need help in sample rate conversion

[torsten]

I need some expertise:
I recorded my tracks in 24/48, but the drummer I'm using (he's out of state) only has the ability to send me his drum tracks at 16/44.1. When I load all the tracks into Pro Tools mix plus, the drum tracks don't line up because of the sample rate difference. When the engineer converted the drum tracks to 24/48, the drum tracks sound like they skip at certain parts of the song. Is there any way, other than to re-record, to change the sample rate from 16/44.1 to 24/48 and get the track to line up without any sonic anamolies?

[RecorderMan]

Something is really wrong here. This should not be an issue. Your drummers tracks (if recorded and sent to you properly) absolutely should import and line up with your session. A ProToosl Mix+ can import and export SDII , AIFF and wave files to and from each other at 16bit/44.1,16bit/48, 24bit/44.1 & 24bit/48.

Somebody somewhere made a mistake.

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

Be sure he had the proper interface lights shining. I mean 48k or 44k. Also, select quality BEST. It takes longer but it is worth. There is also the TWEAK HEAD setting, but it is too much time consuming.
If you are going from MAC to PC, select REINFORCE MAC/PC compatibility and choose WAVE, 5.1

[torsten]

Sure, Pro Tools can import all those files, but when you have 6 tracks of drums imported at 16/44.1 and the rest of the tracks running at 24/48, the drum tracks will drag more and more as the song progresses. The engineer tried to fix this by converting the sampling rate to 24/48, but now you can here noticable skips on the drum tracks at certain parts of the song. I can't get the drummer to re-record the tracks, so my only way is to figure out how to change the sampling rate of the drums to 24/48 so they can play at the same speed as the other tracks. They need to line up without any 'bits' missing when the conversion is completed.

[littledog, jr.]

converting from 16 to 24 is irrelevant to the timing of the track - it just adds a bunch of zeroes to the values.

the only important conversion is from 44.1 to 48. you need to use the best possible algorhythm available. (like was suggested - "tweak head" setting.)

[RecorderMan]

When ProTools transfers (i.e. imports & exports) between sample rates it shortens/lengthens the files so that they "line up". If You running a 24bit/48Khz/SDII session as the drummer recorded his tracks on a completely different platform @ 16bit/44.1Khz/WAV you can ONLY get them into your session by one of three ways:
1. under the file menu- import audio to track. A dialog box opens letting you select tracks. If they are not of the same bit depth/sample rate/file type as your session you will not be able to just "add" them and will be offered the choice to convert.
2. Same as above except you do in under the menu that comes with the audio regions window (on the right side)
3. Ripping them off of CD buy using the "import audio from other movie" command.

From the description you keep giving the drummer (and whomever did his end) and your engineer are a little inexperienced at this stuff. the most probable source of this problem is that when the drum tracks were recorded that system was not set up properly and the tracks are not really at the sample rate it thinks it is. You should be able to fix this with SoundHack. http://www.soundhack.com/.


Worst case scenario...if you can't fix this on your own, you could send the tracks to me via CDR and I can do it for you....PM me if you'd like this final option.

[Alécio Costa - Brazil]

Recorderman, that was exactly what I meant when I mentioned lights blinking at the interfaces. I have seen this mistake a few times.

[RecorderMan]

Originally posted by Alécio Costa - Brazil:
Recorderman, that was exactly what I meant when I mentioned lights blinking at the interfaces. I have seen this mistake a few times.

Yeah...SoundHack will help you fix this. They should incorporate this in some "advanced" section on Pro Tools....then again that could be too much info for some...
He (the drummer) probably has a rosetta or a dat hooked up to his digi 001 (I'm guessing on all of this...an example if you will) and he has his source switched from internal to external , forgot and left it that way. It's easy to make this mistake on the digi becuase it doesn't give you any lock lights on the interface like a Mix+ (for instance).
Still it's pretty easy to fix (assuming that's the problem) and cheap if I do it...only a few thousand dollars (just kidding).

[torsten]

Thanks for the inputs, guys. I'm going to the studio on Monday to see if we can resolve this.
Regards
Torsten