Yeah - it sucks but without synching the time clocks (like on pro gear), different sources never seem to match.
Depending on the amount of drift, cutting it up can be really tough. It's not always easy to find a point to align and you'll find that there is some fluctuation depending on which sound you're matching. I have used the stretch feature in both CEP and wavelab to make one the same duration as the other. You want to preserve the pitch and get them within a few milliseconds of each other. I couldn't get CEP to stretch without introducing some nastiness to the sound (and I tried lots of settings) but my most recent effort with Wavelab 4.0c seems to sound good. If you're going to play with it, be sure to listen to both loud and quiet passages before mixing it in.
You can use CEP in multitrack mode to line up a point in the beginning.
Then go to the very end and determine how much shorter/longer the 2nd source is. I'd recommend using the stretch on the source that you'll be mixing in at a lower level. Add/subtract that to the existing length and start playing with values in the stretch menu to get to the desired length. I can tell you that putting in precise time values
does not work. Both CEP and Wavelab seem to only be capable of working in discrete steps, as defined by changes in the
ratio box. I learned this through many failed attempts at specific values until I began to recognize it's either A or B but nowhere in between. If you find you can't get an acceptable value, you can increase the precision by splitting the file first (like into disc1 and 2). You don't have to do the stretch to get the software to display the time you'll end up with - just play with the ratio settings.
Wavelab - go
process, time stretch, check
high quality and preserve pitchCEP - as I mentioned, I just couldn't find a setting that sounded good throughout but give it a shot
Then multitrack with your stretched version and try and line up your peaks - you really need to zoom in and get them within about 10 ms throughout. You'll find that your mic recording has peaks that are not nearly as well defined as the board and this task is a challenge. One feature that I love about the new CEP 2.1 is the ability to slide the track while you're listening to it. You can listen for yourself what kind of 'error' range you have before the sound really starts to screw up. That's where I get the 10 ms above, though often the mics are so 'sloppy' and full of reflected sound that it can be more forgiving. I thought it was more until I had CEP 2.1 and could listen to the effect live - listen to vocals and cymbals to hear what happens.
This exercise made me kind of down on the live matrix unless you're onstage or
very close - once you hear the blur from 25ms you'll get it. And I also discovered that the PA itself is often delayed a bit so that it synchs up with the natural sound (because the PA usually sits in front of the band). One of my regular places puts a 7ms delay on the PA. So if I tape 30 feet back, I've got a 37ms delay against the board feed. Too much me thinks.
Hope that helps you out. It takes a lot of hours to do a good mix.
Here's the related thread on taping - never got too far though
http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?board=23;action=display;threadid=6516;start=msg72858#msg72858