[Dave Martin]

I had something fairly unique happen yesterday. We were cutting fiddle tracks, and after less than 10 minutes, the fiddle player asked if I were doing anything different that usual; her fiddle didn't sound like it usually does over here. She said it sounded 'too pointy'. I checked - same mic (M582 with an M62 capsule), same preamp (Vintech X73 with no EQ), same compressor (Tube Tech CL-1B), and she was even using the same headphones that she usually uses - Fostex T20's (7506's are uncomfortably bright for a lot of fiddle players). After trying a few things, I noticed that the phase switch on the Vintech had beed reversed from its usual position. I changed it back and she was happy. It was a fairly subtle difference, but it was there.

Since I've always read that human tonal memory is not reliable (read a discussion of ABX testing or or the set up for laboratory controlled double-blind tests), and I've also read that absolute polarity is usually not detectable by ear, how did she know? It had been probably three or four weeks since this musician had worked over here, and she's most likely worked in 15 or 20 other studios in the interim. How many of you listen for changes caused by switching phase on a mono track? How often will you reverse phase on a mono channel to see which way you prefer the sound? I almost never do, partly because I've never thought about it, and partly because only the upper faders on my console have a phase reverse switch. I'd need to flip faders on any given channel, then play around with the switch. It seemed to be a lot of trouble until now, but I'm going to start experimenting with it.