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48khz Vocal with 44.1khz Sample Libraries

Arys Chien

Arys Chien

Active Member
Dear all,

This problem has been bothering me for a long time. Everyone agrees that it's better to record vocals at 48khz sample rate than 44.1khz, while it's also true that most of the sample libraries out there, even the top ones like VSL, are still in 44.1khz format.

For guys that mix in analog, there is not problem. Yet for guys like myself that record and mix in digital, it's a big problem.

I've asked the Kontakt guys about it. They said Kontakt would perform the sample rate conversion itself, if the sample libraries are 44.1khz and the project is 48khz. Yet we all know that SRC is hard to do well. I don't know if I can trust Kontakt's SRC ability.

For now I'm recording all my vocals in 24/44.1, since that I'm not sure I have a reliable tool to convert a 24/48 file into 16/44.1 at the final stage.

Can you please share with me your opinion on this one? I really don't know what to do.

Thanks in advance.
 
K

kubik.rm@t-online.de

New Member
very interesting subject !

I´d love to hear some comments of pro-users to this subject.

In your case it depends if you´re mixing digitally (or bouncing) or analog. When you´re after a digital master with 44,1 kHz I doubt you´ll get a better sound by recording the vocals in 48 kHz and convert them back to 44,1 kHz later. (Plus getting some artefacts by running 44,1kHz Samples with 48kHz Rate and reversing this process again !)
If you go for a 44,1kHz master you should go for a 88,2kHz samplerate to enhance your digital recording/mixing. I read a statement of an experienced mastering engineer who recommended 88,2kHz because it´s exactly the doubled Samplerate. So the transfer up to 88 and down again to 44kHz doesn´t affect the audio noticable.

My problem is in the moment : I´m working on a TV-score and have to deliever a 48 kHz master. Due to the fact that most of the used sounds are 44kHz samples from libraries I´m working, mixing and mastering on 44,1kHz and transfer the masterfiles to 48kHz afterwards - always with a very bad feeling in the stomack. I think working in 48kHz will sound better ? Or not, due to the \"realtime\" samples rate converting of the EXS or Kontakt ?
When I have some time I´ll mix a song in both ways, compare them and let you know.
Anyone out there who did such a test ?

cheers,
ralf
 
R

Royal T

Member
I would work on 44,1 and then change the sample-rate afterwards. If there is any artifacts doing that, it would be very marginal, no way it will make any difference for a TV-score.

If you're doing stuff with Kontakt that involves using pitch-change of samples or the use of Kontakt's internal filters, I'd get something like the Emu X instead, that would certainly make a bigger difference than switching to 48 kHz IMO.
 
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