Hi there
We really want to use Auto Align 2 as part of our sound design/editorial process, within PT. Currently it feels a bit restricted with ARA or the insert, being either too destructive, or unable to handle the kind of post workflow for this.
Is it possible to be able to select a group of clips across a multitude of tracks (for example 5 clips around 3-7 seconds long each across 5 tracks, for an explosion) and then do non destructive phase alignment by having auto-align move the clips against each other (or the first clip as reference) to bring them into alignment? It makes our work sound a lot punchier and nicer!
Is it possible to be able to select a group of clips across a multitude of tracks (for example 5 clips around 3-7 seconds long each across 5 tracks, for an explosion) and then do non destructive phase alignment by having auto-align move the clips against each other (or the first clip as reference) to bring them into alignment?
Auto-Align 2 ARA is indeed track-based, it aligns the entire track.
If you want to align specific clips within tracks to a reference track, you can do that with Auto-Align Post 2.
Select the clips in the timeline, right-click → Auto-Align Post → Edit.
In the AAP editor, select the tracks you wish to align and click ‘Set Ref’ on the Reference track. Non-destructive and quick.
Please note that both Auto-Align and Auto-Align Post were designed to improve phase correlation between tracks that share common information (bleed).
If you’re working with SFX/samples, you may want to check out our Pi plugin.
Pi is a multi-channel-aware dynamic phase rotator, designed to improve phase correlation between diffrent elements in your mix regardless of how they were recorded.
I have actually come to the forum with this exact same use case. I am looking to achieve a similar workflow, which sounds like a new plugin/feature request upgrade to Pi, or expansion to auto align.
Same as Sam, I have content that is not related to each other, new sound design which is sources comprised of different layers and materials. Let’s say track 1 will be the reference source, and track 2-3 I want to ‘align’ to track one, based on timing/coherence possibility. Currently it sounds like AAP2 has the workflow of aligning specific clips within a track to clips within the reference track. The suggestion of Pi does not take into account that the materials on track 2-3 will not be static, or related to one another, thus they need to be parsed against the reference track for phase rotation relative to frequency content, but also perhaps a user operated bias to transient/tonal dominance within materials (for sound design purpose, and overall control).
This would also help an extreme niche workflow that I have done with some music producers, who are literally cutting kick and bass, note per note, and phase aligning the low end so that both are cycling as in time as possible, and that no cancelation is occurring. Often times midi sequences with VST materials can see oscillation drift, and some notes within a mix down can “disappear” upon mix and master stage if not diligent. Thanks !