Phase alignment can make or break your guitar recordings! Whether you’re dealing with dual-mic setups on amplifiers, blending DI signals with microphone captures, or combining multiple guitar sources, proper phase relationships are essential for achieving that full, punchy sound modern metal and rock productions demand. Today we dive deep into Forward Audio’s revolutionary faGuitarAlign plugin through an exclusive tutorial with renowned German producer Kristian “Kohle” Kohlmannslehner, revealing why this specialized tool has become indispensable in professional guitar recording workflows worldwide.
Why Phase Alignment Transforms Guitar Tone
When working with guitar recordings, phase relationships between multiple sources can dramatically affect your tone’s impact and clarity. Even microscopic timing differences between microphones positioned at different distances from an amplifier can create phase cancellation that results in thin, hollow-sounding guitars lacking midrange presence and low-end power. This comb filtering occurs when identical audio signals arrive at slightly different times, causing certain frequencies to reinforce while others cancel completely.
Kristian Kohle—known for chart-topping albums by Powerwolf, Aborted, Electric Callboy—demonstrates in this tutorial how proper phase alignment transforms guitar recordings from amateur to professional. His expertise includes multiple gold and platinum records and he was the first German producer invited to URM Academy’s Nail the Mix.
Plugin Overview: Revolutionary Phase Correction
The faGuitarAlign plugin from Forward Audio is a breakthrough in automatic phase alignment technology, optimized for stringed instruments. Unlike generic tools, this plugin features an innovative X/Y pad interface that simultaneously controls phase alignment and microphone blending, making complex adjustments intuitive and musical.
- Sub-sample accurate automatic phase alignment within seconds
- Revolutionary X/Y pad for phase & mic blend
- Phase Density Scope for visual vectorscope-style feedback
- Support for microphone distances up to 160 feet (50 meters)
- Three blend modes: Full, Logarithmic, Linear
- Integrated stereo widening up to 200%
- A/B comparison for before/after
This stereo bus insert plugin gets routed with left/right panned source tracks (Input 1/2) or via sidechain input for workflow flexibility and original character preservation.
Demonstrated Techniques: Professional Applications
Blending Two Microphones on Distorted Guitar
Kohle’s first demonstration (03:30-08:01) shows dual-mic amp setup: a Shure SM57 close to the grille, plus a Shure SM7B ~30cm away. The distance introduces phase issues and comb filtering. The plugin auto-aligns phase and offers real-time visual feedback with the Phase Density Scope, restoring midrange power and tonal definition.
The iconic Shure SM57 on a Celestion Vintage V30 is probably the most common speaker / mic combination in modern recording history.
Blending Two Amplifiers on Distorted Guitar
From 08:01 to 12:13, the tutorial covers blending two different amps fed the same guitar signal—a creative studio technique. The plugin achieves perfect phase coherence between distinctly processed tones without manual corrections, opening up endless tone-shaping options.
Acoustic Guitar Applications
In the segment from 12:13, Kohle demonstrates use with acoustic guitar. Multiple mics (body and strings) introduce unique alignment challenges, and faGuitarAlign ensures transparent, phase-corrected recordings with full, natural texture.
Advanced Production Techniques
Visual Feedback and Precision Control
The Phase Density Scope is adapted from vectorscope technology–optimized specifically for phase relations—making alignment accessible even to non-technical users and simplifying what used to be a hit-or-miss process.
Creative Sound Design
- Frequency-dependent blending with three blend modes
- Stereo width enhancement up to 200%
- Intentional phase effects for creative processing
Technical Implementation and Workflow
The plugin works in all major DAWs (VST2, VST3, AU, AAX) at 44.1kHz to 192kHz. The scalable GUI adapts for everything from laptops to 4K monitors. It runs on Windows 7+ and Mac OS 10.15+.
Real-World Production Scenarios
- Multi-mic drum recording: eliminate phase cancellation between overheads and close mics
- Bass guitar: combine DI and amp recordings with perfect phase
- Piano, orchestral, and vocal: blend multiple mics for stunning realism and clarity
Producer Credentials and Authority
- Powerwolf’s “Preachers of the Night” – #1 German album (2013)
- Multiple gold and platinum records across Europe
- Chart success with Crematory, Hämatom, Electric Callboy
- Educator at Kohle Audio Kult Academy
This plugin is moving from luxury to essential—across hardware sync, internal corrections, and advanced mixing, it revolutionizes workflow for every serious producer.
Ready to transform your guitar recordings with professional phase alignment? Discover the difference and take your productions to the next level!