Dear Auto-Align 2 users,
Thank you for your continued support and feedback.
We are excited to announce the release of Auto-Align 2.1 beta! This new version includes a number of new features and bug fixes, including:
New features:
Alternative group alignment timing modes: You can now choose between three different timing modes for group alignments: Optimal, Minimal, and Off.
Spectral phase optimization per-track toggle: You can now enable or disable spectral phase optimization on a per-track basis.
Four preset banks: You can now save up to four different preset banks for easy comparison of different alignments.
Import/export alignment state: You can now import and export the alignment state of a project.
Per-group flip polarity toggle: You can now flip the polarity of a group of tracks with a single click.
Sum to mono of multi-channel tracks: You can now sum multi-channel tracks to mono.
Improved groups lock/unlock workflow: The groups lock/unlock workflow has been improved for easier and more intuitive use.
Improved reset options: The reset options have been improved to give you more control over how the alignment is reset.
Improved edit menu: The edit menu has been improved to make it easier to find the commands you need.
Improved capture indicator in UI: The capture indicator in the UI has been improved to make it easier to see when audio is being captured.
Improved alignment invalid notifications and warnings: The alignment invalid notifications and warnings have been improved to make them more informative and helpful.
Offset view is now saved as a global setting: The offset view is now saved as a global setting, so you don’t have to change it every time you open a new project.
Bug fixes:
ARA: Report tail/head for sample accurate playback
ARA: Support Cakewalk
ARA: Fix memory leak under Logic Pro X
ARA: Fix possible crash under Logic Pro X
ARA: Fix inconsistent results when using multi-mono under Nuendo and Cubase
VST3: Fix FL Studio instances are always mono (Mono available using sum to mono)
Fix: Ensure sample offset is calculated at project sample-rate
Fix track order when switching between manual and auto groups
Please note:
As with any beta software, it is important to back up your existing projects before using this version.
Under the hood, we have made many improvements that required us to change the way we save alignments. Projects saved with Auto-Align 2.1 onwards are not compatible with Auto-Align 2.0.1.
Installed fine and working in Cubase 12 on Win 11.
I dig the new features.
Request: after I capture and align, the drum OHs and rooms move too far negative. I always click to find the most in phase setting that is close to their original distance. I have to click through options for each OH track. It would be great to be able to index both tracks together (retaining relative offset) and instantly hear them at each shifted distance. Same for rooms, shifting one at a time sucks.
I could route them to a stereo track and insert AA2 on that instead. Or, the grouping function may already allow shifting them together. I’ll RTFM.
Hi Tal!
I really like the innovations! Thank you!
One question? In the full version, do you expect to be able to automate the switching of preset banks. This could be a great advantage for concert recordings where the changing seating arrangement can change the microphone positions.
Ahhh! I figured I was missing something. Thank you.
Would it be possible to impose limits to how far a track can move? For example, limit my OH mics to moving not more than 20cm. Limit my room mics from moving more than 1m.
I just want tracks placed at their most in-phase sample position at their relative distance.
Being able to set movement limits would be great! It would save so much time moving everything back to the aligned versions of something close to the original positions, like room mics. I definitely dont want to move my room mics 6m ever.
Flipping it is just a setting for the next alignment of the group (as well as the options to disable/enable all-pass filters for tracks, the intention is you press align again after).
I tried going through Optimal and Minimal quite a bit in the last couple days, and both still move the mics over 1m, which is not really ideal, plus it seems like there are fewer in-between settings I can chose. Because of that, I am actually having a harder time finding ideal alignments for drum tracks.
I do appreciate having the unit of measurement locked, as well as the clarified labeling. Is there a way lock the results to positive polarity on all tracks? This version seems to want to flip everything to start with negative polarity.
Hi Tal!
Thanks for your reply!
This is a post-production of a classical music concert recording. The Decca Tree and my room mics are a given, no change. But the position of the spot microphones for each instrument group and instrument changes according to the number of players and the seating arrangement of the orchestra. Such a change can be up to 4-5 in one concert.
So far, I’ve thought of keeping Decca and the room pair in one group, and then keeping the changing spots in a separate group. But as a result of experimentation, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s better to count the spots and the Decca, room pair for each formation as one.
Thanks to the built-in preset banks and the import/export function of the presets, it is easy to store up to four orchestral formations. And if preset switching could be automated, it would be heaven!
I am still in the trial period with AA2.
Just downloaded the beta and tried it on a project (Logic 10.7.9) I was testing AA2 with before. I decided to exchange the existing AA2 plugins with the ARA versions, before starting to test the beta.
Interestingly all channels now have a 32 digit in brackets behind their names in the plugin. Looks very cluttered.
A bug? Caused by changing the plugin to ARA (have deleted the existing capture thou)? Intentionally?
BTW I am now getting totally different numbers compared to the version before. No matter if using optimal/minimal. And those numbers I get with the beta don’t make sense, frankly.
Hi @froggy333 ,
I guess you have an Apple silicon (M1/M2) machine.
Unfortunately, ARA isn’t yet supported as native Apple silicon by Apple’s Logic Pro X.
In order to benefit from ARA2 under Logic, you must open it as Rosetta by making sure the Open using Rosetta is ticked.
Spectral phase optimization per-track toggle is definitely welcome, however, i would REALLY like a global toggle as well, so i can switch Spectral optimization completely off for all tracks forever, unless i switch it on again, maybe also turn it off in the analyzation stage to speed things up… Since i rarely actually want spectral optimization - slightly muddy high-end on drums & guitars to me sounds like tape. And i like tape. Also my OCD hates Allpass filters for some reason, i know they are barely audible, but still, i would like an option to only shift the timing of my tracks without additional filtering…
I also have a question/suggestion regarding Absolute Phase optimization… As far as i understand, all tracks would benefit from that process, so maybe ungrouped tracks should also be checked for Absolute Phase individually, one by one? Let’s say, if a preamp for a lead vocal mic was wired backwards & ended up with flipped polarity, Auto-Align 2 won’t fix it unless you group it with an empty track or something else… I hope i make sense here.
