Phase cancellation

**Georgia_Boi** · 08-05-2012

Please help me. I was working on a mix and I decided to check my mix in mono. I noticed that my backing vocals are disappearing. How do I fix this problem. I currently have no effects on them as of now and re-recording is not an option.

**sleepy** · 08-05-2012

Are you "doubling" vocals by copying one track and moving it slightly? If you are, don't.

If you're not doing any processing or editing whatsoever and they are cancelling out, then something is wrong as it's unlikely that anything cancels out for no reason, specially with completely different takes. You can invert the phase on one of the tracks and see if that helps.

**Georgia_Boi** · 08-05-2012

Originally Posted by sleepy

Are you "doubling" vocals by copying one track and moving it slightly? If you are, don't.

If you're not doing any processing or editing whatsoever and they are cancelling out, then something is wrong as it's unlikely that anything cancels out for no reason, specially with completely different takes. You can invert the phase on one of the tracks and see if that helps.

I wasn't doubling them. And thanks. I will try to invert them to see what kind of results I get.

**Aderito** · 08-05-2012

I also think even if you don't invert them, but just add a phaser effect to your project and off it even in the slightest you'll be good

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**WeissSound** · 08-06-2012

It's not just that, it's also the DAW pan laws coming into play. If your backups are panned out and leveled, they'll all be -2.5 to -4.5db too quiet in mono (depending on pan laws).

**SafeandSound** · 08-06-2012

If they are 'disappearing' then you have complete out of phase vocals for some reason, which is odd if you recorded with 1 mic and are not doubling up separate takes / duplicating tracks. Supply more info... like pan positions and how many voices and any processing on them.

SafeandSound Mastering
Music mastering

**Georgia_Boi** · 08-09-2012

Originally Posted by SafeandSound

If they are 'disappearing' then you have complete out of phase vocals for some reason, which is odd if you recorded with 1 mic and are not doubling up separate takes / duplicating tracks. Supply more info... like pan positions and how many voices and any processing on them.

SafeandSound Mastering
Music mastering

Well I only have one voice. One track panned 30% to the left and another track panned 30% to the right. These are raw vocals and does not have any effects on them. All effects have been bypassed and I'm still having this problem.