Hello,
I have a large library of 44.1k samples that I have transferred over to AR using the latest Transfer app from Elektron. I assume Transfer has done a sample conversion to make these files 48k (thus compatible with the AR).
My question is, if Transfer does this sample rate conversion, when playing this 48k version of the sample on the AR, will the sample playback at a higher pitch?
I’ve done some rough math to assume this could be an increase in pitch of roughly 2 semitones, so when using samples, I usually try playing them back at -2 semitones on the AR to see if it sounds a little better.
I don’t have an app currently that does sample rate conversions from 44k to 48k that matches pitch, so I’m hoping to see if the forum here thinks that the -2 semitone workaround is a sound option.
I haven’t done an A/B test yet to confirm this, but wanted to check with the pros here before going down that rabbit hole.
Just another thought… maybe transfer isn’t converting the 44k file at all. In this case, I would assume that the AR plays back everything using 48k playback, which also might result in a 44k sample sounding slightly higher pitched on the AR when compared to previewing the same sample on my computer.
Overall, I’d like to know what workflow people are following for 44k samples moved onto the AR.
From the Transfer manual: Transfer supports various sample formats and sample rates, and it automatically converts the samples to the correct native format before transferring them to your Elektron device.
The way I understand this is your samples will be resampled to 48kHz and should retain their pitch.
For devices that only support mono samples, stereo channels will probably be summed into mono.
To be sure, simply copy a sample to the Rytm and back. Then you can check the sample with an application like Audacity.
Thanks for the tip. I just verified and all the pitches appear to be identical before and after the sample rate conversion. I suppose it was all in my head.
I also checked AR via overbridge in Ableton Live to make sure the frequencies stayed the same when triggering samples off of the Rytm and it all checked out.
I think I remember one of @DaveMech’s videos saying that samples are summed to mono when recorded directly into the device, but that Transfer uses only the left (or right) channel of a stereo sample rather than summing.
Of course not. That’s why it is called “conversion”. It would play back at a higher pitch if no conversion is done (== playing a 44.1kHz sample at 48kHz == sample gets played ~10% faster).
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