Sample Rate and Conversion problems

Mixed sample rates

You may find yourself in a situation where you accidentally came to record at one sampling frequency, and then later record something else with a different frequency and wind up with a bunch of files with different sampling freuqnecies in the same session. This situation can actually happen in a DAW – at least in Logic Pro which I have tested the situation with.

tech-sampling-fs

This presents a range of problems, from timing and tuning, to clicks and glitches. An audio file recorded in 44.1 Khz will be played out faster in 48K and thus with a higher pitch.

Simply converting some files to the selected master sample rate can cure the problem in some cases or applications, while in other cases the conversion includes the pitch offset and playback speed, leaving you with a matching sample rate, but with the pitch and speed problems remaining.