dealing with 44.1 kHz audio

[Loch Phillipps]

We are editing a feature documentary with the audio set at 48kHz. Our composer has given us the music cues in 44.1kHz. They seem to play fine even with the different rates. Our audio mixer says we should be working entirely in 48kHz.

Will working with the 2 different rates be a problem? I know it used to be problematic, but am curious as to whether this has been resolved with all the new software and hardware.

If we should indeed convert all the tracks to 48kHz, is this something we can do? Or does my composer have to do it? I'd rather we did it.

[Averdahl]

It can cause issues. Convert them to 48Khz in lets say Adobe Audition. (F11-key)

[Loch Phillipps]

Thanks! We will give that a shot and see how it goes!

[PalliesProd]

You saved my day with your F11 shortcut solution ❤️

[Michael Grenadier · Accepted solution]

good question.  if you've got the full adobe suite, I'd use audition to do the resampling, but not sure I could hear the difference using adobe media encoder.   My understanding is that the bit depth is also important and that 24 bits is better than the standard 16.  You might also want to slap your composer up the side of the head and explain that 48k is the standard for video...   How will the finished piece be distributed?  Youtube?  probably won't make a difference.    Wait a second, you have an audio mixer?  Why can't he do it?  

[Loch Phillipps]

Best answer I've gotten on one of these community threads! I did ask our mixer again and he said that we shouldn't even bother if all the music is in at 44.1 already. And I will slap the composer upside the head! He says that all his programs default to 44.1. It all sounds fine in the edit, so I'm not sure there is an actual problem. I don't hear a pitch difference anyway. That said, I'm no pitch perfect music genius.

[R Neil Haugen]

The reason the composer's program defaulted to 44.1 is that is the CD standard for a final run, meaning when the data is written to the CD for "publication".

That number was chosen because it's close enough to 48 to not be 'aurally' notable, but a bit less data space needed on disc. It unfortunately is not a great choice for editing audio. And why some audio apps default to 44.1 when you're modding the sound is beyond me.

And as noted, video is always 48k. I think the composer would be wiser to work in 48k, and allow publishing of CDs to go on at 44.1k.

Neil

[Michael Grenadier]

and for what it's worth, a dedicated audio program will usually do a better job of resampling than Premiere as far as I know...  It definitely gives you more options for resampling.   All the sound designers I work with insist that they do the resampling...  Honestly I don't think I would hear the difference, bwdik

[Richard M Knight]

One of the reasons that 44.1 was used in the early days was that digital audio was recorded on slightly modified  analogue video recorders and the digital audio was turned into an analogue video signal. It was found that the bit rate of 44.1 would easily fit into both PAL and NTSC video lines. My one and only pop chart single was recorded using a Sony PCM F1 on to a betamax tape.

[Michael Grenadier]

glad I was able to help.  Resampling doesn't change the pitch.  that's why you couldn't hear the difference.  And so what if the composer's program deafults to 44.1?  That's no excuse.  And your mixer doesn't understand how video programs deal with sampling rates.  The difference in sampling rates can cause problems and it's hard to predict when this will happen.  Since you're going to a mix, he'd be able to deal with the issue if it rears it's ugly head but I'd definitely resample to 48k.  just a safer way to work.