickyhuff]

Hate to admit it, but the best resolution for time alignment for any of the recordings I've done were only in the millisecond range and by ear. Obviously not good enough. Awesome video Steve!

[@barryfandango863]

Superb. Really clear and practical demonstration of phase and time. Makes you realise why guys like Steve have the reputation they do.

[@The_Absurdistt]

@8:24 , He has a fucked up knee, so he can't leave... I'm dead. Albini would kill it at stand up comedy. This has got to be one of the best vids around. Thanks for all your efforts to share your wealth of info Steve.

[@petedemaggio]

I didn't know Steve had his own channel.....about to go into the vortex and I may never come out......

[@DeuceGenius]

ive decided to learn everything i can about sound from this guy. understanding sound signals and stuff. this will help me use my DAW and help me create music!

[@chazbutcher]

This is excellent advice for anyone working in a purely analog environment. However for those limited to the digital realm, you can achieve this same result by putting the two tracks side by side, enlarging them so you can see the wave forms clearly, then sliding the microphone signal back a hair until the wave forms matchup visually.

[@michael69040]

That might be what we live accompanists automatically do. When accompanying Jennifer Warnes on a tour in the early seventies the audience never complained that I was lagging behind.

[@busyboxst7]

DAWs don't go down to microsecond accuracy tho, just FYI. There's an eventide plug that does.

[@ajent1337]

This is so excellently explained. Steve really cuts through decades of bullshit in a way that shows the beauty of the intersection of science and art. The oscilloscope analysis around 11m is fantastic.

[@derekbilderoy7162]

Steve Albini. The pens on his boiler suit pocket indicate his very high rank. This man is living proof that knowing your shit really does make a huge difference in the quality of your output as a human being.

[@middle_pickup]

I know I can trust Steve because he uses Pilot G-2 pens.

[@bluehole6019]

If you know, you know

[@duhluth]

I saw the rack of G-2's in his pocket too and instantly thought "Fucking Solid Mate!"

[@PontiacS.]

Agreed. Me too. None other will do. Always in Black though.

[@stefanopizzolato5478]

RiP Steve, Audio Engineers will miss you ❤

[@johnkaplun9619]

Steve associates high frequency information with clarity and definition a lot in this video. As a guy who did fucked up math once, I would recommend anyone who is unsure on why this is look up the Fourier transformation and see how summed sinusoidal frequencies define a square wave. It's a good visual that assists comprehension.

[@Nobody-NoOne]

I was driving my car at an hour per 60 miles, then had to stop, and listen to that again, and with that perfect description of audio path through a common tube amp.. :)

[@thesoundpurist]

As a plug and play musician you wanna hang around with this dude + plus he has sense of humor

[@jacksonshuazzy1143]

"its a wonder it works at all " was hilarious !!!!!!

[@bradleytellis6767]

Killed me. hahahahahah

[@michaelgraflmusic]

I've already learned a bunch of practical advice on this channel that's based on theory that I know about, but would have never used that way. Using the Haas effect to pinpoint the arrival order of two very closely timed sound sources is so obvious, but it never occurred to me.

[@Bring_MeSunshine]

Great, Steve, a bit of genuine engineering, well explained, and a welcome break from all the click-bait channels hawking endless new plugins for the preset generation. Nice

[@KhalDrogo76]

Um, please make this a weekly program with Steve and his tips…I’d pay for that!

[@KhalDrogo76]

Oh there are more vids…YES

[@ElectricalAudioOfficial]

@@KhalDrogo76 dang, thought you were the hero who was going to start the GoFundMe for more regular videos

[@Lantertronics]

These videos are goldmine of information.

[@fyodos]

Whoever gave this a thumbs down apparently have no idea what he is talking about. Thanks for another very informative video Mr. Albini!!

[@sebbityseb]

And now...I know some things that I did not know before I watched this. Bravo : ) The "ear-pulling / mic placement" tip is worth its weight in gold alone. Thank you!

[@monkeyxx]

yeah that one was new to me, good info

[@mrmatthew2443]

What a great teacher You could easily have been a college professor or a teacher at a sound technology college

[@wormdamage]

It's ALWAYS great to get a knowledge download from you Steve! But, I would like to respectfully point out that the "delay" from an all-pass network is really just a phase shift and does not directly equate to a signal delay. The delay you appear to get from an all-pass network (phase shifter) will be different at different frequencies where the delay from signal delay is consistent regardless of frequency.

[@michaelmattson3515]

Billy Gibbons explained this same thing once in a guitar magazine interview. He was wondering why there was a delay from left & right ear pieces in his headphones. They mixed the left from the cabinet & the right via line. They also explained humidity & temperature. Great topic.

[@zackamania6534]

Steve made some of the greatest records of my youth!

[@75IFFY]

I dont mess about with music etc anymore, but im glad i watched this. Very interesting and excellent tutorial on audio/science.

[@EtcEtcAndEtc]

Steve seems to be really enjoying this :) Great stuff

[@Lonerganmusic]

You guys are great and every video I've seen is pure gold - so much info and never a chore to watch I feel like I've found a free university course any time I find a channel this good - thanks for sharing so generously!

[@artysanmobile]

I’ve been doing this all my life, but I like Steve so much I’m here just to enjoy his bone dry humor. Sending fond wishes to his loved ones who must miss him terribly.

[@jeffapple4491]

The mechanic's jumpsuit with pens in pocket and beanie cap !!! Imagine what you could learn if you had a chance to record with Mr. Albini !

[@WyattScott]

Genius level. wish this guy would come to my house and help me record in my home studio. I’m not smart enough nor do i have the required patience to get this technical.

[@Brannington]

Hey there, Steve. Semi-recent fan here and i just wanted to express something to you in the most candid, honest and formal way i know how. In my own kit-bashed brand of fake Italian Steve, your guitar tone? She'sa so nice, she soars high and mighty like some sort of loud, ancient Albatross with aluminum talons and a nuclear syrinx capable of creating such-a lovely feedback and racket! Very much akin to the otherworldly screams penetrating the damp primordial canopies produced by the theropod dinosaurs of our-a beautiful Earth's far flung past. Thank you, and I hope that all has been well as of late. I hope this finds you well and extend my warm regards to your Co-workers and crew! Best Regards, Brian

[@duderama6750]

Fun fact: That Mann amp head was made in Winnipeg by Garnet Amps for Ibanez. Ibanez made guitars for Garnet, and also sold guitars in Canada with the Mann label. Trying to figure out where all those dozens of Japanese guitar brands really came from is more complex than a game of Go.

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

What a treasure these videos are!!! Thank goodness.

[@SDPickups]

That MANN head of yours, those things are great. I do almost all my pickup demos, thru a MANN head, but its two 6L6's, with reverb and vibrato into a Greenback. No gain channel, no master volume, pure tone!

[@marekwlodzimirow]

I am sure that the Albini sound phenomena is mostly about proper phase aligment.

[@jorgepeterbarton]

Im sure there are lots of components like room sounds and weird mics

[@mikeroadblock]

He seems to keep an open mind with the artists he’s working with at the time.

[@jfmax2000]

Very Concise and On Point Bruh 😎👊💯💯

[@soultrap8554]

The bloke's a pure legend. 2 words Jordan, Minnesota

[@malcolmadams2105]

Always happy to see Steve still working on and in music. At any level. Legendary. Sorry I was late to the party Just found this channel. It’s taken me 20 years to get into the production side but hey. Better late than never..

[@randomreviews6780]

I could listen to you talking about this stuff all day. Thank you sir.

[@WilsonPendarvis-tn3wm]

1978 Time-align by Paradox 12. The most accurate reproduction I have ever heard. (Except for a band in a garage). Only Ohm and Infinity reference Iis came 2nd and 3rd respectively.

[@topa1798]

Steve is the Einstein of electrical audio recording

[@arayapokey]

Great video, always great to hear Steve’s knowledge of audio signals, and the editing was also great.

[@Denver_Risley]

He guides us from beyond.

[@southdank3190]

his sense of humor!!........awesome series, love Steve ´s work

[@TeleCustom72]

Great explanation. I particularly liked the incidental noises for comic effect and also the multiple pens in the top pocket. Ordinarily most people just time-align in their DAW by matching up the waveform peaks. That is not an option here as I believe this is a tape-based studio.

[@Francis-rs7zu]

Yes analog based, but they can do digital as well (pro-tools). I was looking into having my band record there, and the rates are really, really good. It's called Electrical Audio Recording

[@brucewales5965]

The calm “f d-up leg” phrase added immediate charm as well. I choked actually!

[@charlieross-BRM]

On the playback side of the equation I had an Alpine car deck with manually adjustable time correction and it was definitely noticeable, tuning fronts and rears for the driver's position in a subcompact car.

[@nlong4028]

Im just here because I like listening to smart people talk...and Shellac.

[@kalesyps764]

I recorded my friends ep right before the pandemic hit (first time being in charge of all things recording) and Im pretty sure what you've describe is part of the reason why so much of our "live" recordings ended up being out of time by very different amounts. We were also using 3 pc laptops, and 3 focusrites haha. it was on a 0$ budget, but i really wish i new some of this stuff before recording. 4 live tracks, 3 takes each, 10 mics for all the instruments of varying cheap qualities.

[@bluewavesmastering2284]

That last pose is the money of this video!! amazing work !!

[@MirlitronOne]

Hey, Steve Albini used the same oscilloscope that I do! Thanks Steve, RIP.

[@dedballoons]

This video just blew my freaking mind. Thank you.

[@globalmarauder8682]

You sir are succeeded where highschool teachers have failed. Cheers

[@godofspacetime333]

This guy is so fucking knowledgeable it’s insane. I learn something every time he opens his mouth.

[@audioproductiontutor3106]

The best part is how courteous Steve is to the musician, pro all the way!

[@jessfarr5667]

great explanation from Steve. if you don’t have an oscilloscope and an Eventide, you can do what I do and just eliminate one of the signals. problem solved..!

[@chaz32]

Please make more I need to record yet another album in my house! Amazing content for practitioners and those in training

[@fredbissnette3104]

steve is a marvel of information he should be in charge of everything

[@slavesforging5361]

That was a very cool way to look at phase. I was pretty surprised when ya'll busted out the o-scope! I use a little labs IBP and absolutely love it. but i learned a bit about old/odd mics and how to read an oscilliscope. so yay! Also that eventide stereo delay is super neat. i looked it up and i guess they modded two of their 500 series DDL-500's for you. very cool. listening to Steve say he can hear which mic is ahead or behind was pretty gnarly. can't wait until my ear is that good!