Auto Align Post is one of those plug-ins, which addresses a very specific issue and fixes it with the minimum of fuss. If you haven’t yet come across it, it is a tool which, like the original Auto Align, analyses audio captured from more than one microphone and corrects destructive phase cancellation caused by time of arrival differences.

The difference between the original Auto Align and Auto Align Post is that the latter can work with source material in which the relationship between the mics and the source changes dynamically because of moving sources or mics.

Auto Align Post Workflow Example

We came across this video demonstration which illustrates how well Auto Align Post fits into the process of ingesting and conforming multiple files into a post session. The video has no voiceover but do stick with it as it is very worthwhile and text prompts in the lower left hand corner of the screen explain the process.

To find the sections quickly go to the following times:

• 0.00 Import WAV files using EdiLoad from Sounds In Sync using the Spot WAV File command. You can drag files and/or folders of files in the EdiLoad window.

• 0.10 Export Pro Tools Session from EdiLoad

• 0.30 Open Session In Pro Tools

• 0.35 Select all the audio files except the Boom mic as this will be the reference file when it comes to use Auto Align Post

• 0.52 Open Auto Align Post from the AudioSuite menu. In the AudioSuite instance of Auto Align Post Make sure it is in Dynamic mode, set it to Clip by Clip, Select the Boom track on the Key input, as this is the reference track, Select Whole File and Click on the Render button. When it has finished Save and close the session.

• 1.26 Creation of mix files using TwistedWave for Rushing syncing

• 2.18 Converting to mono and batch renaming.

• 2.20 Importing boom and no-boom files.

• 4.50 Batch rename and organising folders