Phase
The relative position in time of one waveform against another
Related
Phase describes where one periodic waveform sits in time relative to another, expressed as an angle or a delay. Two signals at the same frequency add when their peaks align and cancel when displaced by half a cycle; the same phase offset means different time shifts at different frequencies.
In recording, phase differences come from microphone spacing, path length from source to each mic, and delays or filters. When several mics hear one source, those differences boost some frequencies and weaken others, producing comb filtering; a mono fold-down and a correlation meter help reveal it.
The usual mistake is confusing phase with polarity. Flipping polarity turns the waveform upside down, equivalent to 180 degrees; phase is a continuous timing relationship and no single switch resolves it.
Sources
- 相位与多麦克风叠加，参 Huber & Runstein, Modern Recording Techniques 与 Bobby Owsinski, The Mixing Engineer's Handbook；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.