← Mixing Fundamentals
⚡ Phase & Polarity
Why two great sounds can cancel each other out — and how to fix it.
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What is Phase & Polarity?
Phase describes how two waveforms line up in time. When they're aligned they reinforce each other. When they're inverted they cancel out.
- Polarity flip = inverting the entire waveform (peaks become troughs).
- Two identical signals out of polarity cancel completely — silence.
- In real recordings, phase issues come from multiple mics on one source, or a stereo signal with timing differences.
- Symptoms: hollow sound, weak low end, kick or snare missing punch.
- Try the polarity flip below and notice how a layered sound can lose all its body.
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